AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 71, 24 March 1910, Page 7

AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL.

', Tie ordinary meeting of the Auckland Csty Council was held last night, there being present: The Mayor (Mr. C. PA Grey), Messrs. K. Tudehope, M. Casey, J. M. Mennie, G. Knight, G. Bead, P. J. Nerheny, J- Pa"tterson, R. T. Michaels, W. A Thompson, P. Maefcay, H. M. Smeeton, and L. J. BagnalL MUNICIPAL CXJNFHEEfNCB.. The biennial conference of the Municipal Association is to be held in July next, and the Council was invited to forward as early as possible any remits it desires to have brought up at the conference. NO TRAMS ON GOOD FRIDAY. ' The general manager of the Auckland Tramways" Company applied for permission to entirely suspend the tramcjir service on Good Friday to enable the employees to attend the annual picnic of the company at Motutapu. The Council decided to offer no objection. WATER OHA'RGtES. Application was made by the clerk to the borough of Mt. Eden, on behalf of his Council, for a reduction of the charge of 1/ per 1000 gallons for water from Blhyber reservoir to Od per 1000 gallons, and the charge of 1/3 per 1000 gallons from Mt. Eden to 1/. It was pointed out that as Mt. Eden Borough was the largest consumer of water from the City Council, the charges levied were considered excessive. The letter was referred to the "Waterworks Committee. AN INTOLERABLE NUISANCE. The manager of the Australian Hardwoods Company complained of sin intolerable nuisance arising from the sewer discharge at the foot of .Stanley-street. Unless steps were at once taken to mitigate the nuisance, the writer intimated he would be compelled to take action. The City Engineer reported that the work, could only be carried out at certain states of the tide, and, owing to long prevalence of northeasterly weather, a supply of the proper kind, of sbiugle could not be obtained. However, the work was now being resumed. It was decided to send a reply to the complaint in terms of the engineer's explanation. CONTRAST TO BY-LAWS. Mr. 3. A. Beale made application for permission to erect a dwelling, of over sixteen feet in width, on an allotment In Graftonroad which has a frontage of only fifteen feet- The site, however, contained twothirds of an acre, and| thus 'provided ample air space. As the City by-laws require a frontase of sixteen feet, the City Engineer advised that the -application could only be granted by special permission of the Council under the modification clause, and it would be necessary tli-at a plan showing the site and position of the house should be lodged. The application was referred t<. the Works Committee. IHOIBSON AND PITT-STREETS. Attention was called by the engineer to ■the fact that in consequence of the work of laying new kerbing and channelling in Hobson and Pitt-streets, the footpaths throughout the greater portion of their length would require to be raised. He also asked for instructions in regard to the excavation for and putting down of a proper foundation in the carriage way. as recom mendtd by him in July last, but deferred for six months: If the work of putting in the foundation was not carried out. It would be necessary to obtain filling to make up the footpaths from other sources—a factor which would lead to delay in completion of the footpaths. The report was referred to the "Works Committee. ELECTRIC LIGHTING. The report of the electrical engineer for the fortnight ended March 13 showed the units generated to number 31.677; machinery running 180 hours: coal used, 64$ tons; water used, ISO.OOO gallons; wages paid, £97 7/; new customers 6. briugin-g tlie total to 392. The engineer also recommended that in future deposits be held for IS months and repayments made at the end of that •time, provided the customer is not then in arrears. The committee recommended that the proposal be adopted, but that the time of retention be 12 months only, and this was agreed to. FAST TRAMS. A repoit was presented with reference to the letter received from the Auckland ■Electric Tramways Industrial Union of .Workers, 'bringing under notice the danger arising from the running of a quick tramway service 'with so many compulsory- stops,, and Asking that the latcer be made "slow down" stops, as otherwise the running time was not sufficient to enable the timetable ■to be kept under all circumstances. The matter was deferred until next meeting, the general .manager of the Auckland Electric Tramways- Co., Ltd.. stating that this would suit his convenience. It was decided now that the Graf-ton bridge is finished," that the tram stopping place at St. MArtins-lane, Symonds-strcet, should be abolished. ; WATER WORKS. The Waterworks Engineer reported thai by puttin-g in a series of tunnels aggregating 8678/t the Xihota-pu pipe line could Ikshortened by 679Sft, and some dangerous trestling done away with; that a saving o; £1777 would be made exclusive of cost of -renewing and maintaining trestles, the estimated cost of the tunnels being £5700. against £7477 for new pipes; and 'that £1000 will be .required for general work on the road. He asked authority (as the life of the existing pipes is nearly gone) to place £7000 on the estimates and to proceed with the tunnels forthwith.. The committee recommended that the amount involved be placed on the estimates, and this was decided upon. TENDERS. ' The following were successful tenderers for supplies: —Shingle, sand, and shell, J. J. Craig; bricks. Messrs. VViuscoue; coal. Messrs. Craig; lime and cement, J. J. Craig; ■team labour, Messrs. Winstone; engineer's and pumping stores, J. Burns and Co.; oil, J. Burns and Co. ABATTOIR WATER SUPPLY. A letter, was received from .the Town Clerk, Onehunga, ."stating that his Council had resolved to inform the City Council that while drawing off a minimum oi 40*000 gallons per diem for the abattoir (the quantity asked for) the Ouchnnga Borough Council is prepared to maintain v -pressure of 1001b .to the square inch tit point of delivery to city main; that a recent pressure test on a small 1 pipe at borough boundary gave 1341b to square inch. It was agreed ■to ask the City Solicitor to prepare an agreement. LIBRARY MANAGEMENT. A letter was received from Mr. T. W. Leys, starting, inter alia, that it would be unfair to debit the Leys Institute account /with any portion of the expenses en-tailed by the visit of delegates to the Dunedjn conference, convened solely with the object of placing municipal library management on the best possible footing, this being a matter in which the Leys Institute, with its. definite constitution, is not specially.. Interested, more especially as he intends to accept the invitation of the Mayor of Dunedin, 't0... attend as nepresentinSi the Leys Institutes defraying personally- the- whole of Ms expenses. It was decided that the whole amount be charged against the Library -Account.