Thames Borough Council.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3201, 23 May 1879, Page 2

Thames Borough Council.

: The usual fortnightly meeting of the Council was held at the Council Chambers last evening at the usual hour. Present—; His Worship the Mayor, Crs Speight,; Hansen, Mennie, McGowan, Wilson, and Price.' " :/ ■•;.■ - ■ •■' :)/ ;

■ ' , minutes.' ' ::; _ ; V The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. ', ■'] : OUTWABD,COBBESPONDENCE.- : A precis of the correspondence since last meeting was read over. L *■ FOOTPATH. ■'■■,". ; A letter was read from :Dr Joshua Kowbottom asking that a few loads of sand be placed on the west side of Pollen street near his residence. Referred to Foreman of Works. r BAD DBAINAGE. : A letter was read from Messrs Mennie and Dey drawing attention to the want of a water-table iv front of their premises, Queen street. Eeferred to Works Com> mittee. ' ' ' '"""'' ' \ .v< HOSPITAL MAINTENANCE. ,:; ; A letter was ; read-from the Colonial Secretary's OiEce acknowledging receipt of- the statement showing amount expended by the Borough for charitable aid, and the letter asking a subsidy on the amount expended (£446 7s 7§) at the rate of £ for £. The writer stated Government would make the payment of £223, being half the amount expended by the Borough. Received. j r OBPHANAG-E. ' ; A letter was received from the Government promising to pay half the cost of establishment of an orphanage (£1050) at the Thames. < The Mayor said that the offer of the Government had been accepted, and as timber could be got on advantageous terms the building of the orphanage would be proceeded with, with as little delay as possible. MUNICIPAL COBPOBATIONS ACT. ; A list of suggested alterations in the above Act from the Auckland Town Clerk was read. The Mayor said these suggested amendments had been' made by Mr Phillips at his suggestion, and with some suggested by Mr Dean, would be forwarded to the Premier. Crs McGowan, Mennie, and Speight were appointed a; committee re this matter. ; IHBTJBANCE COMPANIES* GIFT. A letter was received from, the Insurance Companies enclosing a cheque for £50 towards expenses for the Thames Fire Brigades. The Town Clerk had acknowledged the receipt of the cheque. ■ CASH. A Treasury Voucher was received, conveying information of the remission of £152 18s 2d, being gold duty for the months of February and March, to the' Borough Fund Account; another for £1 4s, fees and fines ; another for £19 19s, Goldfields Revenue; and another for £2, machine licences.

VOTE OF THANKS TO MB SULLEN. A letter was read from Mr Shearman, Superintendent of Police, stating that the letter conveying the vote of thanks to Mr Sub-Inspector Bullen had been forwarded to him.—A letter was received from Mr Bullen, acknowledging receipt of the vote of thanks, and thanking the Council for the same.

BEPOBT OF WOEKS COMMITTEE. % The report of the Works Committee was read as follows: —

The Committee have to report having visited the Shellback road leading to the Old Siam cliam, and finding the same to be very rough, and at its present entrance from the Tararu rood, very steep, they recommend that the shareholders of the Old Si«m claim be asked to state a fixed sum for which they will make a dray road that will be satisfactory to the Council and themselves, and in stating such fixed sum, to define the width — the depth the road will be cut in the solid ; the batter to be given to banks; the description of bridges at the crossings of the creek, and the depth and width of the coat of broken metal they will put on.—Your Committee recommend that Davy street, between Amy and Cocbrane streets be formed, and that the two fences of gardens now standing on this roadway be pulled down by the contractor; for this work all necessary notices have been served on the owners. — Your Committee have also to report that the time given by notice to the owners of the building known as the Sebastopol House to remove same off the line of street expired on the 19th inst. jand suggest that the Foreman of Works be instructed to carefully remove all parts of the building encroaching on either Williamson or Brown streets. —The Engineer in charge of the Thames and Waiokato Eailway requires that the Karaka Creek be straightened at once. The contractor for the railway works, Mr O'Brien, will commence forthwith to fill up the present outlet of the Karaka Creek, and erect the bridge over that portion of the foreshore where the new outlet of this creek is to be. The Government having notified the Council by telegram that the proclamation in reference thereto has been signed by the Governor, your Committee recommend that the work of excavation of the hew bed of the crack and bridge for cart traffic over the new channel be at once tendered for.—The Committee lay before the Council the annual statement showing the works proposed to be executed during the ourrent year, and the sums available for such purpose. At the request of the Mayor, the Town Clerk read a letter he had just received from the Old Siam shareholders. The letter said the road would cost about £150, and gave a list of the improvements that could be made for that sum.

Cr McGowan spoke in support of the granting of assistance to the shareholders if possible, and moved the reference of the matter to the Works Committee. -,

, Cr Hansen moved that; tenders be called for the work, a specification to be drawn up on terms of the memo, of the Old Siam shareholders.

Cr McGowan withdrew his motion, and Cr Hansen's resolution was carried. The other recommendations of the report were then assented to, and the report adopted.

• Mr Henderson, one of the shareholders of the Old Siam, said that the proprietors of the claim would guarantee to keep the road in repair.

ESTIMATE FOB STBIKING; OF BATS. The Committee appointed to make the estimate of receipts and expenditure for the ensuing year on which to strike the rate brought up their estimate, the items of which were gone through seriatim. The statement showed that, the total rateable value of borough was £33,977. The proposed expenditure, including the repayment of the Bank overdraft amounting to £4,217 13s Bd, was £12,811 8s Bd, and the income available £14,423 17s. Cr Mennie moved, and Cr Wilson seconded, that the estimate be approved and pub lished. EECBEATION GBOUND CONTEACT.

The Town Clerk said that a cheque for £2 6s 8d had been drawn for the purpose of bringing earnings of Recreation Ground contractors up to, £2 per week per man. Some of the men who had only worked a portion of the time, claimed participation in the cheque, as they p had only made £2 the fortnight they worked. It was decided to leave the matter to the Mayor and Town Clerk. AFDITOBS' FEE.

The auditors' fee for the ensuing year was fixed at £25.

I ACCOUNTS. A number of small accounts were passed for payment. BATHUBST BTTBB. It was resolved to draw the attention of the County to the quantity of Bathurat Burr growing in various parti of the County. i. ASPHALT. The Foreman of Works said the want of timber had hindered him with th» asphalting, and now winter had set in. During wet weather it was impossible to lay asphalt. He asked to be allowed to asphalt Queen street before proceeding with Cochrane street. This latter sug v gestion was referred to the Works i Committee. I NOBTH WABD. „ ; . ;

Cr McGowan drew attention to the bad state of aereral footpaths in North ward. He moved that the matter be referred to the Works Committee. Carried.

DANGEBOUS VEBANDAH. It was resolved to call the attention off the owner to the dangerous state of the; verandah of Mr Dowden's old auction| marfc, Albert street. . , ■ This concluded the business. !