CITY COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 259, 31 October 1874, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

The Council met last night Present: ali the members. Cr. Bprn gave notice that he should move on the 27th November, •• That the Mayor and Couocil be empowered to borrow £6000 on debentures, for the purpose of paying for, and completing the sewage works in Nelson. Cr. Fsli thought they should not empower the borrowing of more money that was actually wantei. He did not care to ask for authority to raise more than was required during the term of office of the present Councillors. Cr. Bubn eaid there was another matter regarding the indebtedness of the Council, which he should like to bring forward. The manager of the Bank wa» getting somewhat uneasy with regard to their overdraft, as no special arrangements had been made, and, as it -would probably be a month or six weeks before anything was realised from the new assessment, he would mote, " Thit the Conncil authorlse'theJFinance Committee to make arrangements jritb, the Bank for an overdraft not exceeding £1800, and this Council agree to confirm - the same. Seconded by Cr. Bums, and carried. The report of the Public, Work* Committee and the report on the Waimea-street sewer were read and adopted. The latter report was as fallows:— "We entered at , the a,outh end of th sewer in Fxaminir-street, nnd inspcted Mr Blecher's contract; which is executed in a creditable manner; alter which we proceeded down the sewer towards the outlet at the Haven road. The s^wer seemed to act well until we came opposite Mr Pittterßonfg store, at the south side of Hardy»treet. Here we found 8} inches of tih in the bottom of the sewer; at the south side of the junction of H^rdy-street sewer, 12 inches of «lt and 1 j ioches of water; at the junction of Hardy-jsjnet sewer on the east side 15 inches of silt and no water flowing; 13 feet north of the manhole in Hardy and Waimea-etreets r U inches of silt and 1J inches of water; 45 ; feet south of the manhole, south of Mr L. Hargreaves' house, 4 inches of colt mud ; anl 13 inches oi water, 17 inchea in all; at the.Bridgt-fltreet junction, 6 ipches of water; at the outlet 2 inches ot water. Cr. Haddow moved, " That the Council advertise fr a duly qualified person to fll the offices of manager of the Gas and Waterworks and City Surveyor, at a salary of £250 a-year and a free house. Duties to commence on the Ist of January. Sealed applications to be sent in on or before the 27th November." He proposed this for the purpose of dealing' equitably with all tbtir officers of whom t<>ey had three where one would be sufficient. The present officers would of course be at liberty to apply.' Cr. Thompson seconded the resolution, which waa carried without a division. Cr. Haddow moved as a natural sequence ■ to the foregoing resolution; •* That the" manager of the Gas and Waterworks, acting CHty Surveyor, and Collector of Rates, viz. > Mecsrs Mirflo, Younger, and Watw, each receite six months notice from date. Cr Stbinger seconded the resolution. Cr Bitrk thoogbt that were such a refoluUon pissed as it. stood it wonld appear to the public that Mr Younger was discharged on account of his inefficiency, whereas this was npt intended, but it waa.done merely on the. score of economy. Cr Fell thought they would all agree with that. Ihe fact whs that they were saddled with more office rs than they wanted, and two mwsfc begot rid of He thought tin course at present being ado/ ted was perhaps owicg to a little bit of cowardice on tbeir part. They had two officers; and bad not the courage *o say which was the better o* the two. He hoped that his silence on the previcug resolution would not be interpreted ft" a censure upon either Mr Younger or Mr Mirfio. Several of, (he Councillors having stated that they htd.no desireto rtflect upon either of the.present officers, the following resolution was proposed by Cr .Bosk, seconde-i by Cr Wsioht, and carried unanimously :— " That it be recorded in the minutes of the Council that the foregoing resolution is rendered neatasary from the fact that one • officer will in future bs required to carry out the thitieß of Surveyor and Manager of Gas and Waterworks, whilst the Town Clerk j*ill also act as Collector, and it appeirs to the Council fair and proper, to dismiss the whole of these officers and hold a fresh Meetion for the office of Surveyor and Manager of Gas add Water Works ; no r«a ctiou upon iany of these officers is intended ; they having always carried oat their duties well and faithfully." . A letter was, received from Mr Harley' relative to a?phalting in front of the Trafalgar Hotel. The Mayor thought that their financial position was not such as to justify the undertaking of such a work. 4.:ietteii tfaa read from Mr Akeratisn asking whether the public would be allowed to erect ssats.in M,*ry Ann-slreei if the necessary fanHs were raised by subscription. A reply fas given in the affirmative. It was resolved that tenders sbiuld be invited for clearing out the water tables in the Wooi?. .-. The Council then adjourned until Friday the 13th "