Thames Borough Council.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3299, 18 July 1879, Page 2

Thames Borough Council.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the; Council was held at the Council Chambers last evening. Present—Cra Ehrenfriedj (in the chair), Brassey, Speight, Mennie, Price, McGowan, Graham, Wilson, and; Hansen. •. ■, ■ : . , ■ \■■ . j MINUTES. .. j The minutes of the previous meeting! were read and confirmed. - apology. ; :i A telegram was read from the Mayor; apologising for his absence from the Council meeting. .., . . „ , OUTWAHD COEEBSPONDENCE. ' i Letters sent since last meeting were; read over. ■ GOATS. ; A letter was read from the pound-: keeper asking what he would do with the goats he could not sell. Since the new bye-law came into force people would not buy goats. Out of nine he had sold only four tor Is 6d. Cr Speight: Send them to Cr Brassey's residence. . The Acting Mayor said that the poundkeeper wab in error in stating that the bye-law was in force. It would not be operative for two months. The Town Clerk stated that the Council had to keep the goats 11 .days before disposing of them. Finally the matter was left in the hands of the Town Clerk. KABAKA CEEEK EOAD. A letter was read from Mr Reuben Prescott complaining of the bad state of the Karaka Creek road, lleferred to Works Committee. SIAM EOAD CONTBACT. A letter was read from E. Waite, one of the tenderers, complaining that the Old Siam road was not being made according to specifications, which would be if it was passed unfair to other tenderers who had intended to carry out the work according to specifications. A similar letter was read from D. Henderson. Cr Speight moved the reference of the letter to the Foreman of Works. Carried. • big pump. The letter from the Secretary to the meeting of the Associated Companies, offering to keep the Pump going if the Councils would contribute £50 per month each, was read. Cr Graham said he thought it was a matter the Council should express an opinion on. It seemed to him that there was a great responsibility on the Borough with reference to the Pump, and he thought that the Council should con* tribute £50 per month out of the Borough funds to pumping maintenance as long as the pumps were at work. He moved that the Borough agree to contribute £50 per month as long as the pumps are at work from the 400-feet level or deeper. ■ Cr Price .seconded. He thought they Were standing in their own light if they did not do what they could to start the Pump.

Or McGowan endorsed Cr Graham's remarks respecting the necessity ofr-the. starting of the Pump, but in carrying" a, j resolution like the one proposed they must take other districts into confideration, and the district from Which the Borough received the greatest benefit—• the Waio-Karaka—also had a claim*on the Borough. He suggested the,appointment of a committee to enquire into and report on the matter. Cr Speight spoke to some length on the desirability of starting the Pump, the stoppage of which was a serious pecuniary loss to him, so if he was acting for his own benefit he would say start the Pump at once,.but he did not think it wise to pledge themselves without carefully considering the matter. There was a feeliijg amongst ratepayers against rates being used for pumping. ; ( , ( <;■ < \ The Town Clerk read a letter from Mr Tonge—similar to the one published in the Star of Wednesday; latt—being an offer to work the pump. Cr Brassey agreed with Cr Graham's remarks. ;:•, Cr Graham thought that it was advisable that the County and united Companies should take a case to the Chief Justice to. see if the County had the power to take the pumps on the Ist of September. He was of opinion that they could not reenter till .1881. Here was,,,the, whole district waiting in suspense because the County thought they could re-enter in September next. He would sooner tee the roads fall into a state of disrepair and have the pump going than have good roads and no one to walk over them. Cr Brassey said there was a good deal of truth in what Cr Speight said about there being an adverse feeling amongst ratepayers against rates being used for pumping. : Cr Graham then amended the motion, as follows—" That the Council contribute the whole of their gold duty within the Borough for twelve months provided the same does not exoeed £50'per,month;"' :Cr McGowan moved, .and Cr Speight seconded, the following amendment—r .." That the Council agree to contribute a sum equal to the gold duty derived from the area drained for twelve months, up to £50 per month." ' :•: : I ; I'l ;' ■ The motion was carried. , It was then resolved that/Mr Tbnge's letter be forwarded to the Associated Companies.' ••••' - ';\ ■■'"'■'''''•]' '„'''/', ''' \ MACKAY STBEET DBAINA(JE.' J i A letter was read from H. T. Rowej complaining of the faulty state of the drainage of Mackay street, which dam-; aged his property. Referred to Works ■.Committee, ,-t ■'■; /■ "■?' ]y, M •■'', : MBE BBIGADE. // \ | A letter wis received from the County Council, saying that they could not contribute to the support of the Fire Brigades. HAET AND HO EN'S GONTBACT. The report of the committee recommended that the contract be cancelled, and that the contractors be allowed £10 for work done, and their deposit handed back to them. A number of letters were read from men who had been employed on the contract, asking that > the Council would see them paid. The whole correspon-i dence was referred to the committee. EECBEATION (JBOUND. '■ ' The Town Clerk stated that there was some eight chains of fencing which'remained undone at the Recreation Ground.: It was reßolved that the ground be fenced at the least expense possible. . '. BEPOBT OF WOBBE COMMITTEE. „ : The report of this committee was read; and adopted on the, ..motion of Cr Speight. '■■'•• -: '■■ ;:* '''-; ■•' •" ! SUBSIDY ON GGID DUTY. \ The committee appointed re this matter; recommended that Government be applied; to to alter jthe Financial Arrangements Act to enable gold duty to be 'subsidised the same as ordinary rates. The report was adopted on the motion,' of Cr Hans3ri. FINANCE. A number of smell accounts were p&Bsed for payment. ' ' " WATER SUPPLY. ' ' ' The Acting-Mayor moved—"That the offer of the County, Council re the handing over of the Township Water,- Supply! be accepted. He said he did not think it necessary to, go into thei matter at full length as it had been discussed at the special meeting, and was only brought up to-night to make' it legal. ' , The Council then resolved itself into a committee of the whole, and a long discussion on the report of the committee took place. On returning to Council Cr Mennie seconded Cr Ehrenfried's motion. He thought the Council, should not let the matter be shelved, but, at once accept the offer of the County Council, which he took to be Mr Brodie's ultimatum; and if they did not step in now, the negotiations would have to be commenced cte novo. Cr Hansen. moved, and Cr Brassey seconded, an amendment adding to the motion the wordsf" subject to the conditions in committee's report. :: • .- The amendment was carried. Gr Brassey moved that the Borough Council agree to indemnify Mr 'McCaul to the extent of 6-Bths for the water pipes imported by the Water Committee, three months' notice being given to Council if he intended to sell the pipes. . ■'. Cr Price seconded. : After some discussion— Cr McGowan moved an amendment to the effect that the Council guarantee their proportion of the ■ due and accruing interest on the purchase money of the pipes in consequence of the inability of the Water Supply Committee to complete i their agreement. Cr Mennie seconded. • , : Cr Brassey's resolution was then amended, so that 12 months' notice should be given, and was carried. On the motion of Cr McGowan, Crs Brassey, Graham, and Ehrenfried, and the mover were appointed a committee to see what matters they wished brought before Parliament this session. The Council then adjourned. . ,