THAMES BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2020, 25 June 1875, Page 2

THAMES BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly meeting .of(the Thames Borough Council was held last evening m"" the Chamber; Queen street. There were present: His Worship the Mayor, Crs Brown, Eenshaw, Butt, Ehrenfried, Macnab, and Eowe. .' _ minutes. ThY minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. ■ - COEEESPONDKNCE. No letters of importance had been sent since previous meeting. A letter was received from,the residents "in Pleasant Valley, Upper Albert street, asking that they would prohibit horse riders from riding on the foothpath. Ihe matter- was- referred to the Foreman of Work*. -•;

TARABU EOAD AND MOANATAIBI AQUEDUCT. A letter was receivod from the "District Engineer, handing over tho Tararu Eoad and Moanatairi Aqueduct. Cr Benshaw said they ought to get out of taking over tho aqueduct, as they had no money to support it without the gold field revenue. Cr Brown said the expense would be a mere bagatelle, as the flunking would lastyears^ He didn't see how they could well get out of it. T t he .Mayor.Said, they had neverre» 'cognised any in connection with the- creeks, as they had no control over tho upper portions. He had waited uppjatfre Superintendent and pointed out their position!.alad tie said it was no me asking him for money as he had not a sixpence to give. The goldfield revenue was all appropriated. - ■■> ,a , f Cr Eowe said the Council would have a better chance by taking over those things. They would have a better chance with the General Government.

The Mayor said at the lowest estimate 250 tons passed over the roads daily, and how could they tax ratepayers to-keep those roads in repair, when they received not a penny of goldfield revenue ? -> Cr JRowe said there was more harm in taking over the : Beach Eoad than in talcing over the aqueduct, as the road would cost money. The question was would they gain anything by shirking these matters ? * Cr Ehrenfried thought- they were unfairly,, treated by the Government, and were quite justified in refilling to take over roads until they saw means of Supporting them. Cr JLJrown said they had, he believed, received all the general revenue they'were entitled to, as well" as ttie goldfield ? revenue. ' * ] The M-ayor said, it .was sheer absurdity 1; to folk about the Thames having received all the revenue to which it was entitled were entitledto the capitation money,. as well as part of the grants advanced to the Province by the General Government.' - Cr Eowo ventured to affirm that what the Mayo_r said was altogether incorrect. The Thames had -received every shilling it" was entitled to. > They could not expect <o get part of the money advanced on account of the .Auckland and Drwy railway. The Mayor said it was a matter of opinion. In the meantime," ho'supposed • they would have to .take it over, but let tUe Government know they had no means to maintain it. * Cr, Phrenfried .would strongly oppose

taking it over. " * . ": . Cf Brown said' it was understood that the Government would support the road till a certain timo; that tinio had now expired. "' Cf Ehrenfriefd : It" is best .'to' bring thing's to a climax, and refuse to take the road over. - Cr Macnab said the, road was a part of tlie Borough, and they could not refuse to take it over. Cr Butfc: " They might refuse to take over the aqueduct, as it was a parfc of . the goldfields works ; but they could not ask the Government to maintain the road. Cr Ehrenfried said a, deputation should wait upon Sir George Grey and ask him to help them out of the difficulty. The Mayor suggested that the matter stand over, as the question wa3 likely to crop up on the subject oi the Waiotahi road, and a deputation on that subject could -undertake to represent the views of tho Council with regard to these burdens. CrEhrorifried agreed to this, and named as a deputation, the Mayor, Crs Ehrenfried and Brown.

/WAIOTAHI BOAD.' A letter was received from the residents on ,the Waiotahi petitioning the Council to send two of their members to Auckland to represent to the Superintendent the necessity of forming the Waiotahr road from Pollen street to the foot of the Waiotahi, and from the Golden Ago r , to Nolan's Candlelight. * Cr Ehrenfried said this was a matter ■which might be -well undertaken by the same deputation. A portion of the road was completed, but was entirely useless until the road up to Nolan's Candlelight was made,- when mining in the' district would'receive a very necessary impetus, and many mines, now non-payable, would"T>e able to work to great advantage. 1 The Mayor said he had gone up the Waiotahi, and found that it was now utterly impossible for quartz to be brought down, and had made the Council responsible for £10, to effect, a temporary repair. It was impossible that mining should be allowed to stop, but the repair would only be'patchwork; .. • ' '•' Cr Bpwe said he had long regarded this as a vei'y important work, but was uncertain which was ,the best road to take, ultimately deciding that this road would offer the greatest advantages. A great deal of money htd been 'spent away ,from Grahamstown in the - ( matter • of mining, bnt he believed the district* in our midst were as rich as any others, and •every effort should be used to develope them. He believed thai some sort of feeling had been spolcen of as existing between the Waiotahi Board and the 1 Borough Council; but tbc Borough was

as deeply interested as the Waiotahi District in the formation of this road.. The Evening Star had got hold of some such notion—where they gathered their wool he could not say — something, of which he (Mr r Eowe) was entirely ignorant. That paper had stated that ho had opposed the handing over of the waterworks to the [Borough Council. In that assertion there was not a particle of truth. On tho contrary he had always endeavored to assist the Council as far as it lay in his power. - Tho Mayor said Cr Eowo was doparting from the question—-the discussion on the Water Works would come onlatw in •theevening.,..,.. . ..„,,.......■,„■..,,■—•.-■>•■:-■ :v:-:-v-.v\» Cr jßowe said he merely alluded to the remarks of the Star to show, that; such a feeling had existed. : Ttie interests of the Borough and the WaiotahLdistrict were identical, and unless they united in their efforts the road: would hot be made, and the country beyond would not be opened for a long .time. Some extraordinary effort would' hare to be made by the Superintendent at the next session of the General Assembly, and unless the General Government helped them—of. which he had little doubt—they must go- to the wall* 'i He would nioWthat'twomembers from the Waiotahi Board, and the mine managers of the Waitemata, Waiotahi Association, Nonpareil,and others, accompany the deputation of Councillors'tojSjr George Grcy^ r ;" ' •Cr Ehrenfried said he wns quite wil' ling to alter his motion to that effect.'. Cr.Brown said he.would oppose making a rpad as wide as that alr'eadyt?made.' A road;.'l2' Jeet. wide would be J amply sufficient. Itwas suggested that the size of the rpad, wpuld, be: matter for... after , r conr sidefation/l -'fi -i'it:ii „<^ i..'/S-":i 2s..,€>■ The Mayor said they should send a messenger to Sir George to night, to make an appointment for the morroWi This was dohe t a;M a messenger War despatched, returning to state that His Honor would meet the deputation at 10 o'clock this morning.

DEDICATION OP A BOAD. A letter was received from Mr Tyler, j on behalf of Mr Graham, requesting payment of the £80 voted on'account of the piece, of ground at the foot of the WaioEaraka road dedicated by Mr Graham, the owner, to the Borough Council for a , public highway. This money was,votcd when the' negociations were made by the Council with the,companies on the Waio-Ka^aka re the I formation of that road, the Borough Coun- ! cil -holding the money in trust for. ,the i companies.' The amount was ordered to |^f,P aid- ;' ,„ !-, ,';," „.y •/•" " BOWEN STBEET OUT OF BEPAIR. A letter was received' from Mr Rbbef t I Workman complaining of the state of : Bowen street. , < . , • ;\ „ to Works Committee. ",C ' SVATEK SUPPLY COMMITTEE* ' The report of ths Water Supply Committee recommended the removal of certain standpipes, some of them to other pdints in the Boroughs The committee also reported on the cost of laying the water on to the wharves, and recommended that tenders bo called for supplying piping for the 12 months ensuing. The Mayor said it had' been thought necessary to remove the standpipes from those localities where the people could 'afford to pay for the water. ~ Cr Renshaw said his idea in suggesting a committee was that matters might remain as they .were fora time. It was > too hasty t6~dttemp£~at once to-effect a j change such as that "suggested. They; might after'ia time be. able to'strike arate. He would move that that part of the report referring to'the removal of the, standpipes remain over. Cr Rowo raid-one, argument in 1 favor of removal was, that if everybody could be induced to get the water laid on, the expense generally would.be little more, than now. k - .* * - • '

The Mayor said,the object in bringing: tip the report was to prepare people for vi hat might Jake, place. It was not purposed to act at once. fßut there were instances in which people who, could well afford to pay had staridpipes exactly opposito their doors. , . ' Cr Ecnsliaw's suggestion as to holding over tho first part of the report was, finally adopted. As to laying the water on to,tho wharves it was determined to let the' matter remain over" to ascertain the probable revenue to be derived therefrom. , On the motion of Cr Ehrenfried it was agreed to call for tenders for supplying piping for the next 12 months. The Mayor said there were.cases in which' persons had . made independent connections with the main without paying for it, and it was, decided to take effectual steps to prevent such occurring

again. '". / „ ', i With regard to two applications for a supply of. water, to, drive machinery, namely from the Evening Star and Mr Foss, the Council decided that the applications could not be entertained £« the pipes were too small. It was determined to supply two houses in Walter street; which would entail an expenditure of £12. PUBLIC WOBKB. The report of the Public-Works Committee was read. VALUATION. Some discussion took", place as Jo, the course to be adopted in Having the asso'v* ment list prepared. A letter from T. W. Gudgeon was received offering to perform the work of valuation for £25. It was decided to advertise for tenders, the sum to bo paid not to exceed £25. A number of accounts were passed for payment. FISHING EOCK. The Mayor stated that the bridge at this point, beyond Tararu, Had become destroyed, and he had received an offer from Mr Duncan to reconstruct it for £5. The offer was accepted.

DEDICATION OF "WALTER STBEET. - ■ Tlio offer of Mr Eowe to dedicate Walter street to tho Borough was accepted. TEEE PLANTING. Cr Ehrenfried asked for and obtained permission to plant trees from street along Mackay street. CR EOWE AND- TIIE WATEBWOBKS. Cr'Ron-e's notice of motion as to why 'the Waiotahi Board had been excluded from the control and participation in the benefits of the waterworks, then came .before the Council. The Clerk read the report of the Commitfep' on the subject of the handing over. Cr Howe said the matter had been left

in the hands of the Cominitte, and the Board had expected that they would be' included in the benefits at least. When he found that the Waiotahi had been left out, ho was very much surprised, and j hence his desire for information, as to i why it was,so. The agreement might not exclude the'"'Board from participating in the benefits, and it niight exclude .them. The Mayor-said if there was any blame in the matter it' attached to him. He then "proceeded to make an explanation. From what he; had gathered he felt, sure | that a lover had been applied to hold the Water Works back from the Council; otherwise they would, have been handed over in. May. -He applied to the Government to know the reason, and in conse- ; quence received a letter saying they were willing to hand over the works, but not a word as,to whyit had::not::beeu:done before. In the letter from the Government no word was mehtione'dXabout the Waiotahi, and he concluded" that the Goverment had purposely, left ihem out considering.theJ;£2Qo already spent on a supply for that district; as. a recompense foririof;, participating in- the waterworks. He found that a telegram had, been sent to the Superintendent asking .hiai not to hand over the works to the Borough Council, and he looked, uppn such a proceeding with suspicionJ l A gain hahad heard^ ; itliafc/; a ;Jie believed Mr -Eowe. -w-as pne^haci waited upon his Honor iin'ce "his arrival preferring the same request. As to his (the Mayor's)liWantingi.to! do^the iWaibtahi Board!any/ftarm>#:wa rs quite ;a ;niistakeV<? After some further remarks^duTing which the *Ma£b*^made: a i cajcttlktipn of the" "-; revenue from-jrateaf. raised^ im} the Waiotahi, and the amount of money spent on the Waiotahi last year, - ; - --?■;

Mr Howe he thought there had been no design on the part of the-Gbvern-ment to exclude the W.aiotahi Board. It was a matter of greafc- consequence to the Waiotahi.Board. Personally he was more interested in the Borough, and should be inclined.to keep everything for tho Borough. In fact lie" did'riot feel justified in sitting on the-Waiotahi B ( oard, and should riot do so again/ As to what the Mayor had said, he (Cr.Rowe)-know nothing about the letters or telegrams, having heard of them;then for.the first time. After some further conversation-it -was decided to include the Waiotahi with the other districts, and; the , Council then rbs#. -, ■ - / f