Thames Borough Council.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2774, 4 January 1878, Page 2

Thames Borough Council.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Thames Borough Council was held at the Council Chambers last evening. There were present —Hl3 Worship the Mayor, Crs Howe, Itenshaw, Head, McGownn, Price, Gibbons and Ehrenfried. MINUTES. The minutes of the previous meeting were read over and confirmed, also the minutes of the special meetings re ByeLaw No. 7, reception of Sir G. Grey and the Hon. J. Sheehan. OUTWABD COKBESPONDENCE. A list of letters sent since last meeting was read. They included one to Mr Cruickshank re rating of St. George's Hall, a matter which caused some discussion at last meeting. FIRE HOSE. A letter was read from Shand, Mason nnd Co. of London, stating that the fire hose ordered by the Council had been shipped by the Chaska, on Nov. 14th, 1877, for Auckland. VALUATION BOLL. A letter was read from the valuers inclosing the assessment roll for the year 1878. It stated that they had rated the batteries in the Borough notwithstanding that Mr Whitaker had given his opinion last year that mining property was exempt from taxation. Cr Howe said that this was a breach of faith, as it was a distinct understanding that if they got the Gold Duty mining property would bo exempt from rating. It would be a very impolitic and unjust thing to do, and would cause the Gold Duty agitation to rise again. The Mayor said that he believed that the rating of tho batteries would be all right.

Cr Howe: It will be all wrong. I know more about it thau any other person in the legislature. The handing over of the Gold Duty was on the distinct understanding that mining property was to be exempt from taxation. If it was questioned the whole matter would be re-discussed, and a fresh adjustment would be made. Other places in the Colony would be glad to dispense with the Gold Duty altogether.

Cr Ehrenfried said ho thought that Cr Howe having had a good deal to do with the legislation they should take the matter into consideration. With Cr Howe he thought that it would be impolitic to tax mining property. Cr McGowan thought they should be guided by the Act.

The Town Clerk drew the attention of the Council to the fact that last year the opinion of Mr Whitaker had made the Crown Princess liable for rates, while the Queen of Beauty had not been liable. The Mayor said that they had no power to alter the valuation, and before the Assessment Court sat they would have ample timo to become better acquainted with the Acl. The matter then dropped. HKAIiTII OFFICER'S DEPORT. The report of tho Health Officer for the month was road. It showed that tho deaths during the month had been two, which was the lowest death-rate since tho forming of the municipality. COLLECTOR'S REI'ORT. Tho collector's report showed that since last report he had collected JB2IS 18s lOd rates. FINANCE COMMITTEE'S BEPORT. Tho report of the Finance Committee was read and adopted. It recommended the passing of accounts amounting to £113 13s Id. ASSESSMENT ROLL. Ifc was resolved, in accordance with the Eating Act, that the Assessment Itoll lay in tho Borough Council Chambers for inspection till February 15, 1878. BOIIOUGH SOLICITOR'S!" Cr Read said that it would bo advisable to appoint a Borough solicitor. The late Mayor had dono the duties gratuitously. He would bring up the matter at next meeting. Cr Ehrenfried said that ho. saw no necessity for delay. He moved that Messrs Macdonald and Miller be the solicitors of the Borough. This was seconded by Cr Bead, and was carried unanimously.

A discussion hero took ])laco on the j advisnbility of suinjj tho proprietors of j tlio Manukau battery and otliers for ar- j rears of i-nlca. i '. The discussion drifted round to the \ rating of mining properly again, but tlic j j matter dropped without nny decision' i being come to. '. tNSI'KCTOU OF BLAUGIIT.KII HODSES. : Tho Town Clerk «nid that Mr SubInspector J3ullcti had called in the morn- : ing and asked him to bring before tho Council the clause of iho new Slaughter . , Houses Act, which necessitated the employment of an Inspector of Slaughter Houses. It was agreed that Mr Bullcn be requested to appoint one of tho police to fill the office. TTIE MAYOII AND THE MINISTERIAL VISIT. Cr .Howe said he had one thing to bring before tho Couuci). "When the Hon. the Premier, Sir George Grey, and the Hon. J. Shcehan came here first, an address had been presented to them pretending to come from tiie Borough Council, while none of the Councillors had been consulted about it. Further, yesterday they had gone to the Prcmior quite unprepared. He had not seen tho address, and there was one sentence in it which, to say the least, was very silly, and would not redound to the credit of the Council, and he had sufficient confidence in the Council to believe that they would not concur in such expressions. Why they had not been consulted he could not say, but never on a previous occasion had such a thing occurred. Cr Renshaw sympathised with Cr Howe's remarks in (his matter. He had received a notice to attend a meeting on Saturday at three o'clock and he afterwards learnt that Sir George was to arrive at one. He thought that a notice should have been sent, and a meeting held. He did not hear t'lo address read out. The first time he had seen it was in the Evening Star in the evening. He thought it put them in a wrong position. There was one clause in it which it would been better to have left out. Cr Ehrcnfried said he sympathised with the remarks of Crs Itowc and Eenshaw. Ho was surprised that they had not been consulted about the address. It was a slight on tho Council. The Mayor said that no slight had been shown by himself or by Cr McGowan, who acted with him, to the Council. On Thursday last it was understood that Sir George Grey was coming down, and lie called tho Council together aa early as possible. He did not know till the next day that Sir George was coming down on Saturday, and had no opportunity of calling tho Council together, and, as tho circumstances were urgent, it was necessary to send tho address to the engrosser at once. Ho had shown the address to the Reception Committee, and they had agreed that tho address was such a one as should be presented. No disrespect was intended to the Council.

Cr Gibbons snid ho thought that under the circumstances the Mayor's explanation was satisfactory. Cr Ehrenfried said he was not satis fled at all and he thought that in some measure the Councillors had been put in the background. The Council could have been summoned in a quarter of an hour, as there were plenty of messengers.

The Mayor said he had no intention of putting the Council in the background. When the urgent circumstances were so plain he folt hurt that an accusation should be made. Those who made it were fault-finding, as none but faultfinders would make the accusation.

Cr l?owe said the last expression aggravated him. He did not take exception to tho address in a fault-finding spirit. No ofliccr of a corporation had a right to present an address as coming from the Council. If it had come from the Council it would have been a much better one. It was a mark of disrespect to the Council, and he hoped it would not occur again. The Mayor said he might have erred in judgment, but he emphatically disavowed all intention of showing disrespect to the Council. The circumstance* compelled him to act as he did. CrEhrenfried said that the shortness of time for calling the meeting was not a good excuse. The Mayor was wrong in saying that they were fault finders, and nothing bul fault finders, and ho hoped that on a future occasion the _ Mayor would not mind about the legal time for calling a special meeting on an important subject, but would summon them together at once.

Cr Gibbons moved that the Council is satisfied with the Mayor's explanation. Tho Mayor said that he was hurt at their persisting that a slight had been intended when ho disavowed all intention of it.

Cr McGowan could not see how the Mayor could have acted otherwise. Cr Kead said on former occasions they had been called together in less time. Tho matter hero dropped, and the Council adjourned.