Thames Borough Council.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2858, 12 April 1878, Page 2

Thames Borough Council.

Tho usual fortnightly meeting of this body was held at tho Council Chambers last evening. There were present —His Worship the Mayor, Crs Ehrenfried, Benshaw, Price, Howe, McGowan and

Wilson.

MINTJTKS. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

OUTGOING COBBKSPOHDBNCB. A precis of the letters sent since last meeting was read over.

APJPIICATIOK FOB BEFtTND.

A letter was read from Mr Brassey asking on behalf of Miss Batcliffe for a refund of a transfer fee for the Theatre Royal Hotel as she had withdrawn her application, hearing that the police would not recommend the transfer of the license to a woman. Cr Ehrenfried said in common justice he thought the £2 should be refunded to Miss Eatcliftb. This was the first case of the kind. The matter was finally referred to the Mayor with power to act.

BY HOAD.

An application was receircd from Mr Littlejohn and others with reference to the impassable state of a by road, and was referred to the Works Committee to inspect and report on.

BTOHEAOE OF iPAWLS.

An application wai received from Messrs Hart and Horn, asking permission to store spawls for road metal on an allotment; near the Templar Hall. The Town Clerk said that it was private property. The Borough could not give permission. It was decided that an answer to this effect be given to the applicants.

IHK 9-INCH MAINS.

A letter was received from the Water Supply Committee, asking for the £350 promised by the Borough, as its share towards the laying down of the new 9-inch mains in Brown, Owen and Albert streets. On the motion of Cr Renshaw it was re* solved that the money be paid.

THE PROPOSED MUNICIPAL LKAGUX.

Letters were received from the Borough Councils of Wellington, Auckland, Naseby, Sydenham, and Masterton in reply to the.letters sent, by the Council re the formation of a Municipal League. The letters were strongly in favor of the league, and promised lo join in *its formation. Answers to the same letters, either stating that the question was under discussion, or asking for further information, were received from the following Boroughs : — Lyttelton, Christchurcb, Gladstone, Farnell, Nelson, West Harbor, Palmerston North, Xaiapoi, Green Island.

It was resolvtd to suspend further action on the matter till the next meeting of the Council.

HOSPITAL DEDUCTIONS.

A letter was received from the Treasury Office stating that the Borough subsidy •mounting to £1166 17s 6d, less £694 7a 6d deductions for hospitals, charitable institutions, Ac, had been forwarded to the Borough fund account. The Town Clerk said that the Borough* half-yearly subsidj ires- oaly £4Ti 8s 9d. , Cr Besjnaw reminded them that a promise had been m*de that if they were overcharged the money would be refunded to them. • The Town Clerk : It is very difficult to get money from the Government. Cr Renshaw said he had a motion, which he would bring up later in the evening, touching the management of the Hospital.

GBA9AHSTOWN AND TABABTT TfIAMWAT.

A letter was receired from G. S. Cooper, Under-Secretory, in answer to one from the Council, stating that the deed with reference to the Grahamstown and T&raru tramway could not be found.

FIBS BBKJADJB COMMITTEES BEPOBT.

The report of the Fire Brigade Committee was read. It stated Ibat the Superintendent of the Grahamstown Brigade applied for seren pairs of coupling* for the new hose. That he had remored eight sets from the condemned lengths of hose, and fixed them on the new hose, but the seven sets applied for were required for the remainder of the lengths. He also applied for two double* delivery hydrants. The Sbortland Superintendent applied for two branches ana a ladder cart. The Committee recommended that these applications be granted. The Committee had had concrete blocks at a cost of 25s each placed round the new fire plugs. The Committee did not recommend the application from the Grahamstown engine-keeper for a rise of salary. Cr Bens Law said, with reference to the application for two nozzles by the Shortland Brigade, it would give them as many as they had appliances for. 11 jets could be kept going at th» same time. The report was adopted on the motion of Cr Wilson. '

HEALTH OFFICES'* BBPOBT.

The report of this officer states that during last month six deaths had occurred in the Borough. It also drew attention to the danger that accrued to the public health through the keeping of swine in certain parts of the Borough, and recommended that the Council veto it.

Cr Kenshaw said he never liked to interfere with people in that way, as there were so many different opinions about what was a nuisance. Some people thought that the keeping of a brew house or an hotel a nuisance, for instance.

Cr Ehrenfried: That's only a matter of sentiment: this is a matter of smell.

Cr Benshaw thought that to keep pigs was the best means of getting rid of the offal.

The Mayor said he had frequently heard complaints about the keeping of pigs. He would like to see the keeping of pigs in the Borough abolished altogether. Cr McGowan said that the nbolishing j of pigs in the Borough would press hardly on a number of poor persons who made the keeping of pigs in out of the way places in the Borough a matter of profit. After further discussion the report was received. BErOBT OF INSPKCTOB O» SLATJGHTEBHOTJIES. The report of this officer staled that during the last quarter 2127 cattle had been slaughtered in the slaughter-houses licensed by the Borough. Adopted. FOREMAN OF WOBKS* BBPOBT. The report of this officer was read and adopted. It was as follows :—

Gentlemen, —I hare the honor to report that during Ihe month ending' the 31»t of March the following work* hate been com-plyted:-—The making aui laying down of

eight platforms for crossings «t tbe corners of Mackay and Baillie streets in Richmond street at the cost of £8 5 repairing footpath, Bolleston atrcct cutting, at a cost of £1 oj ; tbe making road and laying clown culvert in Sbotovor Crook rood at a cost of £28 7s lOd ; the making and laji-Bj down of 390 feet of water table in Mackay street at the coat of £68 14s $ the making nnd laying down of 250 feet of water table fur Mr O. Curtis, Pacific Hotel, at tbe cost of £24 19s 10J; the making of an approach to the now bridge ertcted by tbe. Parnwai Highway Board over the Hape Greek, near tlio pound, at a cost of £6 (I may elate tbe old bridge was dangerous to paasengen, consequently the Farawai High* way Board erected a new one, »nd requested me to make approach on the Borough aide to j auch b.idge. As this work wa* very nreee- | aary, I did ao on behalf of the Borough, hop- | ing that this meets with your approval) j repaired foot bridge nt Tarnvu, aa instructed at last meet in?, at a cost of £1 6a. That the following works are in progress:—Laying water tablea 323 feet, nnd preparing to aapbaltt in front of Mr Marshall'^, Pollen atreet; lajing 690 fret of water tablea in Pollen afreet, from Sealej to Bichmond streets} cleaning out !arge culvert opposite to Captain Fraaer's, Tararu, and utiliaing the debris f.:r forming the footpath between Olimo's and the new school »t Tanru. In addition to the foregoing worka in progress and completed, the men have beea employed in cleaning out the drains, making repairs, Ac, in tarioua part* of the Borough, 1 eapecially at the Sbortland end. This work became necessary in consequence of the g/owth of tbe docka and weeds, which would impede the flow of water. During the put month 258 yards of asphalt has been laid in front of Mr 0. Curtis' Pacific Hotel. The men hsve also been employed in top dreaaing asphalt already mid down in Tarious parts of the Borough, betides preparing: material in the Borough yard. I beg to ask authority of the Council to procure 200 yards of coarse gravel for asphalting purposes previous to winter setting in. I beg la state that at the I time of my laying down the water table in. front of Mr Marthall's, Pollen street, I obierred Die statj of the box or so-called culvert across Pollen street, Willoughby street, and I found it cheked and rotten, the crust of. the ground only holding it together. This box has been laid down many years.—l hare, Ac, Thomas Bawdo*, Foreman of Works.

The report wo adopted. VIVJINCX COMXITTEB'S BBPOIT.

The report of this committee was then read.—The first portion was the usual statement of accqnnts, See. The concluding paragraph was as follows :—" The Committee are Of opinion that the cost of maintenance of the Fire Brigades in the Borough (not having reference to the firemen who fire 'their services entirely without remuneration) -exceeds that amount the funds of the Council can bear, and that the Borough ought not to be called upon to support the whole of such cost out of the general rates levied. It is submitted for the consideration of the Council the advisability of granting by vote an annual contribution, or of making a special rate of Id or 2d in the £1, and thus raise a sum of £450, the average annual cost of the Brigades to the Borough." The Town Clerk said that the annual cost of the brigades was £460, so that » rate of l£d in the £1 would orrer ft. Cr Bow* Mtidit was high time they economised. The amount of money paid for salaries was out of all proportion to the amount of money they received. He thought they were altogether wrong. When" he heard these accounts reid over, he thought there was necessity of adapting themselves to their circumstances. They had been spending too much money about their servants of late, and had too many men employed. He moved that the Mayor, Crs McGowan, Ehrenfried, Benshaw and the mover be appointed a committee to enquire into and report if any reductions could be made in the cost of the Council.

HXW BY-LAW.

The Town clerk was instructed to have the new by-law relating to the Council business printed, tenders to be called for the same.

CB BKXSHAW's XOTIOff.

Cr Benshaw moved, " That this Council desire that the control and management of the Thames Goldfield Hospital remain in the bands of the committee as hitherto; and, further, that the Council express its willingness to contribute a fair proportion of any deficiency that may remain." He thought the proper course would be not to show any wish to take the Hospital into the control of the Borough. They should take decided action and ask them to continue, and induce them to demand from the Government the grant in terms of the proposal of the Government. The Council would not have more than their share of the £113 deficiency to make up. Cr McGowan seconded the resolution. He thought the arrangement would be satisfactory to the Hospital Committee and the local bodies.

Cr Benshaw suggested that a representative of each of the local bodies might have a seat on the Committee. He added to his proposition " That this Council ask the Hospital Committee to take steps to give a representative from the Borough a seat on the Committee." The resolution was then unanimously carried.

STBIBT BOTTNDABIBB.

The Mayor gare notice to more at next meeting:—«• That the Town Surveyor be instructed to ascertain and accurately define the boundaries of the street! comprised in the former townships of Shortland and Grahamstown." He said at the. last meeting the subject was brought up, and the probable expense had swayed the Council to negativing the resolution. Since then, however, he had seen Mr McFarland, who told him the cost would be £30. Cr Ehrenfried said he believed the matter was brought forward by Mr McFarland. He would be very sorry to leave the defining of the streets of the Borough to Mr McFarland. The Mayor said Mr McFarlaad had not brought forward th* matter. He had done it himself. He referred to the ne> cessity of having such a map fo arbid their being made litigants in a court of law.

The discussion then lapsed.

THE COST OF THB JIBE BBtGADIB.

The suggestion in the report of the Finance Committee re the granting of a fixed sum for the maintenance of lh» Fire Brigade was then considered. Cr Rsnshaw said he did not agree with the suggestions. He thought the expenditura should be under their control. During the last year or so considerable expense had been entailed by ttie purchase of cosily appliances, and he thought the expenditure would be less now.

Cr Ehrenfried concurred with Cr Renshaw. He thought that the Insurance Companies should contribute more libe-

rally. They had acted very meanly to the Thames. The discussion then lapsed. This was all the business.