Thames Borough Council.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3962, 9 September 1881, Page 2

Thames Borough Council.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the above Council was held in the Borough Council Chambers, Albert street, last evening. Present—Crs Osborne (in the Chair), Mennic, Veale, Wilson, MeGowan, McCullough, Bawden, and Marshall. MINUTES, ETC..' The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, and a precis of the outward correspondence read over. NEW MEM7SEES. The new mombers, Messrs Veale, Wilson, and McCullough, were sworn in in the usual manner. LETTERS, &C. WERE BRAD — Prom Mr W. Baker, asking the Council to lay off a hackney carriage stand at Snortland and Grahamstown. >. Referred to Works Committee with_ power to act. —From James Stodart, the Secretary to the Hauraki Pumping Association, requesting the attendance of the Mayor at a meeting of the directors, to be held on the 9th inst. Received.—From H. Cordes, of the VVaiotahi, stating that he was a heavy loser by the late flood, and that his premises were flooded at the present time. He asked that something be done.torepay him. Beferred to Works Committee.—•i From the Foreman of Works, certifying that the buildiug-in of the Queen of Beauty boilers had been done to his satisfaction. Received.—From the County Clerk, stating the. County Council were willing to pay half the cost of erecting a suitable bridge over the Hape Creek in Bowen street. Another letter was also road from, the County Clerk, stating that

tenders had been called for the work. to the Works Committee with ' power to act. —From G. S. Cooper, ' Colonial Under Secretary, stating that a J provision to compel medical men to report j cases of infectious diseases would be inserted in a bill which was now before the House to amend the Public Health Act. Eeceived.—From Mr Stone, asking that the matter of laying a 4-inch pipe to his premises be deferred until he had received news from Auckland. Received and agreed to.—From Samuel Boden and Wm. Arscott, asking time to pay their rates. The first letter was complied with and the second was referred to the Works Committee.—From Peter Solan, of Irishtown, objecting to pay his water rate, as he derived no benefit from the supply. Referred to Water Supply Committee, with power to act.—From' Messrs Mennie and Day, . stating that their water rate was too high, and asking that it be reduced. -Referred to Water Supply Committee.— From the Secretary, to the Insurance Companies Association, with £50 for the Thames Fire Brigades. Acknow-. ledged, and the money ordered; to be divided between the Brigades.—^From. George Harcourt, asking for compensation for* damage done by the Waiotahi Creek being turned into the Pyrites Reduction Works. Referred to VVorks I Committee.—From Messrs Frater Bros., j objecting, on behalf of Mr F. J. Somer- | field, to the Waiotahi culvert, passing J through that gentleman's property. Resolved that a reply be sent Stating that the permission already received - from Messrs Frater Bros, to go on with the work had been acted upon.—From the Secretary to the General-Crown. Lands Office at Wellington, with reference to the Borough's application for a further endowment. The writer stated that the Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Act of 1878 prohibited any further endowment being granted. Resolved that the letter be left in the hands of the Town Clerk.—A Treasury voucher for £67 3s 2d was read.—From the Under Secretary to the Public Works Office, with reference to the letter of the Council re the railway to Kopu. The writer stated that the !>Qiii on the Estimates would be sufficient to finish the line as far as Kopu. Left in the hands of the Town Clerk.— From the contractor for the straightening of the Karaka Creek, applying for an extension of the time for one month, as he had been hindered considerably. Resolved that the time be extended 14 days.—From- the County Clerk, stating that the Surveyor was authorised to arrange with the Borough for raising Grey street bridge, and that the v<![uestion of'sheet piling the Hape Creek was considered to be one entirely for the property owners. Letter left in the hands of the Works Committee. —From the Secretary to the Gas Works, accepting the Council's offer re repairing the asphalt footpaths where broken up. Referred to Water Supply. Committee.—From a number of miners in the Shellback Creek, asking that something be done to the creek road, as it was now almost impassable.,, Referred to Works Committee with power to act.

QTHEB BOAps. . With regard to the repair of the roads up thp Moanatairi and Tararu creeks, and also along towards Cororaandel; it was resolved'that a cotntnittee, to consist of Crs Qsborne, McCullough, and the Town ■Clerk, .be 'jSn*d~obtam vfiis;'rec6min< indafion." '•~K* IHE VoSKS COMMITTEE'S .EEPOBT ■[Wag.,TJpp<J"m\4foJ!6wa^Th^' Committee jbaijfe tbie jjontjr to report that the various !ma«srs to take action careful attention, and mjLjjjtoi^ ne^pjefta'ry authorised. Tenders |l§Wpifr|eaW'*ork, Ksraka Creek,* have ;the/lowest, that of Mr |^^pE|j|^e{B/.acceptedae£34.'' The comHHH&|^recom^|j|Dd that' the, first four MHUPpiirosging'slaid down by the Pore-, rlpreof--Works be two across Pollen street, 1/,at its junction with Coehraue .street ;,>oue across Pollen street, from BurtonVlo the Presbyterian Church; and one" acrciw, Albert street, from Vaughan's to the Council .Chambers. The report was adopted. THE FOREMAN OF WOBKS KEPOHT Was then read and adopted. It enumerated a number of works which had been finished, and also some which were now being dealt with. A total of 369 yards of metal has been spread on Queen and Pollen streets; and 370 loads of gravel had been spread on Kirkwood, Queen, and Amy streets, and on the Beach road. The report stated that the heavy rains which lately fallen had necessitated the employment of a number of men in the night time to prevent the flooding of the town. The laying of a 'culvert from Queen street across Grey street was recommended. HABBOUB BOABD INTEREST. The letter from the Harbour Board asking that the interest on the loan the Borough be remitted, was read. Cr Osborne moyed that the request be granted.—Cr Wilson seconded. Cr Mennie thought it would be doing the burgesses of the Thames an injustice if theltiterest was remitted as the Borough had already paid that interest. He moved, " That the request be not complied with." Cr McGowan thought no good reason had been shown why the money should be remitted, and he was surprised to find a member of the Harbour Board moving it. Cr McCullough thought the Borough could very well accede to the request, as the money was spent as much for the Borough's good, as for that of the Harbor Board. The motion was then put'and carried by 6 to 4. Cr McGowan asked <he ruling of the Chairman as to whether the Council had power by resolution to destroy a deed. Cr Mennio moved, and Cr McCallough seconded—" That the opinion of the Borough solictor ro the legality of the Council's action bo obtained before the resolution be given effect to." Carried.! THE WATER SUPPLY COMMITTEE'S KEPORT Was read, received, and adopted. It | recommended that the Turncock be in- ( structed to relay those pipes which now i passed through watertables, underneath | such watertables, as they assisted in checking the flow of water. It also asked that tenders be called for the re. shingling of the workshop, or, if would not oe much dearer, to cover it with galvanised iron. LOWER WAIQTAHI. Cr McGowau called the Council's attention to the fact that the water pipes supplying the residents of lower Waio. tahi were continually getting stuffed up with sediment. He moved that a filter be fixed there to strain the water before it went into the pipes. The Turncock was then called.ju,']and said the cogt would be about £8.

Tlie matter was fiunlly referred to the Water Supply Committee, with power to act,. Cr McGowan then said the. residents were now without water. He moved that the pipes be cleaned out at once.— This was, after some discussion, carried. THE TURNCOCK'S KEPOBT Was read and adopted. HEALTH OFFICES. Tiiis officer reported as follows :— SIE, —I bave the honor to" report, for fhe Lofal Board of flealr.)), thai,, during the month of August, five deaths occurred in the Borough of Thamea, two of which, I regret tosiH'f, wern from grarlntina. On the 31st of August. Win Gribbins was brought before the Resident Magistrate an > lined £5 for a breach of th» regulation made by the Central Board of Houith on the Bth of July last.'On Sun flay I received, through the police, >\the attached letter from Dr Payne, and I at. opce took stcpß to meet the case ; also that I tkyr Mrs GKbhino after 5 p.m. on Saturday, when she informed ran that she was progressing favorably- In this "and'anotber case 'I have nurses employed. I regret to state that causes of scarlatina have, been reported' at TaYatu road, Birdin-Hund. hill, Bella street, Mary street, M»ckay street, Sealey street, Brown -t" street, 'and Kolleeton street In three cues I am informed by the parents the 'children came home sick from the Kiuaeranga Boys' School I also regret to report that the Rev T. L. Davics visiled the infected house-o£ Mrs G-ibbins, Dr Payne having the dsy'before informed me by letter that Mrs G-ibbim had 1 scarlatina.—l have, &c, John B. MASOjr, I Inspector of Nuisances. A deal of discussion took place on the subject of the Rev. T. L. Davies' visit to an infected :house, several of the Councillors being of opinion that he should be prosecuted. . ■-;:./.,,' Cr Osborne said Mr Davies bad been requested to go, .and bad. taken, all necessary precautions in the way of disinfecting himself. „ "; It was finally resolved,that, Mr .Davies he informed that he had, broken the 'law, and that be be warned not to do so again. >• '.' -'' ■'.. ''-•> ' The Charitable Aid officer reported that the relief list for August contained 57 names,. and the amount, expended in rations, &c, was £33 Is 7d. He called attention to the case of Mrs Timmins, whose house had .been swept away by the flood, and who was now, homeless. He stated that two of her daughters "were willing to take her and.provide for he,r..— Received and adopted,? *and; the*case' 'of Mrs Timmins was left in the hands of the committee. The Finance Committee'& report recommended a number of accounts for payment the, _total" being £764 4s Sd 1. 'It 'wii received and adopted. •CONTRACT SURETIES.- iT Cr McGowan - 'deprecated,: the custom of obliging contractors for small Works,to find securities. He said in some cases this practice was taken 'advantage of'by unscrupulous contractors, 'Who did not care how they did the' wofky but threvfall the blame on those who bad become sorety for them—Aftery'some discussion "the matter dropped. .'■' ■■ i KEROSENE lICENSES. This subject Waal' brought up- by Cif McGowan, wh.ourggd that all storekeepers 'having kerosene on Band should be forced to take out a license.;—lt w^as agreed that" 'if any storekeeper kept kerpsene without a license, it was at/Jiis own risk, as all samples which vroulcf not stand the test were liable to forfeiture. . -f '\ On the motion.ofcgr. Afe^awj.njJUw.aa--- - .decided to do some of the works necessary by day labour, to employ some of the men .who were now idle. ' ' ''•''■ Cr McGowah r drew- y the , Council's, attention to the fact that a contractor in' the'upper Waiotahi was not performingMs work according to the specifications.:^ deferred to the Works Committee. . .' „.;-- .- --\. : COMMITTEES.' „•! I The , following committees were ap» ■ i pointed for the ensuing year:—Works:. > Crs Wilson, Oaborjta, Veale, and MeGowan.:<« Water! Su^lv^i^fcrs l Speight, McCullough, Marshall," and : Bawden. • Fire Brigade: Crs Veale, Bawden," and' McCullough. Charitable Aid : Crs' Me '; Gowan, Qsborne, and, .McCullough. Finance : Crs Wilson, Marshall, Osl)orne, and Mennie.' Cemetery: Crs Speight, Mennie, and Wilson.' 1 ■ '] ' -• -''i