AUCKLAND MUNICIPAL COUNCIL. Saturday, Jan. 17, 1852.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 622, 21 January 1852, Page 2

AUCKLAND MUNICIPAL COUNCIL. Saturday, Jan. 17, 1852.

The Council met at three o'clock. Present: —The Worshipful the Mayor 5 Aldermen Dignan, O'Neill, Powditch, and Mason; Councillors Davy, Abraham, Newman, McDonald, and Hay. Mr. Merriman, Acting Town Clerk. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The Mayor wished, before entering on the business of the day, to correct a statement in the " New Zealander's" report of the last meeting of Council. He was there reported to have said that he had two or tlii-ee times come into collision with Mr. Merriman, the Acting Town Clerk, lie did not think he had expressed himself thus— what he intended to say and what he believed he did say was, that in several instances diiTcrences of opinion had arose between Mr. Merriman and himself. [Wo were ourselves present on the occasion referred to by the Mayor, and,— although ho spoke then, as at some other times daring the day, in a tone not very easily caught in the part of the room appropiinted to the public, the woid " Collibion" seemed to reach our ear with unequivocal distinctness.—Ed. N.Z.] The Acting Town Clerk then read a letter from the Colonial Secretary, addressed to the Mayor, announcing the election and swearing in of Mr. William Hay, as representative of the East Suburban Ward, in&tead of Mr. Merriman, resigned. Another Letter from the Colonial Secretary, in reply to an application from the Town Cleric for information on the subject of unsold Crown Lands within the borough, was handed in and read. Alderman Mnson brought up the report of the Committee on Roads, stating that, in the absence of the Chairman of the Committee, Councillor llauluin, he s-hould sny that the report was not

i'l c\ci \ i' .[ice i ( o aj ' '(<«, tlw {Ummutlim ha\ing I*ooll \ ni'Llj ( o ." L " him thu quaniily of Land sold, (lie !,iir,»'. realized 1 y k'lid ;,il^., nor the number of inhabitants in the .several Wards. On the motion of Alderman J)ignan seconded by Councillor McDonald, the report as follows wis read : Tim Commit' oo appointed by your YToiship, Iho Aldermen, and Common Couik'ilnieu of the Borough of Auckland, in Common Council a^cmblod, on ilic sixth d.iy of JJecvmLor, USJI, to enquire into, and report on (he pivsent siate of the Roads in the se\ er.il rural districts of the Borough, and the probable outlay that would be necessary to complete and keep them in good repair, have now, after considerable labour, so far extended their enquiries as to be in a position to lay before the Council a statement, which, while it may not embrace every contingent item, will, it is hoped, be found sufficiently comprehensive to enable the Council to decide with safety upon the propriety of undertaking, with the means at their disposal, the completion and maintenance of the rural roads. Commencing with the West Tamaki Ward, your Committee have ascertained that, acres of land, within the boundaries of the Ward, have been purchased from the Government, for the aggregate sum of £ sterling, acres are now in state of cultivation, and the population of the ward is estimated at The ent're area of the ward is intersected by projected series of Road, which, when completed, will extend about 10^ miles. Of these, about 1^- miles only have been formed and metalled ; one mile formed, but not metalled, and the lemaining portion, viz., about eight-and-a-half miles arc )Ct entirely untouched. The portion that has been formed and metalled, viz , one mile and one-third, or thereabout, id not continuous, but in detached | parts — one mile being at the eastern end of the ward, a t.mall portion near the centre, and the remainder at the Wcbtcrn extremity of the ward. Your Committee are of opinion that, in the j construction of the small portion of the Koads in this ward which may be said to have been completed, no attention ht\t> been p;>id to the first ! principle!* of road-making. The curve of the ro"d j has not only been made to abrupt as to cause the surface water to carry oil the debris-— the retention of which is essential to the durability of roads ; but in consequence of this excessive curvature, the friction has been so much increased that the wheels of every vehicle necessarily dislodge a portion of the metal as they pass. It is alco evident to your Committee, that, very serious loss, in point of economy has been sustained by metalling only to such a breadth as barely admits of one a ehiclc passing another on the road, and the traffic having, in consequence, been confined within such narrow limits, every kind of vehicle passing to and fro in exactly the same track, the wear and tear has been proportionably increased. These evils apply, in a great measure, to the construction of the roads generally, but particularly to the constructed portions of road in this waid, and, in addition, it ought to be mentioned that, on one portion of road at the west end of the ward, the metal was so thinly laid on, and was of such inferior quality that it was of scarcely any service, and lias now almost entirely disappeared, being buried, in sotfie places, more than a foot deep beneath the soft clay upon which it was originally laid. In reply to questions raised by your Committee as to the cost of the portions of roads that have been constructed in this ward. The Superintendent of Public Works has furnished the following information ; — "Ten miles of load have been completed in the Rural Wards : — On the Onehunga Road 1{ miles remain to be completed ; on the llowick Road 4£ miles; and on the Otahulm road nearly the whole lino remains to be completed. The average cost of the Onehunga lload lias been £1456 per mile, of the Tamaki lloswl, £1010, and of the Otalmbu Road £200 per mile. The Onehunga Road is in very good state of repair ; the Tamaki Road, as far as the bush i& albo \ v\-y good, from thence to the the termination of the "mefal the road is much worn. The employment of labourers, to repair, with broken mctaf as required, the average cost' per mile has been Xl2O. On the Ouehunga Road there is a swamp on the portion yet to be completed ; on the Olahuhu Road a number of solid rocky places." Your Committee have been thus particutar in quoting tlie information derived from the Superintendent of Public works, because their calculations are principally based upon the data he has he has given. It appears that there are, in this ward, iucluding half the length of the Point England Road, which forms part of the boundary of the Panmure Ward, about 10J miles of projected loads. Of these, one mile and one-third have been completed, at a cost of £1346 13s. 4d., with the additional expenditure of £160 to keep them in repair. To complete the remaining portion of the projected roads in this ward, the following sums would be required, viz. : — To metalling one mile of road formed, but not metalled, say ... ... £910 Forming and Metalling about BJ miles, at £1010 per mile ... " ... £8585 To keep them in good repair when made, viz. 9] miles, at the average cost of £120 per mile ... ... £1140 Total .410,635 In the East Epsom Ward, there have been acres sold, idealising to the Government about leaving an area of about aci'es unsold. Of the land that has been sold, about acres are in a state of cultivation, and the ward contains a population of about The projected lines of road in this ward extend about 16 j miles- Of these, tln-ee and a quarter miles have been completed, at a cost of £4732 with the additional sum of ... ... £390 for keeping them in repair. Hence, the estimated expenditure for completing the projected lines would be as follows :—: — To metalling three miles of formed road £4368 To forming and metalling ten miles, at the average cost of £1456 per mile... ... p £14,560 To keep in repair 13 miles, at the average cost of .£l2O per mile ... £1560 Total .£20,488 In passing, your Committee deem it necessary to remark that they cannot implicitly rely upon the accuracy of these calculations, though founded, as before stated, upon the data furnished by the Superintendent of Public Works, inasmuch as that there is an evident discrepancy between the information given by Mr. Wood, and that which has been obtained from another source, and placed at the disposal of your Committee by one of its members. For instance, the Superintendent of Public Works, in his return states that the cost of the Otahulm Road (part of which runs through the East Epsom Ward) is £200 per mile. _ But the Surveyor who superintended the execution of the work has informed your Committee that " about thirty- eight chains nearest Auckland cost £80, the next twenty-five chains, i6O, and the next eighteen, £90, the large bridge cost £323, and the total expenditure on this road, including portions beyond the limits of the East Epsom Ward, he slates to have been £11 08. Kow, if the sum of £1108 has been expended upon the Otahulm Road, and if, as Mr. Wood states, each mile cost £200, then it follows of necessity, after deducting £323 as the cost of the I biidge, that nearly four miles of road have been completed, whereas, the fact is, that barely two miles on the whole line have been completed. Proceeding, however, to the WfbtEpsom Ward, your Committee find that acres of the land comprised within the limits of this ward have been sold, realising to the Go\ eminent about {j Of these, about acres arc 1 under ciillJKiliun, and about acres remain j

a-^ demesne Lands of the Crown. The ward cont'lins a population oi' about. The projected lines of road in this ward extend about As\ miles, only 1-J miles of which have been formed and metalled, at a cost of ... ... £1820 with the additional sum of ... £150 for repcars To complete the projected roads in this waid to llio following sums according to the estimates be-ibre-mcniioncd, will be required :—: — To form and metal 44 miles of road £04,064 To keep them in repair ... £5280 Total ... £69,344 In the Onehunga Ward acres have been sold, realising to Government about £ acres are under cultivation, and remain unsold. The ward contahis a population of about The projected lines of road extend rather more than five miles, a few chains only of which have been completed. The construction of the remaining portion of the projected lines will entail an expenditure as follows :—: — To forming and metalling at the average cost, say . . . . £GOOO To keep in repair. . . . 600 £G6OO In the East Tamaki Ward acres of Land have been sold, realising to the Government about £ acres of these are under cultivation, and there are within the limits of the ward about acres still unsold. The population is estimated at There are in this ward sixty -three miles of projected roads, not any portion of which has been completed. Three miles have been formed, without metal, but the remainder is yet untouched. I The cost of completing the projected roads would be as follows : — To metal three miles of formed road £ 3,300 To form and metal sixty miles 72,000 To keep the same in repair 7,560 £82,860 In the Ilowick Ward acres of Land have been sold, realising to the Government about £ Of these, about acres are under cultivation, and about acres rcniaiu unsold. The population is estimated at The lines of projected road extend rather more than IG£ miles, exclusive of the streets in the village. About half-a-mile has been formed and metalled, the cost of ■which cannot be ascertained at present ; but which, for repairs, according to Mr. Wood's estimate, entails an additional outlay of £60. To complete the projected lines in this ward would requive the sum of . £19,200 and for repairs . . . 1,920 £21,120 In the Panmure Ward there ig a population of about acres of land have been sold for which the Government has received about £ of these, acres are under cultivation, and about acres remain unsold. The projected lines of road in this ward, exclusive of the streets of the villagd, extend about 11£ miles, two miles of Avhich have been completed at a cost of . . £2020 half-mile has been formed, without metal, at a cost, say . . .Go and for repairs, an additional outlay of 240 i.232i> To complete the remaining portion of the projected roads, the following expenditure will will be required :—: — To metal half a mile of formed road say £ 45 J To forming and metalling nine miles 9090 To repairs . . . .1140 Total . . £11,685 In the Otahuhu Ward there have been acres of land sold, realizing to the Government about £ Of these, about - acres are in cultivation, and acres care still unsold. The population is estimated at There are 7£ miles of projected road in this ward, exclusive of streets in the" village, one quartei; of a mile only of which has been formed. To complete the lines would require according to the ordinary estimate • • j£B7oo and for repairs . • • 870

Total , £9570 Your Committee mr thus drawing attention to the vast amount required to carry out the projected lines of road in the various rnral districts, would not bo understood as implying that they consider it necessary or desirable to commence and complete all the projected roads without delay. On the contrary, your Committee are of opinion that several years must elapse before the greater portion of these roads will-tie absolutely required. But, as the Members of this Council may be regarded as occupying, individually, the important position of umpires appointed by the Burgesses to decide whether the Corporation has, or may be likely to have, a revenue equal to the prospective expenditures of the Borough, your Committee have considered it to be their duty to place before you the extent of the liabilities that will eventually devolve upon the Corporation. The aggregate amount that would be required, according to the foregoing computations, to complete and keep in good repair the projected lines of road in the various rural wards, is as follows: — £ For the West Tamaki Ward 10,635 „ East Epsom 20,488 „ West Epsom €9,344 „ Onehunga 6,600 „ East Tamaki 82,860 „ Howick 21,120 „ Panmure 10,685 „ Otahuhu 9,570 Making a Total of 231,302 To which must be added the aggregate amount of the estimated cost of repairs of those portions of road which have already been made on the several wards, viz. ... 1030 Making a Total of 232,332 Leaving out of view altogether the expense of constructing all the projected roads in the rural wards — an undertaking which as before stated, is considered for the present to be unnecessary— your Committee would direct attention to the fact, that there are already more than eight miles of road in various localities, formed and metalled, and as the Superintendent of Works states the cost of keeping one mile in repair to be £120,, there will consequently be an immediate liability pressing upon the ' Council of at least £1030, that being the sum required to keep the finished roads in good repair. In the Despatch written by His Excellency the Governov-in-Chief, to the Lieutenant-Governor, accompanying the Charter of Incorporation, it is stated that the sum of £740 19s. has been voted by the Legislative Council " for the making and repair of public roads in the vicinity of Auckland for the year 1852." Now, if, as the Superintendent of Public Works states, the average cost of a mile of road is £1200, and the cost of repairing the same £120, it follows, that the sum voted 'by the Legislative Council, instead of being adequate to the "making and repair of public roads in the vicinity of Auckland," islittle more | than sufficient to make and repair a single halfmile", and altogether inadequate to repair the eight miles of road already made in the rural wards alone, especially when it is borne in mind, that a considerable portion of this vote may have been already expended. "*Your Committee having shown, according to the data in their possession, the extent of the liabilities that will eventually devolve upon the Cor-

poration in connection with the rural roads, and the amount that wiil presently be required, to keep in repair the roads already constructed, now propose to point out the nature, extent, .and probable cost of those works which ought immediately to be undertaken in the several rural wards. After carefully collating the information obtained by the members of the Council from the Burgesses of their respective wards, your Committee are of opinion that tbe following works are immediately required:— Ist. — In the West Tamaki Ward. The extra repair of that portion of the Tamaki road upon which, as before stated, the metal was originally laid in such, an inefficient manner as to be now comparatively useless. The forming, reforming, draining, and metalling of the remaining portion of this road within the boandaries of the ward. The estimated cost of which would b0... £1450 2nd.— ln the East Epsom Ward. To form, drain, and metal portions of the south and Onehunga roads running through this ward. To construct causeways over swamps on cross roads The estimated cost of which would be, £1830 3rd. — In the West Epsom Ward. To form causeways over swamps, and construct dray road over scoria on the Wahu line. To form the Mount Eden road to Mill and Church — a portion of the Karangahape road ; and to metal about half-a-mile of the Onehunga road running through a portion of this ward. The estimated cost of which would be... £1076 4th. — In the Onehunga Ward. 0 To form and metal a portion of the main road. To build causeway, and remetal a part of the Beach road. The estimated cost of which would be... £1541 5 th.— ln the East lamaki Ward. To reconstruct White Bridge. To metal portion of the Ilowick road running through the ward. To drain portions -of the road. To build bridges over of the Tamaki, and to construct causeways and culverts over swamps. To repair and copper punt, and to construct additional wings to landing places. .The estimated cost of which would be... £17GO | '<slh.— ln the Ilowick Ward. To reform, drain, and metal portion of the Ilowick road running through this waid. The estimated cost of which would be... £1000 7th.— ln the Panmure Ward. To form, drain, and metal portion of the Tamaki road running through this ward. To construct drains and culverts on the cross road from Panmure to Otahuhu. The estimated cost of which would be... £1 142 Bth.— ln the Otahuhu Ward. To drain form, and metal portion of the Great South Koad running through this ward. The estimated cost of which would be... £1515

The total of the estimated cost of these I works, immediately required, being... £ll32o j Supposing the Council to aquiescc in the necessity of undertaking the works above specified, and assuming the possibility of their having the necessary means placed at tlieir disposal by* the 'Government, your Committee would remark that, in order to facilitate the execution of the design, several reserves would be indispensably necessary j sia quarries : and should the Council ultimately be in a position to commence these operations, jour Committee would suggest the propriety of making application to the Government for the following places to be added to the endowments of the Corporation, viz., allotments of scoria land of sizes varying from live to ten acres. One at Mount Smart Two at the Great South Road Two at Mount Wellington One at the junction of the Tamaki and Point England Roads One at the Three Kings One at Mount Albert Three at Mount Eden One on the Epsom Road One at Onehunga One at the Volcanic Hill on the north side of the Tamaki Road, at or near a place called Rangitoto One at the Pigeon Tree Hill One at Scoria Creek. Your Committee have already included the repair of the Punt amongst the works necessary to <be done, and would now recommend, for the consideration of the Council, two distinct propositions, by the adoption of either of which, the means of communication by this fen*y would be materially improved. First. That a clock, regulated by Auckland mean time, under the supervision of the Town Surveyor, should be placed in the ferryman's house, and that the Punt should leave Panmure side, during the summer months, at 6 o'clock, a.m., and the Howick side at 7 o'clock, a.m., continuing to ply, for the accommodation of horses, carfs, &c., every alternate hour from either shore until sundown. That during the winter months she should continue to ply, at the same intervals, from tne hour of sunrise to sunset. That the small boat should ply during the day, between the trip of the Punt, for the accommodation of foot passengers as may be required. Or, secondly, that the Ferry be offered to public competition, either by auction or tender, the contractor being allowed to impose a small fixed charge upen the transit of passengers, &c. Under the present system this ferry involves the expenditure of £100 per annum, exclusive of the cost of repairs. By the adoption of the latter proposal, your Committee are inclined to believe that the expenditure of this sum would not only be saved, but that a small surplus revenue would be derived. The average amount of daily traffic is, at present, 22 foot prssengers 7 horses 2 carts. In conclusion, your Committee would briefly recapitulate the leading facts which, in the coui'so of their enquiries, have been disclosed ; and which it is desirable this Council should keep in view when determining upon their future proceedings. Firstly That the Corporation will hereafter be expected to complete the projected lines of road in the various rural wsirds, and that, according to the data furnished by Government, and calculated at the ratio of past expenditure, the execution and maintenance of these works will require the sum of £232,332. Secondly. That the Corporation are placed under the immediate necessity of maintaining those portions of road already constructed, and that there is, besides, an urgent demand for the speedy execution of various new undertakings in the several wai'ds, and that for these purposes the present Council must be put in possession of means equal to an expenditure of £12,350. Thirdly. That the only item of revenue immediately available for the general purposes of the Corporation is one-third of the proceeds of the two last land sales. That the sum specifically appropriated by His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief, with the sanction of the Legislative Council, not for the construction and maintenance of the rural roads exclusively, but " for the making and repair of public roads in the vicinity oi

Auckland," geneially,— a portion of which sum' however, there is reason to believe has been already expended— is the only apparent source from whence the Council could hope to meet the required outlays ; but that such a hope would be altogether chimerical, inasmuch as the sum originally voted did not exceed £740 19s. Mr. Abraham, chairman of the Public Health and Sanatory Committee, laid on the fable a separate Report of that Committee on the pro posed site of the Lunatic Asylum, which was read as follows :—: — The Committee Report : — That m the course of thoir Sanitary Tnquiiies the attention of tlio diueient Medical Witnesses examined befoie them, having heon called to the reported site for tho intended Lunatic Asylum, namely, the lower part of the inclosure wherein tlio Government Hospital stands, withm a few yards of, and ovorloolced by tho inmates of the Hospital ; such Medical Witnesses expressed their strong and decided conviction that Ihe site was a great deal too neai tho Hospital, and that tlio ciics of violent lunatics, or oven tho proximity of persons of tbat dosciiption, would seriously affect the Hospital patients— -the two Institutions leflecling injuriously upon each other. The Government having included* tlio intended Asylum in the list of Public Institutions proposed to bo placed under tlio control of the Corpoution with the remark, "That the only impediment was tho selection of a site," your Committee- consider it to bo their duty to communicate the above tPStimony to tho Charitable Tiusts, and Public Institutions' Committee to tho end that the matter might be distinctly brought before the notice of the Government, before the site was finally I decided on, and this was accordingly done. Your Committee have had before them tho letter of the Colonial Secietary of the 6ih inst., laid before the Council at their meeting on the 10th instant, written in reply to the above communication, wherein he admits that the reported site "has been done with the full consent and concurrence of the subscribers," but gives no answer to the question whether the Colonial Surgeon considers the intended site a proper &ito in reference to its proximity to the Hospital and Domain. Your Committee have since had their attention called to tho advertisement in the Government Gazette of the 2nd mst., calling for Tenders for the eroction of the Lunatic Asylum, until noon of tho 20th inst., and upon an inspection of tho plan and specification, the site is described as *' The Hospital Grounds near the Auckland Park," and the building as designed, appears to be about 80 feet long and about 50 feet deep m the widest part — the intended site being a considerable slope directly oveilooked from tho Bariack ground, and by all persons passing up Symonds street, Grafton-road and the adjoining part of the Public Domains. The Committee now report all the circumstances to the Town Council, and beg 1 to state that they have not been peimitted to examine the colonial Surgeon, so as to be enable to report his opinion as the Medical Officer of tho Government, but they are enabled to repoit from the highest evidence (next to official proof) that the opinion of tho Medical piofession in Auckland, as they believe without exception, is decidedly opposed to the placing the Lunatic Asylum on, or any where near the bite intended, and they recommend that measuios be adopted to stay the evil, if possible. Alderman Dignan stated that the Committee of Public Works, after examining Mr. Merriman on several points relative to the office and salary of Town Cleric, had Jiccidcd to recommend that J gentleman's appointment to the office at a salary of £100 a year. Alderman Mason ?ras about to propose that Mr. Merriman be appointed, when it was found necessary, according to a rule of the Council, that notice of the motion should be given previously. Alderman Powditch in bringing foiwaril his motion for a by-law to prevent cattle trespassing on roads and streets, stated that he would move that the consideration of the matter should "be referred to the 13yc Laws Committee, so that ample time might be afforded burgesses who might consider themselves affected by such a regulation to appeal against it. Mr. Abraham seconded the motion that the question should be referred to the P»y Law Committee. Alderman O'Neill opposed the entertaining of such a by-law in any way. He thought the townspeople should not be forced to a dependence on Epsom for their milk and butter, which would be the practical effect of such a law; it would be found to be very oppressive on the poor cattle holders in the town. After some further discussion there were nine for, and one against the motion. Alderman O'Neill rose to move the adoption of a Memorial to His Excellency the Govcrnor-in-Chief on the subject of the erection of a Government House. He said that it was nearly four years since the old Government House was accidentally burnt down, and since that time nothing had been done towards the erection of a new one. He would not stop to inquire whether it was through negligence the former house was burned, nor why it had not been replaced before this, and the most important Province of New Zealand — the seat of Government — so long allowed to remain without a mansion befitting the representative of Her Majesty in this important portion of Her Empire. But they should remember that although the present Governor-in -Chief had been content to live in a plain house, at a small rent, it could not be supposed that their next Governor would be of the same humble disposition—he might be a man accompanied by a family and would need suitable accommodation for himself and his suite. If Sir George Grey has been placed in such uncomfortable cii'cu instances as to be unable to exercise the hospitality that is always expected from Governors, and for which he believed the Home Government makes liberal allowance, it was time for the colonists he thought to try to remedy the evil, and use arguments to induce the Governor to turn his attention to the subject, even although at the eleventh hour, and save his successor from the embarrasment which he now labours under in this respect. He begged to submit the following memorial, and to move that it be adopted by the Council :— To His Excellency Sir George Grey, K. C. 73., Govei nor in Chief of the Teiritoiy of New Zealand and its dependencies, §c, Bfc. The Memorial of tho Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses in Common Council assembled. RESrrciruLLY Shkweth, That a peiiod of three years and six months has now elapsed since tho destiuction by fire of the Government House of this the seat of the Government of the Colony, without any effort having been made to supply so great a difficiency in tho necessary appendage to tins Piovince. lhat, without dwelling upon the fact of your Excellency having been dopiived of an official and suitable residence for the representative of Her Majesty (the inconvenience of winch your Excellency and Family must necessarily have felt), Your Memorialists beg to point out to your Excellency the additional inconvenience which would bo suffered by any successor to your Excellency's office should be anive having a laigo family and Buite, and be unable to obtain the necessary accommodation. That your Memorialists would impress upon your Excellency the fact that the absence of tho necessary Buildings for carrying on the Government in a style of pioper dignity, tends to lower and degrade tho character of the Province in the eyes botli of casual visitors and of the residents themselves. That numbers of persons owing to tho present dull state of business in this piovmce and borough, and being unable to obtain employment, are leaving by every vessel for New South Wales, seduced by the flattoiing accounts of the Gold fields in that Colony. That it is the opinion of tins Council that numbois of those persons would be retained in the colony, an impetus given in some degree to tiade, and confidence panially restored in this borough, if a suitable residence for the Goveinor-in-Chief, with tho necessaiy offices, wpro commenced to ho built of stone or brick at once, as the erection of such an edifice alone would give employment to numbeis. That 3'our memoiialifets, would uige upon your Excellency, in addition to the foiegoing, that since the formation of the colony material ami labour ol all kinds have at no period been so cheap and plentiful as at tho piesent, fhus ensimng a saving to the colony, by tho commencing at once of a work which must necessauly, at any price, sooner or later be done. Your memorialists therefore respectfully leqiiost that your Excellency may be pleased to take

irPir.ui'S ror liie setting ijMita su. m of not loss tli.'ni Co, ooo i'oi (!.<' en'dioii of ,i auittiblo (}ovciiiutciit House of stoi.e or buck at Auckland, horn the I \-ai piiliami- lil.n y Giiinl to thibTernloiy, and tl'at the vsoika bc j commenced as soon as conveniently maybe. And) our inemoiiulists, &c. Alderman PowdHeh seconded tlic motion, not that bo thought Auckland was not strong enough to go-a-hcad with or without tliG countenance of a Governor, but because he believed, that the presence of the representative of her Majesty in a new community always exercised a beneficial influence on the moral character of the population, lie referred to the moral tone given to society at ITobart Town in GovGinor Arthur's time, in proof of the benefits that the hospitalities and civilities of ajudicious Governor were calculated to confer on a young colony — Government House being a centre round which the colonists should gather, and from which should proceed examples worthy of imitation by every grade of the community. Alderman Dignan would move as an amendment that the Memorial should proceed from the Mayor, Aldermen, Common Councillors, and Burgesses of the Borough— so that every Burgess might have the opportunity of signing it as well as the Council, which he thought, would make it still more effective. The Acting Town Clerk gave it us his opinion that it would be very inconvenient and irregular for the Burgesses to sign the Memorial passed by the Council after the Corporate seal had been affixed. Mr. Abraham said the difficulty he saw was that they had yet no seal to affix, if Sir George Grey were in Auckland, ho (Mr. A.) would have no objection to make one of a deputation to wait on His Excellency on the subject, but he did not like the Council to do anything that would require the affixing of their seal, which would be a virtual acceptance of the Corporition Charter. If the Council use their seal for one act, it would be but fair they r.hould for others. lie would move as an amendment that the consideration of the question be deferred until after the Committees had brought up their report, and then the Council would be in a position to sec whether or not they would need a seal. This amendment was seconded by Mr. Newman, and carried. Mr. Newman then rose to bring forward his motion for a tax on Dogs. lie said that a great diversity of opinion existed on the subject of a Dog tax. Some people would have little dogs exempt, others— larger ones; some a tax on all — others on none. For himself he might say that he had no feeling at all on the matter, his only wish in bringing forward the motion was to get rid of what he believed to be a great nuisance. He had been charged with inconsistency, inasmuch as he had already expressed his O2>positipn to all taxation, j He had not recanted anything he had said on this subject. It was no part of his schcrac to raise a revenue, but simply to abate a nuisance, an evil that was felt by the settlers to be a great one — and one that had done and was still doing much injury to the Province. Sheep farming he knew by experience to be the most profitable investment of any in connexion with Agriculture pursuits, yielding often 75 per cent profit ; but although such was well known to be the case, and this Province so well adapted to the pursuit, many were deterred from embarking their capital in the importation and breeding of fcheep, from the fact of the great devastation made amongst them by dogs that arc now allowed "without any check to infest the country. He thought an evil of such magnitude should not be passed over without the Council taking some steps to remedy it ; — if there was any difficulty felt about the term tax, he thought it might be got over by a registration fee, from which as much funds would be derived as would pay certain necessary liabilities of the Council, for if they were to judge from the repoit on roads that they had heard, there was but little hope of the Council getting anything into their hands from any other source. If it was found to be incompatible with the duties of the Common Council, and they could not deal with it, then the subject should be forced on the attention of the Legislature. However he thought the nuisance so great that notwithstanding he might be accused of inconsistenc)'-, he would move that a registration fee of 10s. be charged on all dogs, and that the motion be referred to the By -Laws Committee. Alderman O'Neill seconded the motion. Mr. Abraham hoped the Council would not yet proceed to levy anything in the shape of a tax. He believed the mover did not mean to carry on a crusade against orderly well behaved dogs, but only the disorderly ones. Now for summary proceedings against all such as the latter that trouble the towns, there exists a remedy already — an ordinance ample enough in its provisions, whereby a dog roaming without its owner may be seized by a constable, kept in custody a night and a day, and if not then claimed, may be hanged. It only required the Police to do their duty in the town and the nuisance would be abated. The'pointwas that if the council impose a tax, collectors must be appointed to levy that tax, so that the whole income of the tax would not any thing like cover the cost of its collection. For his own part he would prefer some steps being taken to make the present staff of the Government do their duty; and in the mean time he would move an amendment that the consideration of the subject be referred to the By Law Committee, to report on the propriety of bringing in a law for the more effectual abatement of the Dog nuisance. Alderman Powditch seconded the amendment, which was carried. Alderman Mason gave notice that at the next meeting of Council he would move that Mr. F. W. Merriman be appointed Town Clerk, at a salary of £100 a year. Mr. Abraham gave notice that at the next meeting of Council he would move, that the Sanatory Committee do continue „their inquiries respecting the site of the intended Lunatic Asylum, and to that end, and at their discretion, communicate with the subscribers and their committee, and that the Mayor, Aldermen O'Neill, Dignan, and Powditch, with Councillor Newman, be appointed a' Deputation, to wait, if necessary, upon the authorities, and urge the delay of the works, and their removal to some other site ; also that, he would move, that in the absence of full and distinct information from the Government as to the existence of any charges upon the fund to be raised by the sale of Crown lands within the borough, there exist good reasons for believing that the same is not at present clear or available for purposes of Endowment, and that the Council ought to be careful not to base operations upon the same as constituting a certain source of revenue. The Council then adjourned.