DEPUTATION.

Evening Star, Issue 3025, 30 October 1872, Page 2

DEPUTATION.

To-day, at noon, a deputation from the City Council, consisting of his Worship the Mayor and Messrs Barnes, Ramsay, and Walters, waited upon his Honor the Superintendent in reference to several matters connected with the Municipality, His Worship, after a few words of introduction, stated that the first matter he wished to bring under his Honor’s notice was, that under the Otago Local Revenues Ordinance the Government promised to hand over certain revenues to the local bodies. The Ordinance was passed in accordance with the resolutions of a conference of Mayors, with whom the understanding was that the Government should refund to the Corporations a fair share of the amount of annual license fees collected previous to the Council taking over the maintenance of the main road of the City. The Corporation took charge of the main road in July, but the bulk of the license fees were collected in January of eachycar; but instead of afairshare the officers of the Treasury had only sent the sum of 1.149 17s 3d, being the sum collected for licenses since the passing of the Bill, and entirely ignoring that the Corporation was entitled to the amounts collected since the beginning of the year. The charge for maintaining the road in January and February was L 244 10s 9d, and that did not allow the cost of metal ; and taking it at that average, the cost for six months would he over L4OO ; so that there was a manifest loss. But that sum did not represent anything like the cost to the Corporation, for they would have to expend LKJOO or LISUO. After the beginning of the year there were only a few dog licenses, and such like, recoverable; so that it seemed likely the Corporation would be out of pocket L.OUO, unless the money was recouped. The sum of L 7,000 was placed on the estimates, which was to bo paid to Municipalities, so that there were funds available. He telegraphed to Mr Reid a short time ago, and his reply seemed to endorse his own opinion that the Corporation was entitled to be recouped. The deputation asked that live months’ proportion of the revenue received from January should be handed over to the Corporation. His Honor said his idea cf the matter was that handing over the publicans’ licenses and taking charge of the main road, should be simultaneous—that was from January. That seemed to him the common-sense view of the matter. The Mavou said the Corporation had already taken it over ; hut if the view expressed by the officers of the Treasury had been correct, the Corporation would have declined taking charge of the road until the Ist January next. The Corporation had expended upwards of Li,OGO, The Superintendent said that the only point that struck him was that the Corporation might have spent mere than the Government would have laid out. The Mavor did not think so. His Honor said he would submit the point at issue to his Executive. It was a mere matter of arrangement of accounts. iiis Worship said the next matter was in regard to closing up Gaol street, which had been suggested a short time ago by Mr Taine, as it was intended to run Cumberland street through to High street. Cumberland street now terminated at Stuart street, but it was one of the main streets of the City, and must in time to come relieve the main road of much of its traffic, The Corporation had some small sections between 18 and 14, and it was important to carry tho road through, as the traffic would naturally take that route. He wished the Government to consent to a portion of Gaol street being closed, and asked its help, if needful, to have an Ordinance passed authorising it. His Honor thought the Government would give every facility for such au Ordin*

ance being passed. He felt very much pleased with the idea, (His Worship showed the intended alterations on the map.) Tho Mayor said the next question was as to the formation of High street in front of the railway station. Tho railway would be opened almost immediately, and it was u the street should be formed and metalled, after which the Corporation would take charge of it. His Honor said half the street would be formed by the Railway Company, to the extent of half a chain wide. Mr Barnes said it would be necessary it should be U chain wide. The Railway Company had been trying to arrange with the Corporation to do away with the footpaths on one side, so that carts could back right up. In other .streets they only backed to the kerhing. Mr Walter said that was a Municipal matter. The object of the deputation was to ask that the street should be formed. His Honor said as application had been made to the Government for the formation of the street, it must be started at once. The Mayor then drew attention to a former application for prison labor, to widen Castle street to its full width, and pointed out the advisability of the work being done now, while the rails, &c., weio down. His Honor said he was to see the gaoler to-day, and thought the work would be done. The deputation then withdrew.