CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 3861, 9 July 1875, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

The special meeting of the City Council, held at o’clock this afternoon, was attended hy his Worship the Mayor (in the chair), Crs. Prosser, Walter, Fi*h, Isaac, <- rant. Reeves, Woodland, Carroll, Leary, Mercer, Barron, and Gibson. sThe proposed new Waterworks Bill, as drawn up by Mr Mh Jregor, C.E., was first considered. Cr Pkobsir complained that the Council was asked to adopt the Bill without knowing anything of the plan on which it was founded. This plan contained a sketch of the proposed tributaries, &c., from which the pipes would be supplied. As the Bill was at present drawn, he understood tho Waitati stream—a most desirable tributary—could not be utilised.—Cr Fish explained that the Waterworks Committee bad left the whole matter to" the engineer of tho Corporation (Mr M‘Gregor), who hud instructions to include all streams he deemed necessary for the supply of the city. Had their engineer considered the Waitati stream necessary, he would, doubtless, have included it. lie considered it a great pity for I the Council and for the city at large that | Cr. Prosser was not a member, of the Waterworks Committee—(Cr. Prosser; Hear, hear)—as then all the committee hsd done woujd oo doubt meet with eatisfaotioo, and

Or. Prosser would have no necessity to carp and quibble.—Or. Prosski-; -. ! beg to object to the expicssicns of I' , i i.-li, who accuses me of ca ping end quibbling. I simply asked a quest ou ui• hj regard to the jd.-m, and cons • >■ the expressions quite un-called-for.—Cr. Fish c mi e;. Jed that there was noihing improper in the txpresaions used by him, Cr. Prosser raised unnecessary objections. —lt was then dec tied to consider the Bill clause by clause. Cr. B bbon moved as an nmcn.imen- to clause 4, “That the Coiporation iSolicitor be in structed to make j revision for the Waiiati Stream being secured to the Corporation, —dr. Isaac, in a vigorous speech, defended their engineer, and said he considered their solicitors (Messrs Smith and Anderson) were to blamo, and that in their work for the Council they had proved the most negligent men he ever saw. —Cr Walter objected to any Cmmci'ior lecturing the Corporation's officers while considering a resolution ; but Or Isaac affirmed his right to pass strictures on their solictors for the way in which they conducted the work of the Council. He instanced the arbitration bon is as another bungle.—The resolution was then earned.—On clauses 14 and ID being considered, Cr. E-kkves moved —“That a clause l>e inserted in the Bill g-viog an opportunity to the ratepayers of any suburb to object to the Corporation laying pipes and levying rat‘*s, provided there is a clear majority of the ratepayers against the compulsoiy rating powers proposed to be given to this Bill.” This was carried against an Amendment by Cr. Fish that the Corporation have no power to lay the pipes until a majority of the ratepayers apply for them. The other clauses were passed as printed. The letter from Mr Ritchie on behalf of Mr Hankey, dieting to sell the Gas Works for L 60.000, was next considered, together with a recommendation by the Lighting Committee that valuators be appoint'd to value the present works. •Cr Prosser move i that valuators be appointed to ascertain whether the works are suitable; and, If so, what they are v.or hj The Town Engineer might be one va uatt-r, hut they ought certainly to go out of Dunedin for the other.— (H-ar, hear.) »he in> t or. was agreed to.