CITY COUNCIL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 116, 17 May 1901, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting1 oC the Auckland City Council was held last evening-, when there were present; The Mayor (Dr. J. L. Campbell), and Crs. Jlewson, Patterson, Garratt, Rosscr, Julian, (Irey, Kidd, Glover, Dig-nan, Hannan, Masefield, Parr and Stichbury. Assistance for the Mayor. —The. Mayor said that owing- to the great amount of work thrown upon him '■' connection with the Royal visit, he found it necessary to ask the Council to assist him by appointing one of their number to be associated with him in carrying- out the work of the city. He knew no one better qualified or in whom he had more confidence than Cr. Kidd, and therefore proposed that the Chairman of the Streets Committee take the chair, and be associated with him in carrying1 out the work of the Council. Cr. Dignan seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Cr. Kidd then took the chair, Dr. Campbell withdrawing-, and the business was proceeded with. Later on Cr. Kidd was appointed a member of the Legal and Finance Committee. Harbour Board Member. —Mr D. Goldie wrote resigning his seat as a representative of the Council on the Auckland Harbour Board, having1 now retired from the position of Mayor. The writer was instructed to forward his resignation to the Harbour Hoard. St. John Ambulance.—Permission was granted to the St. John Ambulance Society to use the committee room on Tuesday afternoon. Scenery Conservation Society. —The Scenery Conservation Society wrote stating- that the state of their funds would not permit them to offer more than £2 towards planting and protecting- an avenue of trees in the Domain,—Referred to the Legal Committee. Widening William-street.—With reference to the widening- of Williamstreet, Messrs E. Porter and Co. wrote stating- that they were on the point of erecting- a building- that would occupy about one half the frontage on the east side of the street, and with a view of meeting the Council's proposal as far as appeared practicable they were j agreeable to put the building's four I feet back-from the roadways, find to convey the strip of four feet wide to the city, being compensated in casli or ill exchange by the allotment at cor- j ncr of William-street and Victoria Quadrant, now the property of the city.—Referred to Streets Committee. | The City Cabmen.—lnspector Ciillen wrote stating- that he had issued instructions to the city and suburban police to furnish a report giving name of driver and his number in every instance where it came to their knowledge that a licensed cabman had driven persons to houses of ill-reputg at night; which reports would be forwarded to the Council. The Inspector also thanked the Council for the firm way in which it had dealt with offending' cabmen for some considerable time past, and trusted the same course would be adopted in future to weed out- bad characters from the cab ranks. —Referred to the Legal Committee. Cabman's License. —On the recommendation of the Traffic Inspector the suspension of R. Gregory's cabman's j license was referred to the Legal Committee. The Mayor's Allowance.—Cr. Stichbury moved that the Mayor be allowed an allowance of £300 for the year. —Cr. Garratt moved as an amendment that the Mayor receive .£2OO and Cr. Kidd £100.—Cr. Kidd: That would not be. legal. Thank you all the same.—The motion was carried. The "Contacts' Ward.".—An application from Lieutenant - Colonel White for permission to use the "contacts' ward" in the Domain as a barracks for the country volunteers during- the week of the Royal visit was granted, subject to certain conditions to be stated by the Engineer. Salisbury-street.—-Cr. Parr presented a petition from residents of Salis-bury-street, Ponsonby, asking that the footpath be tarred and sanded, a lamp provided for the street, and the name of the street changed to "Salisbury Avenuo," to avoid confusion with Snlesbury-street. The petition was referred to the Streets Committee. Rating on Unimproved Values. — The Ratepayers' Association wrote stating that they considered the time opportune for the Council to supply the ratepayers with information showing how the rating on unimproved values would affect each ratepayer in comparison with the present rating. The letter was referred to the Finance Committee. The Traffic Inspector.—The Legal Committee recommended that Mr Turner's salary be reduced by £10, and that he be" infonneVl that the Council look for-an improvement in the execution of his duties within the next three months or it will have to re-consider the matter. The recommendation had particular reference to complaints re the over-crowding of 'buses, and the Mayor's complaint re neglect shown in collecting the petroleum licenses. —Cr. Hewson moved that the clause be struck out. He considered the. traffic manager had far too many duties. —Cr. Glover supported the motion. —Cr. Panmoved as an amendment that the clause be referred back to the Committee. Mr Turner when asked by the Committee some eight months ago whether lie was over-worked and wanted assistance had replied in tthe negative. He certainly thought the inspector had been g-uilty of such neglect as warranted the Council taking notice of it. Mr Txirner had already been warned. —Cr. Hannan in supporting the amendment, said he felt sure that one man could not look after the whole traffic of the city. He agreed that if the revenues suffered a loss through the negligence of one of their officers, that officer should be punished. But they should not condemn a man unheard, and if Mr TurneT ihad too much to do they should take some of the work off his shoulders.—Cr. Stichbury thought the matter was put in- altogether a ■wrong light. He had known Mr Turner have to spend on tihree days at least six hours a day in the Police Court in connection with Council prosecutions. The speaker read a list of the inspector's multitudinous duties, and said he considered the Legal Committee\s| recommendation very unfair to the inspector. It Avas impossible for one man to attend to all the duties assigned to Mr Turner. —Cr. Garratt supported the previous speaker's remarks. He believed Mr Turner was the most fearless and honest servant the Council had got,—Cr. Julian said Mr Turner told

tlu: Committee that al the time when he should have been collecting petroleum license fees the plague scare was on, and he was ordered to devote his whole attention to plague prevention. —Cr. Rosser agreed that the treatment of the inspector was hardly fair, and the recommendation should be referred back to the Committee:.—Crs. Masefield and Glover supported the amendment, and Cr. Patterson the motion.— The Chairman said it should be pointed Jut that great assistance had been given to Mr Turner by the appointment of an inspector of buildings.— i The amendment referring- the clause back to tJio Legal Committee was carried by seven votes to six. Legal Committee.—This Committee reported inter alia : Appointment of Chairman.—■ Recommend the appointment of Councillor Dig-nan. E. Mahoney, complaint re nightsoil contract: .Messrs E. Mahoncy and J. Thornos, i also J. R. Reed and W. Taylor waited on the Committee. —Resolved to notify the contractor that unless he carries | out the requirements contained in the | City Solicitor's letter of 30th April, the i Council at its next meeting will con- i sider the advisability of determining-! the contract. R. Duffy as to nuisance caused by drain, Haydn-street: A. Iktnna re drainage of Mrs Hutchinson's property Haydn-street. Mr j Jlanna to be in for mod that unless the j work is done within seven days the] work will be done by the Council and i charged to the owner, Women's Christian. Temperance Union as to overcrowding of 'busses: Reply that i notices are placed in all trains and ! 'busses notifying- the number licensed ■ to be carried, and that (he Council will ' i take all possible action to overcome the evil. A. J. Donaldson an-rl .J. A. ! Snaith re stoppage of drain by .Mr Parkcr in Vermont-street: Copy of City] Solicitor's opinion to be furnished to the writers, and they to be informed j the Council regrets it is unable to take any action. Your Committee recommend that the Bill to provide for the j joint maintenance of Fire Brigades by : the Government, Municipalities, and . Insurance Companies be again int.ro- ; duccd into Parliament at its ensuing! session, nnd that Mr G. Fovvlds, M.H.R., bo requested to take charge' of the same.—D. Goldie, Chairman. ; —Tho report was adopted. Finance Committee. —Cr. Snchhury | was elected Chairman of the Finance Committee. It was decided to draw the City Valuer's attention to the number of mistakes in his valuations brought under the notice of the Committee, and that he be cautioned that the Committee is not pleased therewith, and will be compelled to consider the position if continued. Streets Committee.-This committee reported:—Appointment of chairman: Recommend the appointment of Councillor Kidd. Tenders for supply of steel pipes for Nihotupu water supply: Resolved that the lowest tender, viz., that of Messrs Seagar Bros., at £7359 for pipes nnd £2288 for castings, be accepted, delivery of sufficient pipes to connect with Kendall's Creek to bo. made in seven I months. H. M. Wilson submitted tenders for supply and delivery of timber for dam at Quinn's Creek: Resolved to accept the tender of J. Laing at 17/ per 100 super, feet delivered at Nihotupu Falls, and 18/ per, 100 super, feet delivered to .Quinn's Creek. A. Cochrane, re cutting of bush along boundary line of lots 60 and 57, Waikumete: Mr Cochrane to, be. asked to give a price for executing; the work: the engineer to report as to the necessity for and tho cost of doing such work. Town Cleric, Devonport, offering water pipes forj sale: Declined. F. Soiister, asldng permission to erect temporary platform verandah in Queen-street: Declined. J. Curric, asking permission to erect verandah with platform top to Metropolitan j Hotel, Queen - street: Recommend the granting- of permission to. erect verandah, also platform on top,! provided it is not used for general; purposes, but. subject to restrictions, imposed by the Council* from time to time. P. 'D. Woodroffe, re horses standing at market entrance:. Engineer to disinfect roadway where the horses stand. Auckland Electric Tramway Company, submitting plans for widening Customs-street West and grading of Jervois Road: Granted as regards the widening of Cus>-toms-street West: Ilecommend that application to extend the electric tramway along Jervois Road from Wallace-street to Herne Bay Road bej granted subject to the legal formalities by way of deed and order in council being executed, also that the plan of the grading of Jervois Road from Sentinel Road to Herne Bay Road to permanent levels as submitted by ttie company and passed by the City Engineer be approved. Motion No. 1523, re cutting channel on north side of Patteson-sfreet: Channel to be cut by day men, ward day men, to allow water to' flow away — J. Logan Campbell, chairman.—The report was adopted. Seafield View Road.—Councillor Garratt moved: "That the latnp now] ( situated at the eastern end of Seafield View Road be removed from its present position into the land adjoining." Carried. Committee Meetings and the Press. ; —Cr. Hannan moved: "That tne committees be open to the press and public." Cr, Rosser seconded. Cr. Mase- j field strongly opposed the motion, to carry which, he contended, would be , a great mistake. The motion was j lost by 7.votes to 4, Crs. Harma.n, , Rosser, Gar.ratt, and Glover being the only ones to support it. Tenders.—The tender of H. Fraser and Son (£260) was accepted for the completion of No. 2 and 3 contract, Nihotupu. The estimate was £250. The tender of D. Finane (£sl 19/6) was accepted for the drainage of Wynyard-street, and that of Percy] Marshall (£39 19/6) for the fencing'of Western Park. Three tenders were received for supply of the robes for the Mayor and the Town Cleric, > from D.S.C., Smith and Caughey, and G. Fowlds respectively, and were referred to the Robes Committee with power to act.