HAMILTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XI, Issue 894, 16 March 1878, Page 2

HAMILTON BORO UGH COUNCIL.

The Council met on Monday evening last, but shortly adjourned, m consequence of the banquet, to "Wednesday evening. On again meeting, all the members of the Covncil were present except one. Cr Potter suggested that it was necessary to have a map of the Borough prepared, pointing out that according to the Act such procedure was nofc only advisable bufc necessary, and moved the following resolution : — "mat this Council cause a map of the Borough to be made, m accordance with section 190, part 11 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876, for the purpose therein set forth. Cr. Dawson seconded the motion Cr. Gwynne suggested thafc maps already m use by the late Town Board should bo used. The cost would fall heavily on the Council. He thought too, that before the levels were taken, the level of the proposed bridge should be assertained as a starting point to work from. The Mayor thought ifc was necessary to have the map gf the Borough. He did not think they could trust to the present maps. The original map of Hamilton West was burnt, and many of the surveys were inaccurate. What was wanted, was a large map m sections, it was also absolutely necessary to ; have the levels before bridge levels were decided upon. It was necessary to fix the permanant levels, or the Council would be liable for altering tbe levels by and bye. Cr. Gaudin thought if the levels of the main sfcreet were taken it would be amply sufficient. Por the motion : Potter, Dawson, Cox, Yialou, and Beale. Against : Gwynne, Gaudin, and Coates. Motion carried. THE TRAMWAY QUESTION. Cr. Potter then moved, That any proceeding taken by this Council, for the purpose of raising special loans for public works, shall specify and embrace " Loan for Bridge," and " Loan for tramway," to connect the main trunk line with the public square, east side of the Borough, or as near as the Council deem fit. Cr. Potter, m proposiug this motion, said that next to the necessity of fixing the levels was thafc of having a tramway to connect the railway with the town. He did not now propose fco vote the expenditure, but merely that the money necessary for constructing a tramway be included m the loan aboub to be raised. He did not think there was any chance of getting the extension from the Government, as there were too many official difficulties m fche way. As to the extension to be got by the construction of the Thames Waikato line, he did nofc believe the ratepayers would sanction an annual guarantee from the Borough toward that 'line of .£512, which would be their share according to calculations made. He thought tbey might fairly ask the Government for the iron materials necessary for the tramway, which would acfc as a valuable feeder fco the railway. The difference of cost to the imported was as 14s to 30s per ton between the railway and the vivGv traffic. The tramway would enable people on either side of the Borough to avail themselves of railway carriage. What ifc would be necessary to ask from the Government would be 220 pairs, per mile, of 2-1- feefc rails, theso rails, 10 teet ' each, go 7 to the ton or Go tons to the mile ; 440 joints and fastenings ; 0,200 spikes; 1,700 fang bolts. This was per mile. Tiie distance was '1\ miles, so the cost could be easily calculated. There would also be wanted 4 to G set-; of points and crosses for tho whole, distance. The Borough might supply labor and other materials. The.se latter I

per mile would be, 1980 sl-epecs, V feet long, 7 by 5, at 2s 6d each, \ £'~sdQ ; extra pieces for crossing, £5 • ! 20 piece* timber, 8 feel to 12 .fret.' I 7 by 5, M ; labor, laying permanent way, 17G0 yards at lOd, £73 6s 8d • ballasting, 1280 yards, or 16 yards to the chain, 7 feet wide by 6 inches deep, ,£BO, or altogether a cost of £414 per mile/ The cost at 2\ miles would with extras be £1,169 163 Ba. As to the probable levels of the bridge, the summer level of water Was 21 feet below the river bank at the proposed site. The bridge would be some 15 feefc higher than the bank. Thus between th e bridge: and Victoria Street, say where the Hamilton Hotel stands would give a further rise of 40 feet or gradient of about 1 m fifteen. The motion was seconded by Cr Dawson. Cr. Coates would be only to glad m the interest •of the Borough to have a tramway, but he thought the cost had been undermentioned, nothing, for instance, was put down for rolling stoci.. and that the Government would give material was anything but certain.' Cr. Potter m reply said, the estimates he had given were not his own but those of a practical engineer employed upon railway construction, and might therefore be relied upon as authentic. He thought that there would be no difficulty iv getting some of the 40! b rails now being replaced by 5 3ib rails by the railway Engineers. Cr. Cox thought that m increasing the loan for this purpose the Council, would be going beyond its depth. It was too s6on to commence this work, and proposed the following amendment : — That this Council do not apply for an extra loan for the cost of a tramway or feeder to the railway .0 bring it into East and West Hamilton, until it be ascertained whether the Qovernment will assist m bringing a branch line into Hamilton m conjunction with the Thames Valley Railway. Cr. Gaudin seconded the amendment. He thought indeed, that clause 299 of the Act, would prove fafcal^to Cr Potters motion. Cr. Hume thought such a work woidd be very useful, and might possibly pay, but ib would take the Couucil all ifc couid do to get a bridge, and that this other work might be waited for. Cr. Potter maintained thab unless plans and specification- were prepared for the bridge the loan could not be applied for, and this was why he had. so persistently moved for competitive plans and specifications for the same. In replying to the tramway motion, lie pointed out thafc the increased heavy traffic caused by the railway, would entail a very large expenditure m the maintenance of macadamised roads, and .fch.3 a t* am way would obviate.' He urned, that if the loan for the the bridge could be asked for without plans, that for fche tramway might be so ' asked for. He was certain, than if the bridge loan was asked for without plans and specifications the ratepayers would nofc sanction it. Cr. Hume thought that when the public meeting for the bridge loan was called, it would be . easy to obtain an expression of opinion with regard to the tramway, as a guidance..to the future action of the Council. The Mayor ruled that Cr. Potter's motion being opposed to fche provisions of the Act could not* be put. FERRY TOLLS. It was resolved by the Council that afc the next leasing of the ferry, I fche telegraph messenger conveying telegrams across .the river shall be exempted from ferry toll. NEW COUNCIL CHAMBER. The plans prepared by Mr T. H. Whits for alterations to the immigrant cottage granted to the Council, involving a cost of about £100, and that the management of same be left to the Works Committee with i power to act, were approved by the Council. Cr. Cox proposed That the following gentlemen be constituted a Works Committee for the Borough of Hamilton, namely : The Mayor, and Councillors Potter, Gwynne, and Craudin. Seconded by the Mayor, ahd cassied unanimously. The Mayor then proposed, and Cr. Gaudin seconded, That the following gentlemen be I formed into a Finance Committee for the purposes of the Borough of Hamilton, namely— Crs. Hume, Cox, Dawson, and 1 the mover. Cr. Potter moved, and Cr. Cox seconded the following resolution, which was carried unanimously : — That no work or contract exceeding* the sum of £20 shall be entered into without being submitted to and approved by the Council. A letter was read from Dr Kilgour, Mayor of the Thames, respecting proposed suggestions that should be made to the Government m reference to the difficulty of obtaining an equitable system of rating the lands benefited by the proposed railway, and pointing out three methods by which these might be overcome. Ist. by the Government itself undertaking the work ; 2nd, by amending the District Railway Act ; and 3r:l, by passing a special Act; m reference to this particular line. FERRY APPROACHES. Attention was drawn to the state of the apy roaches to fche ferry especially on the East side of the river. WAIKATO COUNCIL AND BOROUGH. The following gentlemen were on fche motion of the Mayor seconded j

by Cr. Gaudin appointed a colll--mifcte to confer with the Waikato 'Council and settle all matters m diffeience between the Borqygh y Council and the County Couricil with power to act — namely, Gr..' oume, Gwynne, and the mover. The Council then adjourned.