TOWN COUNCIL.

Western Star, Issue 142, 27 May 1876, Page 4

TOWN COUNCIL.

ft v The usual meeting of the Town Council was hold in the Council Chambers on Tuesday evening last. Present: His Worship the Mayor, and Crs Monekton, Small, Port, and Acheson.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

A telegram was received from Mr Arthur, Provincial Engineer, in answer to a communication sent by the Council to the Government re the fencing of the street lines by the railway contractor. It was as follows ; —“ Contractor Howell has been instructed to discontinuo fencing in Eiverton till the bridge, &c., is finished.

Several accounts, including one from James Calder for balance due on metalling contract, were passed for payment. The following report from the Public Works Committee was readand adopted:

Tour Committee beg to report as follows : 1. That surface-man Meldrum has been engaged during the last week an the South Ward roads, cutttrtg a surface drain near Mr Bailey’s, and fascining a few holes on the dray road. 2. Eepairing the catting near Lee’s and removing stumps, and repairing the road from the bridge westward to. allow dray traffic as far a» Mr Small’s. • . - 3. Attending to road on Highlands.

The Works Committee recommend as follows 5 —That as there is about sufficient material at the quarry to. metal three chains more road, Mr Calder be requested to finish as far as the metiv will go. They also recommend that a culvert be constructed on the road opposite the barracks,to take away the surface water, and that the holes in the road be filled up with metal. Also that the culvert at the brewery be cleaned out aud repaired, there being a hole at present which may cause some accident if not seen to at once.

In conclusion, the Works Committee do not think it wise to spend money on the side street* in South Ward, as the citizens cannot have both good footpaths and allow, the cattle to trample them up. So they must either do away with thecattle or have no footpaths.

Cr Monckton asked whether Mr Graggs, had yet been gazetted as Pound-keeper.—■ His Worship said the Government had. promised that as soon as the Council furnished them with the necessary bonds; they would gazette that officer., Thay had. also promised to proclaim as a publicpound the site selected by the Corporation for that purpose as soon as a description of the ground was supplied to them.. Cr Monckton said he had an important matter to bring before the Council.. As-, the time was passing this was a question which should take a share of' their attention and the attention of the public at; large* It referred to Riverton aud the outlying districts, and the changes, likelyto ensue. At the present time the people? in different portions of the country were turning over in their minds what was theproper geographical division of the futureshires aud counties. The district had already suffered from the electoral arrangements being so wide and combiningsuch conflicting interests, and it behooved them to take the necessary steps to see that their future existence should not beimpaired for want of forethought in obtaining such boundaries as would benecessary to the welfare of the Western District as a shire or county. This matter had as great importance to-the outsidecountry as to the town, and they were equally entitled to a voice in the matter*. He would therefore move, —That hia Worship the Mayor be requested to communicate with the Aparima Road Board, and ask them to appoint a committee cf: four to represent the country districts in a conference with four Councillors of Rivertpn, to agree upon the boundaries; of the future county or shire that will probably be formed, and to take the> necessary steps to lay them and suck other matters necessary to the interest* of the district connected with the same before the proper authorities, and to request the district members of the General Assembly to support their claims,— It was hardly necessary to detain them longer. The matter was of such importance that the motion itself sufficiently urged the necessity of attention beingdirected to it.

The Mayor said he heartily agreed with Cr Mo nekton’s motion. There had been an instance very recently of the strongs necessity that existed for the residents of the district turning to look after theirown interests more vigilantly than they had hitherto done. He referred to the last election for member of the Assembly* which was influenced a great deal by the_ inhabitants ofWiuton forming themselves J into a league. The present electoral boundaries of the district had a grand mistake. As it was thought desir« able that their representative should be armed with all the necessary information regarding the opinions of the residents as to the future geographical boundaries of the district, ic had been arranged that the matter should be brought forward at this meeting, and as it interested the, country as much as the town, he sidered that the Aparima Road Board* aa representing the district at large* was the

proper body to whom the matter should be referred. Gr Port seconded the motion, which was put and carried. Gr Monckton said, in order to give effect to the last motion, it was necessary to move the following,—That a committee, consisting of his Worship the Mayor and Councillors Murchie, Port and the mover, be appointed to confer with a committee of the Aparima Road Board, and that the day and time of meeting be left to be agreed upon by the Mayor and the Chairman of the Aparima Road Board. —Seconded by Or Small, and carried. Or Monckton said be had a motion to put appertaining to a town matter, viz., ~the forming and gravelling of the upper end of Havelock-street, and although he was personally interested, he believed he had shown that he was equally anxious for improvements in South Riverton, where he had no personal interest. The street in question was being cut up into a frightful bog, and would very soon be quite impassable. There was a sheet of water in the middle of the and drays and other vehicles were compelled to go on the feotpaths, which, with such traffic, would soon be in a simlrar condition. He moved,—That tenders be called for forming and gravelling that part of Havelock-street from Downing-street to Lucknow-street.—Seconded by Or Port, and carried. Or Monckton stated that Mr Reade’s letter concerning matters between the Corporation and the Government would be readv by next meeting. Or Small moved,—That the Public Works Committee call for tenders for forming, metalling, and kerbiug Napierstreet, from Palmerston-street to Have-lock-street, and that temporary fences be erected in South Riverton at the dangerous places along the railway line. —Seconded by Or Port, and carrie 1. The Council then adjourned.