BOROUGH COUNCIL.

SYDENHAM.

Tlio fortnightly meeting of tho Sydenham Borough Council was hold at 7, o'clock last evening} prosent-<-Hiß ; Worship the Mayor, and . Councillors White, Andrew, Nioholl, Hall, Pavitt, Charfcors, and Shierlaw. ' ' KBROBKNK MOBNSfiS.' ' Somo little discussion took placo as to the manner in whioh applications for kerosone liconses should bo dealt with, nnd it was resolved—" That tho Mayor bo instruoied to sign liconees for korosono." : cobuksi'ondkncb. A lettor-'Was road from tho RegistrarGonoral, calling attontion to certain points in tho statistics furnishod to him which noeded attention. Ho specially asked for a return showing tho numbor of inhabited houses within tho Borough on Jan. 1 hwt. Tho Clerk was authorised to furnish tho information asked for. Tho Socrotary to tho Drninngo Board wroto as follows !— "I havo tho honour by direction of tho Board to inform you that after duo consideration tho Committco appointed to sond a reply to your communication dated Oct. 28, 1879, havo arrivod at tho following conclusion ;— That in tho opinion of tho Board, Sydenham and othor suburban districts in tho drainage district, have boen justly doalt with, and that tho ratos leviod havo only been sufficient; to cover intorost and sinking fund on borrowed capital spent in oach district, in accordance with tho Act of 1877, and tho amount nooeßsary, to pay for tho clearing of watcr-courso?, &c, in oaoh district. Tho payment of tho sum of £18,000 for tho outfnll drain, to which reference was mado by tho deputation, was entirely outsido of tho discretion of tho Board, having been made compulsory by tho Act of 187 G. That tho Board havo already rocognieod tho juitico

of charging tbo oost of maintonnnco of tho staff ou the principlo advooated by jo\i, Ihat tho Board have given the best evidence of tliolr petite to do justice to Sydenham and tho euburbs, by constructing tho Gasworks, Madras streot north, South belt, and Ferry road etoritf water 10 wen, and by putting in hand tho pipo-laying north of tho Town belt, tho Madras- fetrcot south > storm- water sovvor, and tho Windmill road pipo sower. They will push forward tho laying of sowngo pipes as soon as they can bo turned to profit* ablo account by tho completion of the pumping station ana tho works connected therewith. That full notico of tho Board's inten--1 tion to introduce a now Bill into tho Assembly will bo given to tho sovoral Boroughs and Road districts comprised within the Drainage district, and that tho Board will be glad to consider any objections which may be urged against their proposals. That a copy of tho annual; accounts shull bo forwarded to tho 'various Municipalities and Road Boards within tho Druinogo district. That the several portions of tho Drainage district beins already represented on tho Bourd, tho Board do not consider that a right of appeal ngainst a proposed rate is cither necessary or desirable." Thclottor was referred to tho members of the Conference, r Alottor from the Hon W. Kollcston stated "Upon inquiry I find that tho Crown grant for the land which was sot aside fts an endowment for tho Borough of Sydenham, under the provisions of 'Ihe Municipal Corporations Aot, 1876/ was ordered to be prepared on Deo. 6, 1878. I havo directod that inquiry bo made as to the cause of delay." Resolved— "That the letter be received with thanks." From Mr George Hart, as Chairman of tho Baktria and Ashburton Forks Railway Company, a letter was read, offering £5 per acre as compensation for land taken from tho Council's reserve {'being the same rate as had been paid for other land taken under similar oircumßtnnces. 1 Councillor Charters movod— " Thai tho Commissioner of Waste Lands (Mr Marshman) be requested,' in preparing tho Crown grant of tho Borough's reserve atOhertsey, to exompt therefrom 8 acros 1 rood 24 perches, required by the Ashburton Forks Hailway Company, as shown in their previous application, and tho*; tho said Company shall pay the sum of '£s per aero as compensation for such land reserved, and give an undertaking to fence at the Company's expense, before tho authority is sent to Mr Marshman." Councillor Hall seconded tho motion, which was agreed to. It was further resolved — "That tho approval of tho plan be left to the Works Committee." The Chairman of the Ricearton Road Board acknowledged receipt of £301 6s 83, half cost of Maintaining boundary road for the six months ending Sept. 30, 1879. Ihe writer added— " The Biocarton Road Board is advised that it is not liable to pay the item in the account for metal, 990 yards at 10*, £495. I havo, thorefore, deducted this amount, together with the cost of spreading the metal, £13 188, and £6 13s 6d, being an error m the oost of drain-pipes, whioh leaves a balanoa duo to you of £50 Os 2d. A cheque 'v enclosed heromth." » The letter was referred to the Works Committee, with power to act, ( WOBKB 00MMITTBB. Tho Works Committee reported >.— "1. Notices havo been served upon tho owners of property abutting on Faltgrove and Stovons streets in rural section 13, to form and metal theso streets within one month, under tho provisions of section 210 of ' Tho Municipal Corporations Aot, 1876.' "2. A deputation from tho residents of Sandridgo having waited upon tho Committee to ask that the. Council would take steps to metal tho streets before the [ coming winter, tho Committee recommend the Council to collect the cost of tho formation, of tho streets at once, and that notice be served upon tho residents to shingle the same within one month, or the Council will do the work under the provisions of teotion 210, subsection 2 of 'The Municipal Corporations Aeb, /1876,' and clause 6 of 'The Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Act) 1877.' , "B. The Oommit.t«,»y<jpecommend tho Council to form^nd "mete^ Ihp. street now known as ReeceVstreot, theratepajer*having paid in the estimated cost of constructing the Bamo. '■■*■: "4. The Committee have considered several plans for the construction of a bridge over the Heathoote, to replace tho one now- known as Wilson's Bridge, and hare decidodi to ask Messrs Dobson and Son to prepare a sketch for tho approval of tho Councif and Iho lleathc6to.Roftd J Board." ■■ ■-• On tho motioricOf Co.itooillor the report was'receivodTrtid n'doptod. ' ' Councillor Charters called attention to the "gorso nuieanco existing within the Borough. PINAJfCB. The Fin&nco Committee reported receipts for the fortnight, £300 12s, and accounts passed for payment, £229 6s 6d. Crodit balance, at Bank, £1374 2i 41 On tho motion of Councillor Charters, the reporb was receivod and adopted. KAMBB OP BTRBKIB. The Street-naming Committee reported the following decisions : — 1. That as tho work previously dono did not appear to meet with the Council's approval, the Committee decided to start afresh, and ignore all tha^had been previously done by the Committoo. ' 2. That in all oases where old names- have been in use for years, they, shall be retained on the new map of the Borough, with the exception of GaswbrksVoad.'Pound road, and streets named to correspond with figures. 3. That approved names of modern, authors be applied to the streets of SydonhanVoxcopfc thoso streets mentioned in tho first part of clause 2, and where the residents have ohosen a name, allowed by the Council. i 4. And-, that thoy have sclooted following': —'(Here followed the list of naraos). ; r ' : ■■- On the motion of Councillor Hall the report of the Committee was adopted. CONPBBBNOB. A lotter from the Mayor of Ashburton intimated that tho first meeting of the Munioipal Association would be ticld in the Ohristohurch City Council Chamber on Wednosday, Jan. 28, at 3 p.m. It war resolved that the meeting at its rising would adjourn until 7 o'clock on Friday ovoning, for the purpose of considering matters to bo brought before the Conference.