CITY COUNCIL.
The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the City Council was held yesterday afternoon at the usual hour. Present—His Worship the Mayor, Councillors Dransfield, Mills, Moss, Moeller, George, Rainie, Allen, and Cleland. MINDTES. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. The outward correspondence was read, and the Town Clerk then read the letters received since last meeting. With regard to the application of the Volunteers re the rental of the Markethouse for the purpose of drill, it was decided to let the building for that purpose. THE FIRE BRIGADES. The following report by the Mayor in reference to the fire brigades &c, was read : Part I. The insurance companies having resolved that direct grants to the Fire Brigades shall be discontinued, with a view of dealing with the whole question of such grants on a different and more satisfactory footing, and having further expressed their willingness to continue their present contribution of £2OO per annum for fire brigade purposes, or to contribute a fair proportion of the cost of the fire brigades to the Corporation, if the control is taken over by the latter body. The whole matter was remitted to the Mayor to consider and report upon to the Council. In terms of the above remit, I beg to report : That I And there are two excellently equipped and managed Are brigades in the city—the Wellington Volunteer Fire Brigade and the Wellington Central Volunteer Five Brigade—whose captains, officers, and members voluntarily give a large amount of time and service to the public, and certainly deserve very grateful recognition. I find that the Wellington Central Volunteer Fire Brigade has an excellent station, stabling, with two good horses, waiting-room, &c, on the site of the discontinued gymnasium, in the most central part of the city. I find that the AVellington Volunteer Fire Brigade has commenced to build a new station on a site forming part of the Market Keserve, ma le over to its members by the Council, which station, judging from the plans, will be not only commodious, but ornamental to that part of the city. I find further, from a statement furnished to me by Captain Wliiteford of the Wellington Volunteer Fire Brigade, that the expenses of that brigade, for the last, ten years, have averaged a sum of about £244 ss. annually. From the latest printed statement of the annual receipts and expenditure (date when the year terminates not given) of the Wellington Central Volunteer Fire Brigade, I make opt the amount of the latter for the past year to have been £l9llßs. 7d, But as I And there are outstanding liabilities of £I2S ss. Id., some of which are clearly for current outlay, I believe I shall not be wrong in estimating the support of the brigades at £250 each, or at a total of £SOO a year. I propose that this amount shall be found from the following sources, and the first two items undernoted paid quarterly to the captains of the brigades:— 1. Insurance companies (contribution to be paid through the Council) £2OO 2. City Council 200 3. General Government, banks, &c. .. ' .. 100 £SOO The City Council shall undertake, in addition to the above contribution, to defray all the necessary expenses incurred at any fires which may unfortunately arise—an indefinite amount, which it is hoped will be small, but may be large. The third item is retained on the suggestion of the brigade captains, it being considered only reasonable that the General Government, which has a large amount of valuable property, the banks, and two or three companies, should contribute specially to the support of the fire brigades. I would distinctly stipulate, however, that with the exceptions thus indicated, all solicitation for private subscriptions should entirely cease. The payments for annual expenditure would be quite distinct from grants which may be necessary for new plant or for repairs to plant already on hand. These grants should be made the subject of special request to the Council, and dealt with on their merits as they arise.
These recommendations are submitted to the Council on the understanding that their adoption distinctly binds the fire brigades to the following conditions : 1. That the brigades shall have the care and entire use and control of the respective stations and plunt in their possession, subject to the right of the Council to interfere, as a last resort, if necessary for the public interest. This use and control, however, on the understanding that if the brigades, or one or other of them, break up or cease to perform efficiently the duties required of fire brigades, that the whole property and plant shall revert to the Council.
2. That the brigades shall each for itself draw up a code of rules for guidance and public information, to be approved of by the Council. 3. That the brigades shall present to the City Council an annual statement of accounts (audited by the City Auditors), and made up if possible to the 31st day of March in each year. The above comprise briefly the conditions which I deem necessary at present. They are very much of a tentative character, and no doubt experience will suggest several amendments. A few other points, however, occur to me, which I shall add in the order of their importance. 1. I think it would be advisable that some competent person should value the whole plant and material in the possession of the brigades, so that the Council and the insurance cempanies might be put in possession of accurate information regarding the stock in hand at starting a new arrangement. 2. I recommend that the captains of the two brigades should bo appointed fire inspectors, in terms of Clause 272 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876.
3. It occurs to me that the formation of what might be termed a volunteer fire police would be attended with beneficial results. That is to say, a number of our citizens might enroll themselves together with the object of attending at the outbreak of any fire, so as to prevent the wanton destruction of property or furniture, and to watch over goods of any kind while unavoidably exposed, so as to prevent their being either injured or carried away by unprincipled persons. Part 11. Although not bearing immediately upon the business remitted to me, its intimate connection therewith will justify me in referring to a further question, namely, whether the time has not come when the Council and the ratepayers should consider the expediency of an insurance rate, whereby for a smaller amount than is now paid for insuring less than half the property in the city the whole of it could be safely insured.
I simply sketch the bare outline of such a system, Let power be obtained to levy from time to time such an amount of rate as the destruction of property by fire would render necessary. Start „with say one penny in the pound, which would produce, on the present valuation, about £7OO, a sum leaving a balance of £2OO after supporting the fire brigades. If no Are took place the balance of £2OO would remain at the credit of the Municipal Insurance Fund, and supposing no fires to occur for some years, a similar balance accruing yearly would make up a respectable reserve. If, through the misfortune of a large fire taking place, a considerable demand was made upon the insurance fund, a rate necessary to meot such demand would require to be levied, but only levied when such necessity arose. The machinery for valuation and collection should cost little or nothing, as tho whole could be carried out in connection with the general rate. The following principles should regulate a system of Municipal insurance :—(1.) All buildings would be alike under protection of the insurance, at twothirds of their annual value, as entered in the ratebook. (2.) Publichouses and properties exposed to exceptional risks would be required to pay a special premium in addition to the ordinary insurance rate. This system would only embrace the insurance of properties, consequently the insurance offices would still have a lucrative branch of business before them In the insurance of stock, furniture, &c. If they declined the business, it would afford sufficient inducement for a local insurance company in tho city. The advantages of such a system as the above need not be pointed out. The whole city would be insured at a cheap rate, and every ratepayer would be directly interested in the prevention of fires. This matter I think well deserving of public consideration. 1 understand something of the same kind has been at least partially before the Council a considerable time ago, and I have further to acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr. Brown, the Begistrar-General, for several very useful sußgestions.
At the suggestion of his Worship, it was resolved to defer consideration of the report till next meeting.
WORKS COMMITTEE. The report of the Public Works Committee was read as follows : 1. In connection with the Market Reserve, a furtlier report upon which will bo brought up by the committee— An application for a lease of the Market Hall, including the Morgue and jury-room, together with a few feet to the rear, has been made by the Artillery Corps, on behalf of the General Government, for purposes of a drillshed. The committee recommend that the application be acceded to for the purpose specified, and no other, at a rent of £IOO per annum for fourteen years, with the following proviso:—That if the Artillery Corps Bhould be disbanded, or cease to be
effective, the lease should ipso facto terminate, and the property at once revert to the Corporation. 2. The committee recommend that the practice of boiling bones, tripe, &c, within the precincts of the city be discontinued, as a nuisance.
3. instructions have been given to the City Surveyor as follows :—To report on the works now being executed in the erection of the new Club House on the Terrace ; to attend to the Sussex-square streets, more particularly on the west side ; to repair Mul-grave-street, at a cost not exceeding £25 ; to report on the gratings required to take off surface water from the .Reclaimed Land ; to erect fence at bottom of opening off Willis-street, at Mr. Sexton's, to p event rubbish from being emptied there ; to report as to the probable cost of formation of Glenbervie-terrace; to attend to drainage of Mr. A. Wilson's premises in Frederick-street, off Tory-street; to report on application from Mr. Batcheldor re formation of portion of Russell-terrace. The report was adopted. MOTIONS. The Mayor brought forward a series of resolutions, of which he gave notice at a previous meeting. The first was that the Council appoint ths City Surveyor as Inspector of Biddings for public meetings. They would find by reference to the Municipal Corporations Act that the adoption of such a course was necessary. The great point to be aimed at, however, was that these public buildings and places of amusement- should be inspected so as to insure their having sufficient ventilation for the preservation of health ; that they should be built of proper strength; and more especially it was desirable to see that there should be sufficient means of exit, as neglect or carelessness in this last respect might result in serious consequences on an alarm of fire being raised. He now moved that the City Surveyor be appointed Inspector under the Act. The motion was carried.
The Mayor said the second proposal he had to bring before the Council was that the Council appoint Mr. J. H. Marriott as registrar and collector of dog tax for the city. The dog tax was general throughout the colony, and he was not aware that the Council were empowered to make different arrangements with reference to its imposition than were made by the Provincial Council originally, that was, ss. for each dog. His reason for mentioning Mr. Marriott was that he considered it their duty to smooth as much as possible the transition of affairs from one public body to another.
The appointment of Mr. Marriott was agreed upon.
The Matob then moved the next motion on the list, namely,—That the Council petition his Excellency the Governor, in terms of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876, section 30, to alter the boundaries of the city, so as to include therein certain portions of the foreshore, land reclaimed from the sea, and all other land which ought reasonably to be included in the city. He referred Councillors to that portion of the old Municipal Corporations Act defining the boundaries of the city, and then remarked on the necessity of including in the city boundaries certain pieces of land which had been excepted, such for instance as the Government House ground, that on which the Government buildings were situated, a number of houses occupied by the Government in Molesworth-street, the Telegraph and Customs offices, as well as the Lunatic Asylum, Hospital, and College. This proposal was not of course made with a view to obtaining any rates, as there was a separate clause in the Act excluding those properties from rates, but the object was that they should be under the control of the Council for municipal purposes; that was to say, the Inspector of Nuisances ought to be allowed to visit them. It was desirable also to ask for something more in the extension of the city boundaries, a certain portion of the foreshore being required for the purpose of wharf extension.
The motion was agreed to by the Council, and the Matob then moved that it be remitted to the. City Solicitor, the City Surveyor, and himself, for preparation of the petition, which was also agreed to. The following motion was carried: —That it be remitted to the Public Works Committee to revise the by-laws of the city, and report thereon to the Council. In moving the resolution the Mayor complained that the Council did not receive the co-operation of the police, without which it was impossible for them to give effect to their by-laws try how they might. He had spoken to the Inspector some time ago on this subject, aDd that gentleman said that the police had received instructions to assist in enforcing compliance with the by-laws ; but they had not done so. He understood that the Inspector had applied to him through the Town Clerk on an occasion lately for legal assistance. But he was not aware of the nature of the case, which might possibly have been one of gross oppression, and would not therefore have been justified in employing the City Solicitor. He knew not whether there would be any change in this matter, but he considered that the Corporation were entitled to assistance from the police for the maintenance of good order in the city and the prevention of accidents. In his opinion the city police ought to be largely under the City Council, but that of course was not a subject for present consideration. In the meantime he deemed it his duty to express the opinion that the Council ought to receive greater assistance from the police than they did at present. SPECIAL MEETING. The motion respecting the alteration of regulations for the conduct of the meetings of the Council was allowed to stand over. The Mayok then moved the following resolution : —That the Council shall, by special order, adopt the following by-law : All buildings, parts of buildings, or enclosures within the city, used or intended to be used for public meetings or as assembly rooms, or as a thtatre or music hall, or dancing hall, or for any public performances or amusements whatever, shall, upon application to the Town Clerk, be inspected, and, if found suitable for the purposes set forth in ths application, shall be duly registered and licensed, upon payment of one or other of the under-noted fees, and under such rules and regulations as the Council may from time to time enact in that behalf. License fee—£2o per annum, payable half-yeaily in advance ; or a payment of ss. for each meeting or performance, before such meeting or performance is held. Councillor George was opposed to the licenses.—Councillor Moeller pointed out that it was the custom to license such institutions elsewhere.—The Matob remarked that he had considered £2O a reasonable fee, having ascertained that in the South it was £3O. The by-law was generally agreed to, but the question of the amount of the fee was referred to the Public Works Committee. The Mayor then moved, —That the Council shall, by special order, adopt the following bylaw:—Every equestrian or driver of any vehicle who shall be found riding or driving at more than a walking pace round the corner of any street or thoroughfare in the city shall, upon conviction, forfeit a sum not exceeding 40s. Councillor Dransfield suggested that there should be certain boundaries specified, because it would be unnecessarily severe to make the I by-law applicable to the Adelaide-road. The matter was referred to the Public Works Committee. The following was also referred to the Public Works Committee:—That the Council shall, by special order, adopt the following by-law:— That the Council may, in their discretion, deprive of his license, for such period as they may think fit, any cab or hackney coach driver or owner convicted of making an overcharge on any passenger carried in his vehicle. The Mayor then moved a motion as follows: —That the Council shall, by special order, authorise the extension of Cuba-street, Tara-naki-street, and Tory-street to the Te Aro foreßhore, and that all necessary steps shall at once be taken to have this resolution carried into effect.—Agreed to. NOTICES OP MOTION. The Mayor gave notices of motions as follows : „ . (a.) That the Morgue shall come directly ■under the control of the Council, and that Mr. Pilraer, one of the officers of the Council, shall have charge of the same. (6.) That the incidental expenditure incurred at inquests held at the Morgue shall be paid by the persons or public bodies properly liable for the
same. That Mr. Pilmer shall be appointed keeper of the pound.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18770105.2.15
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4925, 5 January 1877, Page 2
Word count
Tapeke kupu
3,024CITY COUNCIL. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4925, 5 January 1877, Page 2
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.