CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4463, 9 July 1875, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

Thursday, July 8. The Council met at 4 p.m. Present—His Worship the Mayor, Councillors Clolaud, Dransfield, George, Gillon, Greenfield, Mills, Moss, Pharazyn, and Eainie. MINUTES. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. 1 THE NIGHTSOIL CONTRACT. The contract between the Corporation and Mr. Saunders, which had been prepared by the City Solicitor, was placed upon the table. On the suggestion of the Mayor it was referred to the Sanitary Committee, to whom was delegated the power to affix the Corporation seal. Councillor Gillon remarked that in glancing over the first few pages of the document he had discovered four clerical errors. CORRESPONDENCE. Copies of the outward correspondence were read; and the following inward correspondence was laid upon the table ; From the Town Clerk of Melbourne, forwarding, in compliance with a request from the Wellington Council Clerk, copies of the bye-laws in force in Melbourne, From the Provincial Auditor, acknowledging, with thanks, the receipt of certain returns for which he had applied. From the Town Clerk of Napier, asking information as to the nature of the arrangements made by the Council in respect to the removal of uightsoil. From the Town Clerk of Grey mouth, inquiring the terms under which the Council let the wharves. In each case the Town Clerk was authorised to supply the information sought.

From Mr. J. G. Allan, on behalf of residents in Arthur-street, re drainage of said street. Consideration deferred.

From Mr. Jackson, inquiring the limit of the strain he might place upon the wharf cranes, Eeforred to City Engineer.

APPLICATION FROM CORPORATION OFFICERS FOR INCREASE OF SALARIES. The following memorial was read ; “ Wellington, July 1, 1875. “ Gentlemen, —The undersigned officials of the Municipal Corporation of Wellington, respectfully request that you will bo pleased to take the following matters into consideration, viz.—

“The amount of our respective salaries, duties required for such, and whether the time lias arrived at which such salaries may reasonably be increased. “We would respectfully urge in support of an increase—

“ Ist. That since this city has been under municipal government, the population has about doubled itself, this (a part of a general increase throughout the whole colony) has tended to increase the cost of living to a serious extent.

“ 2nd. The extension of the city consequent on increase of population has materially added to the office work.

« 3rd. A large work of the kind usually carried out by private companies having large staffs of officials has been initiated in Wellington and in progress of construction, the labor of designing, supervising, assessing, and collection of revenue being performed by the ordinary Council officials. The waterworks department will be found, on examination, to have nearly doubled the labor of the offices. “ dth. That notwithstanding the increase of work devouring upon us and what is of far greater importance being more difficult to meet the great increase in the cost of living, wo submit that the salaries have not been proportionately raised. “ With all respect, we beg to subscribe ourselves, Gentlemen, your moat obedient servants, Wm. Hestek, Nicholas Makchant, J. Ames, A. A. G. Pilmek, D. Kainie, C. Roe. “ His Worship the Mayor “ and City Councillors.”

The Council decided to consider the subject in committee, after the transaction of the other business. TOWN clerk’s REPORT. The following report from the Town Clerk was read ; “ Gentlemen, —I have the honor to remind the Council that the present contract with the Gas Company for lighting the street lamps expires on the 20th instant. “ Rate per lamp in present contract, including repairs, £S 7s. “ The following is a return of the rates collected to the 30 th June last:— Amount of general rate for current year ... ... £6209 15 0 Collected to 30th ultimo ... 5183 15 S Still due £1025 19 4 Estimated amount of water rate for current year, exclusive of General Government and water supply wharf ... £4494 6 6 Collected to 30th ultimo ... 2852 18 7 Still due £1641 7 H It having been suggested that the matter of the gas contract should be referred to the Lighting Committee, with power to act, Councillor Rainie on principle objected to this being done, and said the Lighting Committee, or any committee, should report its recommendations to the Council, and allow that body to accept or reject the finding of the committee, as was thought best. Some little discussion ensued ; the main argument in favor of the original suggestion being the fact that, as the contract would expire before the next meeting, unless something were done the city might be left in darkness at the commencement of the parliainentary session. The Lighting Committee was made up of seven members out of the ten, and of the three Councillors who were not members, one was the manager of the Gas Company. Councillor Dransfield remarked that the Council was not entirely in the hands of the Gas Company, and some day might think it wiser to have an arrangement different from that now in existence. The question was referred to the committee to report upon. THE STEAMERS EASBV AND LUNA. On the above subject the following communication was read from the Pierraaster:— “Wellington, June 29, 1875. “ To His Worship the Mayor and City Councillors. “ Sirs, —With reference to an article that appeared in the New Zealand Times on the 25th inst., “They accuse me of not being on the wharf attending to my duty on the arrival of the s.s. Easby. As she arrived during the dinner hour, I was absent. What they considered my duty was to turn the p.s. Luna away from the wharf, to allow her to come alongside. The Luna came in to the only vacant berth there was at the wharf, to take in the balance of her Government cargo, as she was to leave the same day at 6 p.m., and whenever this cargo was on board, which occupied two hours, she moved away, leaving the berth clear. “In accordance with the wharf regulations, I would not have been justified in moving the Luna away from the wharf.—l remain, &c., “J. Mundle, Piermaster.”

Councillor Gillon considered that the complaint of inattention to the Easby had been well-founded. It was clear that Captain Fairchild, the moment he saw the Easby round the point, had run alongside the No. 1 berth in order that he might get a little cargo on board the Luna, knowing at the same time that the Easby had mails and passengers to land, and that there was no berth for her. He (Mr. Gillon) did not know that the Luna had any business at the No. 1 berth. It was always understood that that berth was set apart for steamers carrying mails and passengers, and he was not aware that the Luna came under that definition. She paid no dues, and the harbormaster should not have allowed her to occupy the berth for the purpose of taking in a little cargo, to the exclusion of the Easby, which had to anchor out in the stream, and land her passengers and mails by boats. The harbormaster would have been perfectly justified in ordering the Luna to move off on the approach of the idydney boat. He moved the matter be referred to the Wharf Committee. Councillor Moss remarked that the occurrence 'was not creditable in another respect. It appeared that the piermasterwas absent at the time of the arrival of the Easby, whereas he should have made it his duty to be on the wharf when he knew she was coming in, and stay to see her safely moored. Councillor Cleland having seconded the motion, it was carried, THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE’S REPORT. The Public Works Committee brought up the following report;— “Your committee, in reference to a letter from Mr. Georse Eichardson, as to certain drains from his premises in Vivian-street, recommend that the drains be replaced by the Corporation, and if possible that earthenware pipes should be laid down. “ On the recommendation of the Engineer, the committee recommend that the proposed works in reference to the Terrace breastwork, for the protection of Mr. George Moore’s property, be postponed until spring. “Your committee, in accordance with a report from the Engineer, recommend an expenditure of £ls in clearing drains and repairing footpaths, as requested in Mr. Mowbray’s letter of the 21st June, 1875. “ Your committee wish to draw the attention of the Council to the fact that in their report of the 11th May, they recommended, and the Council adopted, a resolution as follows ; ‘That during the next two months the Engineer be authorised to engage what extra labor he may deem necessary to put the main thoroughfares of the city in a proper state of repair for the winter.’ Your committee regret that this does not yet seem to have had the effect intended, as the main thoroughfares of the city are still in a very unsatisfactory condition, owing to the originally bad formation of the streets, and the difficulty of obtaining a sufficient supply of metal. “Your committee also find that since the 22nd March last the following works recommended by your committee, and approved by the Council, have been carried out ; « Metalling south end Taranaki-street; repairs to Terraco steps ; drain, South-road ; repairs to Nairn-street ; repairs to Pirie-street ; embankment, Wellington-terrace ; repairs to Woolcombo-street; drains in Tory-street; lamp-post, &c., Tory-street; Martin-street formation ; repairs to section 36(5, Eoxburghstreet; repairs to Te Aro-sireet ; Plimmer’s

steps. “ The following works, similarly authorised, aro now in progress :—Drain, Tinakori-road ; drain, Major!bank-street; Sydney-street drains; works, Courtenay-plaoe ; Terrace, footpaths ; repaire, Nairn-street; repairs, Tory-street ; gorse - clearing, Church - street ; covering-in Hawkestoue-street drain. “ The following works, authorised as below, and the dates named, are not yet commenced : —Drain near Major Heaphy’s, Tiuakori-road, 22ud March ; footway near Cricket Ground, 22nd March; flooring culvert, Cuba-street, 22nd March ; drain in Cuba-street, 22nd March ; repairs to Moore-street steps, 15th April ; repairs to Customhouse-quay, 4th May ; repairs, Aurora Terrace, 15th May ; Syduey-street drain, 27th May ; Boltou-street, repairs, 17th June ; repairs, Garrett-street, 17th dime; repairs. Brougham-street, 24th Jvme ; repairs, Old Customhouse-street, 24th June.

“Your committee have received a deputation, accompanied by their solicitor, on the subject of tbe works in Arthur-street, and the necessity for a drain there. Your committee recommend that if the residents in the street will deposit the estimated half cost of the required work (£33), it be done. “ In reference to the condition of Hobsonstreet, your committee have received a report from the Engineer as follows : “ ‘ The approach thereto through Muturoastreet is in an unsafe condition. Hobson-street, with re-forming water-table and gravelling the footpaths, may well answer all present requirements. The roadway of Muturoa-street requires extensive metal repairs, in addition to cleansing and gravelling. These works I would recommend the committee to order, as the aforementioned thoroughfares are much frequented during the sitting of the Assembly.’

“ Your committee approving o£ this course, recommend it to tlie Council. «They also recommend that portion of the Engineer’s suggestion, that ‘ preference be given in matters of cleansing and repairing to the Thomdon and other thoroughfares most frequently nsed during the sitting of Parliament.’ , “ Your committee recommend that the footpaths from Sydney-street to Tinakori-road be made good. “ Several letters received by your committee have been referred to the Engineer to report on the works to which they refer. “Your committee recommend that the Adelaide-road near Berbampore be made pas sable for vehicles.” - . , A discussion arose upon the letter which had been received from Mr. Allan, bearing upon the sixth recommendation of the report. In this letter the citizens resident m the locality applied that the work might be performed under a certain section of the Corporation Act. The Council generally felt disposed to accede to the request, because if that ■course were followed the £33 would be saved to the Council ; but some of the Councillors expressing an opinion that if the request were glinted the wishes of the residents would not be met, the letter was referred to the Public ■Works Committee, to allow of the matter standing over. - - The report was then adopted. accounts.

Sundry accounts, amounting to £io4 is. id., were passed for payment, also the salaries and wages abstract.

MR. SCHULTZ AKD THE CORPORATION. Councillor Dransfield said he had heard outside the Council something about Mr. Schultz proceeding against the Corporation, and should be glad if the Mayor would give the Council any information on the subject. The Mayor replied that no steps had yet been taken that he was aware of. It had been said that Mr. Schultz considered he had a clnim against the Corporation, because in the construction of the waterworks a stream had been diverted from his mill, but nothing had been done in the matter as yet. However, if Councillor Dransfield would give notice to ask a question on the subject at the next meeting, he would undertake to see the City Solicitor and get the necessary information. Councillor Dransfield adopted this course.

The Council then went into committee to consider the memorial from the officers of the Corporation.