DOMAIN BOARD.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 470, 10 May 1890, Page 2

DOMAIN BOARD .

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Te Aroha Hot Springs Domain Board was held on Saturday evening last. Present : Messrs T. Gavin (chairman), G. Wilson, J. Ilott, G. Lijisey, and C. Ahier. Minutes of the March monthly meeting were read and confirmed ; an 1 tho Clerk reported that the April meeting had lapsed through no quorum being present. Correspondence: The ‘ Overflow * Monopoly : The following letter was read from Mr C. 8. George, solicitor, Auckland, dated lltb March : f‘ I am directed by Mr John Grey, of Eden Crescent, in this city, to inform you that lie has purchased (subject to tire approval of the lessor) all. the right, title, and interest of “ The Te Aroha Soda and Mineral Water Company, Limited,” under - a , certain deed of lease dated 7th' September, 1877, from Her Majesty the Queen to the Cornpan}’, and that, subject as aforesaid lie is the sole owner of the right to use the oveiflow waste or surplus water upon the land known as the Hot Springs Reserve, situated in Block 9, Te Aroha Survey District. You w'll therefore be good enough not to supply or allow any company, person, or persons to take any of the said water for any purpose' whatever, other than the duly authorised and accredited agents or workmen of the said John Grey.” ■■

Mr Ilott said be thought any rights that had ever been conferred on tlx? Company had long since been forfeited through non-compliance with the conditions of the lease. Very stringent conditions were imposed on tk© lessees by the lease, which hud not been, carried out. He asked if the Government had communicated with the Board on the matter, or sanctioned the transfer of interest referred to in tlie letter read. The Chairman replied no communication had been received from the Government, and he knew nothing about the matter except what was stated in the letter, beyond some one asking him when he was in Auckland some time back if lie had heard Mr Grey had bought out the Mineral Water Company. He had spoken to Mr Robson on the matter since, who told him he knew nothing about the transfer of interest referred to and had not been consulted with respect thereto. , ; j He (the Chairman)-did not th.ink it was any part of the Boards duty to look after the interests of the party who thus wrote stating ho- was the lessee of the ‘overflow.’ > v-. - a • j. After some farther discussion. it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Wilson, that the letter be received^ &. Bath- House : Th,o Chairman reported as follows with respect to this bath :—lt was decided at the March monthly meeting of the Board to have this bath-house at once restored, the cost f •, rj. f'l-X'T i"\ T:'.. ‘V • '

°f *d *ld"US’ lie then estimated at. nlx.ufc L2O to L 25, and the matter was left. in liis hands to confer with Mr Crnmn, surveyor, to have the necessary specifications drawn np and tenders invited for carrying out the work. Subsequenty. however, he came to the decision that owing to the difficulty of dealing with the spring, the work require J could not be sufficiently clearly defined to be done by contract, but would have to proceed day hy day as was found necessary. The spring had caused a lot of trouble, anti tequired a great deal more labour expended upon it before they obtained a good flow from it than was ever anticipated ; and the work having been all day labour had cost a great deal more than be at first estimated it would. However he was pleased to he aide to report that a really! good jolt had been effected and the hath would prove a verv valuable accession to those previously in use. Mr Ilott asked about what the total cost of restoring;:No. 5 bath amounted to. . ■ The Chairman replied he could not .exactly say. •,. r-■ Mi- llott said it could ho easily- ascertained now from the accounts., } The Clerk thereupon from thencconnts. made out a statement showing the amount chargeable to the restoration of No. 5 Bath-boose to be L 69 70s.

This showed if all these accounts werenow paid it would create an overdraft of £8 lps s<l. • Town Board Rate : Mr Ilott said he objected to the item of 2s fo<- rates, claimed by the Town Board, and should vote against its being paid, as lie believed the rate had not been legally levied, and that if paid, the item would not bepassed by the-Auditor but would have? to be refunded by tbo.-ie members who. voted in favour of its being paid. Mr Wilson Said the amount was so small it was,not worth, making any exception of. Mr Ilott replied it was. not the question of amount, but on. principle lie objected to paying a rate illegally levied. There were to his knowledge a large number of. - the ratepayers who hail agreed to contribute tbe cost of retaining a solicitor to defend the first one of' them who was sued, if the Board should sue any of them for not paying the rate. He- quite recognised the fact a rate was needed,, and would like to see-a reason-able-rate properly levied and expended in improving the township, but he certainly, did not believe in paying a rate that was only such in name. There was no reason why a rate could not be legally and properly levied by the present Town, Board as by their predecessors in office., . TheCbalrman said there was no doubt a rate was needed by the Board, but. seeing there was a doubt as to the legality of the rate in question, it would; be best to let the Board sue them for it, and the matter could theft be argued and deouled in Court.. f •. Accounts i Resolved that the accounts, as read fand already enumerated under the heading liabilities for the month) bo passed for payment,- with the exception of the one Lorn the Town Board for This was all the business-

Months.}" Statement yon foifr weeks ending-. Ayiul 5th, 1890. Receipts, March 1, To Balance at Bank N. Z. £50 4 T April 5, Bntli receipts 5G 0 O. 115 4 T Expenditure.. March 1, By Caretakers’ salaries 10 10 0 >, Accounts paid 20 1 9 „ 15, Caretakers’salarfeft 10 10 0 51 1 O 74 2 IO Ld'BTT.ITIES AT DATS " Caretakers’ Salarii-s- 15 15 0* Hy. Crump (surveyor) 5 0 0 Wm. Bennett (labour,. @ 7s per day) 7 3 G C. U. A.Tonge(earpenter, @ 9s per day) 6 6. 0 II. Goldsworthy (labour, @ 8s per day) 5 17 0 40 1 6; 34 1 4. Monthtly Statement . for FOUR WEEKS. ending May 3bd, 1890. 1890 Receipts. » •, April 5, To Balance- at BankN. Z. . 71 2 10 May 3, Bath receipts 32 0 0 106 2 10. Expenditure. April 5, By Caretakers’ salaries (£1515 s) and accounts paid as above (£21 6s Gd> 40 1 & „ 19 ,, C’takors salaries 10.10; a 50 11 & 55 II 4 LllABIBIflTES.AT DATE.. Bv C’takers’ salaries £10 10 0 ,. J. B. Johnson (plum. - bing, kerosene, ironmoncrory, glazinj?,etc.)II 7 0 „ Wm. Burnett (labour, @ 7s d.iv) 6 6 0 „ C. H. A. Tonge (carpenter, @ 9s day 5 12 G „ H. Goldsworthy,labour @ 8s day) 0 7 0 " J. H. Ernett (kauri timber) 3 18 0 „Jas, Larerv (timber) 3 I 0 ,, C. Aliier (timber and pipes) 4 11 9 „ C. Johnson (I59lbs cement) 0 IG 7 „ G Taylor (blacksmith work) 3 G 0 ,. W. A Prime and Co. ((ironmongery and kerosene) 2 9 8 ,. W. Hetherington (carting) 1 2 O' „ Jt Hart (case kerosene) 0 19 0 „ W. Ditsell (2 cases do.) I 18 0 „ J. Williams (case kerosene) , 0 19 0 ,, Ie /roha& Ohine Menu News (advertising 0 14 0. ,, Waikato News (advertising) 0 3 9 ,,/uckland Herald (ad-« f }< vortising) I 1 0 1 „ Te Aroha Town Board . (rates) 0 2 0 , ' 61 6 9