CITY COUNCIL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 5476, 6 February 1885, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL.

Thb regular weekly meeting of this body wan held last night, Present: Crs. Mackechhie (in the chair), Holland, Cooper, Upton, Devoro, Dignan, Connolly, Crowther, Montague, Aickin, Kidd, Waymouth, Goldio, Laßoche, Burns, Garratt, Morrison, and Maseiiold. Cobbkhtondencb.—Lottera wore rooeived and disposed of as follows:—From W. Coloman, applying on behalf of F. Jeune for £35 compensation for damage sustained to the letter's property at the corner of Canada and Pitt-streets through defective drainage, and requesting that immediate repairs may be effeoted: Applicant to be informed that Council had already abated the nuisance, but had nothing to do with tke cause of it —From P. E. Fitzgerald, suggesting the extension of Waitemata-street through to Freeman's Bay: Referred to Streets Committee.—From Board of Education, offering a contribution of £500 towards filling-in and levelling, for use as a playground, two acres and 28 perches at rear of Welleßloy-etreet School: Referred to City Engineer to arrnngo with Education Board's engineer.—From A. E. Wliitaker, solicitor, asking permission for Thomas Trucmnn to place his coffee stand at night in front of Mr Faravol's shop in Queen-street i Granted, subject to the usual conditions.—From P. F. M. Burrows, applying on bohalf of Dr. Houcyman, for permission to erect a corrugated iron fence nnd gates in tho email street at tho rear of his property in Princes-street: Granted, subject to removal of fence when required. —From A. Bettany, forwarding for approval plans of a proposed dwelling house in Picton-street, to be erected at an estimated cost of £320: Granted.— From Parnell Borough Council complaining that the pressure of the water supply had : fallen from 85 to 251bs per inch, in consequence of which residents of Upper Parnell had been deprived of their supply of water during the past three months: Referred to Water Committee.—From Frozen Meat Co., forwarding a letter from St. Paul's Vestiy re lowering of church on present site, and soliciting the favour of an interview '. Council declined to entertain overtures.—From J. Holloway, Edinburgh-street, complaining of loss of his live fence through drainago works, and asking compenßasation therefor: Referred to Legal Committee. — From A. E. Smith, begging Council to fill i.nth.c gully ftt (oof; p,f geres-ford-street, as ho is building there: Referred to Streets Committee. — From J. S. Johnston, drawing attention to tho necessity for a footpath In Willow street i Referred to Streeta Committee. — From P. Tierney and 14 other stonebreakers employed by tho Council, praying to be allowed the same hours of work as other labourers of the Council, viz., 7.30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the ajlpwance of the gaturdny h.»lf-boUday: Referred to Engineer fqr report, — From J. C. Soall and G, E, M. Heyland, asking that the earth In front of their properties in Kyber Pass should be sloped to street lovol: Granted.—From A. H. Nathan forwarding for approval plans for additions to his residence in Symonds street*: Disapproved, as the additions involved a breach of the building ! regulations,—From H. G. Wade, asking that the earth in front of the properties of Wm. Fagan and Andrew Gibb in Franklin Road bhould be sloped away t Granted.— From Union Sash and Door Co., asking on what terms the Counoil would lay down a six-inch water main from Swan Inn to Company's works: Referred to Streets Committee, the Waterworks Engineer to report. — From John M. Grace, requesting a share of the Council's advertising : Referred to Finance Committee. —From Ales. McGregor, drawing attention to the state of 'the footpath in Cook-street, between Chapel and Albert-streets: Agreed to asphalt footpath.—From J. Haron, P. Gleeson, and C. Orchard, requesting that scoria might bo laid down in front of their properties in Customs-street West: Applicants to be informed that a footpath will bb provided as coon aa possible.—From Thos. Harris and six or seven others, praying for the extension of the water supply to Stuart-streeti and tho erection of a lamp there: Application for lamp granted.— From W. A. Marfield, applying that hia property in Franklin Road should be sloped to the street: Granted.—From A. Anderson, complaining that his property was boing damaged through the excavations in College Kond, and asking Council to pay half tho cost of a concreto wall: Roforred to Enginoor for his roport. —From D. Ross, F.K.17R.A., asking permission to deviate from tho strict lotter of tho law in relation to tho proposed Star Hotel balconies: Referred to Legal Committoo.—From W. and G. WiiiNtono, asking for further instructions ro sloping of Mrs Combos's proporty in Lower llobson-streot: Contractor to be directed to proceed with his contract.

Tun Mayor.—A tclogram was received from tho Miiyor informing the Council that ho hoped to bo present at the next meeting. Cr. Montague was deputed to sign cheques in His Worship's absenco. Bukleigh street.—Cr, La Roche presented a petition from tho ratepayers of Burleigh-street urging that the formation and filling -in of that thoroughfare should be carried out in conjunction with the present wpr-fea in Kyber Pass Road.-rßefeyred. tg Streets. Committee,

PMTMTRps.—Or. Goldie presented a petition from the ratepayers and residents of Pratt-street (off Wellington-street), pointing out the necessity of filling in that street to its proper level, as will as of channelling and forming footpaths there. —Referred to Streets Committee. Streets Committee,—This Committee recommended \— ft) Letter from H. Mackay re drain Sale-atreet i That the work be done provided Mr Mackay is prepared to pay half cost. (2) Letters from R. B. Wiseman and H. Brett re advertising hoarding Town Hall site i That application bo approved to rent same, not to exceed 8 feet in height, and to be built to the satisfaction of Engineer. (3) Petition from residents Karangahape Ward re gully drainage between Gladstone and Montague streets: That the drainage be done. (4) Specifications for water supply materials :To include items of similar character required for Engineer's Department.- (5) Re levels Ponsonby Ward (7 streets): petition from residents .Newstreet ro levels : Commjttea met petitioners, and, after n long consultation, recommended (at petitioners' request)—viz., a further adjournment of declaring the levels in New-street and St. Mary's Road, etc., with a view to secure, if possible, a oantinuance of London-street through private property down to beach, (6) Letter from W. S. Johnstone re drainage Freeman's Bay \ That Willow-street be drained, and gully channel be cleared, Lower section of gully, between Napier and Pattesonstreets, to be drained whea funds are available. The last clause was amended by the excision of-the words, "when funds are available," and the substitution in lieu thereof "estimate of cost to be submitted." The report as amended was then adopted. Finance Committee.—The report of this Committee contained the following recommendations : (1) Memo, from Treasurer, re fixed deposit: That same be adopted, viz., to current account, £12,000, to cover overdfltft; fiaj«K? deposit, t\Q,<m, at SnxnMii

fixed dopoßit, £10,000, at 6 months ; fixed deposit, £20,000, at 12 month«; fixed deposit, £14,000, at 12 months ; total, .£(56,1)00. (2) Letter from Mrs Waterman ro rates (GroyStreet): That hnlf of last year's rates bo romittcil, (3) Letter from W. Hampton ro extra pay for working nt.oam roller at night: Thai, a shilling per night increase to wages bo allowed. (4) Letter from Undor-Scoro-tiiry I'ublic Works ro water supply account: That a credit of £25 be mado in next water account, and. request, that paymont of ovorduo rato*, duo in Juno last, be mado (5) Motion No. 840, by Cr. Afckin, re Stan-loy-stroet sewer : That the sum of £500 be allowed out of general account to credit of tho Stanley-street sewer works. (G) Letter from H. G. Wade re extra pay for issuing valuation notices : That the sum of £24 additional bo paid to Mr Wade for this year's work.—Cr. Aickin moved as an amendment upon clause 5, and Cr. Goldie Boconded pro forma, the allowance of a sum of £1,000 to credit of Stanley-street sewer works. The amendment was rejected.— Cr. Crowther moved as a further amendment that the amount should bo £499, as ho felt sure that the recommendation would be ignored. This proposal was also thrown out.—On the motion of Cr. Devore, the clause containing the recommendation was oxpunged.—The report as amended was then adopted. Mr Hanna's Vindication.—The following memo, was received from the Waterworks Engineer:—"January 23rd, 1885. — P. A. Philips, Esq.—Sir,—l beg to say that tho machinory at Western Springs, under the care of Mr Hanna, Engineer-in-eharge, is in a very efficient state, and to my satisfaction.—Wit. Errington, Engineer. —P.S.—I may add that my inspec tion of machinery of waterworks plant generally is a continuous one, not left to any stated periods.— W.E."— Cr. Cooper said that it was a pity this testimony had not been given soonor, as at the time Mr Hanna's case was before the Council the most alarming statements with regard to the machinery, and damaging charges against Mr Hanna himself were freely made. If this memo, from the Engineer had been submitted then, it would very materially have affected the question whother or not Mr Hanna should be discharged. The damaging charges which had been made at the Council and circulated by the newspapers were now shown .to be without foundation. At the same time he felt bound to say that the memo, did not give a direct answer to his formal question, and he therefore asked for the production of that question.—The Town Clerk explained that it had been mislaid, and no copy preserved.—Cr. Cooper thought this a rather remarkable thing. There was something surely wrong when a question of tkis sort was allowed to be mislaid.—Cr. Upton thoroughly agreed with Cr. Cooper upon this point, A copy of the question should have been sent to Mr Ernngton, and the original preserved. The practice which had been followed was highly reprehensible.— Cr. Goldie thought that an independent parson should have been employed to report upon the itate of the machinery,—Upon tho motion of Cr. Maseh'eld it was resolved to forward a copy of the memo, to Mr Hanna. Customs-street East.—ln answer to Cr. Montague, a memo, from the Engineer stated (1) that Customs-street East bad not been cleared to its full width, in consequence of Mr Craig's failure to remove his material off tho lino of street; (2) that asphalting works in Queen-stroet would bo proceeded with at once; (3^ that verandah posts are fixed in tho kerbing when relaid by the City Council whore no doviation has been mado from the original lino. Tesdehs.—Tenders were received as follows :— For drainage works in Jermynstreot: John Heath, £271 10s ; Mason and Mellwraith, £263 10s6d ;E, C. Clark, iun-, £303 4s 3d; Alexander Archibald, £195 15s. The Engineer's estimate was £380. Archibald's tender was accepted. For excavation works in Section 63 (Karangahape Road): Conlon and Regan, £1,408; Larkins and O'Brien, £1,208 19s 9d; Healey and McCarthy, £1,092 10s; John Irvine, £1,408. The Engineer's estimate was £1,308. Healey and McCarthy's tender was accepted. For Beresford-street gully drainage: Alex. Archibald, £273 5 R. C. Clark, junr., £270 12s 6d; Healey and McCarthy, £311 8s 8d; Mason and Mcllwrath, £314 14b 9d, The Engineer's estimate was £380. Clark's tender was accepted. Tenders for -waterworks supplies from E. Porter and Co., Wingate, Burns, and Go., Moxrin nndCo., were referred to the Waterworks Engineer, to report at nest steetirg of Council. For drainage works in Upper Union-street;— Thos. Catran, £109 18s ; A. Archibald, £86 8s 9d | Hoaley and McCarthy, £106 14s 9d; Mason and Mellwraith, £104 8s BJd. The Engineer's estimate was £120. Archibald's tender was accepted, Library Rate.—lt was rosolved to declare and advertise the Library rate. Tms Clerkships.—About 45 applications for the position of olerk in Town Clerk's office, and about 25 for the position of clerk and draughtsman, were referred to the Logal Committee The remainder of the business was adjourned,