Thames Borough Council.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3511, 27 March 1880, Page 2

Thames Borough Council.

The usual fortnightly meeting of tho , CoudcU was held at the Council Chambers last evening. Present —His Worship the Mayor, Crs Wilkinson, McGowan, Wilson, Speight, Bawden, and Marshall. COBBKBPONDENC*. The outward correspondence since last meeting was read over. OBPHANAGE. The Board of Kducation wrote, informing the Council that they would pay £4 per annum per capita on the children attending the Orphanage School, and asking thejname of the teacher. The required information was ordered to be sent. BAIL HE SXEEET. A. letter was received from Mr I. Keary objecting to contribute to cost of laying down footpath and water-table in this street. The Mayor said that it was rery desirable that the approaches to the | Kauaeranga Boys' School should be dry. Letter receired. BATES. A letter was read from Mrs S. Watson, asking an extension of time to pay her rates. The matter was left in the hands of the Mayor. GBAHAMBTOWN-TABABTT TRAMWAY. A letter was read from Mr Soatcr asking permission to lay a rail inside the tram line till after the repairs to the sea-wall were completed. This "matter had already been dealt with. , GoiD KEVEHI f K> — - The Government remitted £1 odd, gold revenue, to the BorcugSufctra* account. AN ENQTTIBING BATEPABEB. A letter was read from Mr Creighton stating that he had been rated for £6 ss, I and asked how much he had to pay. Id I was decided to take no notice of the I letter. : WATER'TABLK. A letter was read from W. H. Smith, Pollen street, asking permission to construct a watertable from his property. Referred to Foreman of Works. . BOLLESTON STBEET, A letter was read from' John Connelly complaining of the state of the water table in Bolleston street opposite his pro* perty. Referred to Works Committee. BEPOBT OF WOBKB COMMITTEE. The report of the Works Committee was read. It made the following recommendation with respect to the Queen of Beauty turbine t—That the culvert at the j Queen of Beauty hoppers be cleaned out,' the water channels from Bella street to j Pollen street deepened, and. the sides j raised, to prevent the water flooding the vicinity "of Martha and Alfred streets; that the wooden water table in Cochrane street be repaired, that it be raised nine inches on the road side and the roadway filling made up to it. The estimated,cost of the above will be £30.

Cr McGowau asked was the Borough liable for the expense of enlarging the water tables in consequence of the tut bine erected by the Queen of Beauty company. . Tbe Mayor saw that it appeared to him to be a curious arrangement. Here the County .Council let the water to a machine ia the Borough, and they derived all the benefit, while the Borough had to bear all the expence. Cr Marshall thought they should take legal advice and tee if they were liable for the expense of enlarging the watertables ;■••■;■'. „-■'■■ It was finally decided to refer the matter to the Borough solicitor. The Town Clerk read a clause from the Municipal Corporations Act, which showed that no person had a right to connect a drain with a public . water-table without the permission of the Council. ; BKFOBT OF LIBBABY COMMUTE?. The report of the Library Committee was read. The committee requested authority to hare the words, " Thames Public Library " painted on the building. The report was adopted. THE PAYBHEET Was read over and approved. MINISTEBIAL INTEBVHWB. The Mayor reported that he had inter* viewed the Ministers at Auckland, and gave a history of the mission.. He said that the Hon. Mr Ro I leu ton was very favorably impressed with the Borough, and had assured him that any request in reason made by the Borough would receive immediate attention at hit hands. WILLOUOHBY STBKET. In reply to Cr Wilkinson the Town Clerk stated that there had been no reply received from Mr Stewart re the watertable at foot of Willoiighby street. Cr Wilkinson then moved Mr Stewart be again written to. Carried. THE NINE-INCH MAINS. The following letter was read from Mr McCullough :—•• To His Worship the Mayor and Councillors of the Borough Council.—Gentlemen, —l enolosa a list of persons, resident principally in Pollen

street, who are willing to contribute the amounts set opposite their names, upou condition that the Council proceed to lay the nine-inch mains from the corner of Albert street to, Grey street; the amounts were promised to myselfand Mr Hanscn of Shortland. The amount upon the list is £92, bat we believe it can be increased to £150 if the work is undertaken at once. I shall esteem an early reply a favor."— JLiat enclosed]:— Payne £10, Rensliaw £10, Hogg £5, Marshall £10, Price £5, Dann £2, Wilkes £2, Hansen £2, McCullough £2, Frank £1, Dodd £2, Grant £2, May £1, Driver £2, Culpitt £2, Cooper £1, Douglas £1, Twohill £1, Kilgour £5, Nodder £1, Martitt £1, Ehrenfried £10, Burton £2, White head £3, Wilson £1 Murdock £1, Kitchen £1, M. H. Airey £1, J. Hart £1, Morgan 10s, Wood ,10s, Constant 10s, Quadri 10a. Cr Wilkinson moved—" That in consequence of the unsatisfactory position of the Water Supply the request cannot be entertained." Cr Bawden seconded. Cr Speight said he could not understand such a communication being sent to the Council. He was certain that the, gentleman who sent it must have known that the Borough could not do this at present. They did not own the pipes, and the Water Supply was not in their hands. As soon as things were in a satisfactory condition the Borough would turn their attention to the matter. He' considered it a mockery asking them to do what was not in their power. Cr McGowan moved as an amendment that the letter be laid ou the table till the Borough is in a position to deal with the matter. He did not like to refuse the money. Gt Wilkinson could not see the object of Cr McGowan's amendment since that gentleman acknowledged the Borough could not deal with the matter at present. ,

Cr McGowan said that Cr Wilkinson's i motion returned the money. Cr Speight approved of Cr McGowan's motion. He said as soon as an opportunity offered Cr Marshall and himself proposed canvassing the whole of Shortland. He thought the motion and amendment should be amalgamated. The Mayor endorsed the remarks of Councillors. Even if the water supply was in their hands, where could they get the £2000 to buy the pipes, or the £500 to lay them with ? • A Councillor: Borrow it. The Mayor: Yes, if things were square. His Worship then suggested the. amalgamation of the motion and amendment. Cr Wilkinson said the letter was written with a view to imply that the representatives of the ward had not done their duty and he had moved the resolution to resent it. The motion was then put and carried, Cr McGowan alone voting against it. [ THE MAYOB AND THE ASPHALT. Cr .Speight said that there was an account against a person for private asphalt, and it should be settled one way or the other. The Mayor: •• Whose that? " Cr Speight: v Yourself. The matter vrco mentioned in a return last meeting, but posiponed in consequence of your absence." '"'""■._ The Mayor said that he had been charged £20 for a small piece of asphalt and the Borough made 150 per cent. profit on the work. The charge was an extortionate one and he would resist it on prHWJple. He had spent hundreds of pounds far the benefit of the Borough, and would" do so again. but he objected to' pay this extortionate charge. He had opt charged the Borough a penny for travelling expenses | nil the time be had been Mayor, so they would see it was not for the paltry few pounds. i Cr Speight said other ratepayers had to pay 4s per yard lor private work, and tbe Mayor had been one of the parties to the extortion. After the Mayor's statement they had nothing to do but hand the account to their solicitor for collection. Cr McGowan'Concurred. In reply to a question the Foreman of Works said that tho price for private work, fixed by the Council was 4s per yard. The Mayor: Well, I will pay the £20, but I now give notice of the motion that in future the asphalting be let by tender. The matter then dropped. EXTENSION OF THE BOBOUGH. Cr McGowan moved that the Mayor and Towu Clerk be instructed to take the necessary steps to extend the Borough boundary. Tbe object was to i take in Block 27, J£opu, Parawai and all the settled districts. This was seconded and carried unanimously. CATTLE. Cr McGowau drew attention to the danger of cattle being driven through the town at all times of the day. He then gave notice that at next meeting he would move—"That the Council take into.consideration the necessity of restricting the driving of cattle through certain street* to certain hours of the day." The Council then adjourned.