DOMAI BOARD.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 173, 9 October 1886, Page 2

DOMAI BOARD.

Tun uiu.il monthly meeting of the Theim.d Spiings Domain Bo.ud wu-s held on Saturday evening hist. Present : MoSbis G. AYiUon (chairman), C. -Vhii-r (sec), T. Gavin, and Edw. Quinn. The Clcik read the minutes of the last monthly meeting 1 , and also of the special meeting held on September :25th, which were continued. Mr Aluer, who had given notice of motion at the special meeting re the (|U''Sfcion of iidvei Using, said that from matteis which had coiut' to hi> know lodgo sinei 1 . he now desire 1 to wilhdiaw that motion ; pei mission gi.mted. Mr Quinn said he would wish to refer to the fact that the local paper had in connection with their meeting of Sept. sth, when lefening to the granting 1 cf the right of advertising- to Mr Bronnan, lepoited him as saying- it would be a (l big" thing ; what ho si id was that it would be a " big 1 thing*" for the Board. The " big thing" was mentioned, but not the latter part of his lemark. Ho would like to know why I The Chairman : I do not think we can dictate to the Press ; our meetings are open to the Press and to the public ; and it b not for us to tell them what to say. If all we said were fully reported, perhaps we slioulJ not like it Mr Gavin : I do not much care what tho Picss says myself, so long- as theie is a full record in the minutes. Correspondence, — [<\om the proprietor of the Waikato News, soliciting an advertisement. Letter from proprietor of New Zealand Industrial Gazette, read at special meeting, was also laid on the tablo. Telegrams : The following important telegrams, dating from Sept. 28th, wore then ; read : From 11. J. H. Eliott, Esq.', Under- Secretary, Wellington, to the Chairman : •' It has been stated that advertising boards are exhibited in Public Domain, Honourable Minister directs that the boards bo removed at once." This was followed by another from the Under-Secretary to the Chairman : u Please state whether advertising boards have been removed, as directed by my telegram of 28th ult. lion Minister wishes to know nature of arrangement entered into with Professor Cadman, length of term of engagement, nature of duties, what privileges or monopolies granted, terms of remuneration and authority under which engagement has been entered into by Board." In reply the Chairman wired the Undersecretary as follows : " In reply to your U'legidni of this date to Ciniiimau Te Aroha Domain Board, no advertising boards were ever erected in the Domain; n ) '

arrangement has been entered into with Professor Cadmau. Will wire fully on the mutter after my return to To Avoha." From Under-Sccrotary to Chairman : " lion. Minister of Lands has considered application of Domain Board for further money ; he regrets that the state of the Thermal Springs vote will not admit of fuithor conti ibutions to To Aioha. Vote included liabilities entered into before 131 st March last, and £000 on that account was paid to Te Aroha Board out of present vote. Minister considers the Board should now bo nblo to efficiently c.my on the baths without further aid from Government, as it has a good yeaily revenue." [Ue this £500, the following letter was read at the meeting held by the Board on July 24 th : General Crown Land Office, Wellington,— To G. Wilson, Esq., chairman Domain Board, Te Aroha : Sir, — [ have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of June 22nd, reporting upon the Te Aroha Hot Springs for the year ending May 31st, ISBG, »n r l recommending that an expenditure of £2500 bo inclined in impioying and extending- the Domain. In reply, I am diiected by the Minister of Lands to slate that as the Government cannot promise more than £500 in aid of the Domain during the year, you should specify the works which are more immediately required within th.it limit. 1 have, etc., 11. J. H. Eliott, Sec. In accordance with that letter by the Board's request, Mr Crump, their engineer, prepared fresh plans, showing works most urgently needed to the extent of £500, which was duly forwarded to Wellington.] Financial Statement. — The financial statement prepaiod by the Clerk was then read, lroni which it appeared the Bo.ud were in debt to the extent of £115, with no fun Is on hand worth speaking of. Advertising Agreement. — The draft of agi cement as drawn np by the Secretary and the Cleik for gi anting Ah- l{. Biennan sole light to make use of the vaiious bath buildings for five years, on terms aheady reported m our column*, was laid on the table, but not confirmed, or dealt with. Discussion. — The Chaiiman : I hope we shall have no more Professor Cadiiiau scares, it has done us more harm than ev-Mything else, and the £500 has been stopped from us. Mr Gavin refciring to the publkity given to the recent actions of the Board and Press ciiticisms, said : It had only succeeded so far, in stopping funds, not in getting the Board out, what waa wanted.

THE TRESS EXCLUDED. At this stage of the proceedings representatives of the Press were requested to withdraw, on the ground that the question of ad\ eitismy was about to be discussed in which some of those present were interested, also tho Cleik was requested (o retiio ; on being admit led alter an absence ol about three quarters of an hour however, it was Found all the business ol the meeting had been transacted, and the lesult written down which \\<i> then read by the Secretary as follows : The (inancial statement showing liabilities of the Jioard was read, and aftei some discussion with lefeicnce to the lelusdl of Government to giant a further .subsidy, it was decided to retiench as much as possible. Ke^uived : That all advertising be discontinued fioni this date, and that notice of the same be sent to all persons who adveitise for the JJoaid. llc-johed : That further retrenchment be considered at an adjourned meeting. llesolved : That the CL'tiirmau request the oliit'e' in clim^e ot Police to vau^c a pattol in the Domain duting the c\emngs, to prevent wanton destiuction of (loweis, shrubs, etc. "Wages sheet amounting to Ll2 having been passed, the meeting was adjoined till following Tuesday evening for consideiation of the reply to bo sent to Government, and further retrenchment.

TUESDAY EVENING'S MEETING. At the meeting of the Board on Tuesday evening, all members of the Board were present, with the exception of Mr Lipscy who has marked his disappioyal of the adveiUsing, and Piofessor Cadman business (which were both cairicd at a meeting when he was not present) by absenting himself from the subsequent meetings. llcfcrenehmenl. —The question of further retrenchment was discussed at some length. Mr Ahier said that during the next seventeen weeks, if LG per week could be saved out of receipts, they could by that time pay off all their liabilities. And then during February, March, April and May, four other goo I months, they could prepare for the next winter. Mr Quinn pioposcd that the Engineer (Mr Crump) be suspended until fuithcr notice. He did not like to move such a resolution, but saw no help for it. The caretakers book was here referred to, and the re,ciipts for 11 weeks to the end of year 1885 found to amount to LUG Mr Crump was then requested to withdraw, as the matter under discussion was one particularily relating- to him. The Chairman said Mr Crump was a really good man for the Domain, and to show the visitors round, etc. With respect to himself he intended to have resigned at the begining of last year, and the only reason he did not do so now was, because the Board happened to bo in debt. Mr Gavin referred to the great amount of time and attention tho chairman had

devoted to 1 he developing 1 of tho"Domain in the pn9fc, and considered were the present Board out of office to-morrow, it would bo an advantage to have Ml' Wilson, or a Government official on the Board. Referring to Mr Crump, Mr Gavin said it was absolutely necessary their should be some one who would show visitors round, etc. Ml Quinn. —lts come to that now we must have a man of the stamp who will tuUe off hi* coat, and mind the shrubs, taking- a turn with the caretaker. ]f wo save Mr Crump's salary even for a month, it will bo so much saved. The Ohainnan : I should very much like to see Mr Crump kept on if possible. Mr Qniun's motion, in the tollowing form : tS That in view of necessary further retrenchment the appointment uf Mr Crump, (as clerk, engineer, and general manager of the Domain) be sus- ; ponded until further notice, from Saturday 9th/' was then submitted. Seconded by Mr Gavin and carried unanimously. All the members referred to the very valuable services Mr Crump had rendered, and the trouble he had taken, and expressed regret at his being suspended owing to Board being in debt. Mr Quinn spoke in favour of J. Stanley, labourer being again put on, and it was decided to engage him at a salary of L 2 2s fo work in the grounds and assist the caretaker ; the chairman to interview Stanley and caretaker and submit a report at next meeting as to how their hours could best be arranged. The question of repl)iug to the telegrams from Government, was then taken up. Mr Ahier asked was there no means of ascertaining how such information, which he styled wilful falsehoods, had been communicated to Government, and by whom. Ho said the telegrams made no rcfeience to the granting of a light to advertise within! the buildings, only to boardings, and showed no disaatiafaction with the appointment of Professor Cadman !

SECRET COMMUNICATIONS TO GOVERNMENT. Mr Quinn at this early stage of tho discussion said he thought they would all have a say with respect to the letter to be sent t > Government, And he did not think they had any right to let the jmblic know what sort of a letter they weie going to send until they got a reply, and propose'l that they go into committee.

PRESS EXCLUDED. The representatives of the Press weie therefore requested to withdraw. [The chairman by wiring Government "No arrangement has been entered into with Professor Cadman," of com so means that no engagement between the Board and the Professor existed at the fijne he wired. This is quite collect, because Piofessor C.ulmm, in deference to the : withes of local res'uhnt^, \ ohvitaulv withdrew lih application, a- lepoited m our issue of September 25t!i. But the fact, silll remains that at t'le piewou-s monthly meeting of the Board held on Sept. -lib two u'sohnions were curried urni'iimou-ly. Ono propose 1 liy Mr Allies appointing Piof. Ca'man a^ ilydiopathist and Kleeliupalhist to the Board for six monili?, m term-s of lii-> letter of application (as published m our issue of ►Septembei 1 Lib) subjoct to the. appn^al of Gou;nunent, Gou'inment to be requested to consider the application Fa\ ourably. The second proposed by Mr Quinn, granting Mr Oiunun exclusive right to make use of the interior of the bath-houses for li\ o ycais for fio hanging of advertisements, for a total temuncialion of twelve pounds ; and in the face of a letter having Ucn sent by the Board's direction, subsequent to the previous* monthly uiee.ih^, to }h 'o'c-nish (who had expiesstd a, \.Uli to tendei tor (he light to adveilise, if such would be granted,) stating that the right (o advertise within the Domain ground would not be granted in the meantime. This second application of Biennans was only sent in on the day the Board met, and was thus promptly granted in the absence of Mr Lipsey, a member of the Board, who was in no way informed that a second application had been sent in, {-lthough at the previous meeting he veiy strongly opposed the granting of any such right, and moved an amendment to tho effect that it be not granted, which Ysab canied by the casting vote oi the chairman.]