Thames Borough Council.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4235, 28 July 1882, Page 2

Thames Borough Council.

The fortnightly meeting of the Council was held last evening. Present—Crs McGowan (in the chair). Osborne.Mennie, Marshall, and Speight. Apologies for absence were received from the Mayor, and Crs Wilson, Veple, and McCullough. , The following correspondenc3 was referred :i6 the Works Committee :— From Mr George Meachem, complaining of the state of the footpath in Collins street/ near his property. —From rate payers-on the Hand and Band Hill, petitioning for the repair of the road to their residences.—From Mr Hugh Fisher, stating that he bad been -put to great inconvenience by the overflow of the Cochrane street water-table, and asking that three or four loads of gravel be

deposited to keep the drainage out of his yard.—From Mr 0. Judd, asking for a few loads of gravel to be deposited, in Queen street opposite his foundry. CROSSING IN BOLLESTON STBEET. Messrs Fulljames and Scott were granfced-permission to lay down a crossing between their premises and the road in Rolleston street. AN ASSIDUOUS COUNCILLOB. Cr Marshall and other Councillor! drew attention to the state of the roads and foot path 9 in Baillie street, neat Kauwaeranga School; Queen.street,.near Key. T. 11. Davies's residence; also near Allan Johnson's stablgs, and the top of Richmond street.—These matters were referred to the Works Committee. WATER. Messrs Gribbs, Bowler, and Hansen applied to have the water cut off certain premises.—Referred to Water Supply Committee. .' v .' ASPHALT. .Residents on the western side of Owen street, from Symington's to Walker's hotels, petitioned for the asphalting of the footpath. Mr Ehrenfried J had entered a protest against the work being carried out, he being the largest property- v r owner.— Referred to the Works Committee to report. " BOUNDAEIEB 02? WABDS. In reply to the Council's letter asking for an alteration in the boundary of the Middle and South Wards, the Colotial Secretary directed attention to secfcjcif 22 of " The Muncipal Corporations Act, 1876," from which it would be seenuiat the Governor can alter the boundaries of wards only after having received a petition from the burgesses. :-~---- —- ._ The following protest from Cr Speight was read:—" To the Mayor and Councillors of the Borough of Thames. —I hereby protest against the expenditure of any Borough funds under the resolution of the Council, passed at its meeting held 13th July, relating to the alteration of the boundaries of the Middle and South Wards—William J. Speight, Councillor .-r27th July, 1882." Also a letter :— " Thames, 27th July, 1882.—T0 the Mayor and Council Borough.of Thames. —I hereby give notice that I object to the expenditure of any Borough funds in the obtaining of signatures to the proposed memorial re the alteration of the boundary line between the Middle and South Wards, as the cost of obtaining such signatures ought properly to be defrayed by the individuals interested in obtaining such alterations in boundaries. I also deem it right to inform you that it is my present intention to try in a legal manner the right of the Council to expend Borough funds in the manner alluded to.

The Chairman expressed a doubt as to whether it was intended by the resolution of the Council to spend money for the purpose.-

—William J. Speight;

Councillors Mennie and Osborne said the minute -which authorised the expenditure was correct, the latter stating that a ratepayer asked them to give him his rights as a citizen, and he considered it was their duty to do so.

Cr Marshall, did. not think it right to spend 'money in" the proposed manner and moved that no' more be spent. The. Chairman could not take the motion, the proper course being to rescind the former resolution.—-Letter received.' "; - ;- ".■■■■■■'• WOBKS COarMITTEE. ' ' r; The WorkslCdmmittee reported «s follows : -The Committee have the honor to report that the various matters referred to them are being carried out by the-Fore-man of Works, with the exception of the Shellback Eoad. In the opinion of your Committee the large outlay required to put that road in order for heavy traffic at this season of the yearis. not; advisable, and they are convinced that the quantity of quartz for crushing;likely to' be brought down from the Old Siam claim at the present time would not justify the expenditure. The Works Committee recommend that the Warden and Mining Inspector be asked to close up the. spaces that, under the bid system of residence sites, were left all round each, site taken up.in the various parts of the gold field, in the same way as it has been done along the Tararu Boad ( Waiotahi Road, &o. On Bird-ih-II»nd Hill, two or three properly laid-off roads would give easy access to all the residents, and at the same time increase the size of each residence site, whilst the v so doing would abolish a great number of dirty passages of from three to five feet wide, which, in most cases, are only receptacles for refuse and stagnant drainage, generating fever and sickness which have to be dealt with at considerable expense by the Board of Health. These remarks are equally applicable to the other parts of the Borough that are intersected in like manner.

Cr Mennie rnaved that the clause re* questing the Warden to close.' up; the passages between the residence sites be struck out. He doubted if that offioial had power to do so. 11 Cr Speight mored that the clause be referred back to the Committee for a- newt report. "* " *' Cr Marshall seconded this motion, which was carried. -■ The remainder of the report was adopted. EXOODEB PBEMISES. ; Cr Meunie said he had been reqaested by Mr William lanes, • a resident of Cochrane street, to draw attention to'the fact that his property was now under water from the orerflow of the culvert. Beferred to the Works Committee.

The land agitation has hrokon out in Prussia. A land owner of Leba fras assassinated on the 10th, and a mart named ' Oisen Jacker, was arrested far 1&*-trime. He confessed (hat he had been paid to commit the crime by agitators travelling about the country preaching that it was , only by-Jailing landowners that refShni^ will be obtained.

A contract has been signed at Paris between Baron Beiqach, * member of the Canadian-Pacific Syndicate/ and Charles De Cases, of Winnipeg, agent of the above company. The society will select 2,000,000" \ acres of land in the neighborhood of the .* Canadian railway line, and expects to^ establish thereon 150 to 200 families a year till the whole is colonised. " >!

Hanlan's physicians have issued a card' "". stating that he has typhoid fever, and that be will not be able to go into train* ing for at least two months. . It was thought by the sporting fraternity that 'Haitian, by his course, was endeavoring to influence the betting.' ' . , In Lisbon, on the 26th, a monster meeting wa"9 held, at which the Progress-"" ists and Eepublioans fraternised. Violent revolutionary speeches were made. At Limociro gaol the prisoners hailed the procession from the windows with shouts of " Vi»e la Bepubjique." .'". -' ■:': '- ,' .; '- '■; • When'a young man desires to--protect • a young lady he very naturally^'puts hi? " armour round her.