BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume III, Issue 1669, 24 April 1874, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The second meeting of the Council was held at, the Government Buildings last evening. Present—His Worship the Mayor and all the Councillors. There were about half-a-dozen of the public present. „ . Cr. Kennan " took the oath and his seat." The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. PATBONAGE. A letter was read from the Thames Choral Society asking for the patronage of the Mayor and Councillors for a concert to be given shortly. On the suggestion of Cr. Butt it was decided to acknowledge the receipt of the letter, but the patronage was withheld. CHANNEL FOE BHOBTLAND SAW MILL. I Mr Mackay, manager of the Shortland Saw. Mill appeared in support of an application for permission to make a channel from their yard to the Kauaeranga Creek. The Kauaeranga Board had given permission subject to the approval of the Council. Cr. E.ILGOUE proposed that Crs. Butt, Benshaw and Kilgour be appointed a Committee to inquire into the matter and report at next meeting. Cr. Bkown thought if the Committee were unanimous the work might be carried on at once. The Mayor thought it inadvisable for I any Committee to authorise works without reporting to the Council; it would be a bad precedent. Cr. Butt agreed with the Mayor. The motion was then put and carried; STANDINa OBDEKS. The Mayob suggested using the standing orders of the Auckland Council until they had agreed to some of their own. OFFICERS AND SALABIES. The Committee appointed to inquire into the matter of officers and salaries brought up their report, which was read by Cr. Kilgour. The report recommended that nine- officers would be required, as follows, with salaries attached :—Town Clerk and Treasurer, £300; Surveyor &c, £260; Collector, £125; Inspector of Nuisances, £75; Two Valuers, £100; Messenger £50. The report proposed, to combine the Offices of Clerk and Treasurer, and Surveyor and Overseer of works. Cr. KtLGouE mentioned that no provision was made in that report for an officer under the Fire Rate Act.

The Mayor thought the offices of surveyor and overseer of works could not be filled by one person. It was decided to consider the report in detail. TOWN CLEEK. Cr. Butt proposed that the offices of Town Clerk and^Treasurer be combined, and that the salary be £300 a year. Cr. Benshaw proposed that the salary be £225. It. would be easy to increase the salary as a reward for efficiency.* .He thoutrht the salary of £300 too high. Cr. Eennan seconded. He thought economy was to be considered.

The amendment was put first, when Crs. Ehrenfried, Eenshaw and jEennan voted for it. It was declared loat.

Cr. Eenshaw then proposed that the salary be £250. „..,.-.

Cr. Ehbenfbied seconded. He considered it would be an easy matter to raise the salary. Crs. Ehrenfried, Kennaa and Eenshaw voted for the second amendment, which was lost.

The original motion for a salary of £300 was then put, when Crs. Brown, Butt, Wilson, Anthony, and Kilgour voted for it, and it was declared carried.

After some discussion it was agreed that the security of the clerk and treasurer should be two persons in the sum of £500 each—proposed by Cr. Eenshaw, seconded by Cr. Wilson.

SUEVEYOE, ETC. A conversation ensued as to whether the offices of surveyor and overseer of works should be combined.

Cr. Anthony thought a good engineer should be appointed—one competent to make a thorough plan of the Borough, whick alone would be worth. £150.

The Mayob thought that for the present no permanent salaried surveyor need be appointed. Cr. Eenshaw proposed that no fixed salary be given, but that a commission of 5 per cent, be paid for the present to the surveyor.

Cr. Wilson seconded, and Cr. Ehbenfbied supported.. The latter thought a good working foreman was needed. A surveyor would only be wasting his time at £250 a year. Cr. Renshaw's motion was carried. POEEMXK OF WORKS: Or. Ebkshaw proposed that a foreman of works be advertised for at the rate of £2 14s per week, wet and dry. Or. Kennan seconded. He thought the salary would be only sufficient to secure a good man. The motion was carried. BATE COILECTOB. The salary recommended by the com* mittee was £125. The Mayor thought that sum too small. Cr: Renshaw proposed that the Committee's recommendation be adopted, namely that the salary be £125 per year. Cr. Bbown ..seconded, and the motion was carried. INBPECTOE.OF NUISANCSS. * The. Mayoe said the Inspector of Nuisances would be also Inspector under the Public Health Act. Cr. Eenshaw proposed that the salary be £60. Cr. Kilgoub thought the office one of great importance at the present time. He did not knew a place requiring greater attention in this respect, and thought the salary of £75 recommended was -quite small enough.

Crs. Anthony, Brown and Ehrenlried agreed, ; „.. ;; ■;''::;:" ■

Cr. EHBENFBisu.'mored that the salary be fixed at £75. Cr. Anthony seconded. Carried. VALUATOBS. The Committee's recommendation was £50 each for two valuators. The recommendation was agreed to oh the proposition of Cr. Ehbenfbied, seconded by Cr. Wilson. MESSENGER. For this office the Committee recommended a salary of £50. Cr. Butt explained that this office had been mentioned because'they had no permanent office, and they would soon require a dray to carry about their books and papers. After some conversation it was agreed to let this appointment remain unfilled for the present. ; SOLICITOB. The Committee recommended that a nominal retainer should be given for the Cr. Bust proposed that a retaining fee of five guineas be given to the Solicitor to the Cojjinifll. Cr. JEhbenfbied seconded. . Carried; I PILLING OFFICES. Cr. Benshaw proposed that the Clerk be instructed to advertise for persons to fill the various offices. Applications to be sent to the Clerk on or before 4 o'clock on Thursday, next. . Advertisements to appear twice in each of the Thames papers. Cr. Kennan seconded. Carried. THANKS. On the motion of Cr, Kbnnan, seconded by Cr. Wilson, a vote of thanks was passed to the Committee on Salaries for their labors. ADJUSTMENT OF ACCOUNTS. The Clerk then read the report of the committee appointed to inquire into the adjustment of accounts between the Council and those portions of the several highways not included in the Borough. The Ma yob explained the matter in detail.

The adjustment recommended by the Committee was adopted by the Council in regard to the Waiotahi, namely to pay over a sum of £37 6s 6d to the present Waiotahi Board as rates collected outside the Borough since November last, on the motion of Cr. Kiiooub, seconded by Cr. Keknak. The portion of the report regarding the Tararu District Board was adopted on the motion of Cr. Butt, seconded by Cr. Kilgoub. With regard to the Xauaeranga district th* report stated that the liability would be about £300. Cr. Kilgoub moved the adoption of the report. Cr. Butt seconded, and the motion was carried* The Matos thought the Council had got throught the matter satisfactorily. FINANCIAL. The account of. Mrs. Waite for carting rubbiah, £5, was ordered to be paid. Cr. Davies said he had seen the bank managers and they had stated that they would be in receipt of instructions from head quarters in. time for this evening's meeting, but they had forgotten that this was a holiday. The clerk stated thai the National Bank did not intend to tender in tho matter, being able to do better with their money. The Mayob said the only place he had received much encouragement at was the Bank of New Zealand.

Cr. Bbowk stated that the banks were thoroughly in combination. He knew that from his own business. They were all agreed, and he could not get a penny an ounce more from one than another for his old.

Cr. Bbowk proposed that the Bank of New Zealand be the Council's bank, being a thoroughly local institution, and that the Mayor be instructed to make the best arrangements possible. Cr. Renshaw seconded.

The Mayor thought it would be premature to decide . the matter that night, having once asked the banks for their terms. ' ,

Cr. Bbown said he would withdraw his motion if deemed advisable. In place he would propose that the Mayor, Councillors Kenshaw, Kilgour and the mover be appointed to receive the answer of the bank agents as to the overdraft, and that they be empowered ,to negotiate a tern-, porary overdraft to meet requirements and carry out necessary works. ; Cr. Kilgoub thought the Mayor could proceed in the matter alone, as there was no urgent necessity for payment of money. Cr. Eheenfbied seconded Cr. Browns motion. Carried. MUNICIPALITY ACCOUNTS. The Clerk handed in claims to the amount of £44, expenses incured in obtaining the formation of the municipality. After some dissuasion it. was decided that, a committee be appointed to examine the matter and see the vouchers for the accounts in detail, committee to consist of Crs. Brown, Ehrenfried andKennan, to report to the Council that day fortnight. PLACB OF MEHTIKG. The Mayob reported that Mrßeckbam had given his' consent to the use of th« Court .House and one of the offices. Captain Fraser was also willing as to the Court) but he was not disposed to give consent for the use of th© office, any lengthened term. . ■ ■-& Cr. Ehbbnfbibd thought that having committed themselves to salaries amounting to £900 a year, they should appoint a Committee to inquire into the matter oft accommodation for their meetings. . Cr. Burr agreed with Cr. Ehrenfried. He had to get the assistance of a policeman to find his way to the place of meeting that night. Cr. Ekrxhfxisd moved that the Mayor, Cr. £enn«n aad the mover ** a

Committee to inquire into the question of suitable offices for the Council and to report thereon that day week. Cr. Bbown seconded. Carried. CEMETERY BOAS. Cr. Hlhbenfbied asked if anything had been done on the matter referred to,by Mr. A. J. Allom, Chairman of the Parawai District Board—namely, the road to the Shortland cemetery. The road 4 was a disgrace and ought to be seen to at once. He moved that a committee be appointed, consisting of Crs. Butt, Benshaw and Anthony to report on the best means for making a road to the Shortland cemetery and increasing the area. Cr. Brown seconded. Agreed to. SIGNING CHEQUKfI. The Mayob and Crs. Anthony and Benshaw were authorised to sign cheques. ENDOWMENTS. Cr. Benshaw in pursuance of notice moved that a committee be appointed to enquire into the value and extent of the endowments and sources of revenue likely to be available, such committee to consist of the Mayor and Crs. Anthony, Butt and Kilgour, and to be authorised to wait upon the Superintendent for information —to report as soon as possible. Cr. TJIENNAn seconded. Agreed to. BYE-LAWS. Cr. Kilgoub in accordance with notice moved that a committee, consisting of the: Mayor and Crs. Benshaw and Kilgour, be appointed to enquire into the matter of bye-laws and report thereon to the Council as soon as possible.. • Cr. Butt seconded. Agreed to. The Council then adjourned at 10 minutes to eleven, having sat for nearly four hours.