HAMILTON BOROUGH COUNCIL

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2117, 2 February 1886, Page 2

HAMILTON BOROUGH COUNCIL

The usual monthly meeting of the council was held List night. Present : His Worship the Mayor, Cm. Philip, Sandes, Dey, Edgecumbe and Knox. The Furze in Hood-street.— Mr Tan. field, the owner of an allotment in Hoodstreet, wrote, in answer to a notice to remove the furze therefrom, agreeing to do the work forthwith. Hospitals and Charitable Aid.— The demand from the Hospital Board for the council's share for the maintenance of hospital and for charitable aid was read. — The Mayor B.iid the application had been referred to the borough solicitor. They would bee that the question had been deferred by the Waikato County Council, and it would not be ad usable to do anything until it was known what Waikato and Waipa would do, as it had been agreed to act in concert. The money was due, he thought, on the 9th of this month.— lt was agreed to do nothing until the decision of the county councils be made known.— Tho Mayor, in answer to a question, said the council of Raglan could not join in the league, as the Counties Act was not in operation there, but tho sympathy of the settlers in Raglan county was altogether with them. Seddon's Clvim.— Meß.ra Vaile and Douglas wrote, claiming £9 3s for aibitr.ition fee and expenses.— The Clerk reported that the whole of tho expenses had been banded to Mr Seddon's solicitor, and it was resolved to refer the waters to that gentleman. Subsidy.— The Property Tax Commissioner wrote, advising that £175 13s 9d being 75 per cent, of the amount of subsidy due to the borough under the provisions of the Local Bodies Financo Act had been forwarded.— The Mayor said that when this sum was paid in to the bank, the overdraft would be reduced to €409 11s Id. Works Committee.— The usual report of the committee on works completed and iv progress was read and adopted. Proposed Sale Yards.— The Clerk reported that the committee appointed to consider this question and report had not been able to do so as yet, and the subject was consequently deferred. Borouuh Drains.— Tenders were received for cleaning out the drains of tho borough. Before opening them Cr. Kno\ asked if the tender for each separate contract should be accompanied by si deposit of 10s, or did one deposit cover the five tenders ?— Cr. Sandes said certainly not— The Town Clerk said it was the intention of the works committee that one deposit should cover whole.— Cr. Knox suggested that the tenders should be sent back in order that the tenderers might have an opportunity of sending in deposit.*. — Cr. Edgecumbe suggested that the lowest tender might be accepted, conditionally on the tenderer making up the proper amount of the deposit. This was ngreed to, Cr. Knox dissenting, and the tenders were opened as follows :— T. Keep, Is 3d per chain, for each section ; Geo. Brown, 2s 3d for No 1, 2s No 2, and 3, Is Gd No. 4 and 5 ; J. Devitt, Is per chain all round ; W. Allen, 2s No. 1, Is 6d No. 2, Is 3d No. 5, Is No. 4 and 5 ; Vincent and O'Neill, Is 5d No. 4, 5 and G. On the motion of Mr Knox the tender of J. Devitt was accepted.— Cr Sandes protested that the work could not be done for the money. Devitt could neither do himself nor the borough justice. Failing Devitt's acceptance of the contract it was resolved to accept the tender of T. Keep, Accounts. — A number of accounts were passed for payment. The Waikato Timesj.— The Mayor said he had asked the Town Cleric to ascertain the cost of binding the tiles of The Waikato Times, thinking that such volumes would be of great iiervice. It was often necessary to refer to the back files of the paper.— On the motion of Cr, Knox, seconded by Or. Sandes, it was resolved to bind the files of The Waikato Times as far as practicable since the formation of the borough in 1878. Borough-lighting. — Attention was drawn to the unsatisfactory manner in which the present lighting contract has been carried out.— Cr. Edgecumbe suggested that when tenders are invited for a new contract the contractor be required to find oil and all requisites. — The Clerk said the chairman of the Works Committee ((Jr. Tippen) held the same view, and Cr. Edgecumbe's suggestion was accepted, it being further resolve^ that the contract be terminable jn one month on either tide.— The Clerk taid the present contract expired on the 10th of the present month. — It was resolved to call for tenders at once for lighting the borough lamps, the two lamps in Knox-street to be left out, Cr. Knox, in undertaking to look after these lamps, remarking that he wished to see them decently kept. Width of Footpaths. — The Mayor thought it was necessary to fix the width of the footpaths, in order that business people might know how to build verandahs. He certainly thought the present footpaths wero too wide. [Crs. Scott and Tippep here took their seats,] He would move that the Town Clerk enquire the width of the tootpaths in Auckland.— Cr. Edgecumbe was. und^r tho impression, that this Jwl

been done. — Cr. S.uules concuirpd. — Cr. Knox said Hamilton was cui->ml with by-lairs. He -aid ii'mihi't- of pciplc li.mJ been kept out of the pl.no by bv-1 >« •. He deprecated any copying of Auckland.— The mntfcr then dropped. Maintaining M\i\ Ro\u.— The Clerk said h» had ascurtain-d, at the nuincstof tho chairman of the Woiks C"iv nittei', th.it the amount spent on tin* until road from Seddon's Hill to No. I Bud*,'.- last year was £C 1 odd.— Cr. Tippcn th night money would bo saved l»y .iccpting .1 teiid"i f«n the maintenance of tin- imcl.— Ci. lvlge cuinbe did not approve of the propo-d, as they would still icquiic to keep a boioti^h workman, who mw -.pent a gu'at portion of his tune on this Mid — Cr S.indo .strongly appro\cd of Cr. Tippen's projiosal. — Cr. Edgecumbo s.iid it would bj ncce-.-.sary to engage tin; Mjrsic. <v i of ,111 onginoor. — After some further dUcu>»ion, the m ittor was deferred until next meeting. The Proposkd Uorolt.h Loan.— The council went into committee to comidei the report prepared by Hn Worship the Mayor and Cr. Kdgocumbc. The rcfioit, which it is intended to read at to-iught'i public meeting, was rend by Cr. Edgecumbe, and is printed in another column. — The Mayor explained shortly whit arrangement h:;d been made with the Government. In respect of the payment of interest they were all aware that no domain funds could bn spent on works not connected with tho domain, but it was equally clear that such works as drains and roads, which benefited the domain lands, and at the same time punedof utility to other lands in the borough could be paid for out of domain revenue.— Several councillors concurred with the" Mayor, who further said that Mr Ballanco was distinctly of that opinion. — After some further conversation, the Council rose.