Thames Borough Council.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3546, 7 May 1880, Page 2

Thames Borough Council.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Council was held last evening. Present -—His Worship the Mayor, Crs McGowan, Osborne, Mennie, Wilson, Speight, Bawden, and Wilkinson.

HOSPITAI MATTERS. v The Mayor said he had had a conversation with tbe secretary of the Hospital re the £144, and he had promised to write another letter to the Government on the matter. v There was evidently some mistake

Cr Speight said he feared there was a mistake. It was his impression that the money had been paid. He remembered Mr McCullough saying, " Pay the money to the Borough." The Town Clerk said that the Borough had received half the money, but £144 was still due to the Hospital. He read correspondence to the Government on the matter, and made a statement, which Cr Speight said he thought was correct.

WTIMAMSON BTBEET FOOTPATH

Mr Samuel Stephenson's letter drawing attention to the state of this footpath, was referred to Works Commitee.

BOEOiraH ENDOWMENTS

A letter was received from the Commissioner of Crown Lands stating that the deed vesting the Waitoa endowment in the Borough of Thames had been received.

Cr Speight said that while in Auckland he had see* the deed, but there was £15 to pay on it, the ground being assessed at £3 per acre. He thought this too much, as the Government had been unable to sell the land for £2 per acre. The To*n Clerk should make a declaration as to the value of the land, and the dues would be reduced. The matter was left in the hands of the Town Clerk.

THE BIG PUMP.

A letter was received from |fche Secrer tary the Moanatairi Company asking the Council to pay the arrears due them in accordance with a promise made by the Council some time ago to contribute £50 per month' towards the maintenance of pumping, and also to contribute in future. Failing a favorable reply they would agitate for the repeal of the gold duty. • A. deputation consisting of Messrs Brown, Comer, and other gentlemen representing the mining and commercial interests waited on the Council, and standing orders having been suspended, Mr John Brown said that while in Auckland as a director of the Golden Crown Co., he was asked to attend a meeting re the maintenance ;of pumping operation, at that meeting a schedule of the contributions paid by each company was produced and he was sorry to say it showed a great deficiency. The owners of the pump, the Moanatairi Coy., contributed £60 per month, and were willing to increase their contribution, but they could not bear the entire cost. Unless the local bodies assisted the pump would have to cease operations. They met the County Council last evening and were now come to ask aid from the Borough Counpil. The position of the the mines was such that vigorous prospecting would require to be entered into and their resources were quite inadequate to the strain of pumping as well as prospecting. The gold duty was intended for the support of goldfields roads, and it would be seen that the mines on the list had batteries of their own and did not use the Borough roads to any extent. He strongly urged the claims of the companies for aid. ' Mr Comer followed in a similar strain. He very much questioned, if the pump once stopped, if the water would -be pulled out again. The Mayor said the Council fully recognised the desirability of assisting the Pump, and would see what could be done,

In answer to Cr Speight, Mr Brown said that it was not proposed to pump at a greater depth than the 400 feet lerel. The deputation then withdrew, and Standing Orders being resumed, The Mayor said that the argument used by Mr Brown was a very fair one. If the Pump stopped, they would not get the gold duty from the area drained, and' once stopped, would it erer start again P They should look on it as a matter of expediency. Cr Mennie said it would not be fair to make promises they could not fulfil. _ Cr Wilkinson moved—" That this Council sympathises with the deputation in their request for a grant of the gold duty from the area drained up to a certain amount; and that a subcommittee be appointed to report to the next meeting of the Council as to the area drained and the amount of gold duty derived from such area, such committee to consist of Crs McGowan, Speight and Bawden." Cr Bawden seconded. Carried. CHABITABLB AID BILL.

The Onehunga Borough Council wrote with reference to the draft Charitable Aid Bill, that they were of opinion that Charitable Institutions should be a charge on the Consolidated Fund.

POLLEN BTEEET NOBTH

A letter was read from Mrs Loulilan asking that a man be sent to clean out a drain in Pollen street. Referred to Foreman of Works. CABBIAGE CBOSBING. Mr J. C. Williams of the Provincial Hotel gave notice of his intention to construct a carriage crossing over the Queen street footpath. THE SHOBTLAND FIBE BRIGADE AND THE MAINS. A letter was read from the Superintendent of the Shortland Fire Brigade making a statement to the effect that the recent bursting of the nine inch mains was not due to carelessness of the Brigade. A letter from the Turncock on the same subject was also read. The letters were

received, and a copy of the turncock's letter ordered to be sent to Mr Hollis.

CEMETEBY MATTEEB

A letter was received from the Cemetery Committee covering resolutions passed at the meeting held on Wednesday evening. The Mayor said that these joint meetings 'of local bodies were farces. . A resolution was adopted at the meeting re the cemetery that the County and Borough Councils each pay half the debts, but before the meeting was over they were given clearly to understand that the County would not pay their share. Cr Mennio thought that they should take it for granted that the County would abide by the resolution.^ After some discussion it was resolved to ascertain if the County would pay half the present liabilities as a temporary arrangement. TBEES. A letter was received from Mr Stillwell drawing attention to his list of trees, for planting in Orphanage grounds and Becreation ground. The- letter was received, the Council considering it was not in a position to purchase the trees at present. STJBYEYOE. A letter was received from John Walker, C.E., offering to survey, the Borough Endowment should his services be required. Received. HEALTH OFFICER'S SEPOET. The report of this Officer showed that six deaths had occurred during the month. . BATIONS. The relieving officer reported that the month's rations had cost £30 7s lid. THE ATJDITOBS' EEPOBT. The following report was read, and the recommendations agreed to: —" We, the undersigned auditors of the Borough of Thames, beg to make the following recommendations for the consideration of the Council: —Ist. That the items of Allowances, viz.—ls l|d to Bobbett and Is 8d to Phillips, be either written off by the Collector or he be instructed to enforce payment, and so close these accounts. ..2nd. That the fencing charges against Stevens and Flett be altered from the contract price to the one allowed by the " Fencing Act," and thus close these accounts. 3rd. That a valueless cheque, £9 14s 3d, charged against the Treasurer and carried forward from time to time, be cancelled. These matters are suggested so as to simplify the future audits.—W. H. Cbick, F. K. G. Woodward, Borough Auditors." ■VTOBKS COMMITTEE. The report of the Works Committee was read and consideration deferred till next meeting:—The Committee have to report that after visiting the intake between the embankment and the Beach Road, they recommend that the Karaka creek be allowed to flow down its present channel, and the silt and tailings carried in its waters to gradually fill in the intake. With reference to the request -Contained in the letter of the Thames Harbour Board, that half the cost of metalling the newly formed portion of -Mary street, on the Foreshore, be borne by the Council, the Committee recommend that the request of the Harbour Board be complied with. The Committee also advise that Government be urged to at once form the approach on both sides of the railway embankment at Cochrane street, as at present goods carried by cutters for delivery at the Grahams town end of the Borough have to be carted an exceedingly long distance over the Borough streets. The committee, after visiting the Borough endowment, have to report that they o^nsiderTEeTSna will be, after an expenditure of money on it for drainage purposes, a valnable property, and will hereafter be a great acquisition to the Borough funds, by producing to an income when let. At the present moment the committee do not recommend any drainage or other works being undertaken, but in the spring the old water courses be opened up so as to allow the surface water to escape.- The committee advise that they be authorised to communicate with the County Council with a view of urging forward the formation of the Paeroa road, as this would save a long detour to travellers passing from the Paeroa to the Waitoa district. FOBEMAN OF "WOBKS BEPOET.

The report of the Foreman of Works was received, and it was resolved on the motion of Cr McGbwan that the Foreman of Works be instructed to utilise the available labor in putting the tracks and footpaths in the outskirts in repair in the winter.

The Council then adjourned, a notice of motion being postponed.