COUNTY COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3545, 6 May 1880, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the Council was held yesterday afternoon. Present — The Chairman, Crs Porter, Greenville, Brown, Thorburn, Coutts, Bagnall, Carpenter and Deeble. settcee's application. A letter was received from Mr Crisp asking the Council to back up his application for 200 acres of land under the Homestead System at Puru Creek. It was resolved that a copy of the letter be sent to the Waste Lands Board. GOLD DUTY. A treasury voucher for £279 14s 7d, gold duty for February, was received.; CALEDONIAN TAILINGS. Mr Harcourt wrote asking an answer to his application to work tailings in the Caledonian battery yard. The Chairman said the Securities Committee were not yet in a position to deal with this matter, and until they were no answer could be given to Mr Harcourt. , votes. Formal notifications were received from the Public Works Department of grants to/Council for road works. CONTBACTOBs' APPLICATION. A letter was read from Patterson and party, contractors for the water race tunnel, renewing their application for a refund of their deposit wnich had been forfeited by the Council. Ct Greenville spoke strongly in favor of the granting of tbe application, and moved that the Council accede to the request. This failed to find a seconder. Cr Deeble moved that the matter be referred to the Board of Works. Carried. PUKE-PAEBOA BOAD. ..Col. Fraser wrote asking that the Surveyor be instructed to lay off the PukePaeroa road through two blocks of land owned by him. TOTABA POINT. A number of resident! at Totara Point wrote re road works in that Ipcality. Referred to Board of Works. TAUBANGA BOAD. A letter from the Tauranga County Council skated that it was the intention of that body to construct the road to the boundary of the Thames County at Hikurangi Gorge. THE BIG PUMP. A letter was received from the Moanatairi Pumping Association asking the Council to contribute £50 per month towards the maintenance of pumping operations. If this' was not done they would be compelled to agitate for the abolition of the gold duty.

Cr Brown then asked permission to introduce a deputation, cousisting of Messrs B. Comer, J. W. Walker, Crawford, James, Radford and J. E. Smith, who

waited on the Council asking assistance For the pump. The Council, having decided to hear the deputation, Mr Comer, who acted as spokesman, said he was present at the request of his directors to represent the Moanatairi Company. They had had great trouble to beat down the water during the past two months, and had to bear the lion's share of the cost. The contributions had amounted to £190 per month, which was totally inadequate, as last n\pnth they had passed accounts amounting to over £400. They asked the Council to grant them £50 per month from the gold duty. Mr J. W. Walker also said a few words in support of the application. He said in assisting the companies the Council were assisting themselves. The Chairman said that on a previous occasion the Council had refused to make any further grant to the Pump, as they were not in a position to do so. However, they were now better off, and something might be done in the direction indicated. Cr Porter said he had no reason to change the opinion he had expressed at this table previously, and if he had, the threat in that letter to agitate for the abolition of the gold duty would confirm hiia in his original opinion., The Council was now paying £40 or £50 per month for interest for money spent on the pump, having expended £16,000 on that property. The gentlemen writing that letter had done their best to depreciate the value of the pumping securities when held by the Council, and he would always object to •pending any more money for the pump. He moved a resolution in acc6i'4*nce with his remarks. ' „ The Chairman remarked that he deprecated the threat in the letter, as all H»a agitation in the world would not affect the question. Cr Greenville seconded the resolution. He protested strongly against any public sums going down the pump when the mines of the hills were so greatly neglected in the way of roads. Cr Brown moved, as an amendment, " That this Council will contribute the whole of the gold duty raised from the area drained by the Big Pump and Queen of Beauty Pump, not exceeding £50 per month, be given to the maintenance of these Pumps." Speaking to his amendment he said the argument he raised was this: Unless the Pump was kept going gold duty from the area drained would be lost. The pump was now the property of the Moanatairi Company, and they were prepared to accept a great risk in working it, but he did not think they should be called on to pay for the whole cost. He looked on the statement of Cr Porter, re the great loss to the County through the Pump as a fallacy—indeed to the considered that in taking over the Pump the old Council had made a very good bargain, as they had got the waterrace with it. He considered that the maintenance of pumping was more important than the construction of roads. Vigorous prospecting would doubtless be carried on, and should a rich patch be obtained the County's gold duty would amount to £300 to £400 per month. Cr Thorburn seconded the amendment. He said these were his views to a teethe arguments used by Cr Brown. He did not think that the portion of the letter concerning the abolition of the gold duty was a threat at all.

Cr Carpenter said if the pump had been held by the same people and in the same manner aa previously he would have supported Cr Porter's motion, but now the ownership as a whole was changed, and he had no objection to granting the aid suggested by Cr Brown. There was no doubt in his mind but thai these gentlemen had as much right to ask aid for the pump as owners of hillside claims had for roads. He thought time should be taken to consider the matter.

Cr Bagnall referred to the past history of the Council's connection with the pump, saying that the Council had been thoroughly "euchred" by these same gentlemen who now made the application* They had been told that the mines would contribute £300 per month, but their highest contribution ,had been only £240 per month, and even that had gradually dwindled down to £140 per month. They had not treated the Council in a proper manner, and he had lost confidence in them. They seemed to have great confidence in the long suffering of the Council. He thought that the concession already made to the Queen of Beauty Company in giving them water for motive power at 33 per cent less than the usual charge, should be taken into consideration in aiding that company. He did not agree with Cr Porter's motion and moved the postponement of the matter till the special meeting a fortnight hence. Cr Coutts spoke in support of Cr Brown's motion.

The Chairman said that if. had been stated that the Queen of Beauty, a company situated in the Borough, received a concession of 33 per cent, from the Council, and surely the Moanatairi, a company which had given them a larjje revenue, was entitled to some consideration. He

thought the matter should be postponed till the special meeting, when the details could be clearly put down in black and white. Cr Bagnall said he did not tbiuk the feeling of the Council was against grantin" the aid required, bujt he did not think any gentleman had given a reason lor the postponement of the matter. He did not think the Council had been treated fairly by the old Pumping Association, but thought that it was no good raking up old grievances. Cr Deeble said, though in favor of assisting the companies, he thought, with the Chairman, that time should be taken to consider the matter.

Cr Thorburn thought that the £16,003 should not be put down again*frlhe mining properties, as the Council had really only spent £4000, and they would recover that out of the securities when they were all realised. He believed that if the Council had not nagged at the companies, the prospecting would have been gone on with.

Cr Bagnall said of course members were entitled to their own opinions on the matter. The Council had been informed by Mr Black that the pumping would cost £500 per month, whereas it had cost £800, and they were drawn into a large additional expenditure in consequence. Cr Carpenter seconded Cr Ba^nall's amendment. .

The latter amendment was then put and carried, after a slight passage of arms between the Chairman and Cr Porter, the latter declaring that the Chairman had acted unfairly in allowing members to speak more than once. A letter was read from the Herald Gr.M. Co. complaining of water being granted to the Alburnia company which necessitated the stoppage to the writer's

battery. Referred to the Water Bace' Committee. ALBUBNIA BATTERY. The Alburnia company wrote asking the Council to bear the cost (£65) of connecting their battery with the water supply. It was decided that the Council could not accede to tbi3 request. BATION BETUKNB. A letter was received from the Town Clerk, forwarding ration returns. HIKUTAIA. A letter was read from Mr W. Bennett and others, of Hikutaia, calling attention to certain necessary works near their properties. Referred to Engineer. THE HABTINGS ROAD. A letter was read from the carrier re his grievance with reference to the Hastings road. Referred to Board of Works. , , " GBAFTON BOAD. A letter was rend from the Chairman of the Parawai Road Board asking a grant of £50 for repairs to the Grafton Road. Referred to Board of Works. During the consideration of ' this matter Cr Thorburn spoke strongly on the manner Hastings Riding was treated. contractobb' debts. A letter was received from Mr Gash, carter, forwarding an account due by the County contractors, Donnelly and MeLaughlin, asking the Council to settle it. It was resolved that the Council was not responsible for the contractors' debts. MB MCILHONE. The Council approved of the action of the Chairman in giving Mr Mcllhone a testimonial as to the manner in which he discharged his duties on behalf of the Council. TOMMY'S LAKE. Mr Potts' letter asking that certain fgpairs be made to a right of way off Tommy's Lane was referred to the Engineer. TAPU BOAD. A letter was read from Mr R. Hawkes applying for a grant in aid of the road up Tapu Creek. "" Cr Thorburn: I'll make an attempt. I move that £50 be voted for this work. Cr Porter" seconded. : Cr Carpenter moved as an amendment that the matter be held over till the Council is in funds. After some discussion the motion was withdrawn, and the matter referred to the Board of Works. TENDEBB." The tenders opened in the morning by the Board of Works were then con* sidered, the lowest in each instance being accepted, including that of Mr Parker, though slightly informal. SLAUGHTER HOUSE. Permission was granted to MrTetley to erect a slaughter house at Hape creek. PETITION. Cr Brown presented a petition from a number of residents at Mackaytown ask* ing for a bridge over the river. Referred to Board of Works. BEPOBTS. The. Engineer's m onthly report was laid on the,, table, as also were reports for Board of Works etc. culvebts. . ■ The Engineer was instructed to repair culverts on Waiotahi road and Sealey street. 1 WATEB BACE IBON. , The Engineer's return re the water race iron was laid on the table. Cr Grenvilie suggested the appointment of a committee to enquire into the matter.

Cr Porter moved the appointment of a committee but withdrew the motion on the suggestion of the Chan man who said that Cr Greenville bad as yet made no specific charges, and there was really nothing to enquire into. Cr Carpenter said in fairness to himself something should be done. Cr Greenville said his motives were misunderstood. All through this business he had not intended to cast a slur on Cr Carpenter. Cr Carpenter said this was satisfactory, and.the matter dropped. . ! THE WATER EACE. Cr Greenville moved—" That, in the opinion of this Council, it is desirable the sum of £2500 to be paid to the credit of the County for certain concessions made to the Borough from the water race be devoted to water race purposes on ly."—He said one reason he had for moving the resolution was, that they might be in a position to keep to the agreement recently entered into with the Borough. It was very necessary that the race should be kept in an efficient state, for if they did not they might find themselves in a fix. Some very necessary works were required in .connection with it, and he thought it would be advisable the money should be reserved for water race purposes bnly. Cr Thorburu. seconded. After some diseussiou the motion was lost. • , The Council adjourned, several notices of motion and other matter* being postponed till the special meeting during the month. ■'■'■■