Conference of Thames Borough and County Councillors.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2502, 12 January 1877, Page 2

Conference of Thames Borough and County Councillors.

The adjourned conference of the Borough and County Councils was held at the Borough Council Chambers at three o'clock yesterday. Present: His Worship the Mayor, in the chair; Borough Councillors Eowe, Wilson, Gibbons, and Bead. County Councillors —Brodie (Chairman), Thorburn, Spencer, Thorp, Mitchell, Coutts, and Bagnall.

Tho Chairmau said that this was au adjournment of yesterday's meeting, but it was not for the purpose of re-opening the matter then being discussed. It was for considering the question of the JBig Pump. He had»taken the trouble to collect some facts which he believed in. The first subject to inquire about was if it would benefit the County to keep the Pump going. The second was, it' those who had done so hitherto refuse to continue, would it be advisable to contribute towards its support. The third was, could it be supported by the rates ; and the fourth was, if the third was inadvisable could it be done in any other way. The only thing that suggested itself to him to keep the Pump going was the gold duty, which was a tax for goldfields purposes. He would proceed to state the facts he had collected, and these would affect the direct stoppage of expenditure and the indirect stoppage of expenditure. There would first be the knocking off of the 47: men employed at the Pump at £131 8s per week, or £6,792 per annum for wages. Besides the wages there were other payments amounting to £550 per month. They would strike off the money paid for Bay of Island coal, as it did not immediately affect this district, and it would leave £370 per month aud £4400 per annum, making the stoppage of the Pump stop the expenditure of £11,000 per annum directly. The £4100 was speut amongst ironmongers, carters,

smiths, and other tradesmen here alone. The stoppage of the expenditure of £11,000 would be the immediate result of the stoppage of the Pump, but over and above that within, two or three months all the workings of the Waio-Karaka | mines below a certain level, (and that level not far from the surface) would be stopped. He then showed that the stoppage would wholly or nearly do away with the gold revenue within the Borough, and said that it might be urged that it was better to spend part of the revenue to keep the Pump going than to lose it all by letting it stop. Other mines up the Moanatairi creek would also be obliged to stop. Cr Mitchell said there was no doubt but that the keeping of the Pump going was for the interest of the County as well as the Borough. He would suggest that eacli of the Councils appoint three persons to bring up a report on Tuesday, having got all the information on the subject possible. He than proposed—" That a committee of three Borough and three County Councillors be appointed to report upon the position of the pumping works as regards the Borough and County, each committee to report to an adjourned meeting of this conference, to be held at this place on Tuesday next, at three o'clock."

Cr Gibbons seconded the motion. He said the committee would need to find out how long pumping would be continued if gold was not found, and whether the mines would contributetowardsworking expenses and prospect their ground, as it was no use spending money if they did not do so.

The motion was then carried .unanimously, it being understood that there should be four gentlemen from each body instead of three as mentioned in the resolution. The following gentlemen were then appointed: — His Worship the Mayor, Messrs Brodie, Thorburn, Kowe, Gibbons, Mitchell, Kenshaw and Bagnail. ,

Cr Brodie said he had telegraphed to Messrs Whitaker and Weston re the memorandum presented at their first meeting. He had received a reply from Mr Weston, and expected one from Mr Whitaker before the County Council met.

Cr Eead said he had seen in the paper some reference made to a remark made by Cr Brodie, as to the discourtesy shown to the County Councillors by some of tho Borough Councillors leaving the last meeting before it was finished. The meeting was called on a requisition signed by the members of both Councils, and not by the Borough Council alone. A County Councillor had left at the same time and there was no discourtesy intended.

Cr Brodie considered the act of the Borough Councillors a discourteous one. The meeting then broke up.