CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1955, 11 August 1869, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

This Day. The weekly meeting of the Council was held this afternoon. There were present Councillors M'Glashan (in the chair), Fish, Griffon, Wilkinson, Walter, Simpson, Thoneman, and Dods. Councillor Fish presented a memorial from ratepayers in South Ward, complaining against the weighbridge being placed at the northern end of the Southern Market Reserve, as contemplated. The memorial was referred to the Works Committee, with power to act. THE GAS QUESTION. The following report from the Gas Committee was read:— “ Your Committee begs respectfully to reort that, having carefully considered the report of Mr A. K. Smith on the question of the supply of gas by the Corporation to the City of Dunedin, and having also carefully revised the figures given by that gentleman, it is of opinion that the Council (having already affirmed the principle) should at once give instructions tfco Mp A. K. Smith to prepare plans and specifications in accordance with his report, and that, ppop the same being prepared, tenders should at opce fie advertised for in Melbourne, Sydney, and New Zealand. “ This Committee further recommends that the specifications should provide for the work being contracted, as per Mr Smith’s estimate, for L 14,894, and also for the increased size of the mains, as recommended, and the supply of service pipes, meters, &c.” Councillor Fish moved the adoption of the report, with the exception of an alteration in tho clause referring to the sum of L 14,894. In deference to the wishes of tho members of the Committee, he would substitute the sum of LIB,OOO. It was pot his intention to detain them long, as he thought the question of the supply of gas by the Corporation had been thoroughly debated, and he had no doubt councillors were thoroughly sick of it. He thought the figures which had been laid before the Council were indisputable, and .hey could have no he Ration in calling for plans and specifications. Of course, if it were found, upon the tenders behm received, that they exceeded the estimate on which they were basing their calculation, then it would be for the Council to consider whether or not the works should be proceeded with. Personally, he

felt strongly convinced that, when the tenders were received, they would rather be below than above the estimate. He" felt heartily convinced that the supply of gas to the City by the Corporation would be a good thing for the citizens ; and he hoped and trust d that the matter would be brought to a successful issue. Of course, every sort of care would have to be taken that the works and the manufacture of gas were done properly. In those respects, the Council would lave to exercise careful supervision. He felt sure that if the works were carried out the citizens would be benotitted for years to come —-the Council would leave their mark behind them, and posterity would be thankful to them for what had been done. H- did not speak thus in a spirit of levity, but with the sincere and honest conviction that the results would be as he bad stated. With reference to the danger of individual rights being destroyed, he contended that in matters where the public interests had to be conserved, those of an individual must be sacrificed. To do a great good some little wrong must be done. Councillor C ktffkn had much pleasure in seconding the motion. Councillor Simpson said that, although his opinions on the subject had not changed, he was more favorably inclined to the necessity of someth ng being done whereby the citizens might have cheaper and better gas, and at the same time a saving gained on the present expenditure for public lighting. He tin night the Council was in duty bound to make the rates accomplish the greatest amount of possible good ; and before •affirming the motion, they should, in the first place, ask the lessee of the Gas Works what amount of money he would feel disposed to charge for private lighting, and what reduction he was prepared to make in the amount paid for public lighting. If the lessee was disposed to supply gato private consumers at from His to 16s per 1000 ft, and the public lamps at L 0 to LlO a year, he thought it would be scarcely judicious for the Council at present to carry out the resolution submitted to them. He moved that previous to the motion being acted upon, the lessee of the Gas Works should be communicated with for the purposes he had mentioned. Councillor Do s could hardly see how the the Council could do otherwise than adopt the report of the Committee, after having gone the length they had. He ref* rred to a letter from Mr Willoughby, which appeared in this morning’s Times ; and in which he pointed out an error in Mr Smith’s report of L 350. At first he (Mr Hods) thought that Mr Willoughby was wrong ; but on a little consideration he must admit that Mr Smith was wrong in that sum. In page 14 of the report, Mr Smith said that he allowed twenty-five per cent, on the total quantity of gas made for leakage, waste. &c. In order to sell 12,000,000 feet, it was necessary to manufacture 16,000,000 feet. So far, he thought, Mr Willoughby was correct. Mr Willoughby was, however, totally wrong in stating that no allowance was made for wages The sum of V's per J.QQO cubic feet at the holder included the cost of production, wages, &c. With reference to the statement that 10 per cent would have to be paid on the debentures, that was a mere assumption on Mr Willoughby’s part: and he [Mr Dods) thought that the interest would be very much less. He (Mr Dods) only hoped that the Council would be plucky enough to bring the proposal to a successful and mature termination.

The original motion was earned unanimously. On the motion of Mr Dods, the remuneration to Mr A. K. Smith for drawing plans and specifications was fixed at L2OO. The following report from the Reserves Committee was adopted. “The Reserves Committee reported that, in lieu of their former recommendation, they advised that the Artillery Company be offered a seven ye ■ rs’ lease of a site on the Octagon Market Reserve, without valuation, at a rental of L 23 per annum, or be allowed to rent the ground at LlO per annum during the pleasure of the Council, and subject to six months’ notice being given, should the laud be required by the Council for any public purpose, the arrangement in either case to be with the sanction of his Honor the Superintendent. That in answer t*> the application of Messrs Briscoe and Co., the Council are not in a position to make arrangement for leasing the Princes street reserve or any part of it. The Committee recommended the Council to decline the application of the Caledonian Society that the Council should make the fencing good aud that the Society should be called upon to repair the same.” The Council was left sitting.