THAMES BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1937, 19 March 1875, Page 2

THAMES BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the Ceuncil was held last night. There were present: — The Mayor, Crs. Macnab, Anthony, Ehrenfried, Eenshaw, Wilson and Rowe. MINUTE 9. Tho minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. THE WATER WORKS. In reference to a letter sent by the Council to the Acting Superintendent as to what time the control of the waterworks would be handed over, the Clerk stated that no reply had been received. It was decided to leave the matter over till the new Superintendent is elected. COEBESPONDENCE. A letter from Mr.H. Sullivan pleaded exoneration from payment of rates on account of poverty. A letter was' also received from Mr. Henry Poach asking to be excused the payment of his rates for the year, being for the time being a cripple. Both cases referred to Collector for enquiry. KARAKA SOAD. / A letter was received from the Secretary of the Kauaeranga Board stating that Mr Perry had asked that the Karala Boad might be repaired The Board were willing to bear part of the expense. The Mayor said the road would be impassable in winter. Held over for report by Engineer. MAP OF THE BOROUGH. / ,

A letter from E, M'Coll, Secretary of General Assembly Library, was received, asking the Council to send a wellauthenticated map of the Borough for members to refer to for information. The Mayor said Mr Macfarland was forming maps for the insurance offices in Auckland. Cr. Kowe objected to the Council incurring expense at the request of the Library Committee; if the Members of the Assembly wanted information they should send for it. f Tlie Mayor thought it might be to their own advantage.

Cr. Renshaw suggested they should write and say they were being prepared.. Cr. Rowe objected. Thai was simply not telling the truth. The resources wero being at the present time eaten up by these kind of things. A very large proportion of last year's expenditure had gone in such things—not in roads, etc. The Mayor said nothing had been expended but what was required. Cr. Rowe said money had been spent on shadows.

Cr. Ehrenfried asked that Cr. Howe should make a detailed statement of what had been expended unnecessarily at next meeting. Cr. Macnab suggested to leave the consideration of the maps till next meeting. The Mayor coincided; and would have suggested, that, but considered Cr. Rowe should be required to substantiate the charge which he had made. Cr. Kowe- said he-would more that the Clorkbe instructed to bring before the Council at next meeting a statement of all the monies expended during last year. The Mayor considered it was Cr. Rowe's duty to bring up a statement as he had made the charge. Cr. Bowe said he had made no charge, but it was a fact that the money had been spent upon shadows instead of upon useful works. . . The matter was allowed to stand over for information as to costs. SHOBTLAND CEMETERY; The Clerk laid before the Council the deed by which the Cemetery had beea conveyed to the Council. TABABU CEMETERY. The Clerk stated with regard to the above that he had seen Mr Puckey, from whom he had learnt that the agreement for handing over to the Council the Tararu Cemetery only waited for the signature of one .Native. , WATER BACE. The Engineer reported favorably upon the application of Mr M'Cabe, for a water race' to the Queen of Beauty battery. The application had been submitted to the Engineer for approval. PUBLIC POUND. The poundkeeper reported that his I receipts for three months had been £5, and his salary amounted to £8. Cr. Ehrenfried said the poundkeeper I should be made to pay his own expenses, being the principle upon which the pound was worked under the Road Board. It was decided to pay the .debt, and a committee was appointed of the Mayor, and Crs. Ehrenfried and Rowe, to enquire as to whether any change' could be made for the better in the terms of conducting the pound. , .. ' WOBES COMMITTEE. The report of the Works Committee was read, and adopted. The Clerk stated that the time of Mr Cribb's contract for night soil had termif nated. -> accounts. A number of accounts were passed for payment. ' ' J The letter sent by Sir Donald McLean with reference to the deputation was read; The Mayor stated that he had interviewed Sir Donald- McLean in Auckland with regard to the endowments, and had received an assurance from Sir Donald that he would use his utmost endeavors to have the Foreshore handed ever to the' Borough Council and Highway Boards, but was rather afraid it could not be done until the Assembly met again. He (the. Mayor) had scarcely believed that it could be done until the return of Mr Vogel.J With regard to the road to Waikato, Sir Donald had said that this, work would be proceeded with so soon as the field was fairly opened, and the roads from' i Waikato and to TauTanga were already being surveyed; ■ , Cr. Rowe : DicL he say anything about the Foreshore being handed over to the Borough conditionally upon its performing certain works ? Because, when on the Thames, Sir Donald McLean and Dr. Pollen both stated that the Foreshore would be handed over on certain conditions—that the Council, or those -to whom it was handed over, should carry out certain works. Both distinctly stated that the Foreshore should be handed over upon this condition. Cr Ehrenfried said how could they burden themselves with making the roads, when it might be so long before they received any return. The Mayor said there were no conditions mentioned in his interview with Sir Donald McLean ; neither were there in the letter sent by Mr Vogel, who promised that it should be handed over as an endowment to the Borough. Cr Rowe said lie had. no hesitation in affirming that if the Foreshore were to be handed over to the Borough unconditionally, it would receive his most uncompromising opposition. The Borough Council had no right to receive the Foreshore unless conditions were imposed, and those conditions should be stated. As far as the performance of the work went, he thought it could. not be placed in better hands than those of the Council.

The Mayor considered that Cr fiowe was taking up the time of the Council- to no purpose. THE KABAKA CBEEK. . Some discussion arose on the subjecLof straightening the course of the Karaka Creek. . The Mayor suggested that a trench should be cut to the Bridge on the Beach. Cr Eowe said it was his intention to instruct the Mining Inspector to inform the batteries that they must discontinue at once to discharge tailings into the creek, as the creek was now level with the flat, and his property was becoming destroyed. '. The Mayor was of opinion that the Government should be at the entire expense of straightening the creek, at, it would be unfair to tax the rateptyers for such a work now. .

Cr Howe coincided with this Tiew of the case, and believed that now was the proper time to urge upon the Government the necessity of doing the work at once. He believed that some members of the Provincial Kxecutire would visit tho Thames to-morrow (this day), and he would suggest that some members of the council should wait upon them, a* he firmly believed that the GoTernnienMKre disposed to undertake the necejytry outlay in this direction. For himself, he was willing to supply all the posts which might be required for timbering the creek. He thought .the,.battery owners,should,, petition,the Government on this behalf., A committee, cons^ting of the Mayor Crs Brown and Ehrenfried were ap" pointed to wait upon the representatives of the. Government visiting the Thames, with those interested in the batteries. It was decided to include the Waidtahi Creek in the business of the interview.

THE BBIDGE OF SIGHS. 5 he Grey street bridge—for some time having remained in a dormant condition —was called into active life last evening, after ill other business had been disposed of, and discussed. The Mayor said no communication had been received from the Parawai Board, . the Chairman having declined to hold au interview with him the Mayor in a resolution which,he had taken tbje trouble to get inserted in the Evening (Star. The reason he (the Mayor) assigned for this .course.on the part of the Chairman was, that the Chairman of the.Parawai Board, having denounced his (the Mayor's).language as disgraceful, he was very likely afraid to meet him lest he should become by contamination, disgraceful likewise. The Mayor then reiterated the conditions entered into regarding the division of expenditure. The Parawai Board had agreed to contribute. £150 towards, the construction of the Bridge, the Borough Council to undertake the work* The Bridge having been finished some time the Board wrote to the Council stating that they were prepared to pay £100, and would pay another hundred on . another. bridge over the Hape, being constructed, the Council to contribute the remainder towards . the construction of rt, the reason given being that the Provincial Government had granted the £200 conditionally on two bridges being formed. But no agreement about, two, bridges had been entered into between the Council and the Board! the contract being confined to that at Grey street. The Borough did not want an* other bridge. ... Cr Ehrenfried said the bridge had been hurried on Iby itibseinterested, ''and no proper security had. been obtained from the Board. « •

Cr. Renshaw said the Board were placed in an awkward position by the Provincial/Government; thej could, not get the other £100 until the other bridge was erected.' .

I Cr. Anthony: They did not carry out their agreement. They did not say, when we get the other £100-we will five you the balance, but they say they will give it with an additional fifty when we make anotherbridge. ... , Cr. Eenshaw: You seem to forget that the Provincial Government told them they would not give the' other until'the bridge was made. The. Mayor: They knew that when they made the bargain, and they had no right to say they would give £150 wten they knew they could only get £100. . Cr. Anthony suggested that they should get the £100 on account, but ltt it be distinctly understood that it was only part payment. The Mayor thought they should take the £100 now, and agree to wait for the £50. What he had said before he wai not afraid to say now. The Board had. taken an unfair- advantage of them, after making the agreement. Cr. Ethrenfried: First they do us a wrong, and then insult us. Cr. Anthony:- It is very well for them to do the indignant. Cr. Renshaw thought the Council had taken the agreement too literally, and it was riot calculated to promote good feeling to accuse the Board of fraud. The Mayor said he was not afraid to say so, again. They knew at the time the conditions of the Government grant, which he was prepared to prove, and that was a fraud.

It was ultimately agreed that the Clerk be instructed to write to the Board requesting the fulfilment of the terj& of the agreement, and if the Board could not at present hand over the full amount of the debt, the Council would no doubt agree to take it in instalments. The Council-then rose, r-