THE Thames Advertiser. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1888.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XX, Issue 6236, 25 October 1888, Page 2

THE Thames Advertiser. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1888.

We have heard of many strange doings, from time to time, in the County Councils of New Zealand, but one of the most peculiar proposals was moved, seconded and carried by the Thames County Council at their special meeting on Tuesday night. To enable our readers to thoroughly understand the nature oi the proposal we will briefly mention the circumstances that were principally the cause of the special meeting of the Council being held, and of the resolution being passed. Our readers, are aware that the twenty inch water mains are ia a very defective con. dition, and the mains from the Saxon mine to the Cambria battery are said to be in such a bad state as to be liable to burst at any moment. Several breakages hayje lately 'occurred, one being opposite the Jfejr Prince Imperial shaft, and the other in ihe Caledonian yard. The managers of several of ,the mines; of (the $ig Pump ; and the Mining Inspector jha&e pointed out the dangerous, .condition of .the $a/ns, and Mr G. & Cferk ofifche Prince fmp'ejrM, has stated that ju (fee .eyen.t th b - r c dflflger °? tte wrings in his m' ne &% &*&&> W h J ch Wou W vn* vi i '' a &*■■% fa occur, very likely cause mm A in through some of the the mine being drowned. i. v --

complaints were sent to the County Council, and the Chairman of that body deemed it advisable to call a special meeting of the Council to discuss the question. The meeting was held on Monday morning, when a committee was appointed to make arrangements for procuring the balance of 30 inch mains necessary to substitute the 20 inch, and to report to the Council the following night, On Tuesday evening the

report was presented, and recommended, that Messrs Morrin and Co. be authorised to procure the balance of the 30 inch pipes required — 2200 feet. The adoption of the report was most ably opposed by Cr Bagnall, who argued that the Council had no right to involve themselves to such an extent with Messrs Morrin, while unable to pay the small i sum of L 250 at the present time. He also pointed out that if the danger to life was so immediate a one as the writers of the letters appeared to think, that it was obviously the wisest plan to replace the defective mains, as far as possible, with the-30-inch mains now lying idle at Portland Wharf, and with a portion of the L 1.200 lying in the Bank ior the purpose, to provide for laying them. This was a most wise suggestion, and we fail to understand why Crs Dunlop, Walton, Pitkethley, and the Chairman practically demonstrated their disbelief in the •' immediate " danger which they had stated existed, by voting against a suggestion which, if carried out would have remedied the evil at once, and certainly would have prevented that loss of life, and damage to property, which these Councillors stated were likely to occur at any moment. It would be interesting to know what definition Crsßrodie, Dunlop, Pitkethley, and Walton would give of the words "immediate danger," but judging from the manner in which they voted, the words must admit of two separate and opposite meanings. They would appear to think that there was " immediate danger" of accident to life and property, through the bursting of tlie mains at any moment, and that therefore "imImediate" action was necessary in order to prevent it, ,hence the calling of a special meeting of the Council, and the hurried manner of settling the matter. On the other hand'they also interpret the words " immediate danger" to mean "in three or four months time," as it will be impossible to procure the additional pipes in less than three months, which will probably mean that no attempt will be made to obviate the danger complained of by the mine managers, until sometime in January next. We do not in the slightest degree doubt that the 20 inch mains require to be replaced with new 30 inch mains— neither do we think that the damage, likely to be caused by the bursting of the present pipes, has been over estimated—and we quite agree that the work was of an urgent character. Had the Council decided by a majority, to lay the 30 inch mains they already have, in the places where the present mains are most worn away, and to have done the work at once, there would have been every reason for our offering the Council our congratulations on the wisdom of the course pursued— but the resolution to order mains from England through Messrs Morrin and Co. ia to our judgment, a most decidedly comical way of obviating a danger said to be hanging over the heads of the miners working in the Prince Imperial mine, and likely to culminate in a fatality immediately. We can only suppose that the "immediate danger," though thought to be sufficient reason for calling a special meeting of the County Council, was not so excessively "immediate" as to necessitate any remedial measures being taken for three months. Should the predictions of the Councillors, who voted for the resolution to order the mains, be verified • and any serious accident occur through the bursting of the present 20 inch pipes, at any time prior to the arrival, and laying down of the 30 inch mains, we suppose the Councillors will then say : " We were informed of the immediate danger; we held a special meeting; we decided to order the new 30 inch mains from England through. Messrs Morrin and Co ; and if they have not arrived blame the ship for being behind her time; blame anyone you will; but, don't blame us!"