Thames Soroush Council.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3049, 22 November 1878, Page 2

Thames Soroush Council.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Council was held at the Council Chambers last evening. Present —The Mayor, Crs Ehrenfried, Wilson, Speight, Hanson, Mennie, Price, and McGowan. MINUTES. The minutes of the previous&meeting were read and confirmed. OUTWABD COBBESPOHDENCB. A precis of the outward correspondence since last meeting was read. COMPLAINT BE ASPHALT FOOTPATH. A letter was read from J. Hart, drawing the attention of the Council to the injury that would be done to his property by the asphalt strip of footpath, his shop being so low. He intended rebuilding in a few months. Cr Ehrenfried remarked that .probably Mr Hart would have rebuilt his premises before the asphalt footpath had reached his place. It was stated that Mr Hart simply wanted a small drain across the footpath, which he could make without application to the Council. GOLD DUTY. - A communication from the Treasury was read intimating that £250 gold duty had been remitted to the Borough fund account, being duty for September and October. FOBMALITIES BE STRAIGHTENING EABAKA CBEEK. A letter was read from the Under Secretary for Publio Works drawing attention to clauses of the Public Works Act re drainage with reference to. the straightening of the Karaka Creek. The Mayor stated that Mr Miller had, drawn up a declaration for the perusal of tbe Government, to the effect that all the formalities required by the Act had been complied with. A DISAPPOINTED CANDIDATE. , A letter,was, read from Mr F. B. G. Woodward, one of the applicants for the office of Borough, Valuator, asking the Council to reconsider their decision re appointment of Mr Crick, as a full meeting had not been present. If the matter was reconsidered he believed the result would .be different.—lt was resolved that the letter be received. THAMES HIGH SCHOOL ACT. The Town Clerk laid before the Council the " Thames High School Act." The Mayor said that this Act had been brought before the House by Sir George Grey. It was a Very important measure for this place, as it handsomely endowed a school by which our youth could receive a good and cheap education. Cr Ehrenfried coincided with,the remarks of the Mayor. He moved, " That the author'of this' bill receive the special thanks of the Council." Cr'Speight seconded. Carried. •BEPOBT OF CHABITABLf AID COMMITTEE. The report of this committee was read as follows :— The' committee .report, that the agreement made between the Government of New Zealand and tbe Borough Council on the '21st of June last, as to the' maintenance of the Hospital and charitable institutions at the Thames, tbe deductions hitherto made by the Government from Borough subsidy, and 1 the cost necessary to be incurred to efficiently maintain the Hospital, a Befuge for Old People, a Home for Destitute Children, and to give out-door relief in the shape of rations, bave been fully inquired into and considered by them. . , The committee submit the following proposals to the Council :— 1. That the Council at once carry into effect the agreement entered into With the Colonial Government on the 21st of June last.

2. That the Hospital Committee' should ia future consist of elected and nominated members—elected members of the committee to be chosen by subscribers to its .funds; tbe nominated members of the Local Body contributing the monies required in excess of subscriptions to maintain the Hospital and, Befuge for the old efficiently. ', 3. That the Befuge for old men and women be attached to and form a part of the Hospital, and with that view a wing be built to both the main and women's Hospital., ' 4. That a home for destitute children be established, at the estimated cost' of £500 per annum, to be under the control of a committee of six—three of whom to be the charitable aid'committee of the Council, and the remaining three to, be elected' by subscribers to the funds for its maintenance.

5. The out door relief (rations) be supervised by a relieving officer who shall be an officer of this council, and that this appoint* ment be made on these proposals being adopted and brought iato force by the Coutfcil.

The expenditure by the Council of its funds for the above purposes under the present system of deductions from subsidies by the Government is £1,400 annually, while under the propositions now submitted-by the .committee the cost to the Borough for the first year will be £1,350, and after that about £1,000 a year. The scheme proposed by the Committee is more fully explained by the following figures:— Hospital and Befuge for the Old—Cost of erection of two wings to the hospital'as refuge, £300; annual collection by Hospital Committee, £500; annual contribution by Borough Council, £500; contributed by Government under " The Financial Arrangements Act," £1 for each £1 raised by subscriptions, and contributed by Borough Council, £1,000; total hospital funds, £2,300; less cost of new wings, £300.—Funds available for sick and poor, £2,000. Home for (25) Destitute Children—Rent for building suitable for a home, £50; annual cost. of maintenance of 25 children', (these figures are taken from the cost of a' similar institution in Auckland), £250;. salary of master and matron, and wages of one servant, £200.—Total, £500. Annual .contribution, by Borough, £250; annual contribution by Government, £250.—Total, £500. ! Outdoor Belief (rations)—-Cost, including Believing Officer's salary (at indicated by the returns for the past three months) yearly, £600. Annual contribution by Borough, £300 ; annual contribution by Government, £300.—Total, £600.

Total cost to Borough First Year—Refuge for eld pud hospital, £800; home for desti*

'.tuta children, £250; out-door relief, £300,-— Total,".'£l3so. Coßt each succeeding year,,----£1050,'; deductions how made by Government from'Borf>ugh;:£l4oo. „. , The committee, in quoting these figures, deeire to .point] out that,'under the system bow jpursiied, a.very large proportion of the monies deducted from Borough subsidies for charitable'purposes are expended out of thedistrict, whereas, under the system proposed by them, not only is this amount retained here, but a sum equally large is received from Government for expenditure at Thames in tbe maintenance of it* charitable institutions. '?' The committee recommend that the sum of £3 (three pounds) a month be paid to Mr J. B. Mason for his services as Believing Officer from the time he was so appointed.—James Kilgoub, William J. Speight, Jambs MoGowan.—Thames, 20th November, 1878. The Mayor said that the report was a long one, and doubtless could not be understood in all its details by the general Council at once. He offered to explain anything the Council could not under* stand. , , , ! Cr Price thought the Council understood the matter. It. had been often discussed. , Cr Ehrenfried thought the salary suggested to be paid to Mr Mason was too small. He thought it should be at least £4 permonth. He bore testimony to Mr' Mason's zeal and assiduity in performing the duties of relieving officer. Cr Speight, as one of the Committee, pointed out to Cr Ehrenfried that that was only a temporary arrangement, and when they adopted this report a relieving officer would be appointed at a fixed salary. Cr Ehrenfried thought that before they should go to any further expense on the Hospital they should consider if they, should not erect a new 'one, as the present site was not very healthy. The present Hospital would prove a Valuable endow* ment. Mr Dean had informed him that a block of 13 acres, suitable for the, site of an hospital, could be obtained at Para* wai at about £25 per acre. . ; < The Mayor said that the only difficulty he saw was that of raising the funds. He did not think the present Hospital would be very valuable as anendowment. . ; After some further discussion re the advisability of moving the Hospital, Cr Mennie moved,, the' adoption 1 of the report,' subject to future consideration., of the matter of the Old People's Befuge in I connection with the Hospital. j Cr Speight seconded. Carried. On the motion of Cr Ehrenfried the old committee was appointed to meet the Hospital Committee on the'matterof the proposed alterations. • Cr Ehrenfried moved and Mr Mennie seconded that Mr Mason's remuneration for past services be, increased to £4 per month instead of £3 as suggested by the committee. Carried. r ,/ ' The Mayor'here asked permission to leave the chair as he had to attend the public meeting* re the Karaka and Tarark tunnel. Permission was granted, and Cr Ehrenfried was voted to the chair. ! BEPOBT OF TVOBKS COMMITTEE. The report of the Works Committee was read:— . ! The attached letter' from W.- Punch, the contractor, for the Waiotabi road and bridge,' having been received, the Works Committee met aiid Went over the works. Tbe contractor alleged that ne peg indicative of a retain; ing wall having 'to be built was driven in on ground at a point at the end of the breastwork of the bridge on the side nearest the Council Chambers. The Foreman of Works, on the other'hand,.asserted that such peg was there before tenders for the work were callefl. The committee, with* view of deciding which was correct, made enquiries, of the Council's workman who drove in the pegs, but his evidence was not at 'all* conclusive. The committee considered^ it was necessary that ja retaining wall should ibe constructed-at, the disputed position, and the mullock 'filled in, so as to widen the' read, at" that part, 'an*d agreed with the ; \ cgntractQr that a retaining wall, should^ be, from the end of the breastwork', of, the bridge to the end of the nearest' retaining wall already erected (about 37 feet), such .wall to be built in accordance with 1 the provisions for the construction" of retaining walls in the specification under which the contract'for the Waiotahi road and bridge has been carried out, and. tbe mullock filled in from, su^h .retaining,wall to the level of the roadway; one half of such cost to be borne by ]th» Borough, and the other half by the contractor, thus allowing the contractor half the estimated cost of the disputed retaining wall. To this proposition the contractor agreed. Th« Foreman of Works has estimated the full cost of this wall and filling at £15. The Works Committee also pointed out to the contractors some few minor points in which his contract was not up to specification, suck as the painting of the bridge, and the road being slightly too narrow in some places, which defects he will make goad at once. , The letter referred to in the report was similar in its tenor to Mr Punch's verbal explanation given below. The Town Clerk stated that' since the report was written the contractors, Punch , and. party, had determined to stick to the , specifications, and not hold with their previous agreement with the Works Committee. ' ' Standing orders were then suspended to hear Mr Punch on the matter. He said that the contractors had carried out the contract according to specification, but as the Works Committee required a small retaining wall, which would cost about £4, they had agreed to ■ make it. When Mr Bawdon came to lay off the wall he had laid off one that would cost about £30. As they could not come to an agreement with the Foreman of Works they had come to the Council, and wanted them to settle the matter somehow.

Mr Bawdon said that the trouble arose about the position of the peg for one of the retaining walls. He had put in the peg, and knew where it was, but the contractors said it was in a different position. He was sorry for the men, as he believed I the whole truth of the matter was that the contractors had.not. been making money out of their contract, and had worked hard. „ ■ , ( Mr McDermott, one of the contractors, denied the soft impeachment of the Foraman of Worksl in toto. '"' • :., : After some further discussion the con-, tractors decided to accept £12 for the job. The matter then dropped. BEPOBTOP BELIEVING OFFICES. The report of this officer was read as follows :- Sir,—l have the honour to report, for the information of the Borough' Council, that, during the past four, weeks, I have expended the funds placed in my hands by the BoroughCouncil, lees the sum of ail shillings and ninepence, balanoe in hand, for which I attach vouchers and.petty cash-book, and respectfully ask a further advance. I also attach a letter received from Mr Graham, Believing Officer in Auckland, and a copy of a letter received by him from the office of the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. And from the inquiry held here some time since it appears that Messrs F. Hewin and Brother had charged eleven months for rations to one William

Rose or Morse, and that Mo«e declared that -he only received twenty-eight days' rations. The last of, the tea months'rations charged as issued to him is £5 lls'2£d. This has been paid by the Government, Messrs Hewin also admitted that, during the months of June, July and August one farthing per ration had been deducted from , each ration issued. The number of rations issued daily was' in July 119Jr, and, at that rate, the amount deducted in the threee months is £8 12s sd. It was also shown in evidence, by the persons named in the "attached list, that the Government hare'paid" during one year to Messrs He win, about one hundred and twenty-eight pounds for goods other than the rations contracfed for, and the Commissioners informed Mr F. Hewin that the "Government had no right to pay for any goods given to the recipients of relief other than the rations contracted for. And seeing that all monies paid by the Government for relief in this district are'charged to the Borough Council, I respectfully suggest thai the Council should request the Government to take steps to raoover from Messrs Hewin all monies that have bten improperly' paid to them, amounting to about one hundred and forty pounds (£l4O) —I have, &0., John B. Mason, Relieving Officer. The report was adopted. : The Council considered Mr • Mason's suggestion re the £140 a good one, and referied it to the Charitable Aid Com* mittee to take action on the matter^ I' footpath. ' . The matter of the footpath near Dr. Payne's residence was deferred for consideration at next meeting. SITE OF THAMES HIGH SCHOOL. Cr McGowan moved the motiqs> which he had given previous notice re the grant* ing of fire acres in the public park for a site for the High School. He said ' this was a matter of some very considerable interest to the Borough, and he (nought it a portion of their duty to help_to further such a desirable object. With the fine, endowment that had bean given'^,for the school, at a future time they might be able to establish ,a_college, to which the gentry of the surrounding -, towns could send their sons. The granting of five acres would do a great deal of good. Cr Price seconded.

Cr Speight pointed out that the High School in the park oould not be the one referred to in the Act;, whichlpronded .that the school must be within BoroHgh limits. „, ■ After some slight disoussion the motion was carried. . ;

PASSING OF CONTBACTB. '■ Cr Speight moved the motion of which he had' given previous notice—" That in future all contracts of over £10 be passed, by the Works Committee in conjunction with the Foreman., of Works." He said

that there were most unheard of talds about the passing of contracts:^ It was said, falsely He believed, that the Foreman of Works shewed favoritism in the matter

of the,passing of contracts. ■ Sometimes, it was said, he passed contracts that haid been'"slummea," and' at other timers would; not' because he wais not:inLthe ( humor. He thought it would be advisable that the Works Committee should act jJonjointly with the.Fpreman of W^orks and remove the responsibility ana* 'odium off his shoulders, and therefore moved the resolution. L ' | Cr Hansen seconded. „,,*; i Cr Price thought that it, was rathir like a vote of want of confidence in the Foreman of Works. He didn't like it. Cr .McGowan said he could not agree with Cr Speight's resolution. ' If the. passing of contracts was placed 7in the hands of the Works Committee it would, cause trouble, as contractors would be trying to influence the members* of the Works Committee. \ Cr'Ehrenfried sided* by Cr' MeGowan. The Foreman of Works was either fit to carry out his work, or he was not. If,he was not they should look out for some out that could carry out the work, properly. If he'wasj the Council should not interfere. He would strongly .oppose the motion,, as he saw that great trouble would arise from it. ' ' : I"'!Cr Mennie alib deprecated the passing, 1 of, contracts by the Works Committee;. llt would cause no end of disputes. - \ 1 Cr Speight said he took an entirely different view of the matter.' It would stop all disputes. In common justice they would need to listen to every contractor who had ajpievance, while if the Works Committed passed them the Council would, decide on theirreoommendajtion. ' ■ x .. ...f. 1{1 >,f.,, h j The resolution wkt.^b^ put and lost—fi only the proposer aM seconder voting for, "it! . <>i- ' : I "A number ofsinQsWeoinits were passed for payment. »-'"^ f V^f<v v - ■'. : Cr Speight sai^^irM^,r«ferenoe to the railway that the:eii|(UMtttee appointed re this matter in eonjni^otfbn with the heads of other local bodies, had held several meetings, and .telegraphic communication with Ministers pad' been carried on. It had nbt been satisfactory. They could get nothing; definite out of them, and they would have a tough up-hill fight to get the-works started,or the matter would be postponed. They would have to fight like young heiiers, and he would move that the name of Cr Ehren* fried, who had always taken a deep interest, in the matter, be added to the committee. ' ;

This was carried. \ THB FISH HAJBKET. , The Mayor, Cra Price and.Wilson were appointed to confer with the Harbor Board re this matter. . , „ j r> PUBLIC BATHS. '->'■ 'l- ' !

Cr Ehrenfried said.that, j some six months ago he had moved in the matter of publio baths,' but no steps had yet been taken. He thought that great benefit.cbuld*be conferred on the public at little cost by the erection of the baths. A committee had been appointed some time ago, and he would suggest that that committee draw up a report and present it at next meeting. The matter then dropped.

F&BKHOLD OF THE. GOLDFIELD. Cr McGowan moved —"That the Mayor, Cr Speight and the mover be a committee to act in conjunction with the like committee from the County Council to use the best means to induce the Government to purchase the freehold of the Thames Goldfield from the natives, so that holders of residence sites may, obtain the freehold of their places oh deferred or other cash payments." Cr Speight seconded the resolution, which was carried without discussion. >

'■> • HIGH BCHOOi. ; . i Cr Speight moved, V That the Council invite the members of the rarious school committees to confer with the Council with a Tie w to bringing the 'Thames High School Act,' into operation.*' Cr Mennie seconded. Carried.

It was decided to hold the Conference on Thursday next at seren o'clock. This was all the busineM. .