THAMES BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XIII, Issue 3624, 21 May 1880, Page 3

THAMES BOROUGH COUNCIL.

.—«. Tee fortnightly meeting of the Council was held last evening. Present: The Mayor, Ore Wilson, Speight, McGowam Wilkinson, Bawden, Marshall, Mennio, and Osborne. The minutes of the previous genoral annual meeting were read and confirmed. Baiiway CnossiNff.— A deputationconsisting of Messrs J. Send, A. Price, L. Melhose, and M. Angove-waited upon the Council for the purpose of urging the construction of a crossing over the railway works betweon Mary-street and Albert-street.—A letter was also read from sixty or seventy ratepayers on the subject Mr Bead, who acted as spokes, man, said at present thero was no crossing over the railway works between Grahamstown Wharf and Mary street. It was very necessary that there should be one, and the deputation waited upon the Council for the purpose of urging upon them the construction of one. Ihoy did not wish to impress on the Council any particular street at tho foot of which the crossing should bo made, but they desired a contral position to bo decided on.—The Mayob, in reply, said that this matter had already boen dealt with by the Council. The Council were not in a position to do the work themselves, but had communicated with the Government in reference to it, and no doubt something would be done in the required direction,—The deputation thanked the Counoil for its courtesy and withdrew.

Hematite,—A lettor was read from Mr F. Bennett, of Tararu, asking the Council to instruct some of its employees to fashion a mass of hematite, which ho intended to forward to tho Melbourne Exhibition.—Resolved that the application be referred to tho Melbourne Exhibition Committee,

Gold Dctt.—A circular letter was road from Government stating that £3 14s, gold duty, had beon lodged to tho credit of the Borough. Ceoto Gbant.-A letter was read from the Land Begiatration Offioe, Auckland, stating that the Crown Grant for the Borough endowment was ready for delivery on payment of the fees thereon amounting to £7 55,-Besolved that the amount be paid.

Goveenment Subsidies.—A letter was received from the Danedin Town Council asking whether the Council intended to take any action in regard to the proposal of Government to discontinue subsidies to local govorning bodies,—Cr Speight moved^ "That the Council agrees with the opinion expressed by the Dunedin Counoil tbafc, the -proposed withdrawal from,local bodies .by Government of the Butfsidies upon rates before the time named in'the Financial .Arrangements Act, 1876, is a breach of r faith as, upon the expected receipt of suoh subsidy the Council of the Borough of Thames have entered into largomonetary.liabilities. Alhe Council declares its willjngness to co-operate with the; Dunedin Council and other local bodies in resisting the proposal of Government Mo.. Qoim 3eco?iM the resolution, which . ' RESIGN ATlf:! OP PoUNDIEEPEB,—A Ijstte^was) Wtom(lr'iS;S. Brown tendering hiet resignation as poundkeeper,! as he was leaving the. district. He recommended itho Appointment,, of Mr Mth'er Gubb:;as letterwitwead for the. position.—Thn resignation ,was,accepted; toillthe TowjJ-.plprk inisiruoted to enquire: into the circumstances of the application, Mrs Gubb,;Mho present ..tenunt, to be requested totigntinuein charge until the nextmeeting;' : ;-■■ - • ;:'Asphai,tik». : —A letter was read from |Mr 7 J. C. ; iho Provincial Hotel, staling •that; he. thought a. reduction should bs inado 1 in lis asphalting account, as he had already, been' 1 to' l con« siderable expoiise ia fillidg in his allotmeftts,—On the mdtiqn of Cr Speight it was decided tp'inform,the writer that the Council could ■ not; -comply with his 'application. -PITBBSION OF THE KaEAKA OeEEK ~ Abetter was road from Mr Jas, Stewart, District Engineer, stating that he regretted the'. Counoil could not divert this ohannel.'ias he was informed would be dono, as he had.placed the railway bridge in line of the proposed diversion trusting to tho good faith of the Counoil to carry out the'work; The writer stated that he had been informed Government had voted £400 for the purpose. He had no authority to do the work, and under the oiroumstances he oould not recommend it to be undertaken by the Government.-" Letter received.

'• Libbaey.—The report of the Library Committee was read and adopted. It recommended that several new magazines should be added, to the reading-room; that new water spouts should be erected on the building; that a dozen chairs should be purohased for use in the library; and that the planking in front of the door should be removed and asphalt laid down. The Loan.—The Loan Committee reported as follows:-The Committee have the honour to report that they have made every enquiry as to the raising of a loan for £20,000, should the burgesses by vote have sanctioned such loan to have been raised;".but find that notwithstanding the securities the Borough could have offered i for the money to be advanced would have been considered ample if the district had been an agricultural or manufacturing district, are not so considered from a goldfield municipality. A gbldfield without a large agricultural district surrounding it, your committee learn, is not considered sufficiently permanent to induco capitalists to advance on any securities it might offor.—Tour Committeo.reoommend that the result of its labours be laid before Ministers, and an advance by way of loan urged to be made to the Borough out of funds at their disposal."»On the motion of Cr Speight the report was received and adopted. Wobks Befoht,—The monthly report of the Committee read at laßt moeting, was then brought up for consideration.— Cr McGowan said he thought the report should be referred back to the Committee. It really contained nothing, and he certainly expected better j from the gentlemen who had visited the land at To Aroha.—The Mayob thought they could expect nothing more from a party of gentlemen paying a flying visit to such a large block of land.—Thereport was received. The Bailway Cohmissionebs,—The Mayob said the Bailway Commissioners were now in Auckland, and ho thought the Council should take steps to induce them to visit the Thames.—On the motion of Cr Osbobhe, it was deoided that the Mayor and Town Clerk should communicate with the Commissioners relative to paying the Thames a visit, and prepare the necessary information in anticipation of their doing so. I Dilapidated Houses.—Tho question of removing dilapidated buildings throughout the Borough wa3 then brought up by the Mayok'.'s'Aiter some discusEson, it

waß decided, oa the. motion of Cr Mabshall, to take steps to remove dilapidated buildings, Sebastopol House, in Owen street, to be taken down first,—Or McGrOWAN protested against the removal of any other part of the building than that abutting on the street, and asked that his protost bo vested in the minutes of proceedings. Charitable Aid.—On the motion of Or MoGowan, it was deoided again to apply to Government for a refund of the money due to the Council on aocount of charitable aid. Subsidy.—Cr MoGowan moved that the Mayor be requested to communicate with Government in roference to the immediate payment of the subsidy on tho rates due somo lime ago.—This was agreed to. Bad Footpaths.—lt was deoided to bring under the notice of the Works Committee the bad state of the footpaths in Lower Grey' Street near the Thameß Hotel, and on both sides of Willoughbystreet.

Bailtvay Cbossing,—Tho Foreman of Works reported on tho advisability of constructing a crossing ovor tho railway works at tho foot of Cochrane street; that it was quite impracticable to carry the road across without considerable expenditure, as there was no solid bottom. He believed that a road could be made on the beach opposite Amy street, and along the embankment to tho Mary street hard, for £4Q, provided Government allowed him to use the batter of tho embankment for the purpose,—Or MoGowan moved that the Mayor be requested to urge the Govornmont to do tho work,—The Mayor stated that tho District Engineer was in favour of tho construction of a crossing at Amy street.—The resolution was seconded by Cr Mennie and agreed to.

Eoads and Metal.—The report of the Works Committee was read, It recommended that one or two loads of gravel be spread in front of Sebastopol House, and that authority should at once be given the Foreman of Works to procure 500 yards of metal, provided ho could arrange with those who had the material to wait for payment until the Ist week in July. —Crs Wilson and Bawden urged the Council to do something to the Tararu road, which was in a very bad condition. -Cr McGowan moved the adoption of the report.—An amendment was moved by Cr MMHiEthat the question be referred to the Finance Committee. Although the matter was an urgent one he thought they should stop and pause before going in for further expenditure. He considered they were now too far in the mire.-Cr Wilson seconded Or McGowan's motion.—Cr' Mennie said, that the money which would accrue to the Borough in the future was already hypothecated,—Or McGowan asked the Mayor whether such was the case. He certainly did not know that the Council, was placed in suoh a position.—The Matoe replied that it was true that all the money accruing to the Borough up to the Ist July was wanted for payments. The position of the Council was a serious one, and he hoped the members would look their financial difficulty fully in the face, He did not think! it .'was fair to mislead contractors and others by inducing them to perform works and supply material when they had, no means of paying for suoii.—Or 1 Sm<Hra asked whether it was intpnded to place the five hundred yards of metal on one particular road P—The Mayob answered in the negative.—The resolution was then put and carried,

Tra Big Pump.—The report of the Committee appointed to ascertain the area drained by the Big Pomp, and the amount of gold duty derived from such area, was read as follows:— "Your Committee have the honour to report for the information of the Oounoil, that as to the_ area drained by the operationa of the Big Pump, they are of opinion that it would be very difficult, if not improbable, to correctly estimate such— an opinion endorsed by the deputation waiting upon the Council onthesubjeot of pumping. Failing such an estimate, the amount of gold duty derived from the ground it is impossible to arrive at. Your Committee make the following recommendation. That fifty per oent. of the entire gold duty received by the Borough be devoted to the furtherance of pumping operations, whether carried on by one or more pumps, and the maintenance of goldfield roads; the division of the moneys between the several pumps to bo decided from time to time by the Oounoil." Cr McGowan moved, and Or Obbobne seconded, the adoption of the report.— Or Mennib said his opinion was that the report was a swindle,—Cr McGowan indignantly denied the statement, saying that the report had been drawn up in good faith, and was genuine.—The Mayor thought the remark' of Cr Mennie was only meant to apply in a legal light.—Cr Mennib said he had only made the remark to his neighbour. He considered that the committee had bungled in their duty.—Or Wukinson regretted that the committee had not carried out their duties more satisfactorily and perfectly. The deputation who waited upon them at their last meeting had asked for bread, and the committee'proposed to give them a stone. Be moved, as an amendment, with the view of testing the feeling of the Council, that the words having referenoe to the maintenance of roads within the goldfield, bo struck out,—Cr Speight moved a further amendment, which was seconded by Cr Mennib, that only the first part of the report be adopted.—Cr MoQowan was surprised at the attitude now taken up by Cr Speight, and contended the recommendation of the Committee was a wise one, and the best that could be arrived at. He maintained that it would be unfair to grant the. whole of the gold duty towards keeping the pumps going or agree to give a definite sum per month.-Gr Mabshail said he-thought they should provide a limit to the amount theyshouldpay.-After further disous'sioh," the amendments and the resulution.were. put and all negatived.—Cr Wilkinson then moved that 25 per cent, of tie Borough's gold duty be contributed towards tho maintenance of pumpiug,— Cr Osbobke seconded.—The Mayob suggested that the further consideration of the matter Bhonld be adjourned until next meeting,—Cr Osborne thought they should settle this question there and then. considered the proposal to give 25 per cent, a very fair one, and hoped it would be carried.—Cr Bawdbn supported the resolution, and took occasion to speak in favour of the Oounoil assisting pumping operations.— it the suggestion of Cr Mabshaii. it was decided to add to the resolution that the sum contributed should not exceed £40 per month.—Tho amended proposition was agreed to.—Or Osbobnb then moved that 25 per cent of tho goldsfields revenue be devoted to goldfields roads.—Or Batvden Beconded i -"The Mayor said ho hoped the resolution would not be carried, as far more thau 25 por cent of tho goldfields rovonuo would bo required for road purposes. If carried, it would be nearly I useless in its McGowan ex*

pressed a hope that the motion would bo agreed to.—The resolution was lost on tho casting vote of the Mayor. The Diamond DBiu.-Cr Wilkinson said there was another mattor affecting the prospecting works of the field, which it would be well to bring undor their notico. They were aware that Government had purchased in Sydney a Diamond Drill, and that Dr Hector intendod to send it on to Auckland until its destination was altered. He moved that Ministors be communicated with by tho Town Clork, on behalf of this Council, urging that tho drill should bo used in testing tho deop levels of this field.—Seconded by Cr Bawden and carried. liEsiGNATioN.-Cr Speight said that as he would bo abßent for some months in Wellington attending to his Parlia'mentary duties, and as it would be necessary that the whole of the mombers of Water Supply Committee should attend the meetings, ho begged leave to resign his position as a member of that body.— The resignation was accepted, and Cr Marshall appointed to the vaoanoy. Council and the Govebnment.—At tho request of the Council, Cr Speight undertook to lay before and urge upon Government any business that might bo communicated to him on Borough matters, —The Mayor said ho would like to be dis. tinctly understood that all such communications should bo addressed to him.— Sevoral Councillors expressed surprise at the requost. A somewhat animated discussion followed, and Or Osborne proposed, and Cr Wilkinson seconded, that any communications by Cr Speight to the Council should bo addressed to whom he liked, and not to the Mayor exclusively, the Mayob maintaining that they should be addressed to him as head of tho Oounoil.—After some discussion, Cr Osborne having left the Chamber, the subject dropped, and tho Council rose.