CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5129, 31 August 1877, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

Thursday’, August 30,

The Council met at four o’clock. Present— His Worship the Mayor, Councillors Mills, Moss, Dixon, Cleland, Allan, Allen, Greenfield, George, and Eaiuie. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The accounts and balance sheet for the half year were passed. PAYMENT OP WATER RATE. Councillor Cleland said it had been reported to him that one Councillor had not paid his water rate, and he thought the Town Clerk was greatly to blame for permitting that Councillor to take advantage of his position in such a way. The Town Clerk ought to see that rates were got in from all defaulters as far as practicable, whether they were Councillors or not. No further observations were offered on the subject, and it did not transpire who the Councillor was to whom Councillor Cleland referred. CORRESPONDENCE. The following correspondence was read: — Prom the Colonial Secretary, asking that in notifying future elections of Mayor his profession, occupation, or trade should be stated. Prom Mr. W. M. Bannatyne in reference to the storage of kerosene. The Mayor said he intended to give notice of motion in the matter. Councillor MOSS objected to delay, and said the Mayor had not attended to his duty in this and other matters. He had a way of his own of conducting business which was not satisfactory to the Council although it might be so to himself. The Mayor said there was no motion before the Council, and Councillor Moss must not take up the time of the Council with irrelevant remarks. The matter then dropped. A letter was read from the City Solicitor in reference to the removal of buildings from the Town Belt sections. Councillor Cleland moved that three months’ notice be given to parties to remove the buildings. This was seconded, put, and carried. A letter was read from the secretary of the Board of Education asking that schools should be exempt from water rates. The request was granted. A letter was read from the Borough Council of the Thames, asking for this Council to assist them in the matter of the railway, and forwarding the following resolution :—That the proposed District Railways Bill gives County Councils power to accept the construction of or to veto railways without any reference to or sanction from borough councils. - That boroughs will, in all probability, have to pay by rate the greater part of the interest required to be guaranteed. That the positions of depots, stations, &0., are of equal- or greater importance to boroughs than to counties. That under these circumstances borough and county councils should have equal powers, and should unitedly form the council to whom applications should be made by railway companies. The letter was referred to the Public Works Committee. tenders. The following tenders were laid before the . Council for the construction of a culvert between Murphy and Hobson streets;—Morrison and Co., £695 10s.; W. Pell, £697 65.; O’Malley, £653 11s. Bd.; J. McLean, £649.; J. Goodman, £798115. 4d.; MoOoll and Moore, £628 18s.; J. Corbett, £7OB 9s. The tender of MoColl and Moore was accepted. WATERWORKS PLANT. A report from the Engineer was read, stating that the waterworks plant which had lately arrived had been landed in good _order and condition.

SPECIAL COMMITTEE’S EEPOET. The report of the special committee appointed to consider the applications of persons who urged that they had been improperly omitted from the burgess roll, and thereby deprived of their votes, recommended that the names of Mr. A. Young and others should be placed on a supplementary roll and forwarded to the returning officer. Councillor George thought the adoption of such a course might vitiate an election. The Mayoe thought this would be obviated by keeping the list separate, and not mixing it up with the roll as already made up. The report was adopted, subject to an opinion being taken from the City. Solicitor on the point raised by Councillor George. DEPUTATION. The Mayoe stated that on Saturday next, at 11 o’clock, the Minister for Public Works would receive a deputation from the committee appointed by the Council to confer with the Government in relerence to the proposed land reclamatiou near the wharf. HOBSON-STREET. It was proposed by Councillor Greenfield, and seconded by Councillor ALLEN, that the contract for filling in Hobsou-street be not carried out, and that the contractor receive £lO compensation. This was agreed to. STREET FORMATION. It was agreed that Austin-street, Tasmanstreet, and McLean-street be formed and metalled in accordance with the provisions of the Act. CUBA AND TARANAKI STREETS EXTENSION. The Mayor laid on the table the Gazette notifying that the proposed extensions of Cuba and Taranaki streets had been finally passed by the Government. drainage. The Town Clerk read the minutes of the Drainage Committee, from which it appeared that Mr. O’Neill considered that drains now being made would fit in with Mr. Climie’s scheme ; but Mr. Climie did not entertain the same opinion. Mr. Climie, who was present, said he was informed by the Under-Secretary that the Government objected to the outfall of the proposed drainage being in Lyell Bay, and he had marked on a plan produced another spot. The Mayor said Mr. Climie should make a report iu writing, and went on to say that the matter was in an unsatisfactory position. The Council had agreed to a scheme which it appeared could not be carried out in its entirety, and must be modified. He deprecated one engineer in the employ of the Council being set up against another. MOTIONS. The motion, that the office of Town Clerk should be filled by a solicitor, was adjourned. Councillor J. A. Allan’s motion, that occupiers of houses should be compelled to connect their premises by pipe drains with the main drains, was put and lost. Councillor G. Allen’s motion, that before tenders for drainage are called for the plans should be submitted to the drainage engineer for his approval, was carried. The Mayor observed. that Mr. Climie had stated in a report that some thousands of pounds had been improperly spent in drainage. He (the Mayor) did not think since Mr. Climie had been appointed that more than £4OO or £SOO had been spent, and if it had been spent for the health of the town, as he considered it had been, it was a good work. The drains that had been made would connect with any proper system of drainage. He gave notice that at the next meeting he should move that Councillor G. Allen’s motion should be rescinded. NOTICES OF MOTION. The Mayor gave notice to move at next meeting,—That steps be taken for forthwith proceeding with the Te Aro reclamation. The Mayor gave notice to move at next meeting for rescinding the motion that all Corporation business should emanate from the Town Clerk’s office, as he considered the motion derogatory to the • dignity of the Council. The Mayor gave notice to move at next meeting ; —“ That inasmuch as the resolutions of the Council] making a water rate for nine months, from the Ist July, 1877, to the 31st March, 1878, was based upon an incorrect estimate of the expenditure for that period, it is necessary that the said resolution be and it is hereby,rescinded : And inasmuch as it is further necessary that another and corrected rate should be substituted in lieu of the one referred to and hereby rescinded, it is resolved as follows :—That a water rate for the city for the nine months, beginning on the Ist July, 1877, and ending on the 31st March, 1878, be and is hereby made. “ 1. In respect of ordinary supply of water, (1) Upon all lands and buildings to which water is supplied at a rate of 3-1 per cent, per annum upon the rateable value of such land and buildings. And (2) upon all lands and buildings to which water dm be but is not Jsupplied, situated within one hundred yards from any part of the waterworks, at a rate of one-half the above-mentioned amount, that is to say, at a rate of If per cent, per annum. Also (3) Upon all buildings used as stores or warehouses or for any purposes other than as dwelling-houses, at a rate of 2 per cent, per annum. (4) That the foregoing rates shall become due and payable on the 17th day of September next. “2. In respect of an extraordinary supply of water, it is hereby resolved that the regulations adopted at the special meeting of the Council on the 15th February last shall be reaffirmed and continued with the following exception, viz.,—‘ All water henceforth supplied to machinery of any kind shall be supplied only after the applicants have provided themselves with meters to guage the supply, when the water will be charged at the rate of Is. per 1000 gallon, payable monthly,’—which regulation shall be and is hereby repealed, in order that the undermentioned regulation may be substituted instead thereof, that is to say— (a.) All water henceforth supplied to lifts shall be supplied only by meter, approved of by the waterworks engineer, at a charge of Is. per 1000 gallons, payable monthly, (b-) All water henceforth supplied to machinery shall be supplied by special arrangement with the Council, or failing any such special arrangement, a charge of fid. per hour be made for every hour or part of an hour daring which the water is used. And (c.) water required for building purposes must be applied for separately, when, if granted, a specific charge, regulated by the quantity likely to he consumed during the erection of the particular building will in each case be fixed by the Council.” Councillor Moss said he thought the Mayor was treating the Council with discourtesy in bringing forward these motions at the last moment He thought the Council should express their opinion on the subject. Here, at their last meeting before an election, when very likely the same Councillors might not be present again, the Mayor took upon himself to’ give notice for rescinding what a majority of the Council had deliberately passed not long before. As to his (the Mayor’s) motion about reducing the water rate he (Councillor Moss) believed it was all done to attract popularity outside the Council. He did not think the Mayor had treated the Council with that respect and consideration to which that body was entitled, and he hoped the Council would express an opinion to that effect before they separated. No one else addressing the Council on the subject the matter dropped. PUBLIC WORKS REPORT. The Public Works Committee’s report was read and received. The committee stated that the Surveyor had been instructed to put down concrete pavement in front of the Bank of New Zealand’s premises in Manners-street on the usual terms. They recommended that the deposits on contracts be regulated as follows : On tenders under £IO9O 5 per cent., and over £IOOO 2 J per cent. The by-law providing for the greater safety and convenience of the public in regard to animals and vehicles ia the streets it was proposed should come into force on the 10th September, and that it be published in the newspapers and placards be distributed about the town. With respect to the licenses for public halls, theatres, &0., the c immietee recommended that they should date from the Ist October next, and after that date that the penalty should be enforced on all nonUcensed (places. A letter from the insurance

agents, dated the 25th iust., was read with the report as follows : “ Insurance Companies’. Association, “ Wellington, August 21. “ Sin, —In reply to your favor of 7th, enclosing extract of letter from Superintendent Wellington Fire Brigade, and asking for cheque for £250 as contribution to that Brigade,—l have to inform you that the association have voted a sum of £2OO towards the erection of the new station in Manners-street, conditionally on the City Council giving an undertaking that should that building, or the building in Brandon-street occupied by the Central Fire Brigade, be diverted from their present use within seven years, the Council will refund to the association this sum of £2OO, or the £250 already handed to the Central Brigade, as the case may be. On receipt of tins’undertaking, we shall be prepared to collect and hand you the money.—l have, &c., “A. Boardman, Hon. Sec. “The Town Clerk, Wellington.” The committee recommended that the undertaking be given provided they pay £250, as originally decided on. The following instructions to the Surveyor have been issued : —To attend to the repairs necessary in Drummond-street; to attend to footpath in Pirie-street; to attend te Vivian-street ; to attend to Upper Willisstreet; to endeavor to obtain a time-gun at an early date; to attend to Woolcombe-streeton the application of Mr. Morton; to report, on the application of Mr. F. Dorsett, re drain at the top of Sydney-street.

BELL-TOWER, BOULOOTT-STEEET. It was agreed to expend £SO on the tower at the new sehoolhouse, Boulcott-street, which was considered by the Council the best site on account of its central position. The Council rose at 6.50 p.m.