THAMES BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XIII, Issue 3643, 2 July 1880, Page 3

THAMES BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Teh usual fortnightly meeting of tho Council was held last evening. Present —Councillors McGowan (in the chair), Mennie, Wilkinson, Osborne, and Warshall. The minutes of tho previous geucral and special meetings wero read and confirmed. A precis of the outgoing correspondence was also read. Kiukwood Street.—-Mr J. C. Williams wrote calling attention to tho fact that tho footpath in Kirkwood street, in the rear of his hotel, was so low that tho drain water ran ovor it into his property. A few loads of mullock would remedy the evil.—Eeferred to the Works Committoo.

Compensation. — A letter from Mr Geo. Harcourt, lessee of tho Pyrites Reduction Works, in Cororaandelstroet, staling that owing to the inefficiency of the Moanataiaii Creek flume, the properly in question became submerged in wet weather, and put him to considerable loss. He intended to put in a claim for compensation for the damage already done, and would like tho Council to appoint au arbitrator to act with ona that he should appoint.—Gr Mennik moved, and Cr Wilkinson seconded, that the letter be received.—Carried.—The Foreman of Works stated that the flume was now being repaired. Collins street.— A letter was read from Mr Jas. Clarke, grocer, calling attention to the bad state of Collins street, situate at the rear of Prices' foundry.— Eeferred to the Works Committee. Danoehous Tail Race. —A lettor was from Mr John Brown stating that he had complied with the Council's request anent the tail race in connection with hi 3 battery at Tararu.—Heceived. A Govbbnmgnt A cgount.--A_ lettor was road from tho Government stationery storekeeper, Wellington, stating that instructions had been received from the Colonial Secretary that local bodies were in future to pay for all publications that they received. He requested payment of accounts rendered, £1 ss.—-The Town Clehk said -that the money in question was for the Statutes, which the Government had forwarded without application —It was decided to receive the latter. Hevenue.—A letter was read from the Treasury that £21 8s 9d, goldliclds revenue and Court fees, had been remittod to the credit of the Borough. —Keceived.

The Health Offices (Mi- Mason) reported ' that during tho past month four deaths occurred iu the Borough, all being childreu,—l'eceived. C'HAiiirAiiLE Aid.—The Relieving Officer reportod that during last month tho relief list contained thirly-six names; that 89 rations were supplied daily; that tho cost for the month was £31 19s 4J; and that the _ rations contractor (Mr Alex. Mennie) had carried out his contract with satisfaction. Bird-in-Hand Hiu.-A letter from tho residents of this part of .tho Borough asking the Council to repair the footpath in their district was referred to tho Works Commitleo. Water Supply.—The Town Clerk presented a copy of the agreement between the Borough and County anenfc the water supply, and stated that the original had been signed and sent dowu to Wellington. Eations.—The Charitable Aid Committee reported that in reply to advertisements calling for tenders for tho supply of rations, tenders had been receivod from Hewin Brothers and Alex. Mennie, accompanied with samples, and that after careful consideration that of Mr Mennie was accepted.—Or Marshall said he bolicved the lowest tender had not accepted. Ho would like to know if that was so ?~Cr McGowan said tho Committee had accepted Mr Mennie's tender because Hewin Brothers, who were contractors for the Orphanage, had supplied several times goods which had to be returned. In one or two items Mr Mennie's tender was the highest.— Or Osborne said he would always strongly advocate accepting tho lowest tender, but in the present case he thought the oommiltee had done right. The Eelieving Officer had sent in a strong report on the matter, and it was in consequence of that that they had accepted Menrie's tender, although not the lowest. Thf ffererice in the two tenders was onl\ >' eighth of a penny per ration,—Cr Marshall said he did not wish to opposo the action of tho committee, but, simply desired to know how they had arrived .at their decision,-Cr MoGowan said it would now he for the Council to adopt or otherwise deal with the report.~Mr Joseph Clarke, manager for Messrs Hewin Bros., having obtained permission to address the Council, said he would like to know why the two contracts were'compared. While his firm bad the contract they gave general satisfaction. Of course there wero a few complaints, but Mr Mennie had probably received some also. If their present tender was accepted they would undertake to carry it out in a faithful manner and according to agreement.—-Cr Wilkinson moved that the report be referred back to the committee for their reasons for accepting Mr Mennie's tcudcr.—Cr Mennie moved as an amendment that the Eelieving Officer be heard in explanation.—Cr Osborne seconded.—Cr Mai:shall seconded the motion, which was carried on tho easting vote of the Chairman, who. said he believed tho course proposed would be the better of tho two.

The WOHKB llepoiit was read, and was to tho offset that' tlie Foreman of Works had prepared a plau 3_ho\vinfr the proposed crossing over tho railway line at Pahau stroet, and giving four estimates, viz., £197, £95, £73, £25. The crossing could be raado for tho latter sum, if Government constructed one of the approaches, and tho committee recommended that this plan should be submitted, to tho District j£ngiriecr, and Government asked to form ono of the approaches. The committee recommended the spreading of 1G yards of broken.metal on the Karaka road provided the County Council did the same, 'i ho foolpath at Haverlield's, in the Waiotahi, had been formed, and a culvert laid down at t]ie junction of Mackay and Willoughby streets, 'J lie footpath in Mackay street north lias been repaired, and tho footpath and water-table in Pahau street are being improved. ' At a cost of £8 the committee had carried the sea culvert at Tararu out several feet further, so as to allow of an effective ilow of drainage, The report beiug received, Or Wilkinson moved that in the present state of the Porough finances the crossing at Pahau street be deferred, and that tho remainder of the report bo adopted —Or McGowan seconded, — The ToTfN Clebk said the work would only oost £25, £19 of which lmd already been promised by the residents —At the suggestion of Or Osborne, Or Wilkinson added to his resolution, "bo deferred until a reply has been received from the Government Engineer." j --The amended proposition was then put {ind carried,

TlioFobeman of Wobks reported that during the month ho had performed the following works: - The approach at the foot of Mary street, at a cost of £24, half of which sum is to be paid by the Harbour Board. Repaired footpath and drain in Grey street; repaired Willoughby street footpath; laid down culvert at the junction of Mackay and Willoughby street; ' scraped and metalled Pollen street from Albert to Owen street; scraped and metalled Golden Crown street; repaired Mackay street footpath from Mary street to Karaka creek; made 1000 feet footpath on Tararu road; repaired wall at Fishing Rock at the worst places on the road; made the footpath for Haverfield on the Waio* tahi; put up handrail for passage to the Public Library; repaired Pahau stroet; tho worst places in the Borough are being repaired with a load of metal here and there. As a dry day occurs, I put the men preparing asphalt for Mary stroet. There aro about 6000 yards of asphalt footpaths requiring to be top dressed. If attended to as the fine weather sets in the cost will be small, but if not attended to the future repairs will be very expensive. _ I have examined the roof of the Council Chambers, and find that tho timber under the zinc on the eaves is past repairing, and to make a permanent job of it, new zinc and limber will be required. Some of the weather boards are also decayed.— —Or Wilkinson moved that that part of the report recommending any expendi lure of money be held over for a fortnight, and that the remainder be adopted.—This was seconded by Cr Mabshall, and agreed to, Finance. — A number of accounts, amounting to £315, were passed' for payment—One of those was for £2145, the Borough's share of the coat in connection with the Railway Commission.—Cr Men hie moved that the Finance Committee enquire into the indebtedness of the Borough with a view of getting it cleared off, and that Cr McGowan be added to that body during the absence of the Mayor.—This was agreed to.