CITY COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 123, 24 May 1879, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Council was held last night. Present : All the members except Cr Little. A letter from the Chairman of the Waimea County Council having been read relative to the Hospital management, it was resolved on the motion of Cr Hounsell that the Mayor, Crs Everett and Levien be appointed as a Committee to act with the County Council. A letter from the Under Secretary for Crown Lands was read, stating that the strip of reclaimed land between the Port road and the railway would be required by the Public Works Department. Leave was granted upon the usual conditions to Mr Cockram to remove the house in connection with the toll gate across the road. A letter was read from Mr Martin Christian, complaining that the slops from Mr M'Artney's house were emptied on the road, and asking that it might be stopped. The Mayor said that this was only one of many complaints of a similar character, and there were likely to be maDy more unless some steps were taken to provide proper drainage. Mr Jackson's application for a remission of a portion of his rent for the marine baths was again considered, and a letter from him was read stating that he had carefully attended to the baths until the receipts dwindled down to threepence a day, when he thought he might leave his nephew to look after them — Cr Harley opposed the application on the ground that a liberal reduction had already been made, and a large sum of money expended upon making the baths attractive. It was owing to Mr Jackson's want of attention that he had not been successful.—Cr Trp.sk moved that Mr Jackson De allowed £10 off the £27 now due by him.--Seconded by Cr Crewdson and carried, Crs Harley and Cross dissenting.

A letter from Mr Sballcrass to the Town Clerk relative to the dispute between himself and Cr Harley us <o certain words alleged to have been used by tho writer wafl read, the following being an extract from it ; " You inform me that Mr Harley has again stated that if 1 did not tnnke use of the exact words quoted by me from a newspaper report of the proceedings of the Council I certainly made a statement to that effect. This I again most positively deny. I neither made use of the words quoted nor words to the same effect. I told Cr. Harley that 'he appeared to wanfc the control of prison tabor, which he should not have as long as I was goaler if I could help it.' I hope the Councillor is not quite so obtuse as to be unable to perceive the great difference between having the control of prison labor and the use of prison labor." Cr Harley considered that the letter entirely corroborated the statement he had made, as Mr Shallcrass admitted having used almost the exact words he bad quoted. He believed this little bit of bustle between himself and the gaoler would do a certain amount of good ia obtaining the prison labor j for the Council. The report of the Public Works Committee was then read, the recommendation that a temporary footpath be made immediately inside the railway to the Port giving rise to some discussion, the argument being used that it would be waste of money, as it would be sure to be cut up by the traffic consequent upon the laying of "the permanent way of the railway. On the other hand, it was stated that in the present state of the road some such convenience was absolutely necessary. Ultimately the proposal was agreed to, the Mayor and Crs Levien and Johns opposing it. The following recommendations were agreed to :— That the footpath be extended I from the Commercial Wharf to the Pier I Hotel ; that a pipe drain be laid in Bridgestreet from the Government Buildings to Collingwood street ; that the Inspector of Nuisances be required to warn people against allowing the drainage from their houses to run on to the footpaths. Cr Trask called attention to the nuisance at the back of Mr Hounsell's store, and asked if it was in the power of the Council to have it filled up.— The Mayor : There's no power to deal with it.— Cr Hounsell said Mr Jones bad once offered £15 towards the work. He thought it was a pity the Council had not accepted it.— Cr Trask would suggest that Mr Jones be asked again, and that, if he was willing to renew bis offer, the Council should pay the balance.— Cr Harley would object to any such arrangement. He had filled in bis portion next to the nuisance complained of, and thought it would be very hard if the Council assisted otbera when he bad borne his full share of the burden. He would be satisfied to die from the slink rather than agree to Cr Trask's proposal— Cr Crewdson admitted that it was a beastly stinking place, but he did'nt see what they could do with it. — Cr Everett must vote agaiust the proposal as being unfair. — The matter then dropped. Tenders were opened for building the Corporation stables as follows :— Gorrie and Sons, £176 10s; W. Good,£lG9; ,I. Edwards, £165 10s; J. Scott, £164; J. Gilbertson, £154. The latter tender was accepted. Application received from W. Phillips to store 80 gallons of kerosene. The City Surveyor reported that the building in which it was proposed to store the oil was an open shed, surrounded by other sheds, containing straw, tallow, resin, and other inflamable matter.— Permission was given to store 40 gallons. On the mo'.ion of Cr Everett it was agreed to lay gravel on the side of the Haven road as far as the Hocks for the convenience of foot passengers It was agreed that the following works should be seen to as soon as possible : — Repairing Waimea street from the Port road to Mr Bettaay's wool-scouring establishment; repairing Nile street East from Coliinsrwood street to Brook srreet; gravelling Waimea Road from the Golden Fleece to Bolton's nursery garden; cleaning out ditch in Waimea Road; removing stones laid down as temporary footway from Jones's j store to the Maori House on Haven road: V gravelling footpath in Ngatitawa street. The Council then adjourned.