Thames Borough Council.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3974, 23 September 1881, Page 3

Thames Borough Council.

The usual fortnightly meeting of tbe abore Council was held Inst evening in the Council Chambers, Albert street. Present—His Worship the Mayor (in the Chair), Crs Marshall, Veale, Bawden, Wilson, McGowan, McCullough, and Osborne, ...... , MINUTES, &C. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, and a precis of the outward correspondence since last meeting read over. , LETTERS WEBE BEAD— Prom M. A. Sawyer, of the Governor Ferguson Hotel, complaining of the damage done by the flood to her hotel, and asking the Council to lay down a new culvert in the place of the one carried away, and otherwise remedy the daninge. Beferredto Works Committee to report on.—From George G. Smith, asking permission to lay a box drain across the footpath on the west side of Pollen street. Granted.—From a number of residents in Mackay street south asking the Council to attend to the drainage of that locality at once, deferred to the Works Committee io report upon. — From John S. Hope, of Tararu, asking the Council to repair a faulty drain at the back of his premises, and offering to do the work himself if tbe Council supplied the timber. Beferred to Works Com mittee with power to act.—A similar complaint was read from Alex. Connon re the water table in Bichmond street. Beferred to Works Committee.—From Messrs McGinn and Kidd, who supplied the stone for the straightening of the Earaka Creek, asking some compensation for the work done by them, as the contractor (Dillon) had refused to pay them. Letter received.'—From B. Wolff, of the Herald battery, objecting to pay the Borough water rate with which he was charged, on the ground that he did not require water from the Borough main. Besolved that, the request could not be acceded to—From J, A. Miller re the question of the power of the Council to remit the interest 6o the Harbor Board loan, staling that the Borough had no power to remit the interest. Besolved that the Harbor Board be informed of the turn things Lad taken—From E. W. Hollis, County Clerk, stating that the Council bad no funds at its disposal to assist in purchasing the vacant allotment of Mr Ensor's in Mary street. Letter received.—From J. E. Coney, calling attention to the state of the footpath on south side of Willoughby street, west of Pollen street. This matter was already being attended to—FromE.B.Edwards, of the Paint Works, calling attention to tbe state of the culvert at the corner of Albert and Pollen streets, and the drain in Walter street. Beferred to the Works Committee.—From B. Kenny, of Baillie street, stating that he was overcharged in bis water rate. Beferred to the Water Supply Committee, with power to act.— ; From L. Ehrenfried, claiming compensation for damage done to bis property by tbe shifting of tbe Waiotahi culvert. Beferred to the Works Committee.— From Messrs Farrell and Hetberington asking that a wooden watertable be made on tbe south side of Bichmond street, between Pollen, and Queen streets, and agreeing to pay one-third of the cost. Besolved that the work be carried out in accordance with the bye-law.—From M. Moroney, contractor for the straightening of the Earaka creek, applying for a further extension of time. Tbe Foreman of Works repoiled on this matter, saying that tbe work was not being done according to specifications. Mr Pillon, one of Mr Moroney's men, attended at the Council and made a number of excuses as to why he bed not done the work. Beferred to Works Committee with power to act.—W. S. Laurie, Auckland, complaining that be was rated for property at Tararu in which he :had do interest whatever. The Town Clerk said Laurie was rateable for the property as the secretary of ttie Moanatairi Water Supply Company, which, so far as he knew, was not yet defunct; the property was owned by Whitaker and others. Besolved: that Laurie be written to and informed why be was put on the valuation JM;:::J^--:C...'.::'..:.:----.^v'-: - ■■

SUNDAY TBADING.

The Town Clerk drew attention to the fact that sundry shops were kept open on Sunday, and that the B.M. intended to prosecute the owners of such shops under the Municipal Police Act. He suggested attention to the subject; — Eventually the matter was left in the hands of the Mayor,.who was to see the E.M. on the subject.

SCABLET FEVEB

The Bey. T. L. Davies wrote a long letter in reply to the one received by him from the Town Clerk, in which he said he had taken all the precautions considered necessary by the Board's medicarofficer before visiting Mrs Gibbons' house. The writer claimed the right to visit the sick and dying, and complained that a summons had been taken out against him by the Town Clerk, though it was hot served.

The Town Clerk repudiated the charge re the summons, and said he knew nothing of the matter. £ After a little discussion the matter was dropped, tbe letter being simply received.

WOBKS COMMITTEE BEPOBT.

The above, after some discussion evoked by Cr McGowan re. the first clause, was received and adopted:--" The committee have the honour to report that they are of opinion the letting apart stands for hackney carriages, alone and distinct from the Stands already set apart for Borough stage carriages, would not at present be. advisable : as, at the present time, an}/ person wishing to hire a carriage by time can do so by engaging one from either of the Borough carriage stands. The committee therefore, do not recommend the application made by Mr Win. Baker. The committee have visited the.premises flooded by the waters of tlie WBiotahl 'find Moanatai&ri Creeks belonging to Mr Cordes and Mr Ilarcourt, and will report on these complaints after the contractors hare finished the Waiotahi and Moanataiari Creek culverts. The committee do not recommend any departure from the custom of the Council in causing contractors to find bondsmen as sureties for works undertaken by them being carried out. A tender for the construction of the bridge over the Karaka Creek in Queen street has been accepted by the Committee, viz., that of Mr l^hos. Glen Comes at £170. H It is. anticipated, that tenders for the works necessary to straighten the Karaka Creek between Baillie arid Pollen streets will be before the Council at its next sitting. JThe committee have approved of the plans for bribtg^abd approacbea orer Hipe Creek at Bowen-street, and tenders for thii work wi}l fc« called for by the County Council

forthwith?; The committee are preparing specification for filling in approaches to bridge over Karaka Creek, Queen street, and tenders for this work will at one*' be called. The Committee will lay before the {next sitting of the Council recommendations with probable outlay /or making the Grahamstown and Tnraru tramway available for traffic.—W. Wil KINBO2T, Chairman.

The Water Supply Committee's report was received and adopted. The fortnightly pay sheet was as follows .—Works in Borough, £161 Is 7d ; M. Moroney, £14; T G. Comes, £10; T. G. Comes, £30; H. H. Adams, £75 ; slone breakers' accounts, £62 9s 2d ; paysheet, Water Supply, £13 Us 7d; H. Blake, £2 2s.

Cr McCullough suggested that the Finance Committee bring up a short statement of the financial position of the Council at each meeting for the information and guidance of Councillors. His Worship the Mayor said that as he had had informalion that day that the votes for local authorities bad passed the House of Eepresentatives, probably by their next meeting the Finance Committee would have a respectable credit balance to show, and would be in a positiou to present a report. His Worship, in making reference to his late visit to Wellington on Borough business, said as the Council bad already been made aware of everything in connection therewith through the press, it was unnecessary for him to enter into any detailed statement. He then briefly re« ferred to the various matters submitted to Ministers by him, and what they had done in accordance therewith.

A vote of thanks was voted to the Mayor for his services in Wellington.

Cr McCullough moved that the Chairman of the Bonrd of Health of the Borough should communicate with tbe Chairman of the County Board of Health with a view to arrange a uniform system for dealing with infectious diseases, and to secure unanimity of action in prevening the spread of scarlet fever. Motion carried. •

Cr McCullough gave notice of motion that he would at next meeting move that a committee be appointed, to enquire into, and report upon the desirability of securing the allotment now in possession of Mr Ensor, with a view to the extension of Mary street from the junction of Bolleston street to the Earaka road.

Upon the motion of Cr McCullough, the Mayor was instructed to communicate with the County authorities with a view to securing a suitable building at the joint cost of both bodies as an hospital for infectious diseases.

Tbis concluded the business.