CITY COUNCIL

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 8, 10 January 1902, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL

The fortnightly mfeting of the Auckland City Council was held in the Municipal Chambers last evening. The Mayor (Mr. Alf. Kidd) presided, and there were also present; Crs. H. Garrett, A-. E. Glover, C. Hewson, J. McLeod, J. T. Julian, J. H. Hannan, J. Court, J. Stichbury, J. Patterson, C. J. Pair.

City Health Officer.—Dr. P. W. King wrote resigning his position as City Health (iheer, as he intended visiting England in April. It was decided to accept the resignation with'regret, and to thank Dr. King for hi. services. The Mayor stated that the position was purely an honorary one, and Dr. King had done splendid Avork. especially during the plague scare, when for some time he had devoted his whole time to the city work. Gr. Hannan thought the thanks of the Council should take a practical form, and moved in the direct! .: of the Council inaugurating a presentation to Dr. King. As this would bind individuals, not the Council, it was ruled out of order, and the Mayor's resolution was carried.

Carters' Dispute.—The secretary to the Auckland and Suburban Carriers' and Coal Merchants' Union of Employers requested the Council to join the Union to secure united action on the part of employers in the ca-rters' dispute now before the Arbitration Court. If the Council could not join ibp Union, he would like to know the line of action thej' intended to adopt with reference to the dispute. The Mn; or stated that the matter was of some importance to the Council, w rho employed four carters, and on his motion the town clerk was instructed to represent the Council at the sitting of the Court.

Dog Registration.—Mr. L. Stanton applied for the position of dog registrar for the current year. The matter was referred to the Legal Com--mittee. Wages.—Mr. J. Pawcus, on behalf of the Auckland Trades and Labour Council, asked that in all future tenders called for by the Council there should be embodied a stipulation that the Union rates of wages be paid to workmen employed. He stated that the present stipulation that the wages be such as are usual and fair was vague and uncertain. Referred to the Legal and Pinance Committee. Hopetoun Street.—The residents of Hopetoun Street petitioned the Council for drainage facilities. The Streets Committee were instructed to report. Mt. Albert Water Supply—The Mt. Albert Road Board asked whether the Council could supply 200,000 gallons of water by gravitation, and the cost per 1000 gallons. The waterworks engineer reported that the district could not be supplied from the gravitating main without materially crippling the city supply. The reservoir would have to be higher than •the Khvber Pass Reservoir, so that when filling the Mt. Albert reservoir the city supply would be shut off. He sno'o-ested the provision of a separate reservoir for Mt. Albert, or that the supply be drawn from the Mt, Eden Teservoir. The water supply from Nihotupu would be ready by March. Referred to the Waterworks Committee. An Insanitary Drain—Dr. Makgill, District Health Officer, stated that •the outfall of the drain at the end of New Street, Ponsonby, was in an insanitary condition, the sewage falling over the cliff and causing- a nuisance. The city engineer reported that it would cost £20 to carry the drainage to low water. Referred to the Streets Committee.

Insanitary Buildings.—Dr. Makgill reported that he had examined a house in Chapel Street, another at the corner of Shortland and BankStreets, and a shed in New Street, Ponsonby, finding tfcem n a ruinous condition and unfit for occupation, find dangerous to the public health. He recommended their removal. It was decided to instruct the owners to remove the buildings before January 25.

Nihotupu Water Supply. — The waterworks engineer reported that the wet weather had caused a delay n the delivery Of pipes along the track of the Nihotupu water supply, and the men had lost two weeks, but were now at work. About two miles had been completed. The consumption for the past fortnight had been 16,----908,000 gallons. Pumping had been resumerl from the Asylum and Edgecumbe's Creek to keep the level of the springs up.

Customs-street. — Three tenders were received for the kerbing and channelling- of Customs-street West, the lowest, that of T. Biddington, £142 4/8, being accepted.

Drainage.—lt was decided to call for tenders for the completion of the Cemetery gully and Wolf-street

drains

Kerbing.—Tt was decided to replace the present wood kerbing for Customs-street to the wharf with stone, at a cost of £6G.

Engineer's Report. —Mr Alf. A. Wrigg, city engineer, reported that from May to December 31, the stonebreaker had broken 12,053 yards, for an expenditure of £1490 7/5, eepial to 2/G per yard. A Nuisance to Playgoers.—The Traffic Inspector drew attention to the annoyance caused to patrons of the Opera House' by the Salvation Army Band playing after the commencement of the performance. They had promised to discontinue the 'practice, but still persisted in it. He considered it. a breach of by-law ■No. 37, section 30.—The Mayor stated that the Army authorities had ordered the band to stop playing while passing the Opera House, but that they still disturbed the audiences by their playing at the corner of Welles-ley-street,—Cr. Parr stated that on the previous evening the band had played while passing the building, and for five minutes the audience, had been unable to hear a word uttered from the stage. The Town Clerk was instructed to write to the Army stating that the Council would be compelled to take action if further complaints were received.

Abattoirs.—The * Mayor reported that several sites had been offered the Council since the last visit by the Council. He said that it was a matter of importance.—lt was decided that the Council should visit the various sites offered on Tuesday afternoon next. Bathkeeper.—The 150 applications received for the position of bathkeeper at the Saltwater Baths were reduced by the Finance Committee to the following six: Mrs A. Glover, Messrs J. P. Derrick, A. N. Parquhar, R. James, E. Strong, and W. H. Lennon. The first ballot resulted in the names of Mrs Glover, Parquhar and Strong being left in. The second ballot left the names of Mrs Glover and R. James, and finally Mrs Glover was appointed by eieven votes to four. Salaries. — Applications for increases in salary were received from eight officials, and the Finance Committee was instructed to revise the whole of the salaries paid. Streets Committee. —This Committee —Ratepayers John-st., as to connecting John and James streets. G. Cozens, re land for connecting John and James streets: Reply that if Mr Cozens cannot see. his way to give the land for a road through his property, the Committee have no further recommendation to make. Re continuation of Harbourstreet: Deferred for report of City Engineer. Dunn, Smith aud Co., re drainage of portion of Customsstreet West : Your Committee recommend that a nine-inch pipe be laid to connect with the Hobson-street sewer, a distance of about 250 feet, at a cost of £55. As to the formation of footpath, Came-ron-street: Reply that the grading of the footpath 'in Cameron-street will be put in hand immediately. Scenery Conservation Society, re ed to place the wires in cables in Telegraph Department, re cuctlng : back trees interfering with telephone wires: The Telegraph Department to be asked if they are prepar- ' ed to place the wires in cables in those streets where trees are planted, and if the Department cannot see its way to comply with the request, the Superintendent of Parks to cut the trees to prevent any obstruction

to the. wires. City Engineer, recommending that the permanent drainage of Wolf-street be included in the kerbing and channelling contract for this street: The work to be included at a .ost of about £36 for 330 feet of 9-Jnch pipes. Accounts amounting to £1633 5/11 were passed for payment.

—The report was adopted. Legal Committee.—The Legal Committee reported: Letter from H. W. Segar, asking permission to surrender lease of allotments 12, 13 and 14, Domain Trust, Wynyard-street: Your committee recommend that the Council accept a surrender of the lease in terms of section 197 of "The Municipal Corporations Act, 1900." Hesketh & Richmond, as to liability for any alteration to the telephone wires "necessitated by erection of City Hall verandah for fire escape: Reply that the fire escape was necessary for the safety of the public who visited the building, and in accordance with "The Municipal Corporations Act, 1900," therefore any structural arrangements carried out

for that purpose render the owner of the property responsible, and the Council cannot accept any liability in the matter. Cab proprietors of Auckland, asking complete revision of issuing of drivers' licenses: Reply unable to comply with request. Captain Mitchell, re removing colours of the old 58th Regiment from the Supreme Court to the Free Library: Application granted subject to the colours being shifted without damage, and to the Board of Advice approving of their being placed in the Library. Department of Health, re smoke nuisance: Your committee recommend that under section 74 of "The Public Health Act, 1900," the owners and occupiers' of the following premises, viz., Messrs. Hellaby & Co!, Shortland-street, Messrs. Bycroft & Co.. Shortland-street. "Tbe Herald" office, Queen-street, Mr. D. Goldie. Albert-street, the Campbell

and Ehren fried Brewery Company. Limited, Queen-street, Messrs. Bagnall Bros.' mill, Wellesleystreet West, the Northern Roller Mills, Quay-street East, be notified to provide to the entire satisfaction of the City Engineer smoke-consuming apparatus to abate the smoke nuisance within a time to be fixed by the Council. • W. J. Andrews, complaint against the night-soil contractor; Mr. MeDermott waited on the committee: Your committee recommends: (1) That the sanitary contractor be informed that their demand for payment for the time a service is not supplied is illegal, and if a repetition of this takes place the Council will take action to protect the ratepayers. 2. That tl.e sanitary inspector be instructed to impose fines on the contractor whenever pans get out of repair by enamel coming off or otherwise, under paragraph 8 of the sanitary contract. G. Baildon, as to removal of fences from Fire Brigade site: The City Solicitor to take action. Finance Committee.—This committee's recommendations were adopted as follows: Town Clerk, Parnell, Town .Clerk, Newmarket, Town Clerk, Grey Lynn, agreeing to the city undertaking the collection of vehicle license fees; the license fees collected last year to be divided according to law. A. Tooman and others, R. 11. Abbott, as to leasing of City Market- Your committee recommends that the lease of the Market be at once submitted to public auction for a term of three years from Bth May, 100. subject to conditions to be prepared, and the Finance Committee to fix an upset rental. Electric Tramways .-The. Streets Committee reported: Auckland Electric Tramways Company. Ltd.. submitting plans of the extension ot the tramway in Jervois Road from Wallace-street to Heme Bay Road, and applying for the Council's consent to an Order-in-Council being applied for to authorise the following further extensions being constructed

at any time within four years, viz.: (1) Hobson-street, from Victoriastreet- to Wellesley-street. a double line; (2) Queen-street,* from Welles-ley-street to Karangahape Road; (3) Quay-street East, from Queen-street to Northern Steamship. Company s wharf; (4) from Khyber Pass Road along Grafton Road and Park Road to the city boundary (continuing thence along Carlton Gore Koad t" Manukau Road): Your committee recommend that the extensions be

granted subject to the terms and conditions contained in the company's letters of the 13th November and" 9th December, 1901, and to the approval of the City Engineer. The report was adopted, and it was agreed that the Mayor and chairman of the Streets Committee endeavour to have a double line of rails laid down iv Jervois Road.