SPECIAL MEETING OF BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XIII, Issue 3579, 6 April 1880, Page 3

SPECIAL MEETING OF BOROUGH COUNCIL.

©—- — THE WATER SUPPLY QUESTION. A specul meeting of tho Council, convened by the Mayor, was held yostorday morning at half-past 10 o'clock, for the purposo of ratifying certain terms made by tho Mayor with tho County Council. Present : Tho Mayor, Councillors McGowan, Marshall, Wilson, Bawden, Wilkinson, Osborne, and Speight.

Tlio Matob, who arrived late, after apologising for keeping the councillors waiting, said: Gcntlomon.—To save time I think it will bo well for this meeting to strictly adhere to tho rulo wo have hitherto observed, viz, to keep to tho point; by doing which wo shall save time, and, consequently, got through tho business expeditiously. You all know that somo time ago Councillor Speight and raysolf wero instructed to get tho wator supply question settled if possible, The thing has been hanging fire for somo time. I had au opportunity recently of seoing tho chairman and members of tho County Council, and they have mado certain concessions to the Borough in regard to this vexed question which I think you will approve of. I instructed Mr Miller, our solicitor, to draw up a draft, and I think that when you havo read it you will agroo that tho County have offerod all that is reasonable, I will now ask Mr Dean to read the oontents of the document to you.

The Town Clerk then read the draft as follows:-

This deed, made the ' day of 18S0, between the Chairman, Couucillors, and inhabitants of the Thames County (hereinafter called "the Baid Council") of the one part, and the Mayor, Councillors, and Burgesses of the Borough of Thames (hereinafter called "the said Borough") of the other part. VYitnessoth: that in consideration of the sura of £3,500, to be paid by tho General Government of New Zealand to the said County, the said C)unty do hereby assign and transfer unto tho said Borough, ita successors and assigus, all the right, title, estate and interest of tbe said County of in and to all and singular tho property and assets of. every kind and description whatever and wheresoever of and belonging to the Thames Water Supply Committee, or in which they have any estate, right, or interest, together with all tho rights easements and appurtenances thereto belonging, and also all answers in action and the benefit of all contracts and engagements made and entered into by the said Committee, and all rights of representation and all other the rights, powers, benefits, and advantages which the said committee havo, or may exercise, or are entitled to under or by virtue of "The Thames Water Supply Act, 1876," or otherwise howsoever, to hold the said premises unto the said Borough, its successors and assigns absolutely, and this deed further witnesseth that for the consideration aforesaid the said County do hereby agree that upon the race with the water therein, known as the "Thames Water lUce," being legally transferred to and becoming vested in the said County, the said County will allow without other charge or compensation the use by the said Borough, within the said Borough boundaries, of the last-named water race supply for all purposes not couneded with gold mining, or quartz crushing, or any thing incidental or conducive thereto upon the terms and conditions following, that is to say :— 1. The nine-inch mains of the Domestic Supply, at the junction of the two sources at Albert-street shall be kept amply supplied with water from the Thames Bace, and available for immediate use by the said Borough, the valves being kept open (excepting at times when repairs are necessary).

2. That the opening and closing of the valves at the junction shall be under the control of the said County,

3. That it is distinctly understood that no water taken from the Thames Race shall be granted or used by the said Borough for gold•'mining or quartz crushing purposes, or anything incidental or conducive thereto or connected therewith.

.4 Whenever the Domestic Supply shall fall below the actual requirements of those parts of the town which are connected with the nineinch main, then the said County will supply water to the extent required and subject to tho same conditions, and herein before provided in respect of the Albert street junction, by permitting the said Borough to connect with the Thames race at such place as the parties may agree upon, If they cannot agree, then an engineer, to be appointed by the General Government to settle that point witli which a connection cau best be established, regard being had to the efficiency and proper working of the Thames Races and the necessities of the said Borough.

5, That all expense of connection is to be borne by the Borough.

G; That it is specially understood that all the mains and services belonging to the Domestic Supply are to be kept in thorough good order and repair by the said Borough, so as to prevent waste.

7. That the said County snail at all times be entitled to convey or deliver through any of the mains or other pipes belonging te the said Borough or the said Mains of Water Supply Committee free of all cost, charge, or expense to the said County all or any water which may be required for goldmining or quartz crushing purposes, or anything incidental or conducive theroto or connected therewith, and that either within or without the Borough boundaries,

8. That the said Borough shall not at any time charge for any water supplied by them at a less rate than that charged for the water for the time being supplied by the said County,

9. If at any time by reason of defects or for other reasons the said County should determine not to repair or rcuow the 20-inch main now connecting with Albert-street and their reservoir, they undertake to connect immediately therefrom with the nearest or other best point on the line of the nine-inch mains belonging to the Domestic Supply south of its present termination near the Governor Bowen Hotel in Owen-street, the said County paying the expense of buch conntction.

—The Mayob continued: You have now heard the document read, and I think you will find that the County have given all thai we asked for, They agreo to give ub all water that wo require, except for mining purposes; we may use it for motive power, such as turning a sausage or other machines, but must not supply batteries, or engines belonging to them. Well, you know that we never asked for that, as our mains would not oarry sufficient water for both household and battery use. I msy say that I have mado some enquiries relative to the consumption of water by batteries, and find that tho Queen of Beauty mill uses from one to two million gallons a-day, The County undertakes to keep our mains full throughout the year, and to close only the valves when necessary for repairs. I think wo could not possibly ask* for more favourable terms from thorn, As I said before, the only thing they exclude us from applying tho water to is supplying crushing mills, and if this deed is ratified by you wo will be at liberty to use it for any other purpose. Cr Mahsham ; Supposing tho County supply were to run short, would thoy still havo to keep our mains full ? The Mayou : Yes; they guarauteo to do so, and by not observing it tho agreement would bo broken. Cr Maushall; Thank you; I will movo that wo accept tho olfor of tho County. Cr Wilkinson: I shall movo that the matter be hold over until wo have had time to peruse tho draft deed. I wish to know how it is that noao of tho Councillors were allowod to see tho dwd

or to havo any information supplied to them respecting it before this morning. On Saturday morning I called at the Council Chambers, and asked the Town Clerk for information on the subject; the. only reply I could ilicit was that he bud received instructions from his Worship tho Mayor not to give any information, but to koop the whole matter secret until this morning. I thought then that (he information was. refused me as a member of the Press, but I havo since learnt that such was not tho case, several other councillors having received a similar answer. I also wish to know why this meeting was called at such an unusually early hour as half past 10. Tho Mayor : I may inform you that I consider half-past 10 a very proper hour. Of courso it may not suit you, as you are engaged at you offico the greater part of tho night, but it does other councillors, andlthinkyoushouldnotcomplain. It was not my fault that tho meeting was fixed for 10,30 o'clock, I requested tho Town Clerk to call it at 11 o'clock,' but for somo reason best known to himself he had fixed it for balf-an-hour earlier. I think tho arrangements are comploto, Tho solicitor must havo timo to preparo the deed, With regard to what you say about tho Town Clerk withholding the draft deed from you, I think he did right. I decidedly object to the ' newspapers publishing such matters first, and then having to dish it up second hand for the Council.

Cr Wilkinson : I should like to say to tho Mayor that we havo always been in the habit of meeting in tho afternoon or evening, and I cannot seo tho forco of doparting from it to meet at such an hour as this, The oxcuso of tho Mayor in rcferenco to withholding any information of tho deed from myself and tho other Couucillors on Saturday is a mere subterfuge. I shall require time to look into the matter before I agree to the adoption of any new terms aud condi lions.

Cr SraonT: I shall movo that tho consideration of this matter be postponed for a week. I cannot say that I endorse the laudatory remarks that the Mayor has made in reference to the terms on which the deed is based j but before going any further I wish to say that while I have no desire to bring up grievances before this Council, I do not wish anyono to prevent me from doing that which the Council have asked me to do. Tho duty of settling the wator supply 'question was entrusted to tho Mayor and myself a few wooks ago. I did my share of work, and was willing to complete it, but I decidedly object to be ignored in the matter altogether. Although I was not permitted to see this document iu the Borough Chambers, I was aware of its contents before I came here this morning, having been told by a member of tho County Council. You are aware, Mr Mayor, that I came here on Saturday, and asked whether thoro waa going to be any meet, ing of importance on Monday. I was told by the Town Clerk that there would not be any, and you,'by your tacit silence endorsed what Mr Dean told me. lam sorry to say this, but it is nevertheless the truth. Again, when you met the County Council Committee your attention was called to the fact that I was not prosent, and you said in reply that you would be responsible for what was done. But I have this to say, that though you would wish to earn kudos, I shall not allow you to ignore the resolution of this Council, empowering one to act in conjunction with you in this matter, I maintain that the deed should have been in my possession before it was laid before the Council this morning, and that I should have known of it before the solicitor was instructed todrawit out. Now, if it has come to this, that you are determined to ignore tho resolutions of this Council, the sooner you say so the better, and wo will take the proper steps to remedy tho matter. lam really sorry, Mr Mayor, to see you smiling at so important a matter. I regret that you have placed the Town Clerk in such a false position, and I do not think many people will agree with what you havo done. It is our duty to work in harmony, but when the Mayor, or any other member of the Council, permits spleen to cause him to ignore the existence ot another, I say he is not working for the good of the Borough, I now come to tho deed itself, It is not what I shall assent to. Thero are many things I would like to say about it, but I shall defer my remarks. I movo that tho consideration of the deed be postponed until our next regular meeting on Thurday night, Cr Wilkinson: I shall have great pleasure iu seconding such a resolution for tho reason I have already assign. d.

The Mayor: Before putting the motion I wish to say a few words. I think Or Speight is saddled with a certain amount of disrespect to me, as occupying tho position of Mayor of this town, (Or Speight was about to deny the assertion when the Mayor said: Or Speight, allow me to speak, please. You have had your say, now let me havo mine.) I say that if Or Speight had made the remarks ro ignoring apply to himself the boot would have been on the proper leg. Now I assure you, gentlemen, that Or Speight has taken tho matter in his own hands, He has got a deed in his pocket, and has been working for weeks to bring it to a conclusion. The concessions contained in the deed which I have now laid before are as fair as ever we cau expect to get, and I regret that you do not seem disposed to accept it. Wo should look on tho County as friends, and not enemies, as Or Speight seems to regard them. I don't think wo shall be doing our duly if wo do not accept tho terms agreed upon by mo on your behalf. We shall be putting ourselves m the way of their losing some thousands of pounds, that will be spent by tbem in works that will benefit tho Borough as well as tho County, and keep many men in work. Since we aro not now discussing the deed, I may say that you aro not acting properly in this mattor. I am astonished you do not regret that we are now clear of this question, for I tab it that the terms of tho rough draft do not meet with your disapproval, the only objection you tako being that I have not acted with Or Speight. I tell you there is not much time to be lost, as if the matter is not brought before the County Council on Wednesday, it will be postponed for another month, which .will seriously aif'ect more than one person. There is Mr McOaul. Wo have placod him in a false position, which may possibly result in his ruin. By settling this difficulty we can help him pecuniarily, and place Shorlland in a protected condition as regards fires. At present (hat part of tho Borough is badly supplied with water for fire extinguishing purposes, and iu consequence it might some day be swept away by firo, Gentlemen, we should really sottlo this matter at onco; I hope it will not bo postponod, I am sure that if you look through tho deod carefully you will find that it contains as favourable terms as could bo expected, I do sincerely trust tliat this; vexod quea* I tion will bo finally settled this morning. I Or Skioht ; 'There is oulv another

point to which I refer. It appears (o mo.. Mr Mayor, that tho discourtesy on my part struck you only at the last meeling of tho Council, when your asphalt occount came up for consideration. Tins raiUer never struck you before that. I wish to say that your slatoment in regard to ;\ deed, which you allege I have in my pocket, is not correct. Xou went away on a holiday trip, Tho Mayob: What's that? Stato facts, please.

Cr Speight : I will, You wont to tho Hot Springs-

Ihe Matob : I went to Auckland and then to Mntamata. 1 went on Borough business,

Cu Speight: I'm alluding to tho Hot Springs trip. Whilst you were absent, a deed was presented to me for signalure, which I declined to do. You would have been dissatisfied with it, I know; but you could not be consulted. All the other Councillors disapproved of its provisions. The deed which you refer to I left on the table of the Council. It was no good to anyone. Tho Mayor : Well, it cannot be found. The Town Clerk and tho solicitor do not know where it is.

Cr Speight: I don't know whero it has gone to: I laid it on the table. At that meeting my action was approved of; I have gone on-a different basis to that on which you have worked. I think you have done wrong in waiting on the County. It is thoir business to come to us, and not ours to go to them. When I last saw the Chairman of the County Counoil in regard to this matter he refused to alter soruo of the terms, and I have not done anything since, If you think that wo should run after thorn, you can do so yourself, for I won't. I deny that I have acted unfairly to you. I simply refused to sign a docu • mcnt whioh I knew was not favourable to the interests of the Borough, Cr Bawden : I think we ought to go into the contents of the deed, and not discuss tho question as to whether tho Mayor has been guilty of disrespect to Cr Speight. I beg to propose, as an amendment, that this meeting do stand adjournod until to-morrow afternoon at 5 o'clock, the document in the meantime to lio on the table for the inspection of Councillors.

Cr MABsHAuseeonded the amendment, which was carried.

TheMAYOB: latnpleasod to soo that thero is a cbauoo of this matter being settied in a day or two. I thank you for your attendance,

Tho Council then adjourned,