THAMES BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XIII, Issue 3572, 26 March 1880, Page 3

THAMES BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of tho Council took place last evening. There wore present —Mr Khrsnfricd, Mayor (in the chair), Messrs Wilson, Speight, Wilkinson, Jiaivilen, SkGowan, and Marshall

Tho minutes of tho previous meeting were read and confirmed, after which a precis of the outgoing correspondence was read.

OjirHAi'UOE School,--"A. letter was read irom the Board of Education stating that they had decided to grant a capitation of £'1 a year for every child in tho Orphanage school. They asked the Council to submit the name of the tencher.—On the motion ofCr McGowan it whb decided to inform the Board that Mr i-ulijmies had been appointed teacher of the school.

BaiuiE Strttct.-- A letter was read from Mr Isaac Carey objecting to pay his share of the cost of laying down a footpath, and water-tsblo in this street, on the ground that such works wero not needed.—Cr Wilson said there were not three inches of a fall from that street to the Beach,—'l 'no Mayok thought it was a pity Iho ratepayers would not join in going on with such necessary works, It was highly desirable that the Kauaeranga Boys' school should be kept well drained during the winter, and this could not be done unless there was a water-tablo from Scaley street to Jiichmond streets,—The letter was received.

Bates.—Mrs C. "Watson asked for an extension of time in which to pay lier rates —Agreed to. Tababu Tp.AsnuY.-~Mr Wrm Souter asked permission to do some small work in connection with the Grahamstown and Tararu tramway.™ 7 ho Town Clerk stated that the matter had been dealt with by the Works Committee. Government J-tobekeeper's Account. —A letter was read from the Government storekeeper, Wellington, asking payment for the statutes of last year supplied to the Council.—The Town Clerk said the Council had never paid for the statutes before.—After some discussion it was resolved to ask when the payment system camo into opera'ion. Water Table.-Mr John Connolly called attention to the stato of tho water table in front of his residence in Holieston street.—Beferred to the Works Committee.

Wojiks Efpobt.—The report of Ihe Works Committee was read. The report set forth that a recent gale had done much damage to the sea wall, Tararu, and a tender for repairing the some at £97 10a had been accepted. Tho committee also reported that thoy had seen tho Queen of Beauty directors re passage of water from their turbine along the Borough culverts and water tables, and found that 14 sluice head would requiro to be conveyed away, which would necessitate enlargement of water channels. Iho committee make the following recommendation:-That tho culvert at the Queen of Beauty hoppers be cleaned out, the water chan nels from Bella street to Pollen street deepened, and the sides raised, to prerent tho water flooding the vicinity of Martha and Alfred streets; that the wooden water table in Cochrane street be repaired, that it be raised nine inches on the road side and the roadway filling made up to it. The estimated cost of the above will be £30. The committee visited the sea wall now in courso of erection at Tararu by Mr Butler, the contractor for this work, and are perfectly satisfied with the stone being used by him in tho wori, and in the way up to the present date tho contract is beiner carried out.-~ —Cr v c -JowAtf asked how the Council stood legally anent the water from the turbines —'Ihe Town CV.rk said he did not exactly know —Or Bawden said the directors were of opinion '.hat as the Council derived gold duty from their mine,' the Council should maintain the watertables in which turbine water ran.—The Mayob thought they should obtain legal advice as to whether they were compelled to muintain the watercourses when the County derived a revenue from the water. If such was the case, he considered the Council was hardly dealt with.—Or Speight said that every now and then the drains were being choked by tailings and debris brought down by the water from tho batteries and turbines, and tho Council was put to expense in clearing them, which should not be, They had a right to promoto the raining industry, but in duty bound they had to protect themselves in caies like tho present.-Cr McGowan said the drains in Grahamstown were being destroyed by the tailings brought down from the crushing mills.--After further discussion, it was decided, on the suggestion of the Mayor, to refer the wholo question to the Borough solicitor. Fbke Libiuky.—Tho report of the Library Committee set forth that a new catalogue had been prepared, copy of which was enclosed, and authority was requested to have tho words—" Thames Public Library" printed upon the building, and to effect re-insurance,-* Report adopted. Financial. — The monthly accounts were passed for payment, Mu JRollkston's Visit. -■ Tlio Mayor gave an account of the interview he, Gr Speight, and the Town Clerk hud with the Hon. Mr Roileston whilst on his visit to the Thames, and added that the lion, gentleman was very favourably impressed with the Borough, and promised to give his immediate attention to any communications that he might receive from tho Council,

The Ex Matok asd the Niks-Inch Mains.—A letter was presorted to the Council by Mr Wm McCullough, enclosing a list of persons' residing in Pollen street, who would subscribe.;,be* twecn them a sum of £90 .towards the cost of laying down the 9-inch mains in Sbortland, and asking for a reply as to whether the Council would go on with the work tit once or not.— Or Wilkinson moved that in consequence of the unsatisfactory position in which the water supply question still remained the request contained in the letter could not be entertained.""('rUAWDEH seconded the resolution.—Cr Speight considered it was a mockery lo send such a letter and ask for a reply by a certain cay, as the matter was in a very complicated condition, and the Council could do nothing in tho way of laying down the mains until tho difficulty was settled by tho water supply In. «f( owned by tho Borough.— Or jV!cGc".v.iN moved, as tin amendment, that tho letter lie on the table until the Council ia iu a position to deal wiili the mains question.—Cr Wilkihsoh said he did not sco the use of carrying such a resolution. The Council had done all they could within the past month cr two lo set the matter at rest, and tho Shortland people knew that as soon as it was settled the mains would be laid without delay.™ Or t-i'KCiirr thought &2,Qd, and not £90, should bo the sum subscribed by the people of Short-land.—The Mayou said it would require £2-500 to purchase the pipes, wliwb,f,s (hoy vrero fill aware, mo

not the properly of the Council, and £500 to ley them, an expenditure they could not at present ail'ord lo outer upon, lie Shorllaml people could rest assured that as aoon us the difficulty was Drought to an end t e mains would bo laid. —Cr Wilkinson Explained that his object in moving flie resolution was to resent the implication of negligence on the part of >outh Ward representatives which the request contained,--.No member sccondod Iho amendment, and Iho resolution was declared carried. —Cr McGowan asked for the voices, when it was found that all except himself supported the resolution.

The Mayob andhis h smalt Account. —Cr fc'rEioHT asked whether tlio matter relating to the nsplialt had been settled yet. - The Tows Cleek: No. —The Mayor said he had engaged the Borough asphaltcrs to do some work in his yard, and lie had been charged in such a way that the Borough reaped a profit of 150 per cent., which was an extortion, and if lie had known that such was going to be the caso he should not havo had the work done. It was a contemptible piece of extortion, as tlio space asphalted was no bigger than the Council room, and if the Council insisted on his paying the amount lie would do so, but ho objected on principle.—Cr Speight said the charge was in accordance with the byc-law, aud the money should be paid.—Mayou: I care nothing about the money, but before I pay it I will prove in a Court of justice that tho charge is an exhorbitan't one.—Cr McGowan concurred with Cr Speight.— —In reply f,o a question, the Fobeman of Woiiks said the usual charge for asphalting was 4 shillings a foot. lio had done a lot of privato work, but none lately, and the charge was always tho same,— The Mayob said he had speni hundreds of pounds for the benefit of the Borough, and would be willing to do so again, but ho decidedly objected to be made a mark of. •' incc he had been M ayor he had done a lot of outside business for the Borough, and had never charged travelling expenses, and the thanks ho received was being excortionately charged for asphalt work. As it appeared, however, that the charge was in accordance with the byelaw, he would pay the £20, but would give notice of motion that t'ie RSphalting be done by teude.r.~-Cr Wilkinson said he should support such a motion.

BoBuUGH BoCNDABIEd,—Or McQowan moved, "That the Mayor and tlio Town Clerk lake the necessary steps towards the enlargement of the Borough bounda' lies."—Ho explained that his object was to take in Kopu, Block 27, and other portions of the County, as the population increased, —Carried. Cattle Dhiving. -Or McGowan thought a bye law should be passed pro. hibiting the landing nud driving of cattle through the township except at certain hours, as accidents might result from the practice if legislation did not step in, and lessen the danger.—After some discussion Cr IvJcGovpan gave notice of motion in accordance with his remarks. Pollish street.—Mr W. H, fmith, of Brown street, asked permission to lay a piece of water table loading on to somo property in Pollen-street. "-Referred to Works Committee. The Council then adjourned.