Oamaru Borough Council.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 7365, 12 November 1898, Page 4

Oamaru Borough Council.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Borough Conncil 'was held last evening when there were'present his Worship the Mayor, and Councillors Hedley, Hamilton, Taylor, Milne,""Kennedy, Lane, Rosfe, Brown and Cagney. Mr H. Winsly wrote offering the upset price L 3 for the land at the rear of the Council Chamber. Councillor Hedley moved, provided the Council could deal with it, that the tender be accepted. The Mayor said be thought the Council could deai with Mr Winsley in an informal manner and It was left at that. Mrs Janet M'Laren wrote saying that eo long as she could earn a few shillings she had always paid her rates, but for some time she had earned nothing, and owing to her necessitous circumstances she asked that she might be exempted from the payment of rates. It was stated that the Benevolent Trustees held the property, and that they should pay the rates. On the motion of Councillor Taylor, seconded by Councillor Hamilton, it was resolved to inform the Trustees that they will be held responsible for the rates in this and all similar cases. It was farther arranged that the Benevolenb Trustees or the Council should get a mortgage over the properties of similar necessitous ratepayers. Messrs Lee and Grave wrote : " Messrs J. and T. Meek have handed us your letter to them of lat November current, and have Instructed ns to say that they do not admit any liability. If the Council take any proceedings we will accept service on behalf of our clients." Mr T. F. Martin, Secretary to the Municipal Association, forwarded opinions upon certain sections of the new Municipal Franchise Act. Mr J. S. Keith, of Timaru, wrote asking for certain information with respect to the working of the borough offices, the water supply, and works generally. The Mayor said Mr Keith was a candidate for the Mayoralty of Timaru. Councillor Milne said he would like to see the return when made up, as it would be interesting. The Clerk said it would bB available. Building permits were applied for and granted as follows :—Mr W. H. Steinson for additions on section 11, block 38 ; Mr J. Vernor, additions on section 7, block 78. The Engineer's report as follows : I have the honor to report in reference to the surface channel on the south side of Ouse street, between Thame3 street and Beed street, that about four chains at the Thames street end is scoured very rough and soft with the discharge of the house drainage from the adjacent properties, the upper portion of the channel is in a good state, and if a concrete channel is laid down it will have to be of a large size to carry the storm water from Derwent street. Tn reference to the footpath bridge, near Mr Boyd's on the western side of Severn street traffic bridge, I estimate the cost at about L 7 10a. 'l'he length of the traffic bridge is 51ft, and the length of the footbridge will be 21ft. The L 7 10a added to the H for asphalting on the roadway is Lll 10s against L2O for the proposed bridge on the line of the footpath. The concrete channelling of Wharf street is now in hand, and I would advise that a 9it pipe drain be laid from it to the concrete channel on the south side of Wansbeck street for the purpose of diverting part of the storm water from the Northern sewer.

With regard to the scouring in Ouse street Councillor Hedley moved and Councillor Brown seconded that it be an instruction to the Engineer to have 4 chains of channelling done in this street. Councillor Hamilton could not agree to this small portion being done, and moved as an amendment that the whole of the street should be done. Oouncillor Hedley said he had moved his motion because the Engineer had reported that the other portion was in good order, and there were other streets that wanted doing for health's sake. Councillor Hamilton said he thought that necessity existed for the other portion of the street being done, and it looked like pandering to a few property owners to do a part only. The amendment was not seconded, and the motion, on being put, was carried. With regard to the Severn street bridge. Councillor Milne said he was in doubt as to the bridge being erected for L 7 10.-, and would like to see tenders invited publicly before the Council committed itself to any expenditure. It was no use erecting a flimsy structure. The Works Committee's report read at last meeting was looked up, and Councillor Brown suggested that tenders should be called for both bridge and footpath.

The Mayor said that to go tinkering at the bridge as now proposed would be throwing away money, as in a few years a new bridge would be required. Councillor Taylor advocated the asphaltin? being done or a stone culvert pnt in, and the bridge left for the present. Councillor Cagney expressed the opinion that the Council would meet the desire of the ratepayers by doi: g the asphalting only. He moved in that direction.

Councillor Brown pointed out that this wasthe recommendation of the Committee. At last meeeting, on Councillor Meek's motion, the engineer had been instructed to give an estimate of the cost of a footbridge. He seconded the motion. This was carried.

With regard to the concrete channelling in Wharf street, the Mayor 33id that this had been before the last meeting, but he had omitted to take the sense of the Council upon it. Councillor Hamilton said that he thought it had been resolved upon before, but as it had not, he moved that the work be done, as it would be a saving of money, seeing that after every storm there was a lot of debris washed down. Councillor Rosie seconded the motion, which was carried. The Works and Reserves Committee reported recommending that a book be kept in the box at the pound and that the ranger and poundkeeper each have a key, where instructions can be left; that Mrs Lamont be informed that the charges made for impounding her cow are correct and according to the Act, and that the poundkeeper absolutely denies that the cow was ever out of the pound from the time of pounding till its release ; that, in reference to Mr Winsley's application for 40 feet frontage of the ground in Itchen street, tenders be called for the same at an upset rental of L 3 p3r annum, the term to be during the pleasure of the Council. 'The report was adopted. The Finance Committee reported submitting accounts amounting to L9O 9j 6d, which were passed for payment. Councillor Hamilton inquirsd if the proposed list of ratepayers who were owing money for channelling had been prepared yet. His reason for asking this was that it was aaid that some never intended to pay, and he held that if the Council could not compel all to pay none should be asked to do so. He did not speak from what the " man in the street" said, but aD ex-Mayor had declared he could not be made to pay and would not payThe Mayor said that the usual steps were being taken to collect the money. The list referred to had been produced at a Finance Committee meeting, and the money was being collected. Councillor Hamilton said he had understood that the list was to be laid on the table. Councillor Taylor asked his Worship if it were possible to have a set day for "washing up" all these old grievances, remarking that it would be as well to have " a good one and be done with " Councillor Milne asked that Hull street, qetween Wansbeck and Aran streets,

might be formed. He understood that the work waa to have" been done two years ago, bat, for some r< *3on or other, it had been allowed to stand over. Councillor Hedley eaid the street was formed. The Mayor said that all that was required waa some shingle, and that waa not procurable now, the late storm having washed it all orit to sea. Shingle was ako required for Thames street north, bat none was available Councillor Milne : Oh, then, we may as well say Oamarn is *' a shingle short " just now. (Laughter.) The Council then rose.