BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XIII, Issue 3582, 9 April 1880, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the Council was held last ovening. Present—The Mayor, Crs Monnie, Bawden, Wilkinson, | Speight, Osborne, McGowan, Wilson and Marshall. The minutes of tho previous meeting were re?d and duly confirmed. Oephanage School.—A letter was read from the Board of Education, approving of (he appointment of Mr Thos, Fulljames as teacher of the Orphanage School.—Beceived. Extension of Time.— Messrs J J, OBrien and Co. wrote requesting an extension of time in regard to their tram' way in connection with tho railway works. —It was decided to grant the application on the usual conditions, looal Industries.-A lotter was read from tho Chairman of the Koyal Commission on Local Industries requesting information aHd suggestions on the local industries of . the Borough.—On the motion of Cr McGowan it wa3 decided that tho Council should bo a committee to obtain information, and act in conjunction with the committee of the County Council. Baillie Stbeet.—Letters were read from Mr W. Newman and Dr Kilgour staling that they objected to contribute towards tho cost of laying down a watertable and footpath in this street. The latter asserted that if the proposed works were carried out they would affect the drainage of his property.—Beceived. Dkiving Came,—a letter was read from a number of butchers of the town, praying the Council not to pass a bye law as proposed, prohibiting the driving of cattle through the Borough except at stated hours.—lt was decided to defer the consideration of the matter until the resolution relative to the matter was brought up. The Fobeman of Works' Beport was read and received. The report recommended that some men should be employed on Tararu road, —It was adopted. Slaughter-houses,—The report of the Inspector of Slaughter-houses for the quarter was read and received. Belief.—The Believing Officer reported that during the month 40 people had received daily 90 rations, at a cost of £84 Os 3d. Loan.—The report of the Loan Committee was read as follows The Committee recommend that the Council should take the necessary steps under "The Municipal Corporations Act' to borrow a sum of £20,000 for public works and drainage within the Borough; and, from information laid before them, believe no difficulty would te found in raising this sum in London. Por some years past the Council have endeavoured to carry out these works out of the rates raised year by year from the burgesses by obtaining large overdrafts from the Bank of New Zealand, paying from £200 to £500 a year interest for the accommodation, Your Committee consider these works, which, when once done, will equally benefit the holders of property 30 years hence as they do the present proprietors and leaseholders within the Borough, and that therefore the cost of them should be borne equally by the future as well as the present burgesses. To repay this, sum of £20,000, a sinking fund of £300 a-year would have to be provided, in addition to £1200 a-year interest. Your Committee suggest that out of the general income of the Borough the interest and sinking fuud should be provided; or, if thought advisable, a special rate of two pence could bo struck to meet the £300 required annually for sinking fund, Should the matter US the transference of the water supply be acwynplishcd within a short time, your Committee recommend that an additional sum of £10,000 be borrowed to pay the debts due by the Water Supply Corporation, and extend the maius and sub-mains of tho supply. In the event of the Council approving of the recommendation of the Committee, authority is asked by them from the Council to tike the preliminary steps for raising the loan, by submitting it to the burgesses for their approval during the month of May.—B. Grauam, Jas, MoSowah, J. Osborne, —On tho motion of Cr Wilkinson, seconded by Cr Osbobne, the report was adopted, the committee being empowered to take the necessary steps in the matter. The Finance Bepobi l was read. It recommended that the outstanding liabilities, amounting to over £600, should be paid at once.—The Mayob said they need expect nothing from Government. If. the loan was floated, of course, this difficulty would be swept away.-The report was adopted • "Queen of Beau t y Water.—Mr J. A, Miller, Borough solicitor, wrote that the Council could not prevent the Queen of Beauty Company from running their water down the water-tables.—The Town Clbbk said that Mr Miller had informed him that if the water overflowed and destroyed private property, the owners of such could obtain compensation, but that none could be obtained in the matter of public property.—The latter portion of the Board of Works report recommended that greater facilities should exist for carrying off the water from the Queen of Beauty turbine.—lt was adopted. The Mayob and the Boeough Officials.—The Mayob said that although he had been a member of the Council since its inauguration he had never stopped any works from proceeding, which some members seem to think he had done, if he might judge by a resolution of the Council passed during his absence. On one occasion he complained to the Foreman of Works that the asphalting was not going t on fast enough, and instructed him to "put on all the available men to asphalt the footpaths. He denied that he told Mr Bawdon to leave the Tararu work, and go on with the asphalting. He never had any intention of acting counter to the wish of the Council, and he was sorry that some Councillors had tried to make it appear that he had. He thought the resolution was uncalled for.—Cr McGowan : I think that is a question between the Town Clerk and yourself,— The Mayob : I wish to say that I never gave instructions to Bawdon to discontinue the Tararu work. Somehow I am not getting along at all with the Foreman of Works.—Or Speight said that he was chairman of the meeting jit which the appending resolution was passed. ;Ho could assure tho Mayor that the Council meant no disrespect by passing it.—The Mayob said that he had several times to find fault with Bawdon. He seemed to have a wrong idea of what his duties were. On one occasion during tho past fortnight the Foreman of Works had answered him with a great deal of reluctance, saying that ho did not think he would be doing his duty if ho answered him. He (tho speaker) meant to say that the Mayor should havo all possible information given him by tho officers of tho Borough. Things had uow come to a climax, and tho sooner tho matter was put on a proper footing the better it would bo for all concerned, If that was the way the holder of tho civic chair was to be troated they would havo to look out for another person to till it.-—Cr McGowan asked the Mayor to cite hq instance where ho

had been disrespectfully treated ? —1 he Mayor said that a few days ago he asked the Foreman of Works the cost of spreading asphalt, and Mr Bawdon replied that ho did not think lie would bo doing his duty by Riving him the informnlion. —Or ,-PEionTsa Wit appeared to him that after all according to tlio Municipality Act the Mayor wasamero nonentity. 110 thought Iho Foreman of Works was more under the control of the Works Committee than the Mayor, but he believed it would bo well if the question of the relative position of the officials to tho Mayor, was referred to a committeo, or defined by the Council. —The Matoh flaid that if tho Council considered he was to be a nonentity the sooner they got a gentleman to take his placo the better. It was not in accord with his sentiments. Tho speaker trusted that Cr Speight would allow him to speak without interrupting him. He thought it would be well for the Council to set forth tho positions of the officials, and he moved that all officials of the Borough bo instructed to give tho Mayor all information desired.—Cr Osborne seconded.— Cr Speight said lie would support the resolution if the words" and Councillors" were added.—The suggestion was adopted, —Cr McGowan thought there was no necessity for such a resolution. It would only beat the air. He was of opinion that before anything was dono in the matter, the Foreman should bo heard in explanation. He thought Cr Speight's suggestion that the matter should bo referred to a committee was a very good one. —Cr Wilkinson, after being assured by the Mayor, in answer to a question, that the resolution was not intended as a vote of censure on Mr Bawdon, said he should be most happy to support it. It was very necessary that the officers of the Council should be instructed to give Councillors full and explicit information. This was tho more necessary after what had transpired at another meeting of tho Council, when it was shown that an officer had been guilty of shamefully withholding information as to tho business of a special meeting of tho Council, under instructions from His Worship the Mayor It was in consequence of such conduct that ho had the more pleasure in supporting the resolution as amended by Cr Speight.—Cr Bawden explained why the resolution re tho Tararu work was passed. —After further discussion, the resolution was carried. The Mayor's Asphalt Account.— The Mayoe next brought up the question of his asphalt account, and in doing so related the circumstances of the case, as stated at the last meeting of the Council. —Or Mennie said he thought the Mayor should give a notice of motion; but after a short discussion the Mayor was allowed to proceed—The Mayob continued: He thought Cr Speight had not upheld the j prestige of the hoad of the Council when lie moved that bis (the speaker's) asphalt i account should be placod in tho hands of a solicitor for settlement. He had carefully looked over tho minutes of past meetings, and found that tho Foreman of Works had nover been authorised to oharge 4s per yard for asphalt. He thought ho had not been fairly treated in the matter, and ho moved a resolution to that effect.-Or Osbobne said he did not see why tho account had been marked as settled in the books and then laid before tho Mayor, some weeks after. —Or Speight denied Jio had attacked the. Mayor during his absence, as His Wor« ship appeared to think On tho contrary, he had been instrumental in getting the discussion postponed, so that the Mayor might not have a chance for saying that tho Council had backbitten him. If they wore only to oharge the Mayor 2s por yard, they would have to refund a considerable sum of money to those who had paid 4s per yard. He did not think they should make fish of one and ilesh of another—The Mayoe said that he paid about ten times as muoh as any one else for asphalting, and until the present account came before him he had never grumbled at the charges.-Or MoGowan regarded the matter in a purely business light. He was sorry the Mayor had accused him of having taken an undue advantage of bim, as, in doing so, he had made a false accusation, and he thought an apology was due to him.-Cr Wilkinson said there was oue point lie would like to refer to in connection with this matter, and ho was sure His Worship j would see it in the same light as himself. If an officer of the Council could aocept part payment of a debt due to the Borough, and write "abatement" after the balance and consider it settled, it would be a most dangerous precedent. By the same means an officer might appropriate some portion of the funds, and account for the same in a similar manner. He would like to ask why the word ' abatemont' was placed under half the amount of the account in the Borough books P-The Town Clerk denied that the word was in his handwriting.—Mr Fleming, the Collector, said that one of Mr Ehrenfried's | clerks had given a cheque for half the amount, and told him that that was all his master was going to pay. He told the olerk that he could not receive it in settlement of the account, but getting no more he wrote the words " abatement" under the half of the account in the book.—After some further discussion, no person seconding the Mayor's proposition, Cr Osbobne moved " The Mayor had reasonable grounds for believing that his asphalt account had been settled."—Tho Mayoe said if the matter liad been brought before him in a proper manner he should have at once paid the money. He thought Cr Speight's aotion in the matter was done to injure him.—Or Speight alvised the Mayor to let the business rest.—Cr Bawden advised Or Osborne to withdraw his resolution, as the Mayor's had fallen through, because it was only making matters worse to continue the discussion, after explanation.—Cr Wilkinson said he concurred in tho suggestion of Cr Bawden, and hoped the matter would not be pressed. If it was he should foel called upon to propose an amendment, but was reluctant to do so.— Cr Marshall seconded tho resolution,— Cr McGowan strongly denied that ho had been actuated by personal motives, as asserted by His Worship, and if tho resolution was persisted in ho should move that the Mayor bo asked to apolo gise.—The resolution was theu put and lost, Crs Wilson, Marshall, and Osborne voting for it, and Crs Bawden, Wilkinson, Speight, and McGovran against. Or Mennio did not vote,— I The Mayoe (with great warmth): As that mcaus that I was not justified in believiug that my account had boen settled, then I resign my position.— After a pause. Or Wilkin? on moved that the Council do now adjouiM. —The Council then rose, at 10.30,