CITY COUNCIL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4855, 13 October 1876, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL

The usual fortnightly meeting of the City Council was held yesterday afternoon, in the Provincial Government Buildings, at four o’clock ; his Worship the Mayor in the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, and the outward and inward correspondence read. THE DRAINAGE QUESTION. Amongst the inward correspondence there was a letter received by the Mayor from Mr. TV K. Macdonald, of which the following is a copy : Blenheim House, Taranaki-street, October 12,187 G. Sm I desire to bring under your notice the fact that during the last six weeks I have had the whole of my family, consisting of three healthy boys, cut off by scarlet fever, arising mainly, in my opinion, from the want of drainage existing in and about the quarter I reside in. During the two and a-half years 1 have been resident in Taranaki-street I have taken special care that my residence should be properly drained so far as the city arrangements would permit. The closet has been emptied every Monday night and sprinkled with chloride of lime, and a drain of brick pipes, flashed three or four times a day, receives the whole of the water from the scullery, washhouse, and bath, carrying it into the open water way (there being no main drain) In Taranaki-street. Considerable expense has been incurred when any leakage has arisen, new .pipes having been put in twice: and the yard is of gravel, dry. clean, and sweet. Notwithstanding all my care and precaution, and my own house being healthy, I believe I have lost my children through the fact that, abutting on to my garden, situate at the rear of the back yard, are certain back premises belonging to residents in Little Taranaki-street, who have made these premises the receiving place for the whole of the slops, surplus water. &c., until the ground has become thoroughly saturated with filth, added to which I have just heard that the hospital authorities have been guilty of sending the fever blankets, linen, &c., to be washed by residents in this very street, and that the back premises of the houses where such washing was done were also saturated in the most disgusting manner. The sun and wind acting upon such ground doubtless raised clouds of fever germs, and through the open windows at the back of my house these have doubtless come; in no other way can I account for the fever I have suffered from. I may say that I brought the question of the backyards I have referred to under the notice of the Inspector of Nuisances some months since, but all he comd say was that he had instructions not to interfere in such cases; there being no drainage in the street, the back yard was the only repository for slops, &o. Comment on such a statement is needless. When I know that. these [cases in Little Taranaki-street are only samples of what exists in other parts of the city, h may bo pardoned for suggesting to yourself and the Council that it is absolutely necessary for the health of the inhabitants that a thoroughly full and satisfactory inspection of the whole of the back yards of the tenenents in the city should be made, and some; satisfactory. If but temporary, drainage arrangements made to remedy such evils as 1 have referred' to. Further, I think enquiry should be made as to the truth of the hospital linen, blankets, &c., being washed in so crowded a neighborhood, thus literally breeding death, and the risk of infection in cabs conveying such articles from the hospital. In conclusion, allow me to express my fears that unless some definite action is at once taken by the Council many families will, during the coming summer, have like myself to mouru the loss of those that are dear to them.—l am, 4c., T. Kennedy Macdonaid. His Worship the Mayor of the City of Wellington. The Mayor expressed deep sympathy with Mr. Macdonald in his bereavement; and whether or not he had in the excitement of his feelings attributed too much to the defective drainage, he (the Mayor) was not prepared to say. It was an undoubted fact that Taranaki-street was in a very bad state, and what they wanted was a thorough and complete system of drainage. They could not have this, however, without money, and he felt it his duty to state that the Loans Consolidation Bill which had been introduced into Parliament four months ago to give them the necessary funds was one of the lowest on the Order Paper at the present time. He had communicated with both of the city members on the subject, and had only just received a letter from Mr. Pearce. The following is a copy of the letter referred to ; Wellington, October 12,1876. Dear Sib, —In reply to your note of to-day I can assure you that the position of the Wellington Loans Consolidation Bill on the Order Paper is a subject of anxiety to both Mr. Hunter and myself. Last night I had. a long conversation on the subject with the Minister ft r Public Works. I suggested (and he promised to consider the proposal) that if there is no other way of getting the Bill out of its present position, the Government should, bearing in mind the importance of its character, take charge of the measure. Private members have only one day a week, and Ministers may on ail other days order the Paper as they please for Government business. I shall not cease to agitate the subject till Ministers undertake to help us.—Yours, &c., E. Pearce. His Worship the Mayor of Wellington. Councillor Dransfield suggested that they should strengthen Mr. Pearce’s hands by a deputation to Government. It was resolved, on the motion of Councillor Mills, that his Worship the Mayor and Councillor Dransfield wait on the Government as a deputation on this subject, and to urge the pushing on of the measure. Councillor Moeller suggested the inspection of Taranaki-street. The Mayor said that he had taken the responsibility on himself of ordering inspection, and also the deodorising and disinfecting of the neighborhood. Councillor Geoeoe explained that their only difficulty was the cutting of a drain through the Maori pa. The Mayor said that they depended on legislation to be enabled to effect this, a Bill being before Parliament to give the Corporation power to make the necessary exchanges. Councillor George suggested that a guarantee should be given to the native owners until the exchange could be effected, and moved that the Surveyor be instructed to connect a drain from the end of Taranaki-street with the foreshore, and that tenders be called for next Thursday’s meeting. This was carried nem. am. WHARF COMMITTEE’S REPORT. The Wharf Committee reported that they had carefully considered the wool charges in the light of last season’s experience, and after being favored with suggestions from the agents of the chief shipping companies trading to the port, recommended the following amended and simplified tariff for the adoption of the Council, to date from the Ist instant: — Water-borne wool and sheepskins, 9d. per hale ; shore-borne wool and sheepskins, 6d. per bale. Ships crews in every case to receive water-home wool at threshold of shed, and land carted wool from the drays, and to show all wool in the shed as directed by the wharfinger. They also recommended the following charges : 1. That wharfage on packages over two tons be charged by special arrangement. 2. That adiscount of 10 per cent, shall he allowed on all monthly accounts over £ls for

the charge of goods in the ■ Queen’s bond, if such accounts are paid within the month, or fifteen days after presentation. 3. That the scale of charges for storage on the wharf should be the same as in the sheds. 4. That the charge for goods on the wharf which, in the opinion of the wharfinger, are impeding the traffic or working of the wharf, shall be in the nature of a fine, and fixed at 2s. per ton per day or fractional part of a day during which any such goods remain on the wharf after written notice has been given to the owner of such goods.

5. That the weighbridge should be transferred from the wharfinger’s department to that of the Town Clerk, as a better adjustment of the annual accounts.

They recommend that a new edition of the wharf charges, and regulations embodying these charges (if agreed to), and some others passed from time to time with the consent of the Council during the past year, be printed for public information. The repairing of the woolpresses had been given to Messrs. Eobertson and Co., who were proceeding with the work, they having sent in the lowest price, viz, £l3B 17s. fid. Some discussion arose as to the wharf charges, but the report was ultimately adopted. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE’S REPORT. The Public Works Committee advised that the application of Mrs. Hall for the continuance of the concrete footpath in front of the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel, Manners-street, be granted, on payment of half the estimated cost, viz., £7 10s., payment to be made in advance. They deferred an expression of opinion as to the stone from Mr. Wright’s quarry until additional information was received They had instructed the Inspector of Nuisances as follows : 1. To see that proper skill and fitness be exhibited by the drivers of licensed vehicles, and to countersign all certificates of ratepayers given to applicants for drivers’ licenses, on approval of such applicants. 2. To report on a site for a nightsoil depot, Mr. James having intimated that he wished to discontinue to receive the nightsoil on his farm after the expiration of the present contract, viz., in February next. They recommended that the drainage works of Messrs. Mclntosh and 'Griffith’s premises in Parish-street should be done by private contract; one-half the estimated cost, about £2O, being paid by the applicants and others, and the work not to include any allowance for private connections. They advised improvements in the north end of Austin-street, as reported on by the Surveyor, at a cost of £l7. They recommended, on the application of Mr. Travers, that the Upper Terrace-road should be shaped and attended to at the first favorable opportunity; and also that the surface drainage emptying into Boulcott-street, and the grating at the top of Plimmer’s steps, be properly cleansed. They, had instructed the Surveyor as follows; 1. To form a footpath on the north side of Dixon-street, and to put kerbing at its junction with Herbert-street along the vacant adjoining space, so as to prevent carts from filling in the drain. 2. To lay down a drain at the comer of Ghuznee and Cuba streets.

3. To see that all surface drainage lying on the streets be carefully cleared away day by day.

The diminished rainfall of this season as compared with that of several previous seasons had caused them to look anxiously into the water supply for the coming summer, and they recommended that the supply of water for machinery and all purposes other than that for domestic use should be stopped. It was with reluctance that they made this recommendation at this early period in the season, but it appeared unavoidable. To prevent inconvenience to those using water for machinery they suggested that notice of the discontinuance should be given at once, to take effect from and after Saturday, the 21st inst. The consumers of water in their oym and the general interests should avoid all waste, and the Council might reasonably appeal to them to do so. ..They had requested the Surveyor to take steps for watering the, streets, and if possible flushing the drains with salt water. Tenders for the extension of the waterworks would be received at the next. ordinary meeting of. the Council, when it was to be hoped a satisfactory contract might be entered into so as to obviate in future seasons any deficiency in the water supply. The report was adopted nem. con. Councillor Allen withdrew a motion of which he had given notice at the previous meeting. THE GAS WORKS PURCHASE. Councillor Moeller moved,- —That the Bill now before Parliament authorising the Corporation to purchase the Wellington Gas Works be withdrawn—and said that he brought the matter forward on account of ' the decided opinion which had been expressed by the ratepayers on the subject. He thought that the purchase of the reclaimed land, in which Councillor Dransfield .was mainly instrumental, would make Wellington one of the richest Corporations in New Zealand, but he was entirely mistaken as to the gas purchase. Councillor Allen seconded the motion. Councillor Dransfield thought that Councillor Moeller did not understand the subject, for his proposal meant simply repudiation. The honor of the Council was just as precious as that of a private individual, and he hoped Councillor Moeller would withdraw his motion. Councillor Cleland said that he had opposed the purchase, but after what the Council had done agreed with Councillor Dransfield that if the motion were carried it would amount to repudiation, and they ought not to put themselves in such a position. Councillors Allen, Mills, and Greenfield supported Councillor Dransfield. • Councillor Dransfield pressed the Mayor for an ex pression of opinion. The Mayor said that Mr. Moeller was quite entitled to his opinions, and he thought that no person ought to repudiate as a general principle. Councillor Moeller replied, and the motion was lost on a division, only two voting for it. The Council then went into committee on the motion of the Mayor,