CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5301, 22 March 1878, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

The ordinary fortnightly meeting of- the City Council was held last evening. Present —His Worship the Mayor, Councillors Hunter, Piaher, Allan, Allen, Logan, Dixon, Greenfield, George, Magizuty, Diver, Moss,and Macdonald. MINUTES. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. WATERWORKS ENGINEER'S KEPORT. The Mayor submitted the following report from the Waterworks Engineer : I have the honor to report that the lowering of the pipes through the tunnel is completed, and the men ‘ are now employed in clearing up and stacking the material, the property of the Corporation. The •workspart of the contract and still incomplete are 4 * Blinding” roadway across the dam, fixing floodgate in tunnel, concrete rings in tunnel, dressing down temporary road, fixing ladders in valve tower, proviuing chains and fixing strainer. Most of these items are small ma‘ tors. The works remaining to be executed by the Council consist chiefly of the valve lifting gear and landing platforms in tower, to rentier the contract works complete. I desire to direct your attention to the necessity of placing a man in charge of the works. ’ The boathouse was forced open last week, and the doors left swinging about. Through this the h u«o received damage from the gale ou 1 Sunday. A change of clothing Kept on the works for my use was also removed, and dogs are frequently sent into the water. I would also recommend that notice boards be placed in conspicuous positions cautioning persons visiting the works. The Town Clerk rend a letter from Mr. Nicholas Merchant, resigning his position as Waterworks Engineer. Councillor Logan moved that the resignation be accepted, and that Mr. Marchaut be allowed three months’ salary from date. Councillor Fisher seconded the motion. Con n cillor M OSS thought that seeingiMr. Marchant h .d been in the employ of the Corporation for such a length of time (10 years), he -was fully entitled to six months’ salary, by •way of bonus, and he moved an amendment to that effect. Councillor Greenfield seconded the amendment, and expressed a favorable opinion as to the manner in which Me. Merchant had generally performed his duties siuce he had been an officer of the Council. Councillor T)ixon observed that -Mr. Marchant had done good service in his time, and was well deserving the six months’ salary proposed by the amendment. Council! *r Hunter said he could not support the amendment, being of opinion that three months’ sdary was as much s Mr. Marchaut could reasonably expect, it must be patent to everyone that the department over which the late en. in-er bad control had been inefficiently directed on certain occasions, and be suggested that it would be well to see that Mr. Marchaut was not finally settled with until he had handed over everything in a proper form, so that his successor might be iu a position to carry out the duties pertaining lo the office. Counci dorMAGiNiTY supported the amendment, and pointed out that Mr. Marchrnt would have obtained greater remuneration had he undertak n the supervision of the Waterworks as a private individual. Councillor Allan was understood to express himself as holding views unfavorable to the granting of bonuses ■ r under such circumstances. Councillor Diver could not see his way to expending the public mouey in voting Mr. Merchant the money asked for by the amendment, though he felt inclined to vote for the origina motion, but should not do so, contenting himself with this expression of opinion. The Mayor observed that Mr. Marchaut had served them well ; the Waterworks contract had been economically managed ; the site was well chosen, and in every respect everything had been evidently arranged to the best advantage ; therefore he thought they should not be too nice in coming to conclusions for services rendered. Of course there had been faults, and these might occur with anyone, hut still the fart remained that the work had been completed by Mr. Marchant, and at a comparatively small engineering cost. After some fu therobservations, thequestion was put, when the amendment was carried, allowing six months’ notice in lieu of salary. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE’S REPORT. The Public Works Committee’s report, which we have already published, was then submitted. Regarding the fifth clause in the report, as to the paving of the dray-stand at the Custom House, Councillor Fisher offered some objection, stating that t 'ere were many more urgent works to be attended to. The cLuse was then expunged from the report. A further recommendation for an iron fence to be erected round the vacant space behind the Martin fountain, was likewise objected to. The other clauses in the report were agreed to. ; ' A NEW SLIP. The Town Clerk read a letter from Messrs. Coffey anil Dixon, asking for permission to erect a slip near the baths for the accommodation of vessels of a certain size. The letter was ordered to be received, after some remarks by Councillor Hcnter as to the necessity of taking into consideration the likelihood of future legislation touching the control of the harbor, which would have to be borne in mind in any application that might be made to the Government. TE aro reclamation. The Town Clerk submitted the following report of the above committee:— That the offer of the proprietors of the foreshore between Barber’s oreer and Clyde-quay,—viz., that they consent to waive all claims for compensation for loss of water frontage in consideration of their receiving 60ft. of the new reclamation with a street frontage, —be acceded toon the understanding that all the proprietors agree to the same. 2. That ) the proposal of the Gas Company, as embodied In their letter of the loth March, be acceded to, subject 1 to a satisfactory arrangement being arrived at for the ( purchase id such portions of their property as Is required for the extension of Tory-street. I . ; Councillor Macdonald stated that the subject was one of considerable importance, and he suggested that its consideration be left over till next meeting. Councillor FISHER questioned the power of the committee to act, contending that it had expired i.y ffluxion of time, h ving perf.-rmed the duties assigned to it; and he mentioned that the last document on record in connection with the committee was dated the 26th of November, 1877. He regarded this sudden reformation of the committee as strange, just at a time when the subject with which it dealt had been introduced by himself. Some discussion followed, during which Councillor Hunter stat-d that the whole thing, in his mind, wa very easy of solution ; the Council was desirous to obtain an opening to the harbor from Tory-street, and as was well known by the members of the Council, it had b en the subject of debate for some time past, being one of considerable importance to the city generally. He considered that the Council was fully aware of the matter, and therefore he felt surprised that any objection should be taken to the report in its present stage. The Town Clerk read the following letter from the Gas Company in connection with the above report : —■ X have the honor to inform you that this company ■ will require lo make p ovision for a further extension of its manufacturing plant, in order to provide for the supply of gas to the city for the winter of 1879, and in order to do so it will he necessary to erect a large brick building in that part of the company’s land which the Council may hereafter require for the extension of Tory-street, (and which lias hitherto been kept clear of expensive buildings), or, to obtain possession of a portion of the land included in the grant to the City Council of the To Aro foreshore ; it has been proposed aud agreed to by ail the property owners having frontagee to Lambkin Harbor in Te Aro. that It tire Connell will grant them a chain in width of land and a street frontage no opposition will be offered to the reclamation of the land, and all rights to the water frontage abandoned.’ Should the Council desi eto acquire the land for the extension of Torystreet. and desire this company not to erect expensive buildings on the same, I have to request that the Council will be good enough to grant to tire company a chain of land as above mentioned, on the harbor side of the works, or to give such a tenure as will justify the company Incurring a largo , expenditure pen- ing the final settlement of the harbor frontage question. If yon will kindly inform me of the views of the Council at an early date X should bo greatly ob'lged, as it is necessary to send orders to England by next mail, and the position of the building will materially affect the design. This letter Is understood to be without prejudice.—l have, etc,, 0. J; X’hakazvn, Chairman, Wellington Gas Company. The consideration of the report and letter was held over until next meeting. ACCOUNTS. Various accounts wore passed for payment to the amount of £2OIO Bs. 7d. In regard to one of the accounts by the Wellington Fire Brigade, of £3l 9s 6d., considerable objection was offered, principally by Councilor' Moss, on the ground that applica-

tion should first have been made to the Council ; and payment was at length disagreed 111, his Worship the Mayor remarking, that he fully agreed with Ihe decision of the Council, and that if anything extra was required by the fire brigades it should come before the Council in the shape of a grant, and not in the way presented before them. INSPECTOR OF NUISANCES. . The question as to the appointment of Inspector of Nuisances was postponed for ia week, as there were a large number of applications. TENDER. The tender of P. McConuiskey, for painting. the bonded stores and weighbridge, and the approaches to the wharf, at £SB, was accepted. WATERWORKS INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE'S . , REPORT. : j Councillor Hunter submitted the report of the above committee, and with a few brief observations moved that it be adopted. He remarked that the subject bad already been well ventilated, aud it was not therefore necessary for him to enter upon it in detail; in fact, the Council was, he had no doubt, fully possessed of all the facts the report contained. The report was then adopted without comment. HARBOR FIRE ENGINE. Councillor Diver moved, —That the Corporation purchase a floating fire-engine for the Wellington harbor. Councillor Hunter advocated the adoption of a steam fire-engine for the city instead of a floating engine. Councillors Allan and Dixon thought that the expense of the engine was at present unwan anted. Councillor Macdonald stated that he was almost of the same opinion, although he had ' full confidence in the project. At the present, however, he thought they might dispense with the proposed luxury. After some remarks from Councillors Moss ann Fisher, Councillor Diver withdrew his motion for three months. the te aro reclamation. The ■ motion by Councillor Fisher relative to the Te Aro reclamation was withdrawn, his name being afterwards added to the Te Aro Reclamation Committee. MUNICIPAL RATE. The following motion by Councillor Fisher was likewise withdrawn:—That, in accordance with the powers conferred by section S of the Municipal Corporations Act, a separate of Is. in £ be struck, the mouey so raised to be applied in liquidation of the present overdraft. CITY OVERDRAFT. Councillor Fisher moved,—That from and after the . present date no city works be undertaken the cost of which will inincrease the amount of overdraft ou general account to a sum in excess of the legal amount prescribed by section 156 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876. He observed that the present overdraft of the Council amounted to £36,284, and with other expenditure in view it might soon be' expected to reach £50,000 ; in fact, they required to curtail their expenditure if they did not wish to have their credit impugned. Councillor Hunter admitted that there had been wasteful expenditure, aud gave Councillor Fisher credit for his attention to the subject. He abo admitted that the'overdraft had crept up year by year, and that it was highly desirable to reduce it; but he.could not bring himself to vote for this resolution, which would bind them to a hard-and-fast rule. The expenditure,; they all well knew,, could not be stopped altogether,, and as it were at once, although the overdraft might be gradually extinguished without interfering with the regular routine of business, aud in the course of four or five years that result might be accomplished if they kept their expenditure on a proper level with their income. Councillor Diver objected to the motion as inopportune at present, observing that if it was carried it would have the effect of stopping the public works. Councillor Fisher stated that, seeing the feeling of the Council, he had no objection to withdraw the motion,,as his only desire was that the subject should be ventilated. When, •therefore, he had seen it admitted that the Council had been somewhat spendthrifty in the past, and required to be more careful in future, he had no wish to press the motion. The motion was then withdrawn. WATERWORKS AND DRAINAGE ACCOUNTS. Councillor Fisher moved,—That separate accounts be kept at the bank showing the amount to debit and credit of the Waterworks Accountand the Drainage Account respectively, in conformity with section 47 of the Waterworks Act, 1872, and section 14 of the Drainage Act, 1873. Councillor Hunter considered that if the resolution was carried the position of the Council would be considerably complicated, and he trusted it would be. dealt with in the same manner as the previous motion, so that the Council should have full scope to recover from the temporary difficulties which might at present appear to surround it. Councillor Macdonald observed that it would have been much wiser for Councillor Fisher to have waited until the Finance Committee had submitted their report, which he had no doubt would explain everything. The motion was then put and lest. REMOVAL OP NIGHTSOIL. The motion by Councillor George relating to nightsoil was postponed for consideration until next meeting. Several notices of motion for next meeting were given, and the Council then adjourned.