BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5203, 21 September 1885, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

SPECIAL MEETING.

A special meeting of the Borough Council was held at the Chambers at 2 o'clock this afternoon, for the purpose of considering a letter reoeived from Mr H. Henrick, Warden, asking for a copy of any complaints which had been, made against him by tho Council. Present—Crs McGowan (in the chair), Benshaw, Wood, McAndrew, Eadford, Reid, and Dauby. The Town Clerk stated the object for which the meeting was called, and read the following letter: Council Chambers, Thames. 18 h September, 1885. To the Counoil of the Borough of Thames, i Gjvtmmbn,— With respect to the resolution passed by the Council respecting Mr H. Kekbiok's letter of the 17th September, I have the honor to report that in the records of the Council the following letter, written by the then Mayor, appears :— Council Chambers, The result of this letter Thames. was that section 27 of the 29th May, 1880. Municipal Corporations Sir,—l have the honor Act, 1880, was passed, to forward you attached a copy of a clause to be inserted in any amend- „ ment of the Municipal Corporations Act that may be brought forward this . , ■ Session. : " As will be seen, it is to put an end to the powers over Borough streets and roads the present Warden claims to have. No other ■. : - Warden interfered in these Borough matters, and the Council feels this interference most keenly, and* considers it should alone have authority in all Municipal matters.. Your earnest attention to this matter is requested by the Council. I have, &c. &c, (Signed) ■; ■■-.'■■ '■■ - L. Ehrenfried, Mayor. J. Shebhan, Esq., M.H.R. Later on in the year, during the month of June, Sir George G-rey was written to requesting him to support the above claus> in the Act, as was also Mr Speight the then member for Auckland City East. I would remind the Council that as only the resolutions that are

carried or lost, " actually voted upon," are recorded in the Council's minute books, it is improbable tbat any feeling of disagreement would be there recorded. I bad prepared the attached letter to be sent to Mr Kenrick, and submitted it for approval.to the Works Cojn« mitteo, a majority of whom thought it should be referred back to the Council; my intention was to do this at its regular sitting on Thursday next, but upon receipt of a letter from Mr Kenrick asking fur a reply at once, I, considered it advisable to call tbe .Council together.—l have, Ac.i" '"' ■ ■--;' *' ■■ :'-'' .'"■ •■'■ F.O. Dbaw,-. Town Clerk. He then read the following letter, which he had received from Mr Kenrick pa the subject :— Warden's Office, Thames, ? - i September. 17,1885, iSib, —In acknowledging the receipt on 'the 14th inst. of your letter dated the 12th, enclosing a copy of the resolution passed at tbe Council meeting on the 10th inst, I have the honor to request that you will be good enough to inform me when I may expebt an answer to tbe question contained in my letter to the Council, namely—Have t^e Thames Borough Counoil made any complaint against me in my official capacity or otherwise, as indicated in the paper forwarded with my letter?—l have, &0., HabbyKknbiok, Warden and Resident Magi trate. The Town Clerk, Thames. The Town Clerk then explained that he thought the case would be met by sending the following to Mr Kenriok, which he then read and submitted to the meeting :— Council Chambers, Thames, 15th September, 1885. Sib, —la further reference to your letter of the 7th September last, in which you refet to a statement said to have been n>ade in Parliament by Col. Fraser, and asking to be fur* nished with tho particulars vof any complaint which the Council may have deemed necessary to prefer against you in your public or private capa ifcy, I hare the honor now to inform you that from the manner in whioh the minutes of the Council's meetings are kept, unless a special resolution of praise or censure had been proposed and voted upon, no record could c*isfc. The Council's letter book shows the $7th section of the Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Act of 1880 to have been inserted because of interference by the Warden of the Thames with matters connected with Borough roads and streets.—l have, &c, F. C. Dkak, Town Clerk. H. Kbnbick, Eiq., R.M., Thames. Cr Beid said he did not see that the letter which had been read regarding the clause in the Municipal Corporations Act had anything whatever to do jvith Mr KenrickV question, and 1 he therefore thought that Mr Kenriok should be informed that no complaints had been made against him by the Council. Or Dan by said it seemed that there was no record of any complaints having been made by the Council against Mr Eenrick, and he should be informed accordingly. He moved—"That there has been no complaint made against Mr Kenrick by this Council."

The Chairman pointed out that though there had been differences of opinion between Mr I£enrick and the Council, there vras no record of such, or any complaints having been made. He thought that it' Mr Eenrick and the Mayer bad auy differences they should settle it between themselves. Mr Beid said that Mr Kenrick bad asked a question, and be should receive a

direct and straightforward answer. He seconded the resolution. Cr Wood said they should arrive at a conclusion at once, and send Mr Kenrick a straightforward answer to his question. The question was asked whether the Council had any record of any complaints haying been made agaiast him; and as there were none, the matter could be easily settled. The question a», to what had been said in the House by Col. Fraser had nothing to do with the reply to Mr Kenrick'g question; the matter was simply orie between Col. Fraser and hit constituents He did not know what Col. Fraser had really said, except as reported in the newspapers. ...,:'. Cr Roashaw said he was certainly onfavorable to the removal., ofc the Warden from this district, as he had, as it were, to serre an apprenticeship before he became conversant with the intricacies of matters connected with this goldfield.. He mored as an aaandment—" There are no minutes on the Council's book recording any complaints against the Warden, but as on several occasions matters appear to hare arisen which hare at the time left the impression on the minds of Councillors that the Warden waa aot sufficiently actuated by a desire to work with the Borough authorities, these circumstances would be known to the Mayor, and henoe his statement." Cr Me Andrew considered this would actually be making a charge against the Warden. - ,-, The amendment was not seconded, and the resolution was then put and carried. The Council then rose.