TOWN COUNCIL.

Western Star, Issue 352, 26 May 1880, Page 2

TOWN COUNCIL.

SPECIAL ME STING. A special meeting of the Borough Council was held last evening, to eonfirm resolution passed on 2nd March, that by-laws be passed. —On the motion of Cr Locke, a motion was carried to that effect. The by-laws to be advertised on 15th Juri", and come into force on Ist July. This concluded the business of the special meeting ; thereafter an '. OEDINARY MEETING was* held: - The minutes of previous meeting having been confirmed, the outward and inward correspondence was read. The former was of no general importance; the latter was as follows : Prom-the manager National Bank, agreeing to the request of the Council to allow an overdraft of £IOO, subjeci to the right of the bank to call up any amount owing on demand.—lt was resolved that the Clerk reply to the letter, accepting the terms offered. Prom the Clerk to the Dunedin City Council as follows :

Sir, —The Cplonial Treasurer having, by circular addressed to the different local governing bodies which are -presently receiving Government subsidy to the rates, asserted the probability of the immediate discontinuance of such subsidy, 1 am instructed by the City Council of Dunediu to communicate with your Council by way of ascertaining how far the different Municipal Corporations intend taking action in the direction of strongly remonstrating against this threatened withdrawal. The Financial Arrangements Act, 1876, as you are aware, distinctly provides that the subsidy shall be paid out of the consolidated fund for five years after the coming into operation of the said Act, and no doubt the prosptctive financial arrangements of the different Municipal Corporations have been framed in full rsliance that the terms of the Act would be complied with by the Government. The different boroughs can in many ways, and through their representatives in Parliament, bring strong pressure to bear in opposition to the withdrawal; and the Duuedin Council ia of opinion that perhaps the most effective opposition can be thus rendered rather than by a simple joint remonstrance or memorijil to Parliament. The object of tins letter is to ascertain the view of your Council on the subject; and I am instructed to express the hope that, in so.-ue shape or other, the proposal of the Government may be vigorously opposed by all the local bodies whose interests are thus involved.—l am, &c„ J. N. Masset, Town Clerk. The Mayor agred with the object of the letter, and thought the Council should resist the proposal to do away with the subsidy as far as lay in ita power, aud endeavour to get the Government to keep its promise as set forth iu the Financial Arrangements Act. If the subsidy were discontinued it would press very hard upon the borough of Eiverton, which did not receive such a large revenue from its endowments as some boroughs. He instanced the case of Winton, which received £3OO last year from its reserves, while Eiverton benefited to the extent of only £35 for fifteen months. He was of opinion that every effort should be made to retain the subsidy. Many corporations had entered into certain arrangements on the strength of the subsidy being continued, and he considered the Government would be breaking faith if it were done away with.—Crs Crockett and Callaghan followed in a similar strain, and moved, That a reply be sent to the letter stating that the Eiverton Council was prepared to take every legal means of resisting the proposal to discontinue lha subsidy.--Carried. Cr Locke also ~i. w ;t-l :'_■:' :.:'j'i member for the dis-

Irict bo communicated with aud requested to use his influence with tho Government to stop the withdrawal of the; subsidy.—Seconded by Cr Crockett and carried. ACCOUNTS?. On the item of J.'Eveleigh, £6> (fortnight's wages) being read out, Cr Cullagban said he thought during these hard times, when low rates were ruling for wages, that the Council were paying their surfaceman - too much. He was satisfied that good men could be got for less than 10s per day—indeed mechanics could be engaged for that sum, if not less. Mea were working on the railway at 6s and 7s per day. Retrenchment was the order of the day with most people, and he thought the Council would be justified in making a reduction. He had no fault to find with the manuer in which the surfaceman performed his duties ; he was as good a man as they could get, but h<3 thought they were paying him too high wages. —The May*r was of opinion that the Council would take a foolish, step i£ they reduced the surfaceman's wages to that of an ordinary laborer. It was only some three or four months age* that his wages had been raised Is per day on account of his having to light the lamps after his ordinary day's work was finished, Sundays included. The surfaceman was more a foreman of works than an ordinary labourery as he was frequently called upon. to supervise the work of extra hands when tliey were employed, and in addition he acted in the capacity of Inspector of Nuisances. — On the suggestion of Cr Locke, who-, thought the matter was of sufficientimportance to allow of every councillor voting upon it, Cr Cullagban gave notice that he would move at next meeting that the surfaceman's wage* be reduced by Is per day.—The account as read was then passed; also, junior surfaceman, £3 10s; Wi. Craig and Co., 10s; S. Goklsworthy, 5s. —Some discussion arose on an accouut for £G 6s from Mr Taylor, surveyor, being read. Be was engaged to make a re-survey of Bath Koad from the railway station to Napier street, but after spending two or three days on the work he found that the original survey of the town was no* in accordance with trig station, and'he then declined to take upon himself the responsibility of altering the survey, and suggested that the Chief Surveyor be communicated with in respect to the some comment upon this subject, it was agreed to offer thie surveyor £5 for his services., GEMERAL. The amended estimate of receipts and expenditure, showing a proposal to borrow £SOO, thus having £669 available for public works during the year, was, on the motion of Cr Crockett, approved of. ; u ' i Cr Caliaghan ; enquir.ed respecting a motion passed at last uieeting that a shed be erected in tho pound. He thought such a proposal unnecessary, aud considered''a top rail on the fence to prevent cattle escaping of more impor ance.—The Mayor said he thought it a disgrace that cattle should be "exposed to such-storms as- had recently prevailed, and ipmarked ; that the Inspector of Nuisances had been summoned for cruelty to animals.in allowing a horse remain in the pound exposed to the fury of one of the late storms. . ■ . : .i : - . '■'■■ In the absence of Cr Mills, his notice of motion that the Council procure ladders, buckets,"axes, hooks, &c, to be kept at some convenient place soas to be available in case of fire occurring i n to wn, was postponed till' next meeting. : Cr Locke gave notice that he would move at next meeting that the Council notice of its intention to strike a rate of one shilling in the pound on all e rateable property within the boroughThe Council then adjourned.