Thames Borough Council.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3001, 27 September 1878, Page 2

Thames Borough Council.

The usual fortnightly meeting of this body was held at the Council Chambers last erening. Present —The ■ Mayor, Gta Graham, Wilson, Price, Brassey, Speight, McGowan, Mennie, and Hansen. THB SNEAKING IN. The Councillors took the statutory declaration required' by the Municipal Corporations Act, and signed their names to the same. The Mayor said he had wired his con* gratulations to them on their election; he again desired to do it. He hoped the deliberations would result to the public good. MINUTES. : The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. ' ".' THE UNEMPLOYED. The Town Clerk read a report on the proceedings already taken with reference to the unemployed, all of which hare already been made public. The concluding portion of the report was as follows: —"-Since the 12th instant the Foreman of Works, acting under instructions given him by the elected Councillors, has taken on about 76 fo 80 of the unemployed, but as the works to be undertaken within the Borough as a rule do not employ so much manual labour as horse and dray work, the earnest attention of the Council is asked as to how these men can be profitably employed. The straightening of the Karaka Creek works and the filling-re-quired at the fish market site would, the ' Borough Engineer estimates, require 12 men. The filling of Mackay, Baillie, or Campbell streets would incur a very heavy item for cartage, and employ but two or three men to spread the filling. It has been- suggested that the Council should employ this large amount of labour in continuing Albert street and filling in the proposed parade ground, or in filling in behind the silting works flow erected; the cost of so doing to be made an advance to the Harbour Hoard to be returned to the Council. With a view of considering the matter'the members of the Harbor Board have been asked. t to meet the Council at 7.30 this evening. The Foreman of Works, reports the pay sheet, for the unemployed now at work under his direction will be about £300 a fortnight." . .

Cr McGowan, with reference to the proposed grant to the Harbor Board, said the report spoke vaguely of the proposed loan. How were they to be repaid? Would the Board pay the interest on the money expended P

Cr Speight pointed out that the memo, —for it was not a report —only made suggestions as to the best way of employing the unemployed. Cr Graham asked if the Borough owned any portion of the foreshore, and was informed that they only owned the streets.

At the suggestion of the Mayor, the standing orders were then suspended for the purpose of receiving a deputation from the Harbor Board, consisting of Messrs Davies and Spencer. Mr Davies said that Mr Spencer and himself had been appointed by the Board to see if any arrangement could be come to so that the unemployed might be employed in the reclamation of the foreshore or other permanent harbor works. The Borough were employing a lot of men with little results to show for it, whilst the Board could employ a large number advantageously. A proposal to grant the Board a loan.bed been made, and 'on'sidered favorably by the Board.

In answer to Cr Graham, Mr Davies informed the Council of the works the Board proposed to carry out if an arrangement could be come to ° with the Borough. These works w«re referred to at the Harbor Board meeting on Wednesday. He said the reclamation of the foreshore would be of benefit to the Borough, as when the allotments were filled in '-icy -would derive rates from them.

Cr McGowan: And have to keep the streets in order. •

■ Cr Mennie spoke in favor of making the grant to the Board. He pointed out that the Borough were employing a large number of men on works of no practical utility. Cr Speight said if the men were to be employed by the Board it would be well to do it at once. He referred to the immense expense the Borough was incurring ift. employing the men for really nothing.

Cr Price spoke in a similar strain. The Mayor suggested the Appointment of a committee to arrange financial matters.

Cr McGowan said that there were many places where real improvements could be made for the benefit of those paying rates.

Cr Graham coincided with' Cr McGowan. He suggested that something, might be done to assist men out of the place to the Waikato or Auckland, or some other place.in the province. Before going in for the expenditure of money he would like to see tne Engineer's report on the place where the v railway was to start, and Sir John Coode's report on the Harbor. He himself had wanted men at 6s and 7s per day at Auckland, and could not get them. Mr Davies replied to Cr Graham's re* marks, saying that the Borough were not helping the Board, but the Board the Borough. ;■ Cr Erasseysaid that they should be very thankful to the Board to take over this responsibility. Ar i Cr Mennie said that if the men were sent away, their wives and families would be left as legacies to the Council.

Cr McGowan moved that Crs Speight, Graham, Hansen and the Mayor be a committee to bring up a report on this matter by next Saturday. Cr Wilson seconded. Carried. OUTWABD COBBEBPONDENCE. ]

"A precis of letters sent since last meeting was read over. One of them was from the deputy relieving officer to Mr J. Graham, stating th^Jthe writer had good reason to believe that names were on the ration contractor's book of persons who had not been receiving rations for months. A GRIEVANCE. Mr Kelsall wrote complaining that Campbell the carter had removed a clothes post' and seat belonging to him on a vacant aMotntent. Received* THE BECREATION GBOTTND. A letter was read from Mr A. J. Allom suggesting that a small portion of the recrea'*on ground might be set apart for the promotion of sericulture. A letter was read from Mr J. W. Hall suggesting that a portion of the recreation ground might be set apart for acclimatization purposes. ■ En passant, in reply to Cr Speight— The Mayor said that £3' ) had been paid for the land, end the a w«?s £4LO reserved for improvements. Cr Graham said that the £4'JO might be expended on the ground and use up some of the unemployed. Some of the land -was ve.y good, and if fenced would soon be reproductive. Cr McGowan moved that the Mayor be' instructed to obtain authority to spend. the £400 on improvements. Carried.

MUNICIPAL CONFEBENCE. A letter was read from the Secretary to the Municipal Conference requesting that a cheque for £5 da—the Borough's share of the expenses—be sent to him. It was resolved to pay the amount. ! TABABU CEMETERY. A letter was recehed from the Govern* merit slating that the request that the Borough Council be appointed trustees of,the Tararu Cemetery could dot be acceded to, as the trustees would hare to be nominated individually. .

BBOWN STBBET FOOTPATH. A letter was read from Mrs H. Corston , stating that she 'ould not afford to pay for the footp.ih in front of her place in Brown street. Beceived. POLLEN BTBEET, SOUTH. A letter was read from Mr Bullen calling attention to the nuisance caused i by there being no outlet to the drain in Pollen and Grey streets, near the Saw Mill. Mr McVey, manager of the Saw Mill, had offered to supply the timber for making the culvert, gratis. On the* motion of Or McGowan it was resolved that the work be executed at once, the offer,of Mr McVey being accepted.

BOAD METAL. A letter was read from Messrs Hart and Horn offering to supply road metal to the Council. Referred to Work's Committee. '' BIBD-IN-HAND HILL. A letter was read from several residents of Bird-in-Hand hill calling attention to the general bad state of the roads in that vicinity. Keferred to Works Committee. A letter from residents of another part of the hill asking for a footpath was also read and similarly dealt with. WAIOTAHI SPUE. A letter was read from the residents of Waiotahi Spur asking that something be done to repair the road from Waiotahi main road past Mr Roachc's. Keferred to Works Committtee. TABAEU BOAD. A letter was rea"d from the Tararu School Committee asking that something be done to widen the road at Tararu school, as it was so narrow that when two vehicles passed each other the children playing about were endangered. The Foreman of Works stated that this work would cost £24. It was resolved that the matter be referred to the Works Committee .with power to act.

BEMIBBION 01' BATEB. Mrs Ann Hickej, a poor widow, wrote asking the Council to remit her rates, as she was " hard up." She was 65 years of age, and had no one to help her but a daughter 16 years old. It was resolved to remit the rates. ASPHALT. A letter wai read from J. Sowerbyjate Borough aiphalter, offering to takeover the Borough's asphalt plant, and lay asphalt at half the present cost. The writer stated that the report made re his dismissal was false, and asked for a hearing. Cr. Mennie mored that the subject matter of the letter be referred to a committee to consist of Crs Speight, Brassey add McGowan. Carried.

CHABITABLI AID. / The report of the Believing Officer to the Borough was read and adopted. The concluding portion was as follow* :—" In respect.to the defalcation re the issue of short rations, I respectfully state I possess information which it is not desirable to make public at present." It was resolred to place £5 at the difpossal of the Believing Officer to meet urgent cases. i The Mayor intimated his intention of shortly bringing up a plan for the better management of poor relief. M FISH MABKET. \ The matter of the fish market was then l considered, but after some discussion the further consideration was postponed for ft fortnight. SHEDS FOX BOAD METAL. " This matter was referred to the Works Committee.

STBAIGHTENING OF KABAKA CBEEK. The Town Clerk reported that all the legal steps with reference to this matter had been finished. Two letters, claiming compensation, had been received. It was resolved on the motion of Cr Mennie that the work be proceeded with. Seconded by Cr Brassey. Carried. ASPHALT FOOTPATHS. The recommendation of the old Works Committee was then read with, reference to the narrow asphalt footpaths' in the principal thoroughfares, and it was re* solved, on the motion of Cr Speight, to defer consideration till next meeting. FINANCES. A number of stonebreaking and other accounts amounting to £287 weia, passed for payment. ' : : ' . THE NEWS COMMITTEES. The new Committees were then elected as follows:— ■

Cemetery Committee—The, Mayor, Cm Wilson and Hansen. , . Water Supply Committee—The Mayor, Crs Ehrenfried, Braasey and Speight? Works Committee —The Mayor, Crs Mennio, Hansen and McGowan. The Biigades Committee—The Mayer, Cr Brassey, Speight and Ehrenfried. Finance Committee—The Major,'Crs Wilson. Brassey and Mennie. • Borough Eepvesentatioa on'U.P.A.— Cr Graham. ■ •'- Kerosene and Other License 3 Commit* tet —The Mayor, Crs Price and Mennie. [ THE HABBOB BOABD. The Town Clerk said that the Borough members of the Board did not retire till February. The present members were Cr Wilson and Mr Gibbons. ' ' . Cr Brassey said it would appear .that though Mr Gibbons ceased to be a member of the Council he was still in the Harbor BVard. He thought it was a mistake in the Harbor Act.

Cr Graham moved, and Cr Brassey seconded, that Mr Gibbons be requested to resign his sept in the Board. Carried. THE DISQUALIFICATION QUESTION. Cr Brpssey said if he was in order he would like to bring before the.Coundlamatter with reference to his qu Jifioation as a Councillor, and he did it as a matter of justice to the officers of Ile Council. He asked for a committee to investigate the matter. As .or himself he was perfectly satisfied as the legality of his position. Several members spoke' to the effeot that no definite charge had been made* and the matter dropped. BAILWAY PiAN. . • Cr McGowan suggested the Counoil have a plan of the route of the railway from the Xauaeranga to Grahamstown 'prepared. After some discussion the matter was adjourned till next meeting. The Council then adjourned till Saturday.