Thames Harbor Board.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2874, 2 May 1878, Page 2

Thames Harbor Board.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Board was held at the Borough Council Chambers last evening at 7.30 o'clock! Present—Mr Daviea (Chairman), Dr. Eilgour (Mayor), Messrs Mennie,. Spencer, Price, and Bagnall. . - The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. : ;.; '■/:'■' : ; ' : ■ .: .■■APp"LOffT,-.','-.., , -■■ :- .• ... ;A!'. i letter/wa8 > reQeiy'edf>ifrbm''.Mr^^ilßoii':' apologising for hi^absencev^ ■ :; j '-■''•■•!•:!'■-.YOLUNTSBB^PABAOTi-'. -■'■■, ■■.■;' i> '::'" ■ /Pbe following letter; was read :— I TiiamiV: 30di5Ap>il,Ti878i— To' the Ohiils' man Harbor Board.—Sir,^—On behalf ofrthe .{Volunteers I bog to apply for ft reserve or square of übontJthrc9 acres' in extent for the purposes of »;'-,<i.rill.paracle .and; military, -instruulion ground ;,to be leascd,to truste;.j for, say fifty year*, at a nominar reiit of one shilling per year ] the ground to be central/ as it iiiigbt be used nigbt or day.—l am, sir, yo«r obedient sorrant, T, L. MtTBBAT, Captain.. ;■.'.-.■.;■■';,■••. ..■^•.■■.•.•!----"•■.,.■•;■..-.:.--, ■;-.; ' !:.!<.-;^ '^r.' i£ilgpuT;.k'aj;d-'':he';wa9'''m'uch'''pieaßed;1' that;they-h'ad;:made the application. '-■■..,'[ ; J iSed^etary said ihey'^int^d tie; ground on the foreshote; if pbssible, between Holdship'si Wharf and the Gopdß^ ;V :^'/;; .■'':'■■'■■ : ; ' ■ ■■-■;':■-•.■■:•;•■;■ •rri- ' ... BiTHiiTG^korrsEsVt - ;-; : . ; . The following letter -wia read from Mr Ehrenfried, chairman of ha coimniiitee appointed by the Borough Council, for the purpose of looking after the scheme of the establishment of public baths; and washhouses on the Thames :— i v ' r:"■ !Phoedix-Brewei'jr, Thames,- 29i|i April, 1878^ ;—Sißi,—Tlie' Council.: (6i:y,t\i+,.%6coty£* io( t Thampa, by rcsolut ioii; have 'decided to e/istab-! lish public baths and wash-bouseß Ibis year. Will you favor me by submit) ing the following for consideration by tfe JttSfbor)fioard':—That previous to the Grant of Htlife^JForoshore being completed, one c. ire, nee r Holdehip's Wharf, may be conveyed"to the Borough for ii site on which the, buildings for these baths and washhouses may be -erected.—l am Sir, your Obedient Servant, Louis jEhbshtbibd.

Dr Kilgour and Messrs Eagnall and Mennie expressed an Ofiiion that the baths would not be patronised here. The Chairman thought that they would puy v very well, and thought that they would ,be a great success. ' < It was decided to reply to Mr Ehrenftied, that if the baths are established Ihe 'Board' will favorably consider the application. vi bowe's application. The Chairman said that the committee appointed to enquire into Mr Bowe's application for an exchange of allotments on the foreshore had had a plan prepared. He explained to the Board the position, of the respective allotments, and, showed what the committee proposed to do. Mr Mennie asked if Mr Bo we would agree to {his solution of the difficulty. The Chairman said they would have to see what Mr Bowe thought about it. Mr Baqnall moved that the Chairman be empowered to deal with Vir Bowe on this basis. '' APPOINTMENT OF SOLICITOR. , Mr Eagnall moved tlte motion standing in his name,re the appointment of soli*' citor to the bourd, and nominated Messrs Macdonald aad .VliHer. '•:- Mr iSpencer second) d. Tj c Uiiuirrnan said there might be some difficulty, as Messrs Macdbnaldand Miller .tould act for Mr Whitaker in the matfer of the machine sites Dr Kilgour moved that Mr Erassey be appoitit d. , Mr M«>nruo secondod Dr Ki!t;uur :-dld dial the reason he proposed Mr Brassey was, because Messrs Macdouald and Miller had so many interests in tlieir hands that (hey might clash. He had no feel in? in the matter, as ho thought th-it the elder firm had the lar^eaL experience, and he had had the •ame foeling with respect to the appoint* meul of them as aoliciLors to the Borough. ' -

V 1 Mr Spencer thought thas it was an adrantage rto; hare the same solicitors for all the public, bodies. ■„,■,, /,. s^ „ ;Mr Mennie Baijl he would noHike to see' the Board placed in the position the Borough was the; other day, whentheir own solicitors appeared agaiiist them, and a solicitor had to be brought from !Au'ck-; land "to defend the. Borough at considerable expense. ■ •.—•■•■■;■■ - r f ; T^l6 Cliairman said his own opinion was that that/ ithey should;,appoint a** solicitor who would 4 be independent of the; battery)or; other claims on" the foreahdiri^--'^'----'--"-'-,-^— -;~.-..—■;■■,•'--^~ l ■-*•■.'■.'■:'■;,*■.

Mr Price said that he would have liked -to see a larger meeting. Dr Kilgour said that the otly other question was could they not do without a solicitor at all.

After further discussion the two reso-lutions-were withdrawn, and the Chairman was authorised to consult a solicitor on any matter he required a legal opinion on. Mr Spencer moved the motion in his name re the consideration of officers' salaries. He saidvth© first thing to consider was the collection of wharfage, tells, &o. The Chairman said that the whwfage was at present collected by the Collector of Customs. In reply to Mr Spencer tae Secretary said that the Harbor Master received £175 per annum. The Chairman said he did not think that the Harbor Master could collect the wharfage, as he was not empowered to do so by law. Dv Kilgour said that that was a most anomalous position. - They had certain dues allowed them by law, which they were not allowf d to collect.

After considerable discussion it was resolved that this question should stand over for the meantime, pending the Chairman obtaining a legal opinion as to the collection of the wharfage dues.

THE POWDEB MAGAZINE. The Chairman said that £8 9s 6d had been collected at the Powder Magazine for the last fortnight. Mr Mennie moved that the keepers

sa'ary be £25 per annum for the present. Carrie^. The Chairman said that a carpenter would be required for a few days to make some repairs \o the powder wharf; The Chairman was empowered to em* ploy a man for a few days. CHANGE OF NAMES OF WHABVES. The name of Curtis' wharf was changed to Albert street wharf, and that of Goods' Wharf to Burke street wharf. • ..FINANCE. „.. ./'■ • -„•■'■'. Accounts amounting to £16 7slOd were passed for payment. 81JBVEY OF THE FOBBSHOBBIi ■y'rMx Bagnall moved that the Chairman and Dr. Kilgour be a committee to consider the. laying off of the forerhbife. He said that Mr Climo lor one had been waiting for twelvemonths to take up the allotment he had appplied for. f ; (The Chairman/ said he thought that \ Burke street should be the point to start laying off:'froioi; '*■■ .'?y^,. '■ ":'l- ■ '"; This concluded the busineis.i ?> v