Thames Borough Council.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3759, 14 January 1881, Page 2

Thames Borough Council.

A meeting of the above Council was held in the Borough Chambers last evening. Present—His "Worship the Mayor (W. Wilkinson, Esq.) in the chair, and Councillors Speight, Veale, Osborne, and Bawden.

Cr Osborne apologised for the absence of Cr Marshall, who was detained through illness in his family.

It was pointed out that there was not a quorum until Mr Veale, the newly-elected member for the South Ward, was sworn in as a Councillor.

Mr Veale having taken the oath in accordance with the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876,

The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed, CORRESPONDENCE. A precis of outward correspondence was read.

A letter was read from 8.. Jenkins calling attention to the state of the footpath opposite the Presbyterian Cbureh in front of his residence, and asking that something should be done to put y the footpath in good order.

On the motion of Cr Osborne it was referred to the Works Committee.

Two letters were read from the Hon. the Colonial Secretary acknowledging tbe letter conjoining the information that William Wilkinson had been elected Mayor of Thames, and the other appointing him a Justice of the Peace of the Colony of New Zealand.

Cr Osborne: "The honors are fast rolling in."

A letter was read from Dr Payne, who stated that he had examined Mrs Syvrett's child, and he came to the conclusion that the child was not entirely deaf, and was moreover a very intelligent child. He considered that "the deafness and dumbness were to be attributed to a stiffness in the muscles of the glottis. He could not detect the direct agency for the infirmity. —The report was ordered to be sent to Wellington.

A letter was read from Mr Stodart asking payment of the sum promiged the Association when the water should be reduced to a certain depth.

The matter was referred to a Committee consisting of the Mayor and Town Clerk, who were to report at the next meeting of the Council.

A letter was read from a gentleman who said he had read in the T)unedin papers that a company was about to be formed for working the hematite ore in the district, and who offered his services as manager of the concern, stating he had ample experience.

The letter was ordered to be sent to Messrs Fraser and Tinne, the promoters of 'the Company.

A letter was read from Mr R. IST. Smith, asking if the Borough would reconsider their decision with regard of his application for right of way through the Orphanage Grounds.

Or Osborne :—l'll move that I'm tired of his letters—l move that it be received. The Mayor : Without thanks. THE SLATTGHTEB-HOXTSE. , A letter was read from Joseph Banks, asking that his license for slaughterhouse for which he last year paid £25 be reduced. He pointed out that he was not doing so much as formerly, and he hoped the Council would reduce the amount. He had also to pay £10 a year for an auctioneer's license to the Couuty.

Applications were also received for renewals of licenses from Messrs Dalziel and Vesey.

Cr McGrowan said he considered there were too many slaughterhouses in the district.

Cr Speight: Yes. We ought to prohibit them beyond a certain number. Cr Bawden: Has the revenue decreased ?

The Town Clerk: No, the revenue is just the same, but there are two additional licenses at present paid to the County, which, in the event of Parawai being amalgamated, will come to the Borough. His Worship thought that Banks' license should be reduced, in consequence of two butchers slaughtering for themselves now who .had previously contributed to the Borough through Banks. The amount of business done by Banks had decreased. He thought £10 should be taken off. The licenses expired in December.

The Town Clerk : If you don't renew the license, anyone can lay an information.

Cr Speight: We can renew the licenses, and promise to consider the question of a rebate in Banks' case afterwards. Cr McGowan : I don't think so. The Mayor: It is evident that either Banks is charged too much or the others are charged too little.

Cr Speight: Knock off £10, and let the other men know that if their killing increases their license fee will be increased.

It was ultimately decided that Dalzeil's and Vesey's licenses be renewed at the same price as last year (£5), and that Banks' license be reduced by £5. A DEPUTATION. Cr Osborne : Before any more business is done I beg to move the suspension of standing orders. There is a deputation in waiting re the Beach road. Messrs Smith, Kneebone, Angore, and Dunlop brought the dilapidated state of the Beach road under the notice of the Council, and - stated that as at present -it was impossible to take firewood or stores to their houses. They trusted the Council would do something towards putting the road in a state of repair. The Mayor told the deputation that the Council would immediately consider their decision. '

The deputation then withdrew, and the standing orders were resumed. Cr Osborne: " I move that the matter be referred to the Works Committee."

After some remarks from Cr McGowan, who said that the state of the road was in a groat measure owing to the fault of the inhabitants pn the Beach road, who had signed a petition containing stipulations, which not being acceeded to resulted in the whole affair becoming an abortion. Ultimately it was decided to refer the

matter to the Works Committee, who would visit the place and draw up a report.

Letters were read slating that the sums of £224 for gold duty, and £13 17s gold revenue had been placed to the credit of the Borough. ASPHALTING. A letter was read from Messrs Frater Bros., as agents for the proprietors of the Exchange Buildings, wrote stating that they had recently made a good footpath in front of those premises with timber, which was now quite good, and as that had to give way. to the asphalt being laid down by the Council, they asked permission to take possesion of the timber for their own use. .

Cr Osborne thought the request should be granted. In 'every other case of the kind the request had been granted. Cr Bawden; I don't think they should have come to the Council at all. They should have taken it themselves.

After a lengthy discussion, the request was complied with.

BAITHBT, MUIB AND Go's. OLD EBEMISES.

The Town Clerk read a letter which had been received by the Council. It said : " I hereby authorise the Borough Council to remove the old buildings in Willoughby street known as Kaithby and Muir's shop and battery." The same letter also said: " His Worship the Mayor is a man of action, and I don'fc think the Borough will lose by his promptitude. I shall, however, be cautious about putting a value upon any old buildiggs which happen to belong to me during him Mayoralty."~lt was ciear from this tbat the doctor had sacrificed the timber at a loss to himself, rather than withdraw his word.—Councillors were of opinion that there was no reason to pay any deference to Dr Kilgour's promptitude in. sacrificing the buildings in the interest of the neighbourhood, and declined to accept the resolution in accordance with the Mayor's suggestion.

CHARITABLE AID. The Charitable Aid Committee reported as follows :—

During the ppsfc month the relief liab coni fcained 36 names of heads of families receiving daily eighty-five rations. On Christmas Eve-meat rations to the value of £3 13s 9d were issued, and the total cost of relief for December is £34 10s 3d. During the past jear the applications for relief have been very numerous; twenty-four names have beeu added to the list, and the same number re* moved from it. On the 27fch of December Sergeant-Major O'G-rady informed me that a person named Peterson had been at the Police Station two days; that the police found him in the old Sebastopol House, quite unable to walk, and destitute. On enquiries, I found that the.wan was a few days ago discharged from the Auckland Hospital. I then removed him to the Hospital, where he Be* mains.—John B, Masok, Relieving Officer. tuencock's bepobt. The Turncock reports :—- ---175 feet of 4-inch pipa have been laid down in Grey street, leading to Mr West's chair factory, of "which he has agreed to pay £17 10s towards the cost thereof. I have also laid 142 feet of 2-inch pipe in Williamson street, leading to the Prince Imperial battery at a cost of £18. I have commenced to clean and tar the 4-inch mains that have been lifted where the 2-inch mains are beiag laid, and will be able to lay the same along Tararu road in about a month's time. The second section of the 9 inch main? in Pollen street have been completed, tested, and passed by the Water Supply Committee. The number of connections made on same are 72 within the Borough and three outside Borough limits. This includes all connection! for sub-mama. I would -suggest-that--the Council authorise some merchant to purohase from England six dozen or more of gatta percha balls used for the fire plugs, <\s I have only a few on hand, and they cannot be got within the colony. The first portion of the report was received, and the suggestion re gufcterpercha balls was ordered to be complied with. , BOABD OP GOVEBNOBS. The Town Clerk notified that it was the duty of the Council to elect three members to act as Governors for the High School for the ensuing year. Cr Osborne proposed that Crs Speight, Marshall, and the ex-Mayor (L. Ehrenfried, Esq.) should be the Governors. This was unanimously agreed to. VALUATION LIST. This list was placed on the table, and showed that the rateable value of the Borough had decreased £5,500, and that the present rateable value of the Borough was £27,126. The following was the return :—North Ward. 1880-81, £8,892: 1881-82, £7,451; decrease, £1,441;' increase of, rateable properties, 6. Middle Ward, 1880-1881, £12,696; 1881-82, £10,256; decrease, £2,440; decrease of rateable properties, 27. South Ward, 1880 81, £11,067; 1881-82, £9,419 ; decrease, £1,648; increase of rateable properties, 17. Total decrease, £5,529. There was no further business of importance.