CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Post, Volume XLVII, Issue 87, 13 April 1894, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the City Council wa» held last evening, there being present— The Mayor, and Councillors Fraser, Barber, Potheriok, Harconrt, Willeston, Anderson, Harriß, Penty, Tatnm, Devine, and Tanner. A deputation of residents of Aurora Terrace and its neighbourhood, consisting of Major-General Sohaw, Hons. G. F. Riobardsob and T. W. Hislop, Messrs. G. Robertson and Entherfurd, waited upon the Counoil and urged that the thoroughfare should be improved. They suggested that a pathway sft wide should be formed, leaving 14ft for vehioular traffic On the motion of Conncillor Harris it was deoided that the City Surveyor should report to the next meeting of the Publio Works Committeo as to the cost of improving the road. A letter was read from Mr. H B. Vogol tendering his resignation as a Councillor for Thorndon Ward, owing to his inability to attend to tho business. It was deoided to take the necessary steps to fill the vacancy. A lotfcer was read from the Rev. T. H. Sprott, forwarding a resolution passed at a recent meeting of Thorndon clergymen approving of the aotion of the Counoil in improving the moral condition of Fraser'slane. Mrs. M. Wilson, of Thorndon, wrote offering to sell a portrait of Sir Robert Stout for the Library. No aotion was taken. A letter from the Very Rev. Father Devoy asking for permiißiou to oreot a shelter shed in connection with the Dixon-street Convent was referred to the City Surveyor for a report. Thirteen tenders were received for the erection of a workshop for the examination of plumbers who desire to obtain a certificate of competency. The lowest tender was accepted. There were six tenders for printing and stationery, and power was given to a committee to aooept tho lowest if in order. The Library Committee recommended as follows : — "That a vote of thanks be accorded to Messrs. J. and G. M. Kobbell for a gift of about 110 volumes (miscellaneous), to Mr. Hampden-Cook (London, the author), for one volume on the Seoond Advent, and to Mr. Price Hardy (author, per Mr. Morris Fox) for one volume on Friendly Sooietiea ; that nome necessary shelving be ereoted in the Reference Library ; that tenders be called for covering the whole floor of tho Reference Library, intide the barriers, with cork oarpot; that v drinking cup bo supplied for the Pamell momorial fountain ; that the Sailors' Institute and other charitable institutions have tho pick of old nnd dilapidated magazines formerly belonging to the Wellington Atheiiicnm, and that the rost be sold by auction ; that noticp of tho hours during which the Library is opened be painted outside the entranoe to the Library ; that Mr. Perry's salary be increased to £1 por week ; that Mr. Liwlor bo asked to sweep out the Library building and lay fires oaoh night after 10 o'olook and do the usual scrubbing for £1 per week, from about lßt May, when the Reference Library is proposed to be opened." Councillor Harris said he found that the Library was running away with more money than he and others had anticipated. He urged the Committee to economise as nvuoh as possible. On the motion of Councillor Fraser, seoonded by Councillor Willeston, the recommendations wera agreed tc. The Gity Reserves Committee reported as follows: — 1. The Committee beg to recommend—That an estimate be obtained of the coat of lovelling sections 50 and 51, Town Belt, so as to form them into a recreation ground. These seotions are situated at the baok of Wellington-terrace, and tho Committee are of opinion that there would not be any very great difficulty in levelling them. At any rate they think an estimate might be obtained, with the view of forming a recreation ground if it be found practicable ; that in order to oarry out the resolution of the Counoil that immediate steps be taken to eradicate the gorse from the Botanic Gardens, tenders be invited for the work, the area to be oloared being first: marked off in convenient plots of Bay one or two acres in extent, and the tenders to be alternative for cutting down and for grabbing ; that tenders be invited for the lease of seotion 2, Town Belt, whioh is not now reSuired as a grazing ground for the Corporaon horses ; that the gorse be cleared off the reserve at the top of Nairn-street, and four seats put up to replace some whioh have been destroyed: also that three seats be placed in Cambridge-avenue where thoro aro vaoant plaoes. 2. The Committee, in order to carry out the Council's instructions to raiie provision for clearing gorse from the streets where necessary, have arranged for tho gorse to be first cleared from the Ohiro-road and Hutchison-road, the work to be done by coritraot. ' 3. Tho Committee reoommond that a competent man be appointed to overlook the clearing of the gorse mentioned above. 4. Also that, as the planting season is now 'coming on, an extra man be employed at tho" Botanio Gardens to dig holes in readiness for the planting of trees. The report was adopted. The committeo appointed to deal with the Ellio'e-stroet drain nuisanoo reported that in its opinion the only way out of the difficulty was to lay down a new drain for the storm water. Ibe Drainage Engineer had been dirootod to bring up an estimate of the cost, and on receipt of his report the committee would endeavour to arrange for the laying of the drain, the cost to be borne by all the parties affected. The report was adopted. The report of the Pnblio Works Committee, "Which has already been published, was read. All the clauses were adopted with the exception of two. The one recommending that Mr. Tamea Ameß should be appointed Clerk of the Wellington Licensing Com. mittee was struck out, the Government having already made an appointment, while the oTanse regarding Mr. R. G, Knight's land, taken for Cemetery-road, was referred book for further consideration. The contraot for scavenging on Sundays was renewed for three months, the amount being .£l6 10s. Aooounts amounting to .£IB3O were passed. Councillor Fraaor moved — " That in future no more wooden bridges be placed at the street orosainga, and that when the present ones require repairing they be removed." The motion was seoonded by Councillor Penty and agreed to. In oonseqaonoe of Councillor Vogel's resignation, tho following motion standing in his name was strnok out : — " That the offer of the Gtiloher Company to erect an ornamental lamp-post in the open space opposite the General Post Offloe be accepted, and that the 3000 candle-power lamp be ereoted on it ; the question of ereoting a fountain to be held over for the present." Councillor Barber moved :— "1 hat the amount of tho City Improvements Loan allocated to Graveyard-road be transferred to Aro-street." As there w»a no seconder, ' _ the motion lapsed.