CITY COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 108, 7 May 1881, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

The Council met at 7 o'clock last night. Present : The Mayor, Crs Levien, Greig, Graham, Hounsell, Everett, Harley, Trask, and Little.

A letter was received from the Commissioner of Crown Lands granting permission to construct a street through a piece of Crown land in Brook-street Valley.

A letter waa received frpm Mr J,. Newport asking for a license to slaughter cattle in Crook-etreot Va'ley ; also (Q Cregt ft fence

on the road eid^ between bia property nnd the reservoir. — The latter applicat'ou was granted. There wps some doubt expressed as to the legality of granting a license and the consideration waa deferred, permission being granted to kiil in tbe meantime.

A letter was received from Mr J. Hounsell, Secretary to the Salvage Corps, asking for pecuuiary assistance towards the maintenance of the Corps. Cr Harley, as a member of the Eire Brigade, said that some time ago £15 was voted to the corps. He didn't think they were any good, as they never practised, or if they did it was in secret. He thought that if there was any money to spare it ought to go to the l^ire Brigade.

Tbe M-iyor tho ight they were a very nseful body and had done good service alreadj ia saving property. Cr Trask} the first lieutenant of the Corps, thought the corps had already done good service and deserved encouragement. He waa sorry to hear a member of tho Eire Brigade speak as Cr Harley had done. The fact was he had been absent frbm Nelson so long that be did not know what was goiug on here.

Cr Hounsell proposrd tbat £10 be granted t_ the Corps for the purpose of purchasing distinguishing badges.

Cr Lsvien thought that the Council should not vote any money. If tbey went round for subscriptions he would be glad to assist privately. Cr Grabarn.also considered that the Council should not contribute out of the public, moneys. The only thing he had ever seen the corps do at a Are waß to draw a rope along the street about the height of people's kueea and so tripping them up. It would be a different thing if It was to start the Corps, but they had received £15 two years ago_

Cr Harley said that most people were insured and did not care whether theii furuiture was burnt or not. If his own housf caught fire he would much nther people let it alone and let the contents be burnt. The Salvage Corps had already received £15 for badges and now they wanted more money to buy a suit of hew clothes. ,Cr Everett thought it would be better tt, leave it to private subscription. He must correct Cr Harley 'a statement about the insurances, for, as a rule, that did not cover more than two-thirds ot the value.

The question was put. Ayes. The Mayor, Crs Hounsell and. Trask. Noes: Crs Levien, Greig, Graham, Harley, Little, and Everett. A letter was received from Mr Johnson, the lessee of the Marine Baths, saying thai April had been a bad month, aud asking that tbe £3 10s rent for the montb be remitted Agreed to, one or two Councillors suggesting tbat it would be a very good thing if thai "white elephant" could te sold.

A letter wa3 read from Mr S. Lamber* calling attention to the ditch near his pro perty in the Waimea Road. Referred to tbe Surveyor with instructions to clsan the ditcb out.

A letter was read from Messrs Pitt and Moore in reference to the overflow of watei on to Mr Warren's property in the Wood. Referred to the Works Committee.!

A letter was received from Mr C. W Moore stating that he would willingly remedy what he had done in damaging tbe road iti Toi Toi Valley; alao asking whether Mi Webster had permission to fill up the ditch; and requesting that Mr Webster be requested to remove the obstacle created by bim by throwing out broken crockery and bottles. Resolved, That "itr Webster be requested to remove the heap of rubbish if he is responti ble for it. With regard to the ditch thert appeared to be some difference of opinion whether one ever existed there. It was also urged that the Council should not be made n tribunal for the settlement of neighbors' petty squabbles. Ultimately it was resolved that if Mr Webster had been the means of filling up the ditch, & .., he be requested to re-open it. Tho Works Committee in their reporl sla'ed that they had visited the ditch ccm plained of by Mr Webster, and could not sec that the ditch cut by Mr Page was injurious :o Mr Webster's or any other ratepayer's property. _ . . Cr Graham having been a dissentient or* the Works Committee stated that his reaso.for objecting to the report waa that if the* Council permitted the water to be drained on to Mr Webster's property they would probably be involved in expensive litigation. Cr Harley defended the report. The ditch referred to was an original watercourse, and the Couiicil bad a right to di'ain into it. Ci Graham was no doubt actiog iv a friendly manner to Mr Webster, but as Councillorthey should leave all considerations of private friendship out of the question. If Mr Page bad applied to the Council for leave to do what he had done without permission he was sure they would have granted it. Cr Graham Baid that Cr Harley's statements regarding what took place in the Works Committee were iocorrect.

The consideration of the Committee's re port wna deferred until next meeting. The Gas and Waterworks Committee recommended that the price of coke be reduced to 25s per ton, and tbat gas lime be sold at 2s pet load.— Agreed to. After the reading of the City Surveyor', report, Cr Graham said be wished to express hisowu satisfaction aad that of a Dumber of ratepayers with the manner in which the Sur veyor was repairing the streets.

The Inspector of Nuisances reported that after inspecting the whole town he was able to report that it was in an excellent state o-f cleanliness, but there were complaints abou: bad odors arising from some open ditches in Waimea-street. He felt that he was now in a position to vigorously seek out any nuisances that might exist, and to hunt up unregistered dogs that might be hidden away iv order that their owners might evade the tax

Cr Graham said that tbe Works Committee of tbe Education Board had consented to put tbe fence a little further 'back than their actual boundary at the new Haven Road School, in order to allow room for a footpath.

Cr Little called attention to the fact that two years ago the residents iv Brook-street "Valley had been promised a footpath, but tbat it had never been made. Tho matter was referred to the Works Committee on condition that they visited the spot on foot, and not in a cab.

The'Couucil.then adjourned,