Thames Borough Council.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3499, 12 March 1880, Page 2

Thames Borough Council.

' The usual fortnightly meeting of the Council was held at the Council Chambers last evening. Present—Crs Speight (in the chair), Wilson, Mennie, Oaborne, Marshall, Bawden, McGowan. .

KATTAEBANGA FOOT-BBIDGE.

A letter was read from.lt. N. Smitft enclosing a design for a foot-bridge over the Kauaeranga Creek near the Orphanage, and offering his services gratis to supervise the work. The offer was received with thanks.

A letter.was read from the County Council granting the Council some wire gratis for the construction of the Orphanage bridge. Received with thanks.

SUNDAY TBADING.

;A circular letter was read from the Chrißlchurch City Council requesting cooperation of other municipalities to check Sunday trading. Cr Marshall moved that this Council endorse the opinion of the Christchuroh City Council, and are prepared to act in conjunction with them. This was carried.

GOLD DUTY, ETC.

The Government had remitted £111 gold duty to credit of Borough, also £2 5i fees und«r Licensing Act, etc. Received.

V HOSPITAL The; secretary to the Hospital committee, wrote, asking that £150, due to the Boroußh be placed to the credit of the committee • \

Cr Mennie asked that the position the Borough look with reference to the funds of the Hospital. The Chairman said the Borough was only liable for any deficiency, when the Hospital Committee were in funds there was no deficiency. The matter was eventually referred to the Charitable.Aid Committee.

BEJPOBT OP FOB EUAN OF WOBKS.

The report of the Foreman of Works was read as follows :—

I have the honor to report the following works for the past month :—Asphalts: The asphalting from Q-rey street to Willougbby sireot in Pollen Btreet is completed being 916 yards; also, laid for Mr Allaway in Brown street, 41yds and 3ffc at 4s per yard, total £8 5s 4d ; and for filling in same proTious to asphalting, £3 10s. Water-tables : During the month 683 feet of water-tables was laid in Pollen street, and 12 feet each on the turn to Grey street and Willoughby street, making a total of 707 feet. Mackay street, between Willoughby and Richmond streets, is now completed and farmed at a cost of £40 10s. The repairing of the Tararu road sea wall has been completed at a cost of £12 1b Bd. One man has been employed in cleaning out. the drains in Sealey, Baillie, Mackay, and Pollen streets. The carpenter is. preparing the water tables for Mary Btreet. I cannot go on with asphalting, being out of material which cannot be prepared during the wet weather. As soon as it is fine and 'dry the men will prepare it. At present they are at work building the dam on the Waiotahi, and preparing the ground for piles and sheeting where the slip occurred. I beg to lay place of Mary Btreet; before you for approral. —I have, etc., Thos. Kawden, Foreman of /Works.

It was. resolved that the plan and estimate be approved by the Council. The estimate of cost was 6s 8d per running foot.

DANGEROUS GROUND.

Cr McGowan said that at the. direction of the Council, the Foreman of Works had put on men to- clean out certain water tables at Tararu. He had intended to ask the Mayor who had given instructions that this work should be stopped.

WOHKS COMMITTEE'S BEPOBT.

The report of the Works Committee was read as follows:—

Your Committee have the honour to report tliat by invitation they met the members of the Kauaeranga School Committee at Baillie street, and ascertained that if Baillie street footpath on the e&th side ef the street from the Knuaeranga School to Richmond street was raised to its permanent level, and the water-table made either of wood or asphalt, the requirements of School Committee would be met for the present, as it would enable children lying in the neighbourhood south of the school to reach the building in the winter months with dry feet. The School Committee were anxious to have both sides of the street made good, but this is not considered absolutely ueoessary by your committee, who recommended that the Foreman of Works estimate the cost of the work indicated, and that the Town Clerk write to the occupies and owners of property abutting on the proposed line of footpath, Hnd ascertain how many of them will be willing; to pay half the estimated cost their several holdings W'll entail, and that such information be laid before the Council at its next sitting. With regard to tbe complaint of Messrs Small and Gordon relative to the drainage from the Moanatairi road affecting the tramway of which they are the lessees, your Committee find this road was constructed in its present position by order of Warden Fraser,. by the Caledonian Q-old Mining Company, authority being given them by the Warden, on the new road being finished, to use the old- road as a mullock tip. The Committee are of opinion that the drainage from the hills affects the tramway, but not the _ drainage__fram—ths road; they therefore make no recommendation to the Council regarding it. The committee recommend that the Moanafairi Road be at once repaired with hard mullock by the Foreman of Works, and that he be instructed to hare sufficient road metal broken on this road to maintain the winter goldfield traffic orer it. The report was receired and,adopted on the motion of Cr Osborne. *

BEPOET OF CHAEITABLE AID. The report of the Charitable Aid Com mittee was read.

The Committee was granted extended time re the bridge. With reference to the meat ration the Chairman said that the Mayor had ordered the issue of a meat ration, but the person not producing the necessary medical certificate the Committee refused it. He wished the Mayor had been present to explain this matter, as it was the second occurrence of the kind, and there would be a clash. The action of the Committee was then approved, and the report as a whole adopted. I HEALTH OFFICES. The health officer reported the steps taken in the matter of the late outbreak of scarlet fever.. Two deaths had occurred in the Borough during the past monthone from scarlet fever maligna. ' FINANCE. The report of the Finance Committee was read and adopted.

THE WATBB SXTPPLT.

I The Chairman reported that he had seen Mr Whi taker re the Water Supply, showing him all the progress, and gare him the reasbns of the Borough for declining to sign the deed. Mr Whi taker assured him that the money would not be paid to the County Council until the Borough signed the deed. Mr Whitaker suggested to him that the disputed point be referred to Mr Sheehan, but this he (Mr Speight) did not consider necessary. The County Council had been making enquiries re the actual amount of motive power employed by the Borough, but had taken no fresh steps. He believed from conversations with Mr Sheehan that Mr McCallough was correct, though Mr Sheehan had declined to give his opinion till Ko had both Mr Brodie and ■Mr McCullough before him. Cr McGowan also said, in justice to the late Mayor, he would bear out the statements made. He had always understood from Mr McCullough that the whole difficulty in Wellington lay in securing to the Borough the right to continue the then engagements of the Domestic Water Supply, which it was intended the deed referred to should secure.

, . ABPHAIT. The Town Clerk read the return of amounts due for asphalt (otherwise than for footpaths) by private parties. Cr McGowan moved that notices be sent to those in. arrear to pay up at once. ifINAKCIAI..

Cr Menpie spoke on the necessity of raising a loan to put the Borough out of its financial difficulty, and referred to the loan of £50,000 just raised by Oamaru, saying that he did not see why they should not be able to raise a loan as well as that municipality. He moved that a committee be appointed to consider the

ways and means of raising a loan of £20,000 or more if necessary for water works and drainage. Cr Osborne seconded and after some discussion the motion was carried.

BY THE MAYOR'S INSTBTTCriONS.

Mr JBawdon having come into the room he was asked why he had discontinued the works at Tararu. In reply he said the Mayor had ordered him to suspend all work, and furthermore had told him only to do the work he (the Mayor) told him to do.

It was then resolved that the work be recommenced at once.

The Chairman and Cr McGowan were of opinion that no one should interfere with the orders of the Council.

ASPHALT BOLIEB.

The Foreman of Works was empowered to obtain a roller for laying asphalt water* tables at a cost not exceeding £8.

The Council then adjourned.