CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 3604, 10 September 1874, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

The adjourned meeting of the City Council was held last night; present—riis Worship til© Mayor (in the chair), Councillors Barron. Beck, Carroll, Fish, Gibson, Grant, Isaac, Mercer, Prosser, Reeves, Walter, and Woodland. STRONG ROOMS. A letter was read team Me Miratus, City Surveyor, recommending that two strong rooms should be iucluded in the present improvements being made at the Council Chambers, for the purpose of preserving the plans, documents, &o, of the Council, in case of fire. It stated that the coat of a strong room would be about L 220. Referred to the Works Committee. PELICHET BAT RAILWAY SIDING. A letter was read from the Provincial Government stating that in consideration of the Council cancelling the existing leases of sections 9 and 10, block I, wharves and quays reserves, to allow of a railway siding being constructed at the Pelichet Bay station, the (Government would consent to allow the Corporation to lease for a term of twenty-one years all the other sections which some years since were reserved to allow of the construction of the railway. ERECTION OF COTTAIGES. The following letter was read from his Honor the Superintendent “ Referring to our conversation this morning with reference to the erection of cottages upon Corporation property, I have the honor to request that you will be good enough to inform me whether or not, in the event of the Government seeing its way to erect a number of substantial houses of concrete the City Council would grant the necessary sites, on condition that the cottages shall revert to the Corporation so soon as the Government shall have been recouped for its outlay from rents. There are several suitable sites belonging to the Corporation, among which might be enumerated sections » , block 1, Cunedin, and also various n^ l « DS «.? a < t L ke D hai ‘ ves and <l ua y a reserve: adjacent to the Pert Chalmers Railway lino. Bor the convenience of those who would bn. the occupants of the proposed houses, it is. desirable that some should be erected at both ends of the City. 1 need scarcely saw tnat.ehouid this proposal be carried out, it will in the course of a few years pay the. Corporation well, while it will so far help toobviate what is at present a crying evil-—to wit, the absolute lack of decent house accommodation.—l am, &c., “ J. Macanlebw, ~ „ . “superintendent” (.r. Carroll moved that the letter be referred to the Reserves Committee. Or. Pish seconded the motion, though he disapproved of the piiaoiplo, as ho considered the matter was not part of the functions of the Government or Corporation. Me thought there were many persons in Dunedin wilUna cottagesj and he did not consider it nght in principle that the Government orCorporation should enter into competition With private enterprise. Cr. ISAAti supported the view taken of the matter by Or. Fish. He did not think the matter should haVe.eojne before the Council at all. h 0 Wou be in favorof a reservo being granted, temporarily, for thb Ofoftlon W twits, if nftfesmtty*

Cr. Walter deprecated the Council being asked for those reserves because a temporary influx ef population had taken place. Cr. Mercer considered the action < f the Government in erecting these cottages was only taking the bread out of the citizens’ months. He would vote in favor of the matter being referred to the Reserves Committed. Referred to the Reserves Committee. THE RAILWAY STATION BUILDINGS. K letter was re-id f <un Mr Blair, District Engineer, expressing a hope that the Council would see its way to give the Government permission to erect the remainder of the railway station buildings in wood or iron if found necessary. Cr. Pr 'SSER moved and Or. Fish seconded that the former decision of the Council be adhered to. Cr. Barron moved, “That the previous resolution of the Council with re'erence to the railway buildings be rescinded, and that permission be given, as ask«d for by Mr Blair. The work to be done under the supervision of the officers of the City Conn oil” Carried. LEASING THE TOWN BELT. Cr. Beeves moved the following:—“ That, having in consideration the large sum it will cost the City to have the Town Belt road formed and metalled, and with the view of making the said reserve not only healthful and ornamental, but also profitable to the citizens, it •is desirable that the Ecs rves Committee take into its consideration the advisability of laying out a portion of the said reserve in building allotments, for lea-ins; reserving, at intervals, such areas as may be i sufficient for recreation grounds, gard. us, and i roads.” After re ferring at some length to a leader in the ‘Daily Times’ respecting th e matter, he said that the writer gave him credit for aiming at what he had not the ■lightest desire -for, name'y, a situation under the Corporation. There was no situation under the Corporation that be would accept—( \ Councilor : What about the situation of Mayor?) Fight years the Council determined to lea-e the whole of the Belt for the purpose of grazing cattle on it. Some of these leases were still in existence.

The Mayor : There are no such leases in existence for the purpose of grazing cattle. Cr. 1 eeves ; It was to be let at that time in paddocks, the only condition being that %o buildings should he placed upon it. The Town Belt contained an area of about 550 acres, and his desire in recommending that the matter should go before the Heservcs Committee was, that a portion of the Belt should be divided into sections or building areas of five cr ten acres ea' hj. He would propose to let at most fifty acres, and this would bring in L 1.500 a-vcar. They had in the Town Belt a magn finent estate of 550 acres, the greater portion of which was a perfect wilderness, and was of no use to nine-tenths of the inhabitants. If by temporarily alienating onetentli of it, they could make the other nine-tenths useful, it would be surely a reason aide thing to do. If power to lease the land were got, he would suggest that they should borrow Ll2 000 as a special loan, which should be expended on the Belt in making it what it should be, and in forming a drive from the southern to the northern end of the town. Cr. Carr l ll said his idea was that they oonM let about 100 acres in five and ten-acre sections and these would bring in a revenue of about L 4 000 a year. Cr. Walter said they were now asked to act in opposition to what was being done everv Where else, namely, procuring pie suregrounds. He believed that the ratepayers were quite willing to spend sufficient money to improve the Belt, and he would ask Councillors to crush this vicious attempt to alienate the Town Belt. Crs. Carroll and Reeves asked that Cr. Walter should withdraw the word vicious, which was done. Cr. Mercer would oppose the motion, as he considered that the Belt had been the means of leading people to come to the Pio▼ince. The Belt was Provincial property, and held in trust by the City Council for the Province. Cr. Fish moved the following amendment, —/‘That, in the opinion of this Council, the alienation of any portion of the Town Belt for building purposes would be a gross breach of trust on the part of the Council.” The Corporation was the custodian of the Town Belt, which was Provincial property, and could not alienate any portion of it without being guilty of a gross breach of trust. He considered that it would be a sin to alienate one-eighth of an acre of that beautiful park, which would in time be bevond Erice. He would advocate the Council on-owing LIO.OOO or 1.12,000 to be expended over a series of years in improving the Belt. The amendment being seconded, Cr. Barron said he believed, if Councillors would go over the Belt, they would find 50 or 100 sections that might’be let, without any barm, and which would result in a benefit generally. Cr Isaac would oppose any action that would be taken by the Council to interfere with the Belt. Cr. Woodland considered that it would bo an injustice to the citizens to alienate any portion of the Belt for building purposes. The Mayor said that he was glad to see the motion would be lost by a large majority If valuation were not granted at the expiration of the leases, people would not five much for them ; and if it were granted, e was afraid the Corporation would, at their expiration, find itself in a worse position than atpriiaent. Cr. Fish’s amendment' was then put and carried by 7 to 6.

FORMING AND METALLING STREETS. Cr. Reeves moved, “That Brook street, from Leith street to Cumberland street, be formed and metalled ; that Castle and Leith ■treets from Howe rtreet to Brook street, be formed and metalled ; that the approach, to Cast’O street fiotaniial Garden bridge be formed ; also. “ That Queen street cutting, from =* orth place to Duke street, be fenced, and that a footpath be formed and pitched •n one side to Duke street.” Referred to the Works Committee. PUBLIC HEALTH. Cr. Carroll moved, ‘‘That a Public Health Committee be appointed, with a view to effecting sanitary improvements in the City, more particularly under the Public Health Act of this Colony.” Referred to the Bye laws Committee. LONDON STREET. Cr. Beck moved, “ That all further work in conection with London street be stopped, until the ratepayers shall have an opportunity of meeting the Works Committee and Surveyor, in order that their grievances may bo investigated. To further this, the Town Glerk shall communicate at once, to inform them of the willingness of the committee to confer with them.” A lively discussion ensued, as it appeared that the work had been done without the , sanction of either the Mayor or the Works Committee. Finally the Mayor said he eould not explain the matter, but would endeavor to find it out. Mr Mirams would bave an opportunity to explain why*he deviated from the instructions of the Works Committee. The motion was carried. GOTHETE AND LARNACfc’a, B’WldInGS Cr. Grant asked if permission had been given to Messrs Guthrie and Larnacb to occupy a piece of land situated between Crawford and Bond streets, and to build ' temporary premises thfc&bfcf ]f sh. who the authority ?

The Mayor said the right ts occupy the land referred to was sold by public auction some time ago. He, acting under the advice of several Councillors, had, the morning after the fire, granted permission to Messrs Guthrie and. Larnach to erect temporary premises thereon. The actio--, of the Mayor was approved of, IN COMMITTER. The Council then went into committee to non ider a rrt r from Messrs Guthrie and i a,nach re widening Princes street.