Untitled

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2554, 14 March 1877, Page 2

SUSPENSION OF STANBING- OEDERS.

: The standing orders were suspended so as to allow the Council to confer with Mr Weston who was present on bfilialiof the Pumping Association. The Council went t into committee:.of the whole, :Cr Bagnall being called upon to take the chair". Mr Weston said the principal point he had to bring before them was the question of prospecting the;mines at a lower level than at present. The matter.; had been dispussed by Mr Brodie.and the directors of the Pumping Association, and it was thought that some;* arrangement could become to by which the mortgagors could be released, and then, perhaps, the mines would raise some £6000 to £10,000 for the purpose of prospecting. In answer to Cr ; Spencer Mr Weston said there were four, companies mortgaged. (Jr. Brodie said the question was a very wide one. At present things were looking better than formerly, and Mr Weston had said that these four .companies were prepared to contribute between £6000 and; £10,000 to put in a drive. He would like to know whether the County would have to keep on the pumping or "whether the mines would dp it. Mr Weston said it would be impossible to suppose that the companies would contribute^ £300 or £400 a month for ipumping; besides the heavy calls the '6xpejise of drivingwould entail )qlj^them ?i . \ Cr! Thofburn said there jw^a. great feeling of dissatisfaction expressed at the mariner' in which -the prospecting J was (being, carried on. :,, He thought c if a little more energy,: was ..displayed in prospecting*; >t>kiMAJffflr>n.Viovrffl i.itjß^^A-J'»-«^^-----|tageous, and J5? did not see the use bf keeping the pump going on unless prospecting was kept up with energy. He also thought Mr Weston had overestimated the cost of driving as he had. heard it would be only, 30s a foot. Mr Weston: I beg your pardon, £3 a foot, ' dOr Mitchell saii that- it seemedithaC ithe companies had all along been in the 'position of what was called 1 "working off the dead horse." He did not think the Council had any right to release any .portion of the mortgage, but if might waive its right to receive.the full: sum of :£SO,OCD. The Council could not go into prospecting itself, but he> quite; thought that some portion of the gold duty ought ;to go towards the prospecting of the field. He moved, "That this Council having heard Mr W. Weston on behalf ofsthe ;Pumping Association as to releasing the mortgage now held over the r property p£ the Caledonianj- Tookey, Imperial Crown and Golden .Crown: companies, rby the Council as handed Over to them by the General .Qoyerment, axe -prepared to meet the said companies to the fullest extent that the law wilLallow; ?and that Crs Thorburn, Bagnall, Brodie, Spencer and the mover be appointed to confer with Mr Weston and arrange for the agreement and report to the-Council at the soonest possible date." He did this with a view of haying-something tangible in writing. Cr Spender seconded the motion. ? The motion was then put and carried. Mr Weston then thanked the Council and withdrew. OBDINABY BUSINESS. The Chairman resumed his seat and progress was reported. : . COBBESPONDENCE. Copies of letters sent since the last meeting.were read over, also the letters, and telegrams received since that time. . OFFICE BOY. Thomas Kennedy was appointed as office boy at a salary of 10s a week. WOBKS. All letters relating to works were referred to the Board'of Works. EEFOBIS. Cr Mitchell read the report of the Kauaeranga Bridge Committee as follows:—. Interim PuoaaEss Befobt of the Kauaeranqa Bbidge Committtbe. In accordance with the order of reference you Committee have met to consider and report upon the site for the bridge over the Kauaeranga. I JL Your Committee have had before, them, and append hereto the report of the County Surveyor upon, the sites most suitable for a bridge. 2. In considering this project your Committee had the assistance of a Committee appointed by the Borough Council. In the opinion of the representatives of the Borough it would be impossible for the Borough to subsidise the work should any other site thari the continuation of Pollen street be chosen, such site being the only one within the Borough. 'No. offer, however, of any specific sum was made, nor was the. Committee of the Borough authorised to make any. /■/■ 3. Estimates of the cost of the work at the various sites will as speedily as possible be laid before you. 4. Your committee recommend that

before 'any further steps are taken your committee shall be authorised to ascertain, arid put in due form in writing the terms and conditions upon which, the owners; of land at tho various sites will make the-necessary, concessions.— Charles .F. Mitchell, Chairman of Committee. }:-\ ' . APPENDIX. ; In his report ,of the sites the County Surveyor mentioned four, viz., 1. At the -southern end of Pollen street near the Shortland Saw Mill. 2. Opposite the end of Bowen street, Parawai, below the slaughter yard. 3. Near the end of the road leading into the Parawai Gardens. 5. At the point below Nikorima's house, near the booms. The Surveyor gave it, as his opinion, that site No. 3 was, the most suitable. ' The report was received. ; : ; BOABD OF WORKS. The report of theTßoavd of Works was read and adopted. It was as follows:— " The Board of Public Works appointed at last meeting have the honor to report that works have been commenced on tho road from Puriri to Onatai and from Onatai. A tender; has been accepted for cutting drains on the road from Paeroa to Puke. The .{Other works in progress at the last meeting have been continued. With a view to: provide for the proper carrying out of works on a more satisfactorily scale vre recommend :t6 the consideration of the Council the desirability; of passing votes as follows for works"' in the County these amounts to be reduced in each case by the amount already voted for such works :-^ ; Boads, Bridges, &c, Hastings Biding ...'...- ;.. • .... £SCD Goldfields Koads — Kauaeranga and Waiotahi ... ... ... 1.7C0 Kauaeranga Bridge 1,500 Kauaeranga Valley Boad ... 300 Thames to Puriri 450 Puriri to Paeroa 450 Paeroa to Puke 100 Paeroa to Mackaytown and ; Owharoa 250 Goldfields Boads and Tracks' ... 500 ! , £5,750 These votes to be expended under the supervision of a Board of Public Works. "A. Bbodie, Chairman." THAMES HOSPITAL. Cr Mitchell asked leave to propose his motion regarding a vote of £250 t# the Hospital until'next meeting. Granted. ■; The second motion of which Cr Mitchell had given notice-(and which has been already published in our columns) was postponed and tho third carried. Cr .Thorburn's motion relative to the Tararu road was withdrawn, and on the motion of Cr Mitchell seconded by Cr Spencer the names- of Crs"" Mitchell and Thorburh were added, to the Board of Public Works. , Cr Bagnall moved that a committee be appointed to consider and report upon such amendments as may be thought desirable in the Counties -Act and the other Acts -connected therewith. He named as a committee Crs.. Spencer, Mitchell, Brodie, Coutts and the mover. The motion was carried. Cr Thorburn moved that.the Surveyor be instructed to report upon the Tinkers Gully - Tramway, and suggest. the best means of extending the same to the head of the said Gully -for the use of miners, and others.— ~ ■' The Chairman suggested that the mat*oi.Jho -i-ftFarred to." the Board of Works. This was agreed to. _--- • Cr Thorp asked leaVe to withdraw his motion re a sum of money for the Mackaytdtfn' road. - Granted." : " ' I ~J&t Thorp moved that the Surveyor be instructed at his earliest convenience to look for and survey a better line ,of road from Mackaytown to Owharoa. , "- The motion was seconded by Cr Spencer and carried. . . Cr Thorp moved that a further sum of money be voted by this Council, for properly, opening up ifor the public -the road from Paeroa to Komata. Keferred to the Board of Public Works. SUSPENSION OF STANDING OEDEBS. The Standing Orders were again suspended. EXPENSES OP COUNCILLORS. .Cr Bagnall moved that the members of this Council residing more than five miles from the Council office be allowed hotel expenses for the, days they are absent from their homes attending the meetings of the Cbuncil and fares to and from the Council offices. *'' The motion was seconded by Cr. Spencer and carried. ROAD TO WAITOA. - [

Or Bagnall moved that the chairman be instructed to communicate with the chairman of the Waitoa Highway Board, with a Tiew of ascertaining what action, if any, the said Board has taken, with reference to a road between Waitoa and Thames River, and whether the Waitoa Board would be willing to assist this/Council in the construction of the said road, and if they can state what amount would be necessary to make the road suitable For the probable traffic. Cr Spencer seconded the motion, and Cr Mitchell supported'it, both speaking as to the importance of the work. Carried. Cr Mitchell moved "a similar motion regarding a road between Ohinemuui and Kati Kati, which was carried. ' The Council adjourned until 4 p.m.