NAPIER MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3521, 20 October 1882, Page 2

NAPIER MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Adjourned Meeting,

Thursday, October 19. The CouDcil met in the Council Chamber at 8 p.m. Present: His Worship the Mayor (chairman), Councillors Moateith, Wall, Price, Margoliouth, Graham, and Ellison. THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. Pursuant to notice Or. Ellison moved, " Tbat this Council discharge the finance committee and direct the public works committee to submit to the Council all neceseary reports on financial matters." Cr. Price seconded the motion. Cγ. Ellison said the object of hia motion was not to cast any slur upon the present finance committee, but with a view to amalgamate the duties of investigating the fitiaoces of the Council with those of recommending public works, so that the recommendations of the public works committe might be made more in accord with the means at the disposal of the Council. The duties required of the two committees were inseparable, and he felt convinced that in some instances at least the present arrangements had resulted— and very naturally so—in works having been authorised while councillors were ignorant of the true state of the berough finance?. At the end of the present year he btlieved the bank overdraft would amount to between £6000 and £7000, and as the legal overdraft was only £4500 councillors rendered themselves liable for any excess over the latter amount, and, although it was not probable that such liability would be enforced, the question of how the deficiency was to be met was worthy of grave consideration. Cr Margoliouth said that Cr Ellison had in his usual manner jumped at a conclusion, and taken it for granted that the finance committee had the power not only to regulate the expenditure but to do Eo without even consulting the Council. Now, it was patent to everyone that the recommendations of the finance committee, and indeed of every other committee appointed to administer borough affairs, were simply suggestions to the Council, and it was for the whole Council to endorse or reject s'ich recommendations as it thought fit. How then could the deliberations of two or three member* of the finance committee affect the condition of the borough finances, as had been hinted ? Cr Ellison had thrown out an inuendo to the effect tbat, although the Council might have a certain amount of independence of thought, it wae biassed in some way or other. He had also stated that he (Cr Ellison) found some difficulty in arriving at the exact state of the financial position of the borough. Now, Cγ Ellison and every other councillor had equal opportunities of investigating the borough accounts, &c, also the estimated statement of revenue and expenditure for the Dext twelve months, and it was Cr Elii-on's own fault if he werein ignorancerespectingtbe matter. Cr Ellison had further taken the tronbleto inform the Council of that which it already knew, namely, that the legal overdraft was £4500, and that for any excess of overdraft beyond that amount the councillors were individually responsible. If Cr. Eliifon was as anxious about the matter as be seemed to be, why did he allow vouchers to a large amount to be passed a short time since without investigating them ? It might, perhaps, be advisable to appoint the whole Council as the finance committee, but his (Cr. Alargoliouth's experience was that the work of committees was best performed wherj the members were few. He did not cay so because he happened to occupy a seat on the finance committee himself; he did

k not know that he was particularly well i qualified for the position he had been / appointed to, but he had been appointed nevertheless. If, however, Cγ. Ellison coveted his seat, and was anxious to administer the financial affaire of the Council, and become better acquainted with its various workings he would resign in Cr. Ellison's favor and allow him to take the position he evidently had so great a desire for. Cγ. Wall would oppose the motion on the grounds that he did not believe in a finance committee of the whole Council, and that the public works committee meetings would be unnecessarily prolonged if the present duties of the committee were added to. The present finance committee ought, he considered, to be quite equal to the work required of it, and if it were found otherwise fresh appointments could then be made. At present its work was of merely a formal character; a certain number of reports were sent up to the Council based upon figures supplied by the borough officials, and practically the committee'a duties ended there. Cr. Monteith endorsed Cr. Wall's views. The finance committee was a formal committee pure and simple, its functions being to make recommendations to the Council only. The committee held meetings and formally looked over the y statements supplied to it before they were put before the Coumil for discussion. If tCr. Ellison's motion were adopted it would soon be discovered that the change was an unnecessary one. There was no no necessity for an alteration. Cγ Price said he had seconded the motion because he believed the finance committee was a perfectly useless body, and hie belief had been confirmed by the arguments of Crs Wall and Monteith. His idea of the duties of a finance committee differed very materially from those of Cr Wall. It should be the committee's duty to carefully examine every voucher put before it, and investigate all accounts closely, so that members should not be like children in the hands of the j borough officials, and pass without question or remark any vouchers which were certified to as correct by some officer of the Council. Quite recently vouchers to the tune of £2400 had been passed in this reckless fashion. Crs Wall and Monteith denied that they had admitted the financial committee to be a useless body, neither was it a fact that the committee neglected to examine the vouchers and accounts. Cr. Graham said it was evident from Cr. Price's remarks that he desired the finance committee to act as auditors also. It would be inconvenient for the whole Council to act on the committee, as the meetings had sometimes to be called in the middle of the day; If Crs. Price and Ellison desired to look into the books and accounts of the borough, it was competent ihem to do so at any time, but " good enough should be left alone." Cr. Ellison, in reply, explained that, when he said there was a difficulty in ascertaining the financial position of the borough, he did not mean that the fullest details of past expenditure were not available, but that at the present time a reliable estimate of the future could not be arrived at by investigating the past, as certain works, the cost of which was very uncertain [Cr. Margoliouth : Question ?] had been authorised, and must be carried through. With respect to the remark that the finance committee fulfilled all its functions, it might be so; he (Cr. Ellison) did not know exactly what thoee duties were, but this much he knew that no report had been received from the committee since he became a member of the Council. In the statement of receipts and expenditure supplied to him by the Town Clerk he believed that the former were over-esti-mated and the latter under-estimated. It was also his opinion that the recent reductions in salaries and officers would not be found to work satisfactorily, and that ultimately the Council would have to return to the old state of things. The motion was then put and negatived. The Mayor remarked that it might be well if the Council took into consideration the duties of all committees and defined them more particularly. ADVERTIBINQ FOR TENDEES. v, In the absence of Cr. McDougall the J following notice of motion standing in his name wa3 moved by Cr. Monteith : — «' That the motion passed at the last meeting of the Council, having reference to advertising for tenders, be amended by erasing ' £30 ' and substituting therefor'£2o.'" Cf. Wall seconded the motion. Cγ. Price was opposed to the motion, for the jsimple reason that the matter should be dealt with by the engineer in his reports. Last year there were only four contracts under £20, and the advertising for them did not costhalf-a-crown. Now, doubtless, email contracts would be more numerous, but that was a reason why they should be advertised. Laboring men would tender for these contracts, and it was unfair and unjust to require them to lose half a day's work to go round to the Council office to see what tenders were invited. He would move as an amendment, " That it be left to the discretion of the engineer to invite tenders for small contracts by advertisements in a newspaper or by notification on an advertising board." Cr. Ellison seconded the amendment, which, however, was lost on the voices. Cγ. Wall then moved as a further amendment, "That in future all contracts be advertised on the notice board placed ; outside the Borough Council offices, and \the number of insertions in the Press of all contracts over £20 be left to the discretion of the Public Works Committee , " Or. Graham seconded the amendment, which was adopted. CORRESPONDENCE. -w' From the JSapier School Committee, applying to have the total amount demanded for water rates calculated on the basis of the last half-year's demand, the Committee being of opinion that the meter is not registering correctly. From the District Engineer, stating as it was the intention of the Railto sink a special artesian well for the purpose of obtaining a water supply for engine-cleaning purposes, the convenience previously applied for would not now be required. From Mr F. W. Williams, applying for permission to lay a tramway from town section No. 595 at the Spit to the edge of the line of rails along the breastwork. — In connection with this matter a letter was received from the Municipal Engineer stating he saw no objection to the permission asked for being granted, but as the west quay was the property of the Harbor Board there did not appear to be any necessity for the Council to express an opinion on the subject. —It was decided to send a reply to Mr Williams in accordance with the engineer's suggestion. y From the Napier Chamber of Commerce, conveying a copy of a resolution passed by that body and forwarded to the Miuis'er for Public Works respecting the subject of increased passenger accommodation on the local railway line. From the Napier Harbor Board, stating that the Board was willing to grant the piece of land required for forming ap-

proach to the Petane bridge, and would allow the Corporation the use of the Board's quarry whence to obtain metal for same, under certain conditions, but that the Board had no funds at its disposal which it would feel justified in applying to such work. From the Municipal Engineer, stating that the engine and boiler for the waterworks extension were now lying at the wharf, and suggesting that the consulting engineer, Mr J. Stewart, be requested personally to examine them at as early a date as possible.—lt was decided on the motion of Cr. Wall, seconded by Cr. Margolioutb, " That the engineer be instructed to examine the engine and boiler now landing and report to the next Public Works Committee, and in the meantime communicate with Mr Stewart, consulting engineer, as to his offer to visit Napier to inspect the waterworks extension plant." PUBLIC WOBKS COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The following report from the Public Works Committee was read : — Your committee having met pursuant to notice beg to recommend the- Council to give effect to the following : — 1. That the tender of Mr W. Barrett for repairs to Haveloci-road at £37 5s 4d be accepted, provided the inhabitants contribute £12 5s 4d in aid. 2. That the tender of Mr W. Barrett for repairs to Gbldsmith-road at £15 6s 6d be accepted. 3. That a copy of the engineer's report on Mr Q-uy's letter relative to the filling in of Mr Ra'thbone's section, No. 384, be forwai'ded to the former gentleman. 4. That the suggestions of the municipal engineer as embodied in clause 1 of bis report of the 2nd insfc., relative to the maintenance of roads, &c, be adopted. 5. That the secretary of the Napier School Committee be informed that the Council cannot accede to their request that they be allowed a settlement of their water supply rates on the basis of their last halfyear's demands. 6. That the engineer be direectd to call for tenders for the carting of the waterpipes to the pipe trenches. 7. That the vouchers for wages and freight herewith forwarded, amounting to £160 11s 6d, be passed and ordered to be paid. All the several clauses in the report were adopted. FENCING THE SPIT LAGOON". On the motion of Cr Wall, Beconded by Cγ Monteith, it was decided that the letter agreed to at the last meeting, asking the Harbor Board to fence in the lagoon at the Spit, be not sent to the Board. VOUCHERS. Vouchers amounting to £160 11s 6d, including £64 17s 3d for freight per Langstone. were parsed, and the Council adjourned.