Thames Borough Council.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2869, 26 April 1878, Page 2

Thames Borough Council.

The usually fortnightly meeting of this body was held at the Council Chambers last evening. Present—His Worship the Mayor, Cis P.'ice, McGowan, EhreDiried, lienshuw, and Head. MINUTBB. The minutes of the prerious meeting were read and continued. ALLEGED WJiONOFUL DISMISSAL. A letter waß read from Thomas Aitken -> asking a hearing from the Council with reference 10 his dismissal by the Foreman of Works. Cr Benshaw said, ho supposed they" 1 could grant the request, as, if the man was not heard, he would be able to say his complaint was a good one. He mo?ed that the mail's complaint be heard.' ' f Cr Ehreofried thought it might estate '-.'' lisli a bad precedent.. Cr Head seconded, and the motion waa carried. Mr Aitken, who was present, said that - he had come to complain that he had been discharged without knowing the reason. He went to work on Wednesday week last, and had to clean oat a' Very ' bad culrert, which he would hare bad to go into to clean out. He asked for .a man to help hint, and was refused and paid off. Another man was pat on, and he had to get a boy to help him to clean oat thgasv culvert. He wished to state: aomethisjg , else: Mr Jiawdon had spent public money « on men not employed for the Council. A discussion here took place ai to whether Mr Aitken should be allowed to speak on other matters than he had asked ; to bellowed to speak on. Cr Kenshaw mored that if Mr Aitken ' • has any further complaint to make that he make in writing. . ; :.'■"* Cr Bead mored that he be heard. Thii " was carried. Mr Aitken said that Mr Bawdon had paid a week's wages to a man named West, when he had been up in Auckland, and hadn't earned it, and the same had been done in respect to James Eattray and Alex. Campbell; this was in December. , last. Kattray and Harris were paid ofertime when they were not entitled to it. Mr Bhrerifried mored that the Foreman of Works be heard. This was carried. Mr Bawdon said that with reference to this dismissal, the man would not do the work, and, in fact, would not suit him, and he paid him off. In the afternoon the man came back drunk, and hit him/ in the face. [Mr Aitken: "Didn't tou strike me back?" Mr Eawdoa: "Of course I did."] With reference t Wcat'e case, if they referred to the pay sheet they would find he had not been paid- for what he hadn't earned, and the same would be found in respect to the other men. The Town Clerk, after referring to the pay sheet, testified that this was correct. 'After, several broad hints from the Mayor the man withdrew, the Council T being satisfied tbat the man deserved to be dismissed. _• ■ : THX WAIO'KASAKA FUXPS. A deputation consisting of '■; Mean* J Brown, McDonald and McCabe waited ' on" the Council with reference to the maintenance of the Waio-Karaka pump, a deputation- concerning' which .bad already waited on the Mayor. Standing orders were suspended, and Mr'frown explained the position the *• Association was in, saying that at present I . , they were hardly able to keep working from the cost of pumping. He considered they had as good if not a better claim to aid from the public fund as the U.P.Although he did not think that much would come from the deputation. He referred to the stoppage of the south cross-eat i from the U.P.A. shaft, which would ultimately hate drained their mines if con- . tihued. Its stoppage, however, mads them lose faith. Mr Brown recapitulated the argnmenU he before adduced when he interviewed the Mayor. They thought that if there was a re-adjustment of the Pumping Arrangements, even before February next, their case might be favorably considered.

Cr Bead said, with reference to the. meeting held at Auckland yesterday, that strong pressure had been brought on the County Council to spend the balance of the £IO,OCD, on their agreeing to do which they had had the water-race and other Taluable securities handed over to them* A resolution had been passed which would force them to go on with the south cross* out towards the Piako, or hand orer the securities to some one else. The Com* panics would also be made to prospect the lodes cot if experts to be appointed decided there was a reasonable chance of success in working them. Mr Brown said that it would take 18 months to reach the Piako, and while the grass was growing—they knew the rest* They wished to know if the agreement with the U.P.A. was binding, as the com« „ pany had not fulfilled their part of it. Crßenshaw said that at the time the arrangement was made tha Borough was as anxious as anyone else to hare the * Gold Duty spent on the Big Pump. Cr Jihrenfried spoke, pointing to tine disastrous result that would accrue to the Piako district if the Pump stopped. Mr McDonald asked if the parties had not already broken the ?«»".—?me. "•- Cr Read said that i'.:o agreement had been broken, as the companies had not been prospected. ■ Mr Brown asked, if as the agietußlt had been broken, could not it be're-' adjusted and they be paid by rvsulti. ■' ] ' Cr McGowan said that he thought they would ill agree- thet the Waio-Earaka • pump was as much entitled to the ae> sistance of the public funds "as the Big Pump. He, however, considered that a wrong principle had been started when public money had been spent on private property. ..,'..,. Cr Itenshaw pointed out that the two cases were not analogous, as.the Big Pump world be public property. Cr Bead said on behalf of the Borough he would insist on the County continuing the South drive. After further ditenssion the deputation withdrew, after beir;» promised by the Council that if the agreement was broken the Couocil would consider thrir claim. APPLICATION FO» WOSK. '■-':". An application for work was received from C. O'Bi'ien. ILLEGAL BATIXO. A letter was received from the Crown Princess G.M.Co. asking that as they had been illegally rated through their objection being informal, • their rates be remitted. Letter received. APPLICATION 708 STATISTICS. A letter was read from Wellington asking for some statistical information with

reference tothe Borough. The Town Clerk was instructed to supply the necessary information as far as practicable. THE MUNICIPAL LEAGUE. A number of letters from Boroughs re the proposed Municipal League were laid on the table. The majority were favorable to the movement. The Major and Cr McGownn wore appointed 'aCommittee to consider the correspondence and report on the best means of furthering, the object. A KUIBANCE. A report was received from the Inspeotor of Nuisances complaining of a nuisance which existed in Sealiy street through matter coming from Ehrenfried Bros.' brewery. Messrs Ehrenfried were not liable, as the stuff left the brewery in in a perfectly clean condition. Cr Ehrenfried explained that the nuisance was caused through defective drainage. The matter wai referred to Works Committee. WOBKB COMMITTEE. The Works Committee favorably reported on the construction of the V shoot near Mr Littlejohn's residence, Tararu Boad - the Council to find the timber and the residents the labor. The report was adopted. HOSPITAL ENDOWMENTS, ETC. The following report of the deputation of thovfcyor to Ministers re the Hospital endowments; and other municipal matter was read ••— To the Councillors, Borough of Thames.— fjentletnet!,--I have the honour to report, for the information of the Council, that, upon the invitation of the Hon. the Native Minister, the Town Olork and I -went to Auckland fo* the purpose of an interview with the Hon. the Premier and iiimeelf. "The chief object sought to be nMained at I hi* interview was to place clearly before the Ministers the financial position of the Borough, and to a»k for it somo endowments and pecuniary' assistance. It was pointed out to the Ministers that the Borough of.Thames i# exceptionally Bituated as regards traffic, as regards rating, as regards the maintenance of charitable institutions, and of fire brigades. Further, that it is liable to all the responsibilities of a local Board of Health, and that the power of supporting those burdens is further diminished by the application of our gold revenue to the working of the Big Pump, while as jet we possess no endowments whatever, although before, at, aM afte? the formation of the Borough the foreshore was promised to it for tbab purpose. The anomalous poiition oi the Borough in respect to certain public works within its boundaries was also clearly explained to Ministers, along with the causes which brought about such a state of things, md at the same time remedies were suggestad. The. labjsct of a recreation ground for the Borough Wasiilso discussed in relation to a communication already received regarding it; and the question of water rights—-a most important one for the Borough, and neighbourhood —was also very fully gone into. Some other matters —such as the publican's licenses, sale of colonial wine, Ac.—were also brought under the notice of Ministers, who evinced a strong desire to do justice to the Thames. It was finally agreed that the Mayor should address a letter to Sir Or. Grey, letting forth the claims of the Borough in respect to the matters mentioned above. This letter I have the honour to append lo the report new before you as a fitting conclusion to this narrative of our interview with Ministers. The letter referred to in the report, after showing minutely the financial position of the Borough and dwelling strongly on the exceptional position of the municipality, suggested that the Government advance £8000 as a guarantee or otherwise until the Hospital arrangements were completed and the Borough able to uae, its gold duty. Id explanation of the foregoing, the Mayor said he had been so impressed with the sincerity of the Ministers that he hoped the request would be acceded to. Even if they got it, it would only help them to tide over the difficulty. FINANCE. The wages sheet, amounting to £6218s 2d, was passed. PLAN OF BOEOtraH. The Mayor moved the motion which he had previously given notice of re the defining,of the streets of the Borough. He said that since he had given the notice of motion Mr McFarland had informed him that the work would cost from £75 to £100. Previously he had informed him that it woufd cost £30. He considered that the work was a very necessary one, and urged that it be done. Cr Beashaw said ho did not think that he would feel justified in seconding the motion, considering the present state of the Borough s finances. l The motion fell through. STATE 03? FOOTPATHS, ETC. Cr McGowan moved that the Foreman of Works be instructed to bring vp y a report tt next meeting on the state of the roads and footpaths. The resolution was adopted. SPSCIAZt MEETINO BE BY-LAWS. A statutory special meeting was then held for the purpose of confirming the resolution adopting By-law No. 8; also for adopting By-law 9. SPECIAL MEETING BE BTJBGESS BOLL. A special meeting was then held for the purpose of erasing defaulters' names from the Burgess roll and signing the same. This was all the business.