CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5117, 17 August 1877, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

Thursday, August 16. The Council met at 4 o’clock. Present His Worship the Mayor, and Councillors Mills, Dixon, Cleland, Allen, Allan, Rainie,'George, Moss, and Greenfield. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. SPECIAL BUSINESS. The special business, viz., the consideration of the building regulations and the halfyearly balance-sheet, was postponed until next meeting. RETIREMENT OE COUNCILLORS IN SEPTEMBER. In reference to this question, the Town Clerk read a written opinion from the City Solicitor, to the effect that all the Councillors go out of office in September. SURPLUS FUNDS. Councillors George and Allen were appointed, with the Town Clerk, to instruct the City Solicitor in reference to the surplus money arising from loan borrowed for the reclamation and wharf. LEASE TO DB. JOHNSTON. In answer to a communication from Mr. Travers in reference to the lease of a piece of land (part'of the Town Belt) to Dr. Johnston, Councillor George said it had been intended to keep this piece of land as a reserve and plant it with tree®, but Dr. Johnston offered to pay rent for it and plant it, and the Council had agreed to accept his offer. Mr. Travers had therefore better be informed that the act was that of the Council A motion that this information be furnished to Mr. Travers was put and carried. BOTANICAL GARDENS. An application from the Botanical Gardens Board for a contribution from the Town Belt rents was agreed to. DRAINAGE IN NELSON-STREET. A letter from Mr. Blews, relative to the drainage in Nelson-street, was referred to the Public Works Committee. LEEDS STREET. A petition was read from residents in Leedsstreet, calling attention to the bad state of Leeds-street, and praying the Council to repair it. The Mayor said this street was certainly in a very bad state, and required repair, but it was a private street. At the same time, he thought something should be done by the Corporation. Councillor Cleland concurred. It was agreed that the street should be put into repair. BASIN RESERVE, A request for a free supply'of water to the grand stand at the Basin Reserve was granted, on the understanding that it was only to be used for domestic purposes, and not for watering the paddock. PAVING STREETS. An application by Mr. Williams for permission to lay down paving in front of three shops in Willis-street was granted on the usual terms.

a grievance. A letter was read from Mr. Andrew Young, stating that he had been unjustly placed on the list of defaulting ratepayers, and his name not appearing on the roll, he had been disqualified from voting. As he was not a defaulter, and was entitled to vote, he respectfully requested that the matter might be inquired into. The Mayor said there were several cases of the kind, and suggested that the matter should be referred to a committee. This was agreed to, and Messrs. Mills, Allen, and Dixon were appointed to inquire into and report on the subject. LAMBTON-QUAY BOWLING SALOON. The Public Works Committee reported, in reference to a petition stating that a bowling saloon on Lambton-quay was a nuisance, that the parties who made the complaint had their remedy by action at law. TENDERS FOB FORMING THE EXTENSION OP HOBSON-STREET. The following tenders were received for this work : —W. Pell, £1637 ; G. Pudney, £I3OO ; J. McLean, £1512 10s.; J. Saunders, £1277 ; J. Doolie, £1177 ; B. Scally, £1187; W. J. Roberta and Co., £1499 ; R. Dingham, £1497. Councillor George moved, —That the lowest tender be accepted, subject to the Surveyor seeing that the material for filling be taken from the opening up of other streets. The work certainly entailed a large outlay ; but it was a necessary work, which ought to be undertaken ; and as to the money, it must be got. They must trust to Providence, or make other arrangements to get it. Councillor Cleland seconded the motion. This was agreed to by 7 to 3, and Mr. Doolie’s tender was accepted ; an amendment by Councillor Allen—that the matter should be reconsidered—being lost. GHUZNEB AND HAY'STREETS. The tender of Messrs. Webber and Co. for constructing a pipe sewer in Ghuznee-street was accepted, and that of Riordan and McColl for culvert in Hay-street. TINAKORI-BOAD. 1 The Mayor said he had beep waited on by Sir John Richardson and other residents near Tiuakori-road, complaining of the state of the creek or drain running along that thoroughfare. He (the Mayor) recommended that the matter should be referred to the Public Works Committee. After some further remarks, it was resolved that tenders should be invited for filling in this drain, from Murphy-street to Hobson-street. WATERWORKS PLANT. The following report was read:— “ The committee having had a large amount of information laid before them, are of opinion that the prices charged are reasonable,, and not in excess of the market value of the material supplied, and that economy has been effected' by forwarding the order direct to the manufacturer.” Councillor George said he had heard the report with much pleasure. He had at one time thought.that they were going to a bad market for their plant, but he had now altered his opinion. The Mayor observed that it had been sought to trump up charges and insinuations against him in this matter, which now were proved to be unfounded ; and one of the officers of the Council had gone out of'the way of his duty in the matter, by handing papers to a member of the Council to assist in trumping up the charge against him. Mr. Hester said he had produced the papers at the request of a member of the Council, and not with any intention of trumping up charges of any kind against the Mayor or anybody else. - PAYMENTS. - A payment of £707 for waterworks plant was ordered, and also £ls ta each auditor. The wages' list was also read over and ordered to be paid. TOWN CLERK. The debate on Councillor Cleland’s motion, , that the time had now arrived,when the office of Town Clerk should be filletTby a solicitor, ■ was further postponed. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE. The Public Works Committee brought up a somewhat lengthy report. It recommended thlit the .Town Clerk be instructed to communicate with the chairman of the insurance agents, asking for the payment of £250 to the Council (in terms agreed upon), and to state that the Council is prepared to pay over to the Wellington Fire Brigade the £250, and a further contribution of £IOO. That notice be inserted in the papers that all persons using water for machinery must obtain meters to gauge the quantity used within fourteen days, or the supply be cut off, and that positive instructions be given to the Engineer to see this recommendation carried into effect. Recommended that the Surveyor prepare an estimate of the cost of forming the street between Majoribanks and Pirie streets, and report to the committee. On petition rc Wallace, Wright, and Hargreaves streets, Surveyor to prepare estimate of cost of formation, and report to the committee. Re tower for night watchman, the committee on hearing the verbal report of the Surveyor recommend that arrangements be made with a view to the tower over Catholic schools in Bouloott-street being used for the purpose. The attention of the Waterworks Engineer was drawn to the poor and irregular supply of water in and about Lewisville-road. The committee recemmend that a gratuity of two guineas be voted to Mr. Bromley, keeper Botanical Gardens, for services rendered in connection with trees, &0., supplied to the Corporation. The City Surveyor has been instructed as follows : —To repair dangerous hole in Elizabeth-street ; to put down water main in Nairn-street when pipes are to hand ; to form portion of Sydneystreet leading to Glenbervie-terrace ; to repair upper end of Abel Smith-street ; to report on application from Colonel Decide that a further part of the Adelaide-road may be formed, so as to enable him to get to his house, situate on acres 949 and 950; to report on application by Mr. Bayliss in respect to the road to his laundry, Adelaide-road ; to endeavor to abate the nuisance complained of by Mr. John Hill re drain off Majoribanks-street; to fill up holes in the Adelaide-road ; to erect a lamp at the stairs, foot of Pipitea-street; to attend to Hillstreet ; also, to the gutters, upper end of Taranaki-street. Repairs to various streets and drains were recommended, and the major portion of the report (which want of space prevents us publishing in full) was adopted. NOTICES OF MOTION. Councillor Allan gave notice to move at next meeting,—That where the Corporation places a drain through any street the owner or occupier of each house therein shall be compelled to connect the premises by a pipe drain, in terms of section 238. The Mayor gave notice to move at next meeting,—That a side path be formed from Courtenay-place to the Oriental Bay-road. The Council then adjourned.