COUNTY COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3889, 16 June 1881, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

A special meeting of the Council was held yesterday afternoon. -There were present —Crs Brodie (Chairman), Coutts, Porter, Greenville, Deeble and Carpenter. The Chairman hating stated thei business—the striking of a rate, etc.—Cr X*orter moved " That the rate book, as laid before the Council, be signed by three members,, in accordance with the 6th schedule of the Act." The resolution was seconded by Cr Carpenter, and agreed to.—Cr Greenville then proposed, 11 That the rate for the current year he one shilling in the pound on the rateable value of property within the County, such rate to be payable on and after the 16th of June, 1881."--Cr Deeble seconded the motion, which was carried. INTEENKCINE WAES. A long letter was read from lii 6 Towii Clerk baring reference to the letter

from the County regarding the Borougk Water Supply. The following is the introduction,: —"Both the County Council and the Council of this Borough are devoting a large amount of time, thought, and active work towards benefiting and rendering prosperous the district of Thames. Your Council to open the hitherto closed country by roads and bridges, and so change the wild fern and titree lands into cultivated fields; this Council to endeavour to provide a market for the produce therein raised, and to foster the establishment of local industries. With the two Councils individually striving to attain the one object, it is the more to be regretted that one of your officers, by his communications (unintentionally, of course), somewhat obliterates and obscures that reciprocity of #ood feeling existing between the Councils. ' The writer, after giving a synopsis of the misunderstanding, concludes as follows:

—" As the endeavour to attain so small a matter Qthe submission of a plan) has, by written correspondence, totally failed, will you favour this Council by one or more of your Council and yourself, together with the County .Engineer, meeting the members of the Water Supply Committee, when doubtless the whole matter can be arranged in a few minutes. I trust you will not deem it an intrusion or uncourteous in my suggesting that the County Solicitor would, if asked by you, give his reading of the clauses of the Water Supply Transfer Act, and the powers that Act gives."

Cr Carpenter thought Mr Dean might have saved himself the trouble of such a lengthy communication, as the County Council were well aware of the position of affairs. He considered that the Town Clerk had gone out of his way in referring to officials of the County Council. He was surprised that Mr Dean should be permitted to write in such a strain. The Borough had taken more water than they were entitled to, and the County had suffered. He moved, " That a conference of the County Council and the Borough Council be held in this office, on Monday next, at 2 30 p.m.

Cr Porter, in seconding, said of course the Borough, would like to get an unlimited supply of water at the expense of somebody else; but the County would take care that they did not secure such an end. He thought the settlement of the matter would be for the benefit of the district, and he, therefore, was strongly in favor of a conference of the two bodies being held. Another matter which could be settled at this conference was this :— Some time ago lie mentioned that a Borough Councillor stated the County were the aggressors in several instances ; and it would, perhaps, be well if the County were brought to book for their alleged misdemeanours. He was of opinion that before long the Borough would not require any water, as he noticed by the census returns that the population of the Borough was decreasing, and in all probability would be glad to become a part of the County at no distrnt date. Cr Greenville objected to a conference. They had too many meetings already, and he would oppose the proposal that another should take place. He strongly objected to the Council making any alteration whatever in the agreement they came to at the last meeting, and it would be well if other members accepted his views. The Town Clerk had wronged Mr Hollis, a gentleman who had written most temperate letters to the Borough — letters couched in different language to what he (the speaker) would have used had he been writing under the same circumstances.

After some discussion, the motion was put and carried—with one dissentient, Cr Greenville. THE TIMBER LEASES. Cr Carpenter moved " That this Council is of opinion that Parliament should cause a commission of inquiry into the validity of timber leases held on lands within the Thames County, with special reference to the powers claimed thereunder by the holders thereof to close such lands for settlement." He said the principal question was, whether the holders of these leases had surface rights which would enable them to deal with the land as in ordinary leases They claimed that right, but he, from investigations he had made, arrived at the conclusion that no such right existed, and if he was correct in his conclusions, it was the duty of tlie Council to see that the matter was fully inquired into, aud that the laud, as it became denuded of tirnbei", should be opened for settlement. The motion being secouded by Cr Deeble, was carried. It was likewise resolved, to the the motion of Cr Carpenter "That in order to give effect to the foregoing resolution, a petition be sent to Parliament, signed by the members of this Council, praying that such committee of inquiry should be appointed." This concluded the business.