TOWN COUNCIL.

Western Star, Issue 351, 22 May 1880, Page 2

TOWN COUNCIL.

SPECIAL MEETING. A special meeting of the Town Council was held on Tuesday evening. The members present were the Mayor, Crs Locke, Petchell, Crockett, and Mills. The business was to receive and pass annual balance-sheet and statement of accounts. These were laid 0,1 Die table duly audited, and on the motion o. Cr Mills, seconded by Cr Petchell, approved of. This concluded the business of the special meeting. ORDINARY MEETING. An adjourned ordinary meeting of the Council took plaue inline iiately after the special meeting, the members present being the same as at the special meeting. The minutes of previous ordinary and special meetings were read and continued. The inward correspondence included letter from Mr E. Nutter, Secretary to the Melbourne Exhibition Comir.ii tee, requesting the Council to interest itself in procuring exhibits from this district. —On the motion of Cr Mills, it was resolved that a reply be sent intimating tbatt.be Council would do all in its power in the direction indicated. From the Chairman of the public meeting recently held in Riverton, asking the Council to vole a sum towards cutting tracks in the Longwood bush to facilitate prospecting.—On the motion of Cr Crockett, seconded by Cr Petchell, it w-is resolved that the letter be received, and 'hat. a >-cply be forwarded to the effect that the Council had no funds at present For such a purpose. From E. Simpson, offering the sum of £75 for (he two top sections of the Corporation quarry reserve in South Riverton. Tin* sections were recently offered for sale by auction, but no bid having been made equal to the reserve fixed by the Public Works Committee, thnv were withdrawn. Ihe Clerk stated that two other persons had made an offer of £35 each for the sections referred to. After some discussion the following motion by Cr Petchell was carried:—That the sections be again offered for sale by public auction at the upset price of £35 each for the two top and £25 each for the three lower one?; tiie terms to be one-third cash, one-third at three and six months, bearing interest at 8 per cent. The letter of Mr T. Daniel, (held over from last meeting,) with regard to payment of arrears of rent on Corporation lease was then considered. The letter was to the effect that rather than have any misunderstanding or litigation with the Council, the writer was willing to forego his claim for injury done to his property on the highlands, and allow the Courcd to take portions of sections 17 and 19, block 8, to widen Bath road, in the event of the Council agreeing to forego their olaim against him for rent of lease. —In answer to the Mayor, the Town Clerk stated that the arrears amounted to over £ll.—The Mayor thought it was rather an extraordinary demand to ask the Council to forego £ll rent for damage done years ago. No doubt it was a convenience to the public when the railway was building, to bo allowed to conduct traffic through Mr Daniel’s section ; but the Government or the railway contractor were responsible for the damage, not the C irporation. One of the sections which Mr Daniel mentioned he was agreeable '■hat a piece be taken off to widen Bath Road, was a Corporation one, and all the residents in that roa I were agreeable to give a piece of their land for the same purpose. Ra'her than have such an unpleasant matter cropping up at every meeting, he would be in favor of allowing Mr Daniel half the arrears of rent to settle the dispu'e, although legally lie did not think Mr Daniel had the slightest claim on the Council. —Or Petchell thought that if Mr Daniel had a legal claim for damages, it ought to be settled at once ; if on the other hand he had no proper claim, the Council should not compromise the matter. Ho suggested that the Corporation solicitor be consulted on the matter. -Or Mills said Mr Daniel did nor, make any objection at the time so his section being used as a roadway, and lie doubted if the claim for damages would ever have been made but for the arrears of rent. Mr Daniel’s was not the only section that was used by the public, and if the Council acknowhdged one claim, there would probably be other similar claims urged. As far as he could recollect, ho had never beard a word about the claim for damages until the Council began to press for arrears of rent on corporation lease; the claim he thought was a second thought on the part of Mr Daniel. —Cr Crockett said he would prefer to see the matter set tled by the Council without reference to a selicitor, as the law expenses would soon amount to a largo sum. Cr Locke then moved tiiat the matter be referred to the Corporation Solicitor. This was seconded by Cr Petchell and carried. The Mayor intimated that when in Queenstown recently, he had received the written consent of a resident there, a property holder in Badi Road, to a portion of his section being taken to widen that road. A letter from Mr Arthur in reply to the Mayor was then read, stating that an excursion train would run between Invercargill and Riverton on 24th May, of which due public notice would be given.—-Some comment was made upon the fact that public notice had not hem given that an excursion train would run on that day, and the Clerk was instructed in his reply to remind Mr Arthur of that omission.

The Mayor stated that he had seen Mr Dartnall with respect to tbo road at the bottom of Palmerston street near tho bridge, which had been rendered very inconvenient by tho railway embankment. Mr Dartnall promised that it would shortly be made safe and passable. The necessity of fencing of the railway lino along Until Road from the Highlands to the railway station was another matter which lie (the Mayor) brought under the notice of the District Engineer, and the latter replied that he had asked for a sum of money for various w;-rks, t ho one named amongst them, and as soon as ho received the necessary authority the work would be proceeded with. The Mayor also reminded the Engineer of the promise to erect a wing to tlie bridge at the south end. Mr Dartnall said that matter would also be atlended to, but he could not,state definitely the period when it would bo taken in hand. Cr Croekelt moved that the Town Clerk communicate with the Corporation banker requesting to know if I lie Corporation would be allowed an overdraft of £IOO if required. Cr Crockett supported his motion by remarking that be thought the accommodation asked was very moderate. There were certain limes of the year when the Corporation was short of funds, and a small overdraft word i bo most useful at such periods.—Tho motion was carried. The rate-book for the ensuing year wa placed upon the table for the signatures o three members of Council to render it com-* pleto. It was resolved that the trustees of the Corporation Sinking Fund bo requested to send in,a report as to tho state of that fund. At the suggestion of the Mayor, it was resolved, on the motion of Cr Crockett, that a shelter shed bo erected in the pound. The Clerk read a statement of the estimated receipts and expenditure for the ensuing year, which showed that after making provision for

fixed charges only £169 would be available for public works. Cr Locke moved that the Council give notice of its intention to strike a rate of Is in the £ on all rateable property within the borough for the period ending 31st March, 1881.

A motion by Cr Crockett that the statement of estimated receipts and expenditure be approved of, gave rise to considerable discussion.—Cr Mills opposed the motion, on the ground that the balance available for public works was not sufficient for the requirements of the town, which was making steady progress, and justified the Council in making provision for borrowing more money. —Cr Crockett thought that the estimate should be passed, and if it was found necessary to borrow that could he done at a future time. —Cr Mills replied that if the Council wove of opinion that it would be necessary to borrow more money, the proposal should be shown on the estimates. He was of opinion that it was not necessary to pass another motion that the Council boirow an additional stun, as they had not availed themselves to the extent authorised by a former resolution. At any rate their legal advisor should he asked for an opinion upon that point.—Cr Crockett ultimately agreed to withdraw his motion, and it was resolved that consideration of the estimates ho held over till next meeting, the Biiblic Works Committee to meet and prepare a list of the works they considered necessary. Cr Mills gave notice that ho would move at next meeting —That the Council procure ladders, buckets, axes, hooks, toAe kept at some convenient place so as to”be available in ease of’firo occurring in town. The meet in g'then adjourned.