CITY COUNCIL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 78, 10 April 1885, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL.

The Council met at six o'clock last evening. Present: His Worship the Mayor, Councillors Holland, Mackechnie, Cooper, Devore, Dignan, Connolly, Montague, Goldie, Crowther, Aickin, La Roche, Morrison, .Yaymouth, Kidd, Masefield. Correspondence. — Letters were received :—From Thos, Rogers, offering the Council the earth from an allotment in Arthur-street. The Engineer reported there were no works going on at present where the earth could be used: Referred to the Engineer to take action when necessity arises.—From the Town Clerk of Masterton, asking if the Salvation Army carried torches and banners, and played • bands through the streets in Auckland, and if so " what steps were taken to remedy the evil?" It was decided to instruct the Town Clerk to reply.— From the Hon. Sec. to tho United Fire Brigades Association, suggesting the desirability of appointing as fire inspectors only those who are'officers of fire brigades, and suggesting that the first and second officer of the local brigade be appointed inspectors: Referred to Legal Committee.—From F. Earl, solicitor, asking the Council to reconsider its decision regarding right-of-way near Anchor Hotel, Queen-street. As the demised premises woro at present hold by a third party, neither lessee nor lessor could interfere with tho property in tho matter of maintaining a gate and asphalted footway : Referred to Legal Committee.— From J. Carey, of Lower Hobaon-street, asking £16 compensation for damage done to his property. He could not get in or out of his front door: Referred to Legal Committee. — From Holroyde and Co., asking permission to repair a boiler outside their shop in Cus-toms-street West. It appeared that applicants wished to place the boiler on the footpath : It was decided not to grant the application.—From Thomas Cole, asking permission to erect signboard over his premises in Darby-street: Referred to Engineer to report.—From R. H. Scharrer, asking permission to erect gas lamps over his premises in Queen street: Request granted on the üßual conditions.— From F. Woodruffe, of the Melbourne Clothing Company's establishment, Queenstreet, asking permission to place an electric arc light outside his shop: Granted, provided work is done to satisfaction _of Engineer. -From Thomas Jenkins, statins* that at last meeting Mr J. M. Lennox had applied for permission to erect 12 houses on a small allotment in the gully between Grey and Queen-streets, the said application having been referred to the Legal Committee. As a man who had been taken out of ono of " J.M.L.'s fever dens" had died of typhoid fever in the Hospital, he thought the Committee should know it, as it might influence their decision.—Referred to Legal Committee.

The Wateb Supply.—The Mayor having referred the matter of the impurity of the water supply to the Waterworks Engineer, that functionary sent in the following re port:—" Prior to receiving your memos, on the above subject, I had taken steps to discover the cause, and found that a leakage exists in the dame of the little springs. The supply from that source is now shut off, and will now pump entirely from the main spring." Legal Committee's Report.—The Committee recommended as follows : (1) Application for Clerk of Works. The following were selected to be submitted to the Council:—J. McConnell, Geo. Bowring, E. J. Matthowe, Jas. Trayes, C. S. Wright, J. B. Sewell. (2) Letter from S. Young re claim for damages to horse : Committee recommend that the claim be not entertained.—Tho report was adopted. Domain Ranger's Hocbe.—lt was decided to call tenders for the repair of the Domain ranger's house. The cost would be about f SO. Advertising on the Footpaths.—Cr. Holland drew attention to the crowing habit of advertising on the footpaths. He considered it an eyesore, and thought it should be stopped. He moved the reference of the matter to the Town Clork to report as to the Council's power with reference to this matter. Clerk of Works.—The six applicants for the position of the Clerk of Works to the Art Gallery, who had been selected by tho Legal Committee, were present, and wore questioned by the Council. The op pointmont was then decided by ballot. The fi-at ballot loft three in—Matthews 12, Trayes 11, Wright 10. The final ballot resulted—Matthews 9, Wright 6, Trayes 3. Mr Matthews was then formally appointed Clerk of Works. Works in Karanoahape.—Cr. Burns moved : "That the Engineer prepare plans and specifications and cost of the same, to make West-street from Karangahape Road to Pitt-street to its permanent level, North and South-stieets to be .ncluded."—Cr. Garratt seconded.—Carried. Jjbrvois Road.—Cr. Upton moved: " That the Engineer be instructed to prepare working plans for the formation to permanent levels of Jervois Road to Wallace-street, and forkerbing, channelling, and draining same, and that tenders be called for the work -early in the spring."— Cr. Devore seconded.—Carried, Wards Overdraft.—The Mayor, in the absence of Cr. Garratt, moved the motion standing in that Councillor's name : " That the question of wards overdrafts for works be referred to the Finance Committee to report as to whether the advancing of money shall be from the credit balance of loan of any one ward. To fix a rate of interest to be paid by the ward receiving such overdraft. To recommend in what way the overdraft shall be met in the event of the ward advancing the money requiring the same for carrying out any authorised works. To report as to the desirability of limiting the amount of works in wards whose portion of the loan has been already expended or works now authorised to the extent of their allocation. Also, to consider the whole question of hypothecation re loan." The Mayor said he moved tho motion without identifying himself with it more than its general purport indicated. He might mention that he had not yet received the legal opinion on the matter.—Cr. Burns seconded. —The motion was carried.—As the carrying of the motion affected the drainage works in Grafton Ward, for which tenders had been called, it was decided not to open the tenders, but to retain them till next meeting night, pending the decision of the Finance Committee on Cr. Garratt _ motion.

This concluded the business,