CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5455, 20 September 1878, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the City Council was held in the Council Chambers lasc night. Present —His Worship the’ Mayor, and Councillors Dixon, Young, Thompson, Miller, Allen, Logan, Magiuity, Greenfield, Moss, and Diver. MINUTES. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. The following correspondence was read : , Wellington, 11th September, 1878.. Sir,—Your memo, of 22nd August was considered yesterday by tho Directors, and in reply I am instructed to call your attention to the fact that so lately as January last the price of gas was reduced Is. per 1000 feet, and that taking into consideration tho quality of the gas, It is cheaper in Wellington than in any other city in the colony. The supply of gas to the strict lamps being at irregular intervals, and in uncertain quantity, renders the coat of production and wear and tear much greater than if tho consumption was constant. . For the above reasons the directors cannot comply with your request for an immediate reduction in price, but hope to be able to reduce tho price at an early date, both to the Council and tho public. Since 1874 tho price has been reduced to the extent of ss. per 1000 feet. I. have also to call your attention to tho recent heavy tax imposed on tho company for .water supply ; not only is £25 per annum paid as a water rate, but since April an extra amount of £74 18s. 7d. has been paid for water supplied by meter, or a total exceeding the rate of £2OO per annum, a large amount for an article costing nothing to produce. The directors trust that the Council will seo its way to an early reduction in the tax. —I have, &c., J. R. George, Manager. C. 0. Graham, Esq., Town Clerk, A letter was read from the residents in Kilhirnie, asking that the road should be fenced off at once. His Worship said that if the matter was left to him ho would see tbe solicitor and see that it was carried out. ' FIRE BRIGADE REPORT. * The following report from the Fire*Brigade was read The committee beg to report that iu consequence of the Govc r nment declining to contribu'e the £IOO per annum support of.tho Fire Brigades as recommended in their report of the 11th May, the total amount available for tho purpose will be only £IOOO per annum, and they accordingly recommend that clause 11 of tho said report be altered so that the annual amount of contribution to each brigade as a fund for repairs bo reduced from,£Xoo to £SO. Report adopted. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEES'S REPORT. The Public Works Committee's report (as already published) was adopted,. DRAINAGE COMMITTEE’S REPORT, The committee beg to report that notices have been received from Messrs. J; O. Crawford and Henry Mace, the former claiming the sum of £40.000 os the price of theriand to be taken from him for the utilisation of the sewage, in addition to an indefinite claimcontingent damages which may or may not arise Loin whatever nuisance may be created in tho process of the said utilisation. Mr. Mace's claim Is similar to the last. ' # *

The committee have instructed tiie City Solicitor to take tho necessary steps for obtaining possession of the land required from Mr. Crawford. The committee, have authorised tho payment of a sum of £7O 10s. Gi. for instruments supplied to Mr. Climie by authority of tho late Mayor and now In the possession of the City Surveyor. Beporfc adopted. The following letter was read from Mr. Travers, Corporation Solicitor. ; Wellington, September 18. As l-he time has now arrived for taking tho steps pointed out by tho Public Works Act, 187 G, for vesting in the Corporation the land proposed to bo acquired from Mr. Crawford for drainage purposes, I venture to make the following suggestions In view of the fact that if these steps be taken tho only question left will be the ascertainment of the compensation to be paid to Mr. Crawford for Ida land. It will bo observed that Mr. Crawford asks £-10.000, as the price bo paid to him, and seeing the uncertainty as to tho amount which may bo awarded to him (which may be very large), it might bo considered by tho Council to be desirable to telegraph to Mr. Clark, asking him whether it would bo worth while risklh? a largo award as against taking tho sewage matter direct to sea. Moreover, the owners of the land now being laid out as a township and bounded by the sandhills will certainly be entitled to claim damages in case the distribution of tho sewage should become a nuisance-a point Which also arises with respect to the owners of land at KUblrnlo.

X trust the Council will not consider that I am improperly intruding upon thorn In respect to this matter, as I am, of course, ready to carry out their instructions in case they should not see it necessary to communicate with Mr. Clark. I may add that the next step to be taken under tho Act above referred to would create a binding contract between the Council and Mr. Crawford, —1 have, &c., Wk. Tiios. Locke Travers, City Solicitor. The Mayor said that the question was one of great importance, and he thought it should be referred to the Drainage Committee. He did not think it would be wise to finally settle the matter now.

"Councillor Maginitt hoped that tho Press would be admitted to the meeting. Tho Hatch thought that there would be no objection. The further consideration of tho matter was adjourned for a special meeting, to bo held next Wednesday at 7.30 p.m. WHAKP COMMITI'KB. The committee bog to report that tenders having been called for erection of woolshcd, the lowest, that of T. Osborne (or £033, was accepted. The contractor, however- has since then withdrawn his tender, and it is a question for tho Council whether or not the accompanying deposit of £3O should bo forfeited. ; , . Acting under powers conferred on him by tho committee, bia. Worship tho Mayor has since accepted the next lowest tender, that of J. Hassell, for £BBS. This contractor is how proceeding witli tho work, and is oven willing to reduce tho contract time If necessary on payment of a bonus. ■ / : : . A letter from the Chamber of Commerce has been received on the subjeefof the constitution of a Harbor Board and Its endowments. This lettortho committee has thought it advisable to refer to the Council. Tho report was adopted. The following letter was road from one of the contractors ;—. • ’ ■: , Itoxburgh-stroot, Septemberll. Gentlemen,—l am sorry to state tnat X made an error In my tender for tbo woolsbed. Seeing the tenders this morning I looked ovor my calculations and dad that 1 omitted to add the amount for iron

work. T could not possibly do tbe work for the sum stated; tho materials will co*t more. I will undertake to do tho work for the sum of- £852. In the event of this not receiving your sanction I would respectfully solicit the. return of my cheque.' I am .a working man, and cannot afford to lose it. The Lest are liable to make a mistake. Hoping to receive a favorable reply,—l am, &c., 'Thomas Osborne. Wellington City Council. *. ; After some little discussion it waa resolved that £ls be returned. .At the, same time, Councillors wished it to be distinctly understood that' the same concession would not be again made. . ' . ; . ' TENDERS. The following tenders were received for the formation of Austin-atreet ;—M. Brett and Co., £l9B 16s. 6il. (accepted); T. Hayes, £477; Charles McKirdy, £321 16s. ; P. Scollay, £338 ; G. Pudney, £298 17s. Kerbing Boul-cott-street—J. McLean’s, £3l4s. 6d per chain, the only tender, was accepted. CONSTITUTION OF NEW COMMITTEES. The names iof the new Councillors were placed on the various committees in place of those Councillors who have retired. - . Councillor Fisher thought the Public Works’ Committee should be constituted by the whole of the Councillors, the same as the Wharf Committee. ACCOUNTS. The usual fortnightly accounts were passed for payment. STEAM HOLLER. Councillor Diver moved that a steam roller be at once provided for the city. In speaking to his motion he referred to the fact that duriog the late election of City Councillors he had noticed that several ratepayers had expressed themselves as being in favor of having a steam roller for the.streets. He thought the time had now come to bring the matter again before the Council, .If a roller was obtained he was confident that the roads would be placed in»a much better condition than at present. He would call the attention of Councillors to Willis-street. It was from one end to the other full of holes, and one side of it was covered with new metal. He was quite sure that if there was a humane society in Wellington thew would take some action in the matter, as it was cruelty to horses to walk over it. In places where steam rollers were used, such as Sydney, Christchurch, and Dunedin, he was credibly informed that the roads could be formed in two or three days, and at half the cost. He believed that the cost of a steam roller was somewhere between £7OO and £IOOO.

Councillor Thompson remarked that he was of course, only a new councillor, but he bad noticed that this matter bad been brought before the Council two or three times, and he hoped on this occasion it would'not be shelved. He was sure that any persons who had been away from Wellington could see that the roads hero were the worst. He took the present opportunity of stating that the streets of Wellington were a perfect disgrace to the city. Councillor Allan said they were no worse than in any other part of the colony. Councillor Dixon supported the motion, and thought that boulders should be obtained from the bed of the Hutt Fiver for metal and broken up by the steam roller.

Councillor Allen moved as an amendment that the Council do not at present procure a steamroller, * Councillor Maginity seconded the amende ment.

Councillor Fisher supported the amendment. He could not see what was to be gained by a steam roller. He did not think the streets of Wellington were in a worse condition than those of Dunedin or Christchurch.

Councillor Logan also opposed tho motion, and read extracts from English popers stating that in rural towns a steam roller had been used. It had spoiled the drains, injured the sewers and gas-pipes, aud created mud. Councillor Greenfield said he would support the amendment. The Mayor thought that the metal obtained was not sufficiently good, and .was of opinion that the roller would grind it to mud. He also thought that the drains would also be damaged. Tho amendment was then put and carried. WHARF COMMITTEE., The Oouncill then went into committee relative to tbe proposed endowment to the Harbor Board. Councillor Miller thought the Chamber of Commerce could manage all the functions relating to the management of the wharf as well as the Harbor Board. ~ . Councillor Young said that latterly he hud not been in a position to see what had been going on in regard to the management of the wharf. He thought, however, that it was obvious to every person that-came into the port of Wellington that tbe wharf accommodation was not sufficient.

Councillor I'isher said it was well known that the management had not been satisfactory, and it-had caused trouble and annoyance to all concerned in it. Thu Council did not make so much out of it as they should, simply owing to the mismanagement. If aHarborßoard were appointed he would object most strongly to its members being nominated. He considered they required . men who knew more of the technicalities of mercantile knowledge than mere marline knowledge. He would support the views held by the Mayor.The Mayor explained that the-mismanage-ment spoken of had existed for the last three years, but had not cropped up within the last few months. Councillor Greenfield referred to an article in one'of the evening .papers, and said that while they had a Press that blackguarded members the same-asthe paper iu question had done no public bodies would be represented by good and respectable men., After being asked several times the name of the paper, Councillor Greenfield said it was tho Evening Chronicle of that night. Councillor Fisher remarked that he did not know there was such a paper in Wellington..

His Worship also expressed himself in strong terms.against the article-referred to. It was then resolved that the Chamber be informed that this Council cannot endorse the views held by,the Chamber, The Council then adjourned.