CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2188, 12 May 1870, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

Yesterday, The weekly meeting of the Council was held this afternoon. Present—The Mayor and all the Councillors. In answer to Mr Fish, the Mayor said that the special meeting called to consider the question of retrenchment lapsed, because there was not a sufficient number of members present. A letter was read from the Under-Secre-tary, intimating that the Government had received a communication from the factor of the First Church trust, ashing that he might be at once informed if it was the intention of the C.ty Council to take steps to widen Princes street. Mr Fish characterised the letter as another sample of liberality on the part of the Executive in regard to City matters. It was absurd and ridiculous in the extreme that the City Council should be called upon to widen the main road through the City, which had always been recognised as Provincial authority, Another letter was read from the Unden Secretary in answer to the application of the Corporation for payment of the L 6,000 accrued rents of Princes street reserve, the Council handing over Corporation bonds as security for the repayment of the money, in the event of the decision of the Appeal Court being reversed, replied that he had to state that the Government (fid hot feel justified iq decoding to the application unless the General Government relieved the Piovincial Government of any obligation of refunding the amount. In answer to the Corporation’s application for a continuance of the Government subsidy on the City rates for two yea’s, the Under-Secretary wrote that nothing coaid be done without the sanction of the Provincial Council, and that the claim of the Council should be properly brought under the notice of the Provincial Council by one of the City representatives. The Mayor said with respect to the first letter, that he looked upon it as though the Government were shuffling the question which had not been treated on its merits! The Corporation had to a certain extent been snubbed. On the motion of Mr Griffey, a resolution was carried to the effect that in the

opinion of the Council Messrs Millar and Turnbull, M.P.C.’a for the City, should be asked to introduce into the Council a resolution having for its object the handing over of the L6OOO to the City Council, provided the Government received from the Council bonds to that amount, as collateral security for the repayment of the sum, if required. Several reports were adopted, and a number of memorials calling attention to the state of the streets, were referred to committees. Mr Walter moved—“ That in order to come to a definite and satisfactory conclusion as to the course which this Council should pursue in the matter of supplying the City with gas for the future, it is desirable, and is therefore resolved, that a plebiscite be taken of all those ratepayers who paid their rates for 1860, and that the following queries be put to them :—l. Are you in favor of building gas works ? 2. Arc you iu favor of purchasing the present works (if obtainable), at the sum of L 22,000 ? 3. Arc you iu favor of a continuance of the present system ? ” The motion was seconded by Mr Fish, and carried by 4 to 3. After a warm discussion

Mr Wilkinson then moved that all the members of the Council form the gas committee. He said it had been reported that “Ti” had been given to members of that committee. As the Council might have some large works to carry out, he should like to have a share in it. They should be all tarred with the same brush.

Mr Fish thought Mr Wilkinson ought to bo ashamed of himself.. He it was who had been going about the town uttering these accusation against councillors. The Mayor then declared the meeting adjourned.