CITY COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XL, Issue 194, 7 August 1876, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

The Council met on Friday evening. Present, all the members but Crs Levien and Pickering. Letters were read from Mr Johnson regarding the state of the road at Beachville — consideration deferred ; from the Waimea Koad Board, dechmng to assist in makiog the' halftide road round the Rocks j from the

Provincial Government, Btating that the application for a site for baths had been forwarded to the General Government ; from Mr Patterson, calling attention to the state of the footpath and water-tables near his premises ; and from the Superintendent, stating that; the Minister for Justice had stated that the police would be required to enforce the Municipal bye-laws as being part of the laws of the colony. The report of the Gas and "Waterworks Committee was read, recommending the purchase of 1000 tons of Collingwood coal. Some discussion ensued upon a motion by Cr Webb to the effect that the Finance Committee be empowered to make arrangements for the purchase of that quantity. His "Worship thought it would be better to consider the matter in a full Council, and Cr Webb withdrew his resolution [ on the understanding that the matter j should be considered at the next meeting. It was stated that the estimated balance on the gaa and waterworks account at the end of the quarter was £848. It was decided that Mr Moutray should be paid £16. The estimate of the receipts and expenditure of the Council showed that there would be a debit balance on the 31st of October of £687, after paying for all works now in hand. The City Surveyor reported that the cost of repairing the pipe which was burst in Brook-street the other day was £3 6s 4d. No tenders having been received for supplying Boulder Bank gravel, it was ordered that fresh ones be called for. On the motion of Cr Waters it was resolved that a written statement be furnished every month showing the amount of gas that passed through the meter at the works aud that registered by the consumers' meters, in order to show what amount of leakage there was. In the absence of Cr Pickering, Cr Webb moved that a sum of £15 be voted for gravelling the footpaths and generally improving the Church Hill, the work to be done under the supervision of the City Surveyor. Agreed to. The Council then adjourned. Mr H. Bennett, who was recently providore to the Union Company, is about to erect a steam laundry on a large scale in Wellington. A gentleman who arrived at Blenheim from Nelson overland last Thursday informed the Express that in passing through Havelock he heard that an illicit still had been discovered in that township. An awfully sudden death occurred near Blenheim on Friday morning, or during the night previous. It appears that Mr Humffreys was somewhat indisposed, and consequently lay down to sleep on a sofa, and next morning he wa3 discovered to be dead. Deceased was one of the old identities of this locality, and has been for twelve years in the public service : for two years as clerk in the Sub-Treasury and Resident Magistrate's Court, and the last ten as Provincial Auditor. — Express. The following is the full text of Sir George Grey's resolutions, of which we have as yet only published a telegraphic summary :—" That, ia the opinion of this House, the state of the colony requires that its financial and constitutional arrangements should be reconsidered ; that the unity of the colony should be maintained; that there should be two local governments, one for each island ; that the Colonial Government being responsible for the colonial debt, for which the annual charge for interest and sinking fund is £815,000, the North Island shall be charged with £190,000 per annum and the South Island with £625,000 per annum ; that, with the exception ot those matters of great colonial importance which must be reserved for the Colonial Governmeut, each local government sball have the entire control and management of ita own affairs and the disposal of its own resources ; that the seat of local government of the North Island shall be at Auckland; that the seat of local government of the South Island shall be at Christchurch ] that the seat of the Colonial Government sball remain as at present in Wellington."