BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5196, 11 September 1885, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The rtgnlar meeting of the above Council was held in the Chambers last eveiiing. Present: Cr« Rensbaw (in the Chair), Wood, Keid, Wilson, McAndrew, Radford, Bawden, and Panby. The tninutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Messrs Had ford, Dabby, sod Bawden made and signed the usual statutory declarations before taking their seats. - IBTTKB9 WBBE HEAD FBOM— " J.. Adams, 8.A., in response to a request ( for suggestions re procuring mineral specimens for the Library Museum, recommending that the collection should be confined mostly to this district, and bear the name, components, arid Iboality from wheresuch was obtained! Referred to the Library Committee.—-Mr I^ne, manager of the New Zealand Smelting Co., asking permission to raise the level of a portion of Tararu road, in order to provide an ap proach to the works. Kef erred to the Works Committee with power to act. — Mr J. West, Supt. of the Shortland Fire Brigade, applying for 500 feet of 2|-inch\| canvas hose, as several lengths had been destroyed- while* in use by the Turncock. -i»C| Mo^nirew strongly supported itbe application, and moved that it be granted. After considerable discussion, and several amendments and the motion bad been rejected, it was decided to refer the matter to the Fire Brigade Committee, with power to'act; iff considered necessary. THB WARDEN AND BOBOUGH J?OMPLAINTB.

A letter was received from Mr Kenrick, Warden, regarding the complaints which were reported.to have been .made by Mr Fraser, M.H.K., against him by the local bodies, and asking to be furnished with the particulars of any complaint that the Council may bare deemed it necessary to prefer against him in his public capacity or otherwise. —The Chairman said he had no recollection of any .resolution reflecting upon Mr Kenrick having been passed by the Council during his term of office, but he bad telegraphed to Col. Fraser upon the subject, asking whether he had used the words attributed to him, and had received a telegram in reply referring him to Hansard of the Ist inst, in which be thought the matter was correctly reported. —Cr McAndrew contended that it was not the correctness or otherwise of the report with which they bad to deal, but to answer Mr Kenrick's question as to whether any charge had been made against him. As a Councillor, he should like to ask the Town Clerk whether any complaint bad been made against Mr Kenrick as Warden -The Town Clerk said he thought that something of the kind had been done at the time of a certain reduction by Government of £40 from Borough revenue; also during Mr Ehrenfried's term of office as Mayer. He could not, however, speak positively from memory. —Cr McAndrew considered that there had never,been'a Magistrate or Warden on the Thames equal to Mr Kenrick, and did not think that Cdl. Fraser bad made the statements attributed to him. He was not aware of any complaints having been made by the Council against Mr Kenrick, and whoever had represented the matter to Government bad done that gentleman and the district a serious injury. Seeing that the Town Clerk did not remember anything about the matter, and thjei-e had been no resolution condemning him, be I considered it their duty in justice to Mr Kenrick to inform him that no complaints had been made against him by the Council as a body.—The Chairman was o£ opinion thatj it would be better to first ascertain what Mr Fraser bad really said, which could not be done until the receipt of Hansard.—Cr McAndrew did not consider this necessary, as if there was no resolution on the minute book regarding the matter, he thought they should relieve Mr Kenrick's mind at once. He was aware that a petition for the removal of Mr Kenrick had been got up by Mr Mollhone and others a few years ago, but the Council had nothing, to do with that. He considered Mr Kenrick one of the best officers in the public service. -rThe Chairman was of opinion that Mr Ken rick's proper course would have been to have applied to Col. Fraser for informal tion* a 9, if the letter's utterances had been falsely reported, the matter would have then been at an end.-»Cr Reid moved—"That the Town Clerk be instructed to search the books to ascertain whether any record exists of Rny complaint against Mr Kenrick as Warden of Tham.es, and report to the Council at its next meeting." —Cr Kadford seconded the resolution, and said he' thought it would meet the case. He considered Mr Kenrick one of the hetfc of public officers, and his rsoioval would certainly fee a loss to the district—The Chairman suggested that should any record be found on the minijts book of a complaint having teen made, the Council should b,e specially called together, aridl'if not, Mr Kenrick should be informed of the fact. —This was added to the reso> lution, which was then put and carried. MBcSPEUCKB's CLAIJJ. A letter was received from the Govern* raent enclosing the report of the "Local Bills Committee (as already published by Us), and expressing a hope that the Goun* cil would grant Mr Spencer some conces sion. A telegram was also read from the Mayor, to the effect that an effort was likely to be made to insert a clause in the Special Powers/ and Contracts Bill providing that the matter should he settled by arbitration. It was suggested by Mr jFraser that the recommendation of Mr Macdonald, that water for domestic purposes should be supplied to Mr Spencer on the same terms as to other customer;;, h^t that -only a nominal charge of Is per annum sbonld be made, should be adopted.—The^Chairman said the Local Bills Committee appeared to hold out a threat that unless j some concession, were made, Parliament | would be disposed to assist Mr Spencer If Mr Spencer had any rights, so had | several other persons; but he lbought the difficulty might be surmounted by offering to sypp'y water at half the usual rates. This would be a concession, hut would also produce a little revenue.—Or Bawden said that (hey had only Mr Spencer's claim before them/and they could not consider others who might in the future prefer claims.— Cr McAndrew would Sjrenuoußly oppose roajfing aay concession, sg lie d^d no.t'tuiok Mr Spencer ever had any r^ght to the water, They should refuse to acknowledge the claim, of Mr Spencrr had QQ !eg>t{ r^giiis.and, if Parliament gave the water to, him the burgessei \ypuld'have a .'good cla.im upon the Goverrj. merit. He inovrd—" That this Council will mike bq c^ea^oo, b«t if aoj

concession is made by Government or the House, the 'Council Will petition Parliament to nc up them to the extent of any damage tho people'of the Thames may sustain." —Cr Wilson seconded —Cr Wood thought Mr Fraser would not have made the recommendation unless he had reason to believe that some compensation would eventually be granted, and he therefore thought it would be better to accept it. He moved as an amendment—•• That the Council consult with Mr Spencer, and ascertain whether he will accept water for domestic use in settlement.of bjs claim." The amendment was not" seconded.—Cr Reid «aw no reason to acknowledge anj rights on Mr Spencer's part—Cr MeAndrew said therein 29 otherpersons who claimed equal, right* with Mr f Spencer, which would mean the destruction of the whole water supply.—Cr Danby said he would not be prepared to give Mr Spencer a vested interest in the water—Cr JBawden was of opinion that they would'erentually be obliged to five Mr Spencer somethiDg.-Cr Radford said that an inch pip P , which would supply 100 houses^ if required, could be taken from the reservoir direct to Mr Spencer's property without affecting the town supply.-The Town Clerk, at the request ofCrs, Retailed the cirenmstances which led to the granting of "the water to Mr Spencer by Mr J. E. Maedonald. He said that it was originally* intended M a tefnPOra'y arrangement, and the natter was never ratified bj the Committee, or even brought, before them. If Mr Spencer bad not began selling water to other persons was probable.that he would not hare been interfered with, but he subsequently agreed to pay for water supplied to him.—Cr Me Andrew said that even in dry weather there was always water rnnmng down the creek.—The Chairman moved-" That Ybe Mayor he authorised to oflerto supply Mr Spencer on payment of half the usual charges."—Thit, however, was not seconded, and on the original motion being put it was carried. ~ BWOBTS. The Works Committee reported that as the offensive pool near the Farawai School was situated on private land, the owners should be required to fill up the hole. To effect aoy permanent improvement in Baillie street, near Mr Rafferty's residence, will necessitate the formation of the street from Mr Deeble's to Sealey street, at an estimated cost of £60, which the Committee could not recommend. Tararn road was in need of repair, especially the portion between Kuranui Creek and LaMorite's works, which require! to be raised about twenty inches. The Com* mittee recommended that the dust and street refuse should be deposited in the old bed of the Karaka Creek, at the back of Mr Garner's allotment. The question whether or not the 'strip of land three feet wide at the southern side of the new bed of the Karaka Creek, between' Pollen and Mackay streets, should bo re*conveyed to Mr Renshaw. free of cost, on Jbe ground that he had been deprived of much more land in the straightening of the creek; than he had anticipated' when he sanctioned the diversion, was a matter that should be decided by the Council, though the Committee was disposed to entertain it favor* ably. The Foreman of Works had been instructed to repair the worst parts of the roadway at the northern end of Mackay street; also the footpath in Queen street, near Capt.WildmanY residence, and the water-table at the western side of Camp* bell street. An expenditure of £4 for the improvement of the approaches to Mr Kafferty's premises, Baillie street, was authorised.—Upon reaching that por» tion of the report referring vto " the Karaka Creek, in which Cr Kensbaw was personally interested, he vacated thf Chair, which was then, taken by C* Danby .—Cr Beid explained that when the creek was being straightened, MrSenv shaw ceded 16ffc for the width of the water course, besides 3ft. on each side aa a right of way, but as be now thought that the strip on the northern side would be sufficient,, he desired that the opposite side should be restored to him.*-» After ; considerable discussion it was resolved, on 'the motion of Cr Wood, seconded by Cr McAndrew, "That the Council oaanot accede to Mr Renshaw's applicatiou, but will allow him the use of the land at Id ■ year rental until the Council requires it, three months' notice to be given."—The report was then adopted, v ■ 1;t ?- The report of the Relieving Officer stated that 43 families had been assisted during the past six weeks, at a cost of £U3aßi. Accounts to the amount of £426 were passed for payment, and tbe Council role.