CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2712, 26 October 1871, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

At yesterday’s meeting of the City Council, the Mayor presided, and there were present Councillors Mercer, Barnes, Ramsay, and Winter.

On a letter from Mr T. Low, asking for the Council’s patronage for an entertainment to be given on the 6th prox , in aid of the funds of the Benevolent Institution, being read, Councillor Barnes drew attention to the fact that of late several entertainments had been announced as being under the Council’s patronage, without any such patronage being accorded by the Council. The Mayor said he believed one case of the kind had occurred, aud explained that when he accorded his patronage without bringing the matter under the notice of the Council, he had merely done so as Mayor. Councillor Winter drew attention to the necessity of the Council making their patronage worthy of the name ; and qf attending in full force on the evening in question. The following memorial from residents at Kensington was read : “To His Worship the Mayor aud Councillors of Dunedin.

“Gentlemen—We, the undersigned inhabitants of Kensington, haring noticed in the report of your last meeting when referring to the flooding of Kensington, that Mr Blair had reported that ‘he had made enquiry, and found that no flood had occurred.’ We beg to express our regret that Mr Blair should have been so sadly mis-in-informed, and to assure you that our complaints were not without great cause. The facts are these The railway bank from the Anderson's Bay road tq the reclaimed ground acted ;>s a dajp and kept back the flood water, thus forming a huge pond between the railway bank and the Anderson’s Bay road, and causing the ditch in the recreation ground tp fill so much above the ordinary level that the water rushed to Park street, Kensington, and not only flooded a large portion of the streets, but also some of the best gardens in the locality, and seriously damaged the crops. And as wo remain in danger of a recurrence of the disaster whenever visited by heavy rain, we beg you will kindly make suitable arrangements to relieve us.” After some remarks from the Mayor, and Messrs Barnes and Mercer, as to the necessity of the matter being at once attended to, the memorial was referred to the "Works Committee.

A" letter was* read from the Union Bank acknowledging the receipt of LIO,OOO worth of city bonds to be deposited as security in terms of previous arrangement. Several miscellaneous matters were dealt with. Councillor Barnes drew attention to the occupation of city reserves by persons without payment, and urged that steps should be taken to remove them. The matter was referrpi]. to ttye Reserves Committee. Attention was palled to a number of works in Albany, Aurthur, and Maitland streets which required to be attended to. —The tender of Mr Findlay for the supply of coal at 37s per ton, was accepted. The tenders for timber and iron work were referred to the Woiks Committeee.

The reports of the Public Works, Finance and Reserves Committee were adopted. The last mentioned committee reported in reference to the Artillery’s application for the lease oi a site at the Octagon Market Reserve, for a drill shed, recommending that a seven years lease of a plot of ground (60 by 70) should be granted at a rental of LlO ; if at the end of the term, the site was not required for any municipal purpose, the lease to be renewable for a further term of seven years ; and in the event of the ground being required before the expiration of the seven years, the company to be made a present of the rent paid by them during the term of the lease. Oii the report of the City Surveyor being read, Councillor Barnes preferred a charge of mismanagement in respect of works being carried on in Great King and Clyde streets. On its being decided that a committee of the whole Council should visit the work and make inquiries, Mr Barnes refused to accompany it if the City Surveyor was allowed to be present; and the Mayor refused to go unless that responsible officer was present. The Mayor’s view was agreed to by several councillors, Mr Barnes alone objecting.

Tho applications for the office of Bell Tower watchman were then considered. They were forty-eight in number, and most were accompanied by numerous and satisfactory testimonials. Some dozen names were first selected from tho heap ; and these were submitted to ballot, when it was found that the votes for D. Henderson, and George West, butcher, Walker street, were equal. In giving his casting vote in favor of the latter, the Mayor said that he did so on acoffthe circumstances under which West had been recommended, an accident having happened to him, and because he (the Mayor) knew nothing of the other applicant.