HAMILTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1321, 16 December 1880, Page 2

HAMILTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the Council whs held on Tuesday evening. Present : His ' Worship the Mayor, Crs. Jones, Knox, Hill, McUramgle, Mullions, Price, and Vialou. Tlie minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, and the ouiward correspondence was read and approved. The Secretary to the Treasury wrote, intimating that the sum ot £2 (tines, etc.), had been lodged iv the Bank of New Zealand to the credit of the Council. The .Secretary to the Kirikinroa Road Board wrote drawing the Council's: attention to the necessity for forming the load along Heaphy terrace to the bridge o\er Gibbons' gully. Mr Whitaker, M H.R , -wrote regretting that ho had not before been in a position to tix a date tor meeting the Council, owing to the uncertainty ot his movements, and stating that he was now in a position to fix Monday, the 20th instant, to meet Councillors tor the purpose oi discussing Hamilton matters. Some discussion follow cd the reading of this letter, Ci\ Hill taking occasion to remark that on his Jast visit to the Council, Mr Wlntaker was quietly taken aside by the Mayor, the latter neglecting to see that the Council's business w ent on, and preventing their member, from making any communication to them. The .vlayor moved, "That Crs. Hill, MoOarngle, and the mover be appointed to wait upon Mr Wlntaker for tlie purpose of conferring with him on Borough matters,"' but the motion was afterwards withdrawn, and an amendment, proposed by Cr. Vialou, to the effect that the Town Clerk inform Mr Wlntaker that the Council will meet him as desired, wa^> carried. Mr S. T. Hoddon wrote denying the right ot the ( 'ouncil to take part of lot (51, Hamilton West, in which he is interested, and intimating that he will resist any such taking or entry as far as the law will allow, and further stating that ho is willing to give his consent upon the payment oi the sum of £400 compensation for the taking ot siifh land. [ A similar letter \\ as also read from Mr Charles limes. On the motion ot Cr. Hill, the letters were ordered to be received. Cr. Hill moved " That iv the opinion of this Council, legal opinion should be taken from Messrs Whitaker aud Sheehau to-morrow, with, reference to reply to Mr Seddon's letter, and fixing date to meet him regarding his objection to takingland under Public Works Act." This was seconded by Cr. McG-arngle. After some discussion the Mayor said he could not support the resolution, as he had before expressed the opinion that nothing ought to be done until the opinion of a competent legal authority had been obtained. The morion was then put arid carried, the Mayor only dissenting. The Miyor then re id an address dealing with the work of the Council dunng the period in which he had occupied the position of Mayor. He conti-astel the stito of the Borough finances when he took office with their position at the present, and congratulated the Council on the amount of success which ttiey had acheived. He went i ito figures to show that the overdraft would have been still further reduced, had not the Kib&i'iie-. been voduced, andconcluded witharefeience to the supiueness which had been shown by their legal advisers. Cr. Jones moved, " That this Council pass a cordial vote of thanks to B. C. Beale, Esq. , for services rendered to this Council, during his term of o nee, and also to express our concurrence in the remarks wade by him in his address to the Counciljthis evening. " Tina was seconded by Cr Vialou.

The Major left the chair, and Cr. Mullions was called upon to preside. Gr. Hill was quite prepared to endorse the first part ol the motion but he objected altogether to the 1-ittor part. His Worship had thrown aspersions on the cbaiacter of a professional gentleman, which ho did not think the Council would endor;-e. He was quite sure that the Councillors would agree with hint that there was no one who had worked harder for the interest of the Borough than Mr Whi taker. The mover and seconder agreed to expunge the latter part of the motion, which was then in its ameuded form put and carried. The Mayor resumed the chair, and thanked the Council for the vote of thanks. The report of the Works Committee upoi various works in the Borough was read and considered. On the motion of Cr. Vialou, it van decided to gravel the footpaths in Victoriastreet 3 inches deep, instead of 6 inches. The Town Clerk was instructed to call for tenders for the works required in Heaphy Terrace, in accordance with a report from a committee of the Council. Cr. Mullions moved that the bridge tollkeeper be appointed annually, and not monthly, a* at present, but the motion, was afterwards withdrawn. The Town Clerk read the statement of funds as follows : — General account (overdraft), £673 los lid; special fund account (credit), £169 13s The accounts passed by the financial meeting of the Council were ordered to bo paid, and after the transaction of some other business, the Council rose.