HAMILTON1 BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XI, Issue 905, 11 April 1878, Page 2

HAMILTON 1 BOROUGH COUNCIL.

A Meeting of the Council took place oil McL<hyr evening. * Present: the Mayer, aud'Councillors Cox~, Dawson, Gariliijclr.^ Beale, Gaudin, Gwynne, and Potter. The minutes of the preceeding meeting were read and confirmed. COBEESPONDEJJ'CE. Correspondence, sent by authority of thq Council, was read, consisting of a, letter to the 'Colonial Secretary', 'q.s tq library subsidy; -to the Eugi'rieer hi Chief, as to whether any 'drawings' of thi bridge were' in existence; and to tfye" tender SJeoretaigr ol the'BubJtp. ."N^o-sks bepurtii-ien't, J*askinir if the \iinport4nt q lestion mentioned' in his telegram of th© loth March Avas settled. THE BIJIDOE, The followjng telegram was read ;-r-----"To 'the Mayor of Hamilton. ' "'Ero'm the Under- Secretary of the, " Public Works Department. '' Sir, —Witl\ reference to the cqr.-espqi!-? iciioO.tli-.it has vuken plaqo ii» i^feren^ fy bhe Hamilton bridge, aud to your telegraph >f the ifcb iu^t, I urn to state that it bus

been deemed best, for the interest of all parties, that the railway bridge should be a combined one, and so save the. cost of erecting a road bridge and a railway bridge within a short distance of one another. The Engineer in Chief has prepared one design and has nearly finished a second. Whea both are ready the merits of these two designs for a combined bridge, and their combined cost, wil be considered by the Minister for Public Works, and when one of these has been fixed upon directions will be given to proceed with the work. The Minister hopes this will be satisfactory to you." The Mayor considered the above telegram most unsatisfactory, as not meeting their views at all. The telegram meant that they were not going to get the £3,000 at all. Ho did not believe the Government intended to put any such combined bridge up. There was no vote for it. They must have a distinct pledge from Sir George Grey on the matter. A bridge half a mile away from the township would be of ho use. They must ask Sir George Grey to place the money in the Bank to their credit-^-to be paid as certificates are furnished of progress of the work. Correspondence was then read between Sir George Grey and the Council, which is now out of date for publication. Tenders were received, as follows, from persons willing to make maps, take levels, etc., of the borough, as advertised for, namely : — ■ J. Boylan: Levels, map,, and sections — £145 ; sections of bed and banks of river, with borings, specifications, etc., to enable contractors to tender for the work — 2J per cent, on cost of bridge, and fif required to superintend the construction) : 2| per cent, more. From T. G. Saudes : To bore bed of river in four or six places on site selected, and find solid bottom, finding own boring rods, and supplying experienced labor, £30. For preparing cross sections, showing levels of banks, and levels ordinary and extraordinary floods, but not using boring rods, £6. From Messrs T. H. White and T. G. ' Sandes : For preparing levels of Borough in separate blocks with stone bench works, £250. Maps of Borough, £250. Total, £500. The work, if desired, to be done in blocks piecemeal, as required by- 1 Council. From P. Daltoh: Block plans, and levels, and sections of roads, at £7 10s. each per mile. From F. Cherry: For maps, levels, cross sections, intersections, and without borings of river, £U8 16s, The Mayor thought it monstrous to. let these works by tender. They should be done by day work. Cr Potter was surprised but pleased to hear the Mayor come to this opinion.. He moved "That the tenders read be not accepted, ' and that applications will be received by this Council, with testimonials from qualified engineers willing to serve | in this capacity, sfc .ting terms or renumcration upon whicl , such hervices shall be based" This motion wa seoonded by Cr Gardiner, and cam '. „ Cr PoTTi R then mi / — " That the followii' tenders conditions, upon which the teno^ < for plans, specifications, working drawings, etc., for the proposed traffic bridge at Hamilton; and, that premiums of £100 (for the best) and £50 (for the second-best designs) will bo given by this Council, and that an advertisement, calling for such tenders, contain such offer of premiums." Seconded by Cr. Dawson. Cr. Gwynne proposed, as an amendment : — " That this Council allow the tenders, now advertised for, to come under the consider atiou of this Council before advertising a premium for competitive drawings." For tho amendment: Crs. Vialou, Gwynne, Gaudin; and : Cox. Against : Crs. Potter, Gardiner, Beale, and Dawson. Cr. Vialou, as Mayor, gave his casting vote for the amendment. Cr. Potter moved the motion standing In Ids name :— I "That, in the opinion of this Council, it is expedient that a tramway, as a feeder to the railway, should be constructed to connect the East side of the Borough with the main trunk line on the West, thereby causing all passenger and goods traffic to pass through the Borough, and for Buch. general purpose this? Council cause tenders to be invited forthwith, from qualified persons, to prepare plans, cross sections, and descriptions needful for such undertakrflg, in accordance with, thp gOOijh section of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876." Cr Beale seconded, For the motion, Crs Potter,. Gardiner, Dawson, and Beale. Contrary, Crs Gaudin, Gwynne, and Cox.