Borough Council.

Thames Star, Volume XXX, Issue 9026, 25 March 1898, Page 3

Borough Council.

"wtf" TaC o"1 : t>! iy meeting of the Thames -f I 'BoiouKh Council was held last evening. J £/Present: His Wcrship tv;*ayor(Mr < I I W, Scott), and Cm Uad ord, Buj©\ { f Whitel cad, Menzies, Poulgrain, Foy, : ■» Pay jy, and Wood. P» Rates. —Mrs Little's anil Mrs ' Pearce's rates were remitted— It. was t revolved to d cine to remit Mrs I jj OWs0 Ws rates—A similar application .1 by Mr Mackj WJi merely received. Cochbane tTißT—Mrs Murphy drew attention 10 the need of atten- ling I to the f K)tpath on the south side of r-Cichrane street, vhich is very b.d in I winter.—lt was pointed out that a F resolution wts now standing in the i t b oka in faror of gravelling this foot--1 path when n^ceesary —Matter referred ±g Foreman of Works. Sheet. — The Council's balance sheet w*B received and adopted and the Mayor was authorised to sign it "Licensing Affairs.—The County i«lerk wrote: — " The Council is in accord with your application I for the Borough Council to be constituted the controlling authority for tb« Thames Licensing } District, and a letter was forwarded *to the Hon. the. Minister of Justice warmly supporting the proposal."— Received, several Councillors com* mending ilw County's attitude. Fwcinq Borough Pi.opkrty—Mr dR James wrote:—l beg to acknowledge ihe receipt or yonr letter of the 11th inst., instructing me to remove a fence from an allotment oWned by the Council in Queen street. In reply I beg to express my regret that by an oversight I failed in lodging a lormal Application with the Council for leave to fence the area. I may say that the 'allotment is too sm*»U to be of much use, and I -merely d wire it fenced to prevent it being mtde a common 'diimp'nj ground foe all the rabbish and filth of the town. Since receiving your letter I have taken off alternate palings, and consider it ample to let free any storm water should the Karaka Creek overflow. I have arranged with the Bank of New Zea.land to fence in their part of allotment, and would feel extremely obliged if the Council will allow the fence to remain on their portion aq as to get rid of an intolerable nuisance to the neighbourhood. I should be most happy lo make any alterations to the fence that the Council may think necesgaty.—Or Hadford taid that the place had been made ten times worse than htfore as regards the floods.—The Town Clerk stated that another altera-

Ition had been made.—Or fUdford IrepHed that he was speaking of the libstruction as he saw it on Weines-, Psay. The Borough should insist on channel being kept open, to prevent damage to Borongh property. As regards the remark about tne " dump-1 Ana ground," he was oi opinion that The man who had "(hi raped" most was Mr James himself. -A long dis-' cussion followed without the speakers getting mnch closer to the point,—lt Uras eventually decided that the Council personally inspect the spot on Thursday next. . _ A Mis Uhakos.—On the motion of Cr Pougmiii, seconded by Ortoy, the ioltowiiur resolution, drafted by the Town Clerk, was carried :—" Whereas the t'hamea Harbour lias been illegally charged rates for the year 1897----1898 amounting in the whole to £115 17, id", and the said Board has charged J the Council for gravel an amount: •aiuvaleat to the amount of the said j ■rate*, although a standing permission j rhas been granted and been in existence j foT years giving to the Council the right j to remove gravel iromtbeforeshore free, j •fche charge being only meant to assist; the Council in adjusting their rate book. In doing this the Treasurer of ; the Council has out of the general account i a:d to the water rate account, j -4he hospital and chariable aid rate, account, and the library account their proportiosß of the said rate to the aetnment and loss of the general account, the name being contrary to j the intention of the Council. It is; therefore resolved that inasmuch as the Council has no power to levy rates on the Thames Harbour Board, and the said Board having given full permission, to the Council to remove travel free of charge, the Council order that the following refunds te made t> the gentral account fiom the ■eparate accounts herein mentioned, that is to say: From the water rate account, £28 7 9 6d; from the hospital ha nd charitable aid rate account, £27 ■•.»_ ca *. and ivnm t.hn Public Library

f* account, £4 12* Id; being in tne whole £60 12s Id, and representing i the amount actually transferred from the general account in connection with (*■ the subject matter.'' 1 Fire Inspector. —Cr Menzies (Superintendant of the lire Brigade) \ Vas appointed a Fire Inspector of the * °Finances. — With regard to the, financial position the Mayor stated that after paying all accounts to date, ' together with interest and sinking fund to April Ist, the Borough account will stand overdrawn £V 561. Fire Plugs.—Cr Kadfofd drew " attention to the need of a fire plug in Queen street,between Pahau and M ary BtreetP. -Cr Menzies said that a plan should be provided showing the water supply connections and fire plugs. He f euegested that plugs be marked by v Binking a white tile in the footpath at p the spot.—lt was stated that such a plan is already in existence.—These questions are to be further considered by the General Purposes Committee. " Government Assistance. —The following letiers were received from * the line- Department :—" I am directed by the Hou. Minister ot Mines to acknowledged the receipt of your letter of the lot iust., applying that a grant be made foriepairingthe Waiotahi aud Moanatairi aqueducts in lieu of the subsidy of £252 at the iate of £ for £ offered by my memo, of the 15th ulto., Mo, 275. In reply lam to point out that in granting a subsidy every favourable consideration has been given to your Council's applir cation, and the offer above referred to must be adhered to."—Writing at a later date (March 14 • the Minister says: i. i n reply to your letter of the Ist inst. requesting that the rate of subsidy for £ for £ offered to the Borough Council Tor metal for repairing goldfields roads may be iucreased to £3 for JEI I am dire. .txl by the Minister of Mines to inform you that the rate of subsidy cannot be increased. I may point out that the G-n icil veaiuot enter into arrangements for extending th» wloo a s o:iut of £876 vi Inn auy d £ ite period, but the momy can be "ex-enc'el frem time to time over a it'oi of several months to suit the financial arrangements of thi Borough. I am further to 8 ate that the amount of subsidy granted exceed the sum pio used by the Minister vi Mines when h» was recently at tut Thames "—Eesulved, on tue moaoi * of Cr Rsdfo (1 >-econded by Cr Burch, thtt tie Miaiiterbe iuformei that the Council will take advantage of the X gubwdieswhenitisin funds. Hospital and Chabita:le Aid.— The usual demands from tU; Hospita --J rentable Ail Bard« (for con

tributions previously published) wen received.—Or Badford said that th« , Borough was suffering from an injustice with regard to the assessmei t \ of rateable property. The Harbor Board and Borough properties \ ere ' included, although they laid no ru;es. As regards the up country, which was , now sending five persons for hospital ! or charitable aid where it teat only one five years ago, Or Radford po:n'ei out that the: c was a very Ja-{.« <ortion of properly in tint district \\ uich was not included because it was Government or native land.—Ssvoral other Councillors spoke, it being re-j marked that it would be a good thing when Ohinemuri got a hospital of its v own, and that the Thames Borough and County could then provide their own hospital.—Or Poulgrain said that the n^w valuation now proceeding in Ohinemuri might adjust matters on a fairer basis.—Or Foy having also spoken, it was resolved; That the Obunoil object to the assess-1 ment in the estimates on the gronnd • that non-rateable property is included.

1 Oheavand Wholesome Food is provided h; iViaoonockie b»o<i. in their series of j preserved Fish sold under the " Silvocea " I • Brand. Their Fresh and Kip} ered Herrings are delioiouß, and their Mack rell or H. r rings in Tmato t-auce are a breakfast delicacy appreciated in the hot weather. ■Kept by the leading Grocers. Gimps, Braid Trimmings in Black and Colors, the latest novelties for the winter, Fur trimming,, Beaver etc.,—E. J. Hutsoh and Co., Pollen Street.- [Advfc ] The cheapest home in the trade for all sinds of straw hats and millinery goods — V. J. and E: Irvine's. Sale now on Ad^t Ladies' Capes, Furs, and Pelerines, atkewn cash prices—E. J. Hdtson aad Co , Pollen Street.—fAdvt]