CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4819, 1 September 1876, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

The Council met at 4 p.m. yesterday. Present—His Worship the Mayor (in the chair), Councillors Cleland, Dransfield, George, Gillon, Greenfield, Pharazyn, Kainie, Moss, and Mills. The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. THE PROPOSED PURCHASE OF THE GASWORKS.

The following letter was read from Mr. J. R. George, Secretary to the Gas Company :

Wellington, August 20. Sik,—l have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of 20th inst., enclosing copy of special committee's report as passed by the City Council, in which the Council "Agree to purchase these works at the rate of £l4 per share should such offer be accepted." In reply, I have to state that the following resolution was passed at a meeting of the directors held yesterday:— "The board will recommend to the shareholders that the works be sold to the Corporation on the terms—that each shareholder receives £l4 for each £lO paid lap, the amount to be paid in cash on the clay of delivery to the Corporation, a balance sheet to be drawn up on that day, and all undivided profits distributed among the shareholders."—l have, &c, J. K. Geokok, Manager.

Win. Hester, Esq., Town Clerk, Wellington. Also the following from the City Solicitor : Wellington, August 28.

Sir,—ln reply to your letter of this day's date, informing mo of the resolution of the City Council to purchase the works of the Wellington Gas Company, and requesting me to advise what legal steps are necessary to be taken by the Council in order to give practical effect to the resolution, I beg to say that such a purchase can only be legally effected under the provisions of an Act of the Assembly authorising it, and providing for the means of raising the necessary purchase money, and the mode iu which it is to be charged upon tho city revenues. The Council would also require to be invested with the power of manufacturing and selling gas to private customers, as I presume their purchase is not intended to apply solely to the lighting of the city.—l have, &c, Wji. Thos. Locke Tbaveks, City Solicitor. To the Town Clerk, Wellington.

Councillor Gillon then moved, —That the City Solicitor be instructed to prepare new clauses for introduction into the Municipal Loan Consolidation Bill; or, if deemed more desirable, a special Bill, authorising the Corporation to purchase the Wellington Gas Works and to borrow a sum not exceeding £50,000 for that purpose, and for the future extension of the works when required. Provision to be made that the Council shall, by public advertisement, give thirty days' notice of its intention to purchase, and may thereafter proceed to complete the purchase, unless within the said thirty days a petition against the purchase, signed by a number of ratepayers representing in the least one-half the votes on the Burgess roll of the city (and with the signatures properly verified), shall be presented to the Council.* Mr. Gillon explained that he did not wish to force the purchase of the gas works on the citizens.

Councillor Greenfield seconded, because the more he considered the matter the more strongly he felt the desirableness of the purchase being effected. He thought the plan proposed a good one. Councillor Mills quite agreed with the resolution, and took occasion to say he was confident that the estimatss of the new company were incorrect and unreliable. He had had for years in his possession the information upon which the new company was proceeding, and he had no hesitation in saying that the promoters had not a full grasp of the subject, and had no idea of the expenses to be incurred.

The Mayor pressed the suggestion which he had made at the previous meeting, that the Council should have a report upon the condition of the works before committing the people to the purchase. Councillor Pharazyn thought the present Engineer quite competent to give the Council that information. . The motion was carried. APPLICATION FOB INCREASED WAOES. Adecision on an application by a messenger for increased salary was postponed for some time on the ground that it might be necessary to make new arrangements after the Parliamentary session. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The following report was read : On a petition for a lamp to be erected at the junction of the entrance of Glenbervie-terrace with the Tinakori-road, the committee recommended that the application be granted. On a letter from Mr. C. P. Powles, asking to have a water-main laid down in Bolton-atreet, the committee advise that If the five persons named in his letter make the usual application tho main be laid The committee have instructed the Town Clerk to act as he may think fit in order to recover amounts due on account of formation of private streets. Ssveral matters have been referred to the Surveyor for report, and instructions issued as follows :—To call for tenders for painting the Martin fountain. To endeavor to get rid of the stagnant water on land at back of the Provincial Buildingn. To erect two urinals in suitable places. To proceed in taking legal proceedings to cause house in Willis-street occupied by Mr Bragge and encroaching on the public street to be set back. To lay water-mains in Martin-street and Argyie-street. Councillors Greenfield and George called attention to matters which required looking to. The report was adopted. INSPECTOR OP iroiSANCES. The report of the Inspector of Nuisances was read. The report contained, among other matters, tho following:—"lregret to have to inform the Council that there are cases of scarlet fever in Hopper, Cuba, and Arthur streets. As a rule I find the families where the fever exists very reluctant to give information. The doctor attending might be requested to give early information, or the people compelled to do so." WAGES. The usual monthly abstract was passed. NEXT MEETING OF THE COUNCIL As the next meeting day of the Council would fall on election-day, it was resolved to postpone the next meeting a day.