CITY BOARD.—Friday.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3123, 20 July 1867, Page 5

CITY BOARD.—Friday.

A special meeting of the members of the City Board was held yesterday, to take into consideration the expenditure for the oarrent year. Present : Messrs. J. W. Bain, Chairman j Finlay, Keetley, Morgan, Hill, Bugden, and Slater. The Secretary read the following report : — " Report by the Seoretary of the City Board of Commissioners with reference to the resolution adopted by the Board at the special meeting held by them on the 9th July, 1867, instructing him to stop all works presently bring . carried out by the Board until such time as the overdraft at the Bank, and the interest and sinking fund due to the Provincial Government on the loan account, are paid ; and to request the valuator to have the valuation roll for the oarrent half-year ready to lay before a Social meeting of the Board, to be called for onday first : ( "In terms of the resolution above quoted, the Secretary on the same day wrote to Mr. Anderson, the Foreman of Works, the following letter : — "'Sir, — I have the honour to request that you pay off all the men ia your employment, with the exception of at many aa will be rtquired to attend to the cleaning of the drains and streets. You will also please stop all carting; so far as consistent with the kteping up the trifling repairs that are necessary to prevent the streets from getting into a dangerous state. You will alio stop the further breaking of metal by the contractor at the stone-breaking machines, and do everything in your power to economise tne outlay of the Board. — I have, &o., '♦•J. Ooiltie.' ".In consequence of these instructions, Mr. Anderson reduced the working staff of the Board to seven men, thereby effecting » saving of £41 per month, and also reduced the wages of those still employed. He has also stopped all carting except such as is neceisary to keep the streets from getting into a dangerous state, and repairing the footpaths where it may be found absolutely necessary, and has thereby reduced the monthly expenditure upon this account to about £60. " The Seoretary also wrote to Mr. McLeod, the contractor for breaking and delivering metal, the following letter :— " ' Sir, — I have the honor to inform you that, at a meeting of the Board, held yesterday, I was instructed to request that you will discontinue working j the ntone-breaking machine! until you receive fur* ther instructions.' " The stone-breaking machines have accordingly been stopped for the present, and consequently a saving has been effected of at least £13 10s. per day. " The Secretary also considered it necessary to dispense with the services of the man employed to take charge of the fire engine belonging to the Board, as Mr. Anderson was of opinion that one of the men in the Board's employ could attend to the same when necessary ; and he accordingly wrote to Mr. "Wilson the following letter : — *• ' Sir, — I have the honour to inform you thatyour services as keeper of the fire engine will not be required by the Board after the 13th current, and to request that you hand over to Mr. Anderson all property of the Board in your charge. " ' I have also to request that you in future discontinue the lighting of the kerosine lamp in Uustom-house-street. ' "A saving in account has consequently been effected of £4 per month. "The Lighting Committee, considering that a saving might be effected in the lighting of the city, in company with the Secretary and Foreman of Works, inspected all the lamps that have been erected, and instructed the Secretary to cause che lighting of about twenty-six of the lamps to be discontinued, as marked by them in a plan of the city. The Secretary accordingly wrota to the manager of the Gas Company to the above effect. "The Secretary also wrote to Mr. Wilson, the lamp-lighter, as follows : — " • Sir, — I have the honour to inform you that jt is the intention of the City Board to discontinue lighting about one-half the lamps presently erected in the city. Sir, please call here in the course of to-morrow for the purpose of receiving instructions to remove those lamps that are not to be lighted.' " The lamps referred to are at present in the course of being removed, and a saving to the Board will thereby be effected of at least £30 per month. "With reference to the interest and sinking fund due to the Provincial Government, the Secretary wrote to the Provincial Secretary, in answer to his letter, as follows : — " ' Sir, — I have the honour to inform you that your letter of the 8th current with reference to the interest and sinking fund due to the Provincial Government was submitted to a special meeting of the Board held yesterday, when the following resolution wa« adopted, to which I beg to refer : — " ' That the Secretary be instructed to stop' all the works presently being carried out by the Board until such time as the overdraft at the Bank, and the interest and sinking-fund due to the Provincial Government on the loan account, are paid, and request the valuator to have the valuation roll for the rate for the current half-year ready to lay before a special meeting of the Board to be called for Monday first.' " 'In accordance with the above resolution, I hare given the necessary instructions for the expenditure of the Board to be reduced in every possible way. So soon as the current rate is levied, the interest and sinking-fund due to the Provincial Government will be paid.' "Since the meeting of the Board on the 9th current, upwards of £200 has been received on account of city rates, carters' licenses, and fees for market stalls, which has been paid into the bank to meet some of the cheques passed by the Board at the last monthly meeting. "The valuator expects to have the valuation fee and the rate for the current half-year ready to lay before the Board at the meeting to be held on Monday first. "The following is a list of the officers at present on the employment of the Board, showing the amount of salary paid to each of them at this date : — " List of the Officers of the City Board of Commissioners, showing the amount of their Salaries as at 19th J»ly, 1867 ;— Per annum. Chairman £150 0 0 Secretary 225 0 0 Foreman of Works 225 0 0 Inspeotor (8s. 6d. per diem) 155 2 6 Valuator 150 0 0 Collector, 2£ commission on amount of rates collected. Law Officer 100 0 0 Returning Officer 25 0 0 Auditor, £2 per day employed. "John Ogilyib, " Secretary." The Chairman said the principal business would be the oonsideration of the report of the committee. Mr. Hill, before the proposition to go into committee was put, wished to know whether the reporters would have to withdraw, as he thought that the public should be made acquainted with the business transacted. Mr. Finlat moved that the items of salary be now taken into consideration. Seconded by Mr. Macriady, and carried. Chairman, £150, as before. Secretary, £225. Mr. Hell thought; that, under existing circumstances, there would be very little for a secretary now to do, and that his services might be dispensed with altogether. Mr. Finlat considered that the officers of the Board had hitherto fully earned their salaries. He thought now, however, that the question of reduction might be calmly discussed. On the motion of Mr. Finlay, seconded by Mr. Maokbadt, the Board went into committee, it being understood that the reporters should be permitted to be present. Mr. Maobxady said there was a great cry made about retrenchment, and to a great extent a very meaningless one. He considered that the Board had been very unjustly abused. It had alwaya been his j with that the Board should be worked ai economically as possible. Mr. Keetliy said that, although due weight should be given to the opinion of the press and the public generally, still he did not consider that a Board of that description-should be led entirely by such opinions. He thought that a great deal of work had been done by the Board, and that the Secretary, Mr. Ogilvie, had been a most indefatigable and efficient officer. He would move, in response to Mr. Hill, that the Secretary's salary be fixed at the rate of £200. Seconded by Mr. MackeAdt. Mr. Hill had no doubt that the secretary was a most efficient officer, but they had met for the purpose of retrenchment, which was the main consideration. By leave of the members he would withdraw his original motion, and move as an amendment that; the secretary's salary be re$uce4 *° &15Q* Seconded by Mr. Bpcpw". The amendment was put and lost. < Mr. Keetley'i motion was then put and carried,

' Foreman of Works, £225. Mr. Finlat moved that this officer's salary be reduced to £157. His duties for the future would not be so arduoui. Mr. Hill aaid, as he supposed they required an officer of this description, he would second the "proposition. Mr. Maoready moved as an amendment that Mr. Anderson's salary be fixed at the rate of £175. The gentlemen who advocated this wholesale reduction appeared to forget what the duties of the office were. He had to look after the Building Act, fire engines, kc, besides the men and works of the Board. Mr. Finlay had not forgotten that this officer was inspector of buildings, but he was aorry to say there were no buildings to inspect. Mr. Slatbr seconded Mr. Macready's amendment, which was then put and lost, and Mr. Fiulay's proposition that the salary should be £157 wa» carried. Inspector of Nuisances, 8s. 6d. per day, — £155 2s. 6d. Mr. Hill thought Mr. Reilly was a very efficient officer, and he would propose that his salary remain as heretofore. Mr. Finlay seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously. Valuator, £150. Several members thought that it would be advisable that the same officer should not be valuator and rate-collector. Mr. Slater moved, and Mr. Bugden seconded, that a valuator be appointed at the rate of £100 a year. The motion was put and carried. Collector, 2£ commission on rates collected. Mr. Finlay moved, and Mr. Slatbr seconded, that the salary be as heretofore. — Carried. Law Officer, £100. Mr. Hill proposed that this Bum be dispensed with altogether. Seconded by Mr. Morgan. After some discussion, Mr. Hill withdrew his motion, the arrangement agreed to being that the item should stand over for consideration at a future meeting. Returning Officer, £25. — Agreed to. Auditor, £2 per day, when employed. — Agreed to. The Secretary said that he had spoken to Mr. Smart about a reduction in the rent of the offices, and he thought that he would meet the views of the Board by reducing the present rent of £100 per annum to £75. It was resolved that this latter amount should be offered to Mr. Smart. This closed the business in committee. The meeting then separated.