CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2039, 17 November 1869, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

The Council met this afternoon. There were present—His Worship tho Mayor, Councillors Fish, Thoneman, Walter, M'Glashan, and Wilkinson. After the minutes had been read and confirmed, Mr M'GlasH-IN rose and said that he thought, that before proceeding to business, it was but right for the Council to congratulate the citizens on tho establishment of a Maj or’s Court. Ho thought the establishment of the Court would confer a great boon on the citizen’s at large, the more so because the fees and fines accruing from convictions for breaches of the bye-laws, would revert to the Corporation. Tho thanks of fdje citizens were due to his Honor the Superiutpxgjpjit, and the other members of the Province in thg General Assembly, to whose efforts the establishment of thg Court were due. The Mayor said that a Mayor’s Court was very much required, more especially a* the Mayor and Corporation better understood the working of the bye-laws than anyone outride the pale of the Council Chamber could possibly do. While that matter was undoubtedly a theme for congratulation, there was one of greater importance, viz., the Princes Street Reserve, which would now belong to the Corporation. He had seen a telegram addressed to the Hoiupabje tjie Premier by his Honor the Superintendent, in Which the

latter asked to bo relievejftsfrony the bond which is ’held against hiwj nfc*tno pte|io'nt time. This bond was for L 6,000, which had been handed over to the Superintendent p nding the settlement of the Reserve question. He might state that he was no more struck with the necessity of something being done to have the question settled, than by the fact that when at Wellington he discovered that the Stafford Ministry placed in Mr Mantell’s hands the sum of L4OO, to assist the Maoris in prosecuting their case. These attempts to deprive the citizens of the Reserve had, however, failed. He expected to have been able to have read Mr Fox’s reply at this meeting of -he Council, and to have congratulated the Council on the possession of some L 6,000. However, he was perfectly sanguine that a favorable reply would be received before the next meeting of Council. It was to the efforts of the Superintendent, Mr Reynolds, and. the other Otago members of the Assembly that the citizens owed the establishment of the Mayor’s Conrt, and the possession of the Princes sir ot Reserve. Mr Fish thought it would be a matter for very great congratulation if the whole of the fees and fines obtained by prosecutions in the Mayor’s Court were handed over to the Corporation. It had long been a question how far the fines and costs of summonses would go into the hands of the Corporation. However, he believed the establishment of the Court was a subject for congratulation, as it was a stop in the right direction. Should the General Government determine to deprive the Corporation of the fe*s and fines, ho had no doubt that they would ultimately see that they wore properly part of the Corporation revenues. But if the Court was to he carried on at an annual los> he would be inclined to give it up. The changed aspect of the Princes street reserve question was, however, a matter of greater importance. The result would be that it would relieve the Corporation of that embarrassment which threatened it, and give it a handsome annual addition to its income. Amongst the correspondence read was the following letter from Mr A. K. Smith : “Carlton Foundry, Melbourne, “ October 30th, 1869. “ gi T( —By the a.s. Omeo I have sent yon tracings of the plans I have prepared as per your instructions, for the Corporation gasworks at Dunedin. In the preparation of the plans and specifications I have labored under the disadvantage of not knowing the character of the ground at the site indicate.!. When at Dune (in, I thought the best site j for the works was a part of the reclaimed i ground, to the south and east of the point j where High street arm! a continuation of Castle street intersect each other; but it was mentioned that in all probability the proposed railway station would be there ; and I also thought that the residents upon the adjacent high ground might object to the erection of the gasworks upon the site i alluded to I therefore sought for what I i considared the next best site, viz., that at the south and east of Castle and St Andrews streets. When examining this site, I found a cottage bring built upon it, but was inform’d there would be no difficulty in obtaining the ground, as it belonged to the Corporation, and that it could bepro.nrcd by paying reasonable compensation. Upon this site I recommend the erection of your works for the following reasons : “ Ist. Because the ground is the property of the Corporation. “ 2nd. Because the site is both central and at a low level. “ 3rd. Because the area of the site can be extended whenever it becomes requisite, and “ Lastly, because the formation of Castle street, between St. Andrew and Stuart streets, would enable coal to be delivered from the Stuart street jetty at a very trilling cost, either by cart or tramway, therebyavoiding the nece'sity and expense of making a jetty or land ng place at the east end of St. Andrew’s street. “ In a note to the specification, I have referred to jbhe unmade part of Castle street above alluded to as being covered to a varying depth of about six feet at high water. I am not quite certain of this and wish to point out to you that it is only an approximate estimate from recollection, hut it is a matter of little consequence, as the excavation from the gasholder tank, and the general foundations, will make up as much ground as will be required at first, and the constant and ever increasing waste ariring from residual products of the gasworks will gradually and inexpensively elevate and extend the area of the site. “ The works are so designed that a second gasholder can be subsequently added when required. I consider it better to have two moderately-sized gasholders than one large one, as the chances of accident are much diminished with two than one ; it is therefore politic not to have a very large one at present, but rather a second one hereafter. On the map of iujprs | tracing No. 11) yon will observe that the northern part pf the City is tinted yellow and the southern part pnrp’e. These two divisions are supplied by separate mains, and divide the town nearly squally into north and south. The Vermillion lines on the plan show the arterial mains only, and do not show any under inches diameter, but the quantities of all sizes arc specified. In the enlarged, views of the site you will see how the buildings and gasholder stand in relation to St. Andrew and Castle streets, the front of the buildings being to St. Andrew street. I am doubtful about the nature of the foundations, as I know that an old watercourse runs down alongside the Criterion Saw Mills through the proposed site, and it is therefore possible that both the excavations for the walls of the buildings and the foundations of the chimney will require to go to a great depth. In the list of metres, I have not thought it advisable to have a large stock on baud, as they can be easily obtained j when required. The sizes or metres I have specified to be supplied by the contractor are those that will suit your present class of consumers, but the redaction in the price of gas to 12s 6d per 1000 cubic f et will lead to a great increase in the number of consumers, especially in private houses, and additional supplies can bo obtained in time to meet all demands. “ I have sent elevecn sheets of drawings, the particular* of which are attached to tjjo specification. I was afraid the tracings would not stand much wear and tear unless they were mounted, so I had them mounted, and bv so doing have sacrificed their appearance in favor of their durability. Ip bo general conditions of agreement I ha' £ isorted the usual clauses. The very s„urt time in which the works have to be completed renders it necessary to have only ono contractor, so that the responsibility for the work may be definite and not divided amongst several contractors, when if one 1

% ■ failed from - any reason it would interfere with Hie other's. The Corporation can, however, allow the successful tenderer, under proper restrictions, to sub-let portion of the of the works ; and I trust that whoever may erect them, as much local labor and material as possible may be employed. By reference to the plans you will perceive that I have made a division in the retort house and that one-half of it only has to be fitted up in the meantime ; the other half answering as a coal st ire which can be converted into a retort house whenever it is found necessary to make such an extension when another coal s f orc can be erected. “ In the present designs yon have everything necessary for the manufacture, purification, registration, storage, and distribution of gas ; and all are so arranged that subsequent extensions of the works can be made at the least possible expence, and without inteif.rence with what may have been already done. I may also state that the station meter room ean be used as an office, where the photometer, experimental meter, registering pressure guape, Ac., will be placed. I have omitted the laying of the service pip's from the contract as there will be plenty of tjme to arrange for them during the construction of (the works. I have also left out the fencing in of the site for the same reason. In ordea to have the works erected in the time specified there must be no delay in calling for and accepting tenders. I will therefore hold myself in readiness to carry out your instructions with all possible despatch. I do not think it would be of much use to advertise in Sydney, and to do so would cause a greater delay. I f tenders are solicited in Dunedin and Melbourne 1 think it would be enough, as I am given to understand there will be several sent in from Melbourne. When I erected the Newcastle Works, there were no tenders from Sydney; but in this matter your Council or Committee will decide, and as I have prepared a duplicate set of drawings, I can forward them to Sydney with full particulars upon your instructions to do so. Generally in the specification I have endeavored to be as explicit as possible, and to an extent that may appear necessary to those who are acquainted with the construction of such works, and to these there will ba no difficulty in understanding what is required. “ Hoping to hear from you toon, and to have instructions to call for tenders forthwith.—l am, Ac., “Alex K. Smith. “ J. M. Massey, Esq., Town Clerk.” P.S. I omitted to mention that 1 have so arranged the street mains, that there is a 4-inch pipe running (as at present designed and specified), so that Caversham may ultimately be supplied with gas ; and a main of the f a ne size is carried up to Duke street, so as to supply the district on the north side of the Water of Leith when required. The resignation of Councillor Simpson was received, and the election of a new member fixed for the 26th instant. Tlje Public Works Committee, ip theic report, ivcommemle I the abolition p£ till; office of Inspector of City Works. After soire discussion, the report was held over for a week. Mr Smith’s letter was referred to the Gas Committee,