CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 3866, 15 July 1875, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

The adjourned meeting of the City Council took place last evening: present—His "Worship the Mayor, Crs. Barron, Carroll, Fish, Grant, Gibson, Isaac, Leary, Mercer, Prosser, Reeves, Walter, and Woodland. CORRESPONDENCE. The Under-Secretary intimated that the Goyernmentwould agree to transfer for thefreehold in Albany street two sections required for the gasworks. Referred to the Reserves Committee. Mr Crawshaw's application for extra compensation for work done ia York place was refused. PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER. Dr J. Gillies offered himself as a candidate for the post of Public Health Officer, and enclosed testimonials. Referred to the Sanitary Committee. Cr. Fish moved, and Cr. Carroll seconded —"That the salary attached to the office of Public Health Officer be not less than LIOO per annum, a*l that applications be called tomorrow." Carried. DANGEROUS KEROSENE. Revenue Officer Lumb wrote stating that he had met with some dangerous samples of kerosene in Dunedin lately, and he requested the Council to_ give him tie necessary authority to prosecute in such cases. Granted. RAILWAY CROSSINGS. Cr. Reeves said he had been informed that the shoeß were clean taken off a horse by his feet catching in the railway crossing in Rattray street yesterday, and that the driver would have been killed had not assistance been close at hand. The Government should be made to look after these crossings properly, as this was not the only accident that had occurred there. RETIRING COUNCILLORS. The Mayor said the Councillors who retired by effluxion of time were Messrs Prosser Barron, Reeves, and Leary. Cr. Walter said it wa3 a most unpleasant duty to ballot out the different Councillors, and intimated his intention to retire, but consented to remain on its being pointed out that it was a duty. Cr Carroll suggested that the whole of the Council should resign, a* there was a very strong feeling to that effect outside. The Mayor said they would commence the balloting with the "model Ward" (South Ward). Cr. Fish explained that it would simplify matters if he stated his intention to retire irom the Council. It was possible that he would be brought int® contact with the Council in a legal sense. He therefore requested to be balloted out, and though he might have been balloted out under any circumstances, it would save invidiousness. He had had enough of municipal politics for some time. Cr. Barron also announced his intention of retiring from the Council.

The Mayor announced the following Councillors balloted out:—South Ward, Cr. Fish • High Ward, Or. Mercer: Bell Ward, Cr. Carroll; Leith Ward, Cr. Gibson.

mi. I " LT EBSION 0 f THE WATZRWORKS. ihe following report from the Engineer, addressed ,o the Water Supply Committee, was read :

t ru ■ ™ . -. Duneclin, July 14, 1875. To the Chainnaa Water Committee • BiT ni have th ? honor to r °P° rt *hnt I have earveyed the ground surrounding tho margin of the upper reservoir, as suggested by the Committee on Saturday last, and now beg to submit the following calculations for the information of the Corporation • -Ist. 8,000 cubic yards of stuff will "2 to\ o excavated for every additional 1,000,000 gallons of water stored, and will cost about 2s nor cubic vnrd equal to LBOO per 1,000,000 gallons. 2ui. Were the surface of the ground proposed to be excavated on a level with the water-line, or, in other words, if a cubic yard of water could be gained for every cubic ya.d of stuff excavated, 6,518 cubic yards must bo removed in order to storo 1,000,000 gallons of water, and 6,518 cubic yards at 2s amount to L 051165. But, owing to the extra depth that would require to be excavated from the rising ground, the cost in this particular case would be L80i) for the first extra one million gallons gained, and would of course go on increasing in proportion to the elevation oi the surface of the ground above the water line. The Committee wiU observe that to gain extra storage capacity by excavation is an expensive process, and if impounding water general y were to coat anything like the above rate, I am afraid few cities would be Sfw^ 61 '' The p r e aent large reservoir cost about L4OO per million gallons stored, and 8 Q e ,7 olr ro re«t«i by mo I estimated to cost about L 333 per million gallons stored. It is obvious then that as a general rule it is more economical to impound water by embanking than by excavating; and I would recommeud that very little wZi 10D > b . eyoDd *B e level of tho ™ter-line! ?KKf\ wLatever ™rface is broken should be cut "F UUdor th ? so as to prevent the weeds from growiug again.—l have, &c , John M'Ghkgor. CrPROssER moved-" That reservoir No. 2 should be deepened to such an extent as may be considered necessary by the Engineer and ? e T?™J Supp .. ly There would be 14000 spent on this reservoir inßtead of spending L 5.100 on tho two.

Cr Walter supported the Engineer's report Cr Rfeves moved—" That the matter be re ferrcd to the Water Supply Committee, with power to act." Carried. The Citv Surveyor reported that were the Council called upon to take action re the proposed expenditure of L7O to lay piping through sections of block 18, Cargill street ami York Place, it would be cheaper and better to lay pipes through the sections rather than attempt to carry the water down Cargill street. He was of the opinion that they had a perfect right to make use of " natural watercourses" for street water without corrinsr under any obligation to cover in such watercourses either by pipes or sewers. Referred to the Water Supply Committee. NEW WORKS. On Cr. Mereer moving—" That the Works Committee be authorised to call for tenders tcomplete the culvert, in Brown street, and to fill up th" street to its full width"— Cr. Fish said the Council were spending over L 4,000 per annum more than th«ir income, and some day they would find the P>ank oud denly closing against them. They should decrease their expenses, and kenp their day labor, salaries, nnd so forth, within a cert an limit. He desired to draw the earnest consideration of members of the Council to what ihey were doing, PS this would probably be the last opportunity he would have of addressing them. Cr, PfIOSSER moved—"That the motions on the Order Paper dealing with new works stand over for the consideration of the new Council.' Carried. the public works committee. The Public Works Committee recommended that the Council pay half the cost of asphalting abutting Mr Farley's new shops in the Arcade, on condition that the Arcade is to continue to be an open thoroughfare for foot-passage traffic. That Brown street, betwen Eim row and Duncan street, be completely fermed, full width, and the necessary culvert extended, af an estimated cost of T.oO. That Victoria street bo excavated and foimnd, full width, for a length of one chain and a-half from its junction at York place, at an estimated co-st of L4O. That the Councillors for Kouth Ward be aiithoris- d to conclude with tho Government the necessary details for the lowering of Maitland street south. That the Town Clerk write to proprietors of places of amusement within the City, in accordance with the Surveyor's report of sth July, 1875, with a view to betfc-r egress in case of fire, and a ready means for suppressing any fire. That Mrs Calvert. Queen street, and the memorialists at York place, be informed that the Council is advised that municipal funds cannot legally be devoted to paying any claims for compensation for alleged damage to private properties conseeiuent upon alterations to street levels. The application of the memorialists from Lambeth road for the Council to take over the street, has been declined, the street not having been formed to proper width. The report was adopted. WATER TO PRIVATE BATHS. Cr. Walter moved—"That, after the expiration of the present quarter, no charge be made for water to baths except in cases in which a charge is made for such baths." Referred to the Water Supply Committee. material and labor for waterworks. Cr. Woodland moved—" That ten 'ers be called for the Supply of all material and labor in connection with the Waterworks at schedule price, for twelve months, commencing August 1, 1875 " The motion was carried. street tramways. Cr. Prosseu withdrew the following motion: —" That permission he granted, subject to usual conditions, for layiner down the horsetramway at the south end of the City, as applied for jointly by Messrs Anderson and Mowat and other merchants," NEW GASWORKS. Cr. Carroll moved—" That an engineer be appointed by the Council to report on the plans for new Gasworks in the possession of the Corporation, and to furnish an estimate of the cost of erection of works in conformity with such plans; also to report whether the said plans are suitable for the requirements of the

City." The Mayor said the Special Committee appointed at the last meeting of the Council were not yet prepared to recommend anyone for the appointment of valuator. He had been in communication with the Mayors of Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland, and had re ceived answers from Wellington and Auckland ; but no reply had been received from Christchurch. He would call a special meeting of the Council at an early day to further consider the matter. Cr. Prosser seconded the motion, which was carried. THE MAYORAL ELECTION. The Mayoral election was appointed to take place next Wednesday. The following persons were appointed Returning Officers: A. Fiulater, Leith Ward; ('aider, Bell Ward ; Crawford, High Ward ; and H. H. Paul, South Ward.