CITY COUNCIL.

Press, Volume X, Issue 1170, 7 August 1866, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

The Council met last evening at the usual hour. Present—Messrs. E. B. Bishop (chairman), Duncan, Alport, Ruddenklau, Farr, and Barnard, The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Chairman stated that the overdraft on general account was £223 16s 4d, The receipts during the week had been —For city rates, £49 12s 6d; for drainage, £24 16 3d; and for rents in the Market-place, £6 10s ; total, £80 18s 9d. Several accounts, amounting to £8 18s 2d were passed, and ordered to be paid. A letter was read from the Seoretary of Public Works, Nelson, requesting to know whether the public lamps in front of the Post-office were erected at the: expense of the Council or by the Provincial Government. The Town Clerk was requested to reply that the lamps were erected by the City Council. A letter was read from Mr Harman, stating that he had received a tender for the erection of a bridge over the Avon at the foot of Caßhel street, and to form the approaches, for a sum of £320, and he, therefore asked the Council if they would apply to the Government to put up the bridge, provided certain residents in the neighborhood subscribed a sum of £100, whioh they were willing to do, towards the project. The Town Clerk was requested to write to the Secretary for Publio Works enclosing the proposition. A letter was read from Mr Milsom requesting permission to place a culvert under the pavement opposite his premises. Permission was granted. An application for permission to erect a verandah was refused, the plan not being in accordance with the rules of the Council. A memorial was read from certain residents in the Sumner road requesting that the Council would cover in the drain running at the side of the road, as the stench from it was becoming unbearable. The Inspector of Nuisances was instructed to visit the drain, and to report upon it. A letter was read from the Chairman of the Gas Company tendering to light the city lamps for the ensuing year, from dark to halfpast one in the morning, at the rate of £13 10s per lamp. The cost of erecting new lamps to be £3 each. Mr Barnard thought that it was not right to take the funds raised for cleaning and keeping the streets in repair for any other than their legitimate purpose. He thought that when the proper time came, a small rate should be levied for the purpose of lighting the city. The tender was accepted for a period of twelve months, subject to the conditions imposed by the former contract. The Collector's report was read. Mr Tribe, the collector, was called in. He informed the Council that owing to many of the ratepayers having left the premises for which they had been rated, and from other causes, he considered that not mora than onehalf of the rates still unpaid would be collected. He suggested that an extra collector should be appointed, so as to get in the balance immediately. He had taken the requisite step to summons some of the most neglectful of the ratepayers. The report of the Inspector of Nuisance was read and considered. Licenses for hackney carriages were granted to Thomas Rombey and William Beecby. Transfers were granted of some of the plots of land let by the Council in the Market-place. Mr Alport moved —" That the Council resolves, with the least possible delay, to apply to the Legislature for sufficient powers to enable the Council to sell any materials which are now, or at any time hereafter may bo in its possession, and that the Ordinance Committee be requested to embody the above requirement in the new Ordinance." Tho necessity of the resolution was shown by the difficulty which has arisen as to the selling of the pipes. After the opinion lately given by their legal adviser, he thought it desirable that they should go to head quarters and obtain the requisite power to sell. ' Mr Farr seconded the resolution. He thought that it was very necessary that the Council should obtain the power required.

Mr Barnard was very sorry that the matter had boen brought forward in its present form. He thought that it would havo been preferable ' to submit tho matter to tho committeo now sitting to draw up a new City Council Ordinance. Ho thought that if they passed the resolution in its present form, they would be interfering with the duty of the committee. The Chairman said that if the drainage pipes were sold he did not sco how they could possibly reeovor the balance of tho drainage rate at present uncollected. Mr Alport withdrew the resolution. Mr Alport then moved that a general rate of ono shilling in the pound be struck upon tlie last assessment, such rate to be collected in two instalments of sixpence in the pound ; and that the rate list be prepared and notice given in accordance with the Ordinance; such rates to be payable on the 31st day of August, and the 31st day of December next." In moving that tlie rate of one shilling in the pound be lovied, he was aware that it would be a very heavy burthen, but by collecting it by two instalments some of the difficulty would be removed. It had been remarked that if they were to strike a rate of sixpence it would be sufficient to carry them on until the end of the year, but bo considered that they were now, by imposing a shilling rate, providing for a whole year, as it must be fully that time before a new Ordinance could be passed. Mr Alport then read a financial statement, proving that a rate of sixpence in the pound would not be sufficient to meet the current expenses up to the ond of the year. The sum to be provided was about £2000, and if a sixpenny rate were only levied, they would only h-ivo £1500 to pay "it with. Some very expensive works wore required such as kerbing, channeling, and sinking artesian wells, j &c, and to carry them out properly the shilling rate must be enforced. He thought that by collecting the rate in the proposed m-nner many of the complaints at present made would be done away with. Mr Uuddenklau seconded the resolution. He had heard it said that the rate was a high one, but much required doing to prevent sickness, &c. Tlw side channels should at once be formed. Mr Farr moved as an amendment:—" That in justice to those inhabitants who have paid, and are willing to pay future rate, it is desirable to collect, the balance of the rate levied for the year 1865 before levying . anothor, as proposed in the resolution." They had now £2000 to collect of last year's rate. The collector had stated that out of this sum only 'about £1000 would be collected, and that this might possibly be done in about six weeks. He objected to the proposal of collecting the rates in two sums. They all knew the difficulties that had arisen in collecting the late assessment, and if it had had to be done twice the difficulties would have been much increased. Mr Barnard seconded the amendment. Ho could not quietly sit down and see the willing horse —the men who were always ready on demand—to put their hands in their pockets, paying for their neighbors, who would contribute nothing. He considered they might collect, of the past year's rates, about £1500, and the Government owed them £500 on account, and a further sum of £215 on account of legal expenses. The Collector had stated that ho could, in six weeks' time, get in the most difficult portions of these sums, namely, the rates. And he could not therefore see the immediate necessity for striking a fresh rate. He should like to know what had been done with the money collected for tho first rate. Why they had only bought a lot of pipes for the Council to look at, instead of improving the streets, &c. He thought that they had no right to ask for a fresh rate until they had cleared up the late rolls of 1864 and 1865. They could not show a singlo permanent improvement that had haen made in the town during the past year. He thought it would be a folly to attempt to collect a fresh rate during the present depressed state of the town. The Chairman said that he was almost tired of occupying his position day after day, and seeing the Council doing nothing. They required fands before they could enter upon any works of magnitude. But .he thought that before the rate was collected they should decide what was to be done with it. He hoped to see a far greater amount expended in the suburbs, and not tho centre of the city only attended to. He thought it would be as well to obtain some assistance for the present collector. Mr Ruddenklau expressed himself opposed to the amendment. The streets sadly wanted repairing, and this could not be done without money. He should like to know what state the streets would have "been in if the weather had hot been so very favorable. He was in favor of a rate being at once struck. After some farther remarks in reply from Mr Alport, the amendment was put, and lost. The original motion was then putj and carried by the casting vote of the Chairman^ Mr Farr moved—"That' Mr Moore be reinstated in the office of City Surveyor and Foreman of Works, in accordance with his previous agreement." He knew of ho one; more capable of filling" the - office than Mr Moore, who had for a; long time carried out: the work very successfully. Mr Duncan seconded the resolution, which: was carried. . ■ ■' ' A letter from Mr Smart, requesting infor-, mation about the ke-bing to be placed round the Bank of New Zealand, and several other; matters were referred to the City Surveyor. Mr Duncan drew the attention of the Counoil to the necessity of some steps heing taken to prune and protect the trees - growing in the East Town Belt. He should like to see the attention of the City Surveyor drawn.to the subject. '' : It was decided that MrPearce, tho inspector: of nuisances, should be appointed to assist the present rate collector in getting in the rate. The Council then adjourned.