LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 347, 15 April 1874, Page 2

LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Council was held on Monday evening in the Council Chambers. There were present : The Mayor and Crs. Hay, Hayes, Arthur, Armstrong, and JTci'guson. Tiie minutes of the last moeting of the Council and of of a special meeting were read and confirmed. A letter from Mr. J. Tuekey, offering the Council 100 gum trees, provided they be planted in the reservoir ground, was received. The Council agreed to accept Mr. Tuckey's offer wilh thanks, but hoped he wquld leave the place af planting them to be decided by the Public Works Committee. An application was received from, Mr. G. B. Kin.;, on behalf of certain Chinamen, to work the ground recently reclaimed on the Beaumont Road. Crs. Hay and Armstrong objec-ted to the granting of the application, a3 the old road might be required in the course of the winter. Application refused. Two letters were received in reply to application, made by the Council to the Government to construct a bridge over the creek in Dervvent-street. The Government .declined te execute the work, not having any funds its disposal for such purposes. Councillors generally regretted the tenor of the letters from the Government,, seeing the necessity for the bridge was chiefly caused by tha siltiug up of the tailings from the Blue Spur, from whielf^plaee the Government had received an -immense revenue for gold.' Cr. Hay suggested, that a petition should be got up for the Provincial Council. ■ Cr. Ferguson asked whether au open ford would not euifc eveiy purpose. Derwenfcstreot could be raided to the level of ths embankment, with a gentle graiient to the creek. "Cr. Armstrong considered that would not be a permanent work, and that a bridge would be iv the long run the least expensive. Cr. Hayes suggested offering the Government Lo go on6-half tho expense. Cr. Hay thought an open channel would cost as nnich as a bridge. The Mayor regretted the action of the Government. He was surprised they ha/1 refused to execute the work, as it was entirely caused by the silting up of the tailings. Tho town had no property on the other si.de of the creek on which they could levy rates. Ho thought the suggestion of Cr. Ferguson should be considered. The matter was ultimately referred to the Public Works Committee to make enquiries as to the practicability or otherwise of an open ford, and report upon the same at a special meeting to be held on Wednesday (this) evening. A letter from Mr. George Jeffery, enclosing one addressed to him by the contractors of the Ross Place embankment, on the above subject was read. ; A letter from Mr. Peter Robertson, requesting the outlay of £3. or £ i on certain improvements in Thurso-street, was referreJ to the Public Works Committee, with power to act, so long as the expense did not go beyond the limit they were allowed — natnelv, £5. Cr. Hay informed the Council that the Public Works Committee had decided upon gravelling the portion of the Beaumont Road from Peel-street to William's 8 feet wiJe instead of 6 feet, as previously contracted for. A letter from Mr. Thomas Day, with reference to a footpath near his property, was received, and referred to the Public Works Committee. ' Letter received from Mr. Samuel Wootton, informing the Council that he was about to build on section 21, block XLII. He drew the attention of the Council to the moans which had been adopted to make his section a channel for carrying all the water that parses through the culvert constructed by the j Government in Ross Place, which culvert | diverts the water from its original channel into his property. As tho consequence of his building would be the stoppage of the flow or' water through bis property, and consequently through the culvert, be requested the Council to consider, the best means to remedy the evil complained of. Cr. Hay said it was the business of the Council to see to the matter. They should represent the case very strongly to the Government, so that Mr. Wootton might be reimbursed for any outlay he might be put to. Cr. Armstrong considered the matter a private grievance of Mr. Wootton's, who should fight his t>wu battles.

Or, Ferguson "agreed with th^/:rj|«j|M of both Cr. Hay and Cr. Artß^W^sSt'S^ght if Mr. Wottfcton were to!patifcioaj^9^B^vhicial CouncuV*«tad the Muataipal^B^uncil of Lawrence Tjrerd to bacs iiK^nis ■ajnfton, it woulalfavb^Ee'desired efFej*,^] . «s"*-j Ojl'-'the potion of Cr] Eujjjf^the' fcjßDwing :resoj|i#on -was carried urianuqjfaßly*s|j?/rhat a cojfy of Mr. Woorlpn'£{ letterTte^llPJr* 0 * ne Secretary for Land? and W^orJgSjjwfch the' recommendation v &f the e2cg§ojtl6«ifc ' eceive" the favorable consideration of the Government." V| ' The report of Mr. W. G. Anderson, Inspector of Works, was received and approved of. The following aocQunta^yzg^9JSSSissdj^ff' referred to the Public Works and Finance Committees : — Michael Keliher, £1 Is.; John Ellia, 12s. '6d.- H. Millar, £2 12s. 6d.; J. Downie, £3j J. Downie. ffi^s.^^ffiffrj, 153.; T. Cleary, 95. ; R. Nichols ? ,los.; ; James Middlemiss, £6 10s. 4d.; 'antt the' following were referred to the Finance Committee :— James Harris, £1 35.; Thos. Arthur, £1 18s. 2d. ; Tuapeka Times, £1 18s.; andH-Telfoifcl, £2 los. The letter re exchange of Market Reserve which had been sent to the Government was read, and the sum of one guinea voted to the Town Clerk for the tracing he supplied of the ground the Council were willing to accept iv exchange for the present Reserve. Tho question of collecting the rates was considered. The Council decided upon taking legal proceedings fourteen days from date to recover the rates due for the current Municipal year. The question of the appointment of a surfaceman and the lighting of the lamp 3 was deferred till next Council meeting. The Council then adjourned.