CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2700, 12 October 1871, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

There was a full attendance of Councillors at last night’s meeting of the City Council. Amongst the correspondence read was the following letter from the Water Works Company “ Office of the Dunedin Water Works Co., *• Princes street, October 9th, IS7I- - I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 4th inst., desiring to be informed whether my Directors would entertain favorably any proposal for the purchase by the Corporation of the Dunedin Water Works, and undertaking and stating that the Council have some thoughts of submit ting an offer. In reply, I have the honor to convey to you the following resolution | passed by my directors : * Resolved —That the Corporation be in- ’ formed that the Board of Directors, as such, have no right to offer any opinion as to the disposal of the works, it being a question entirely for the shareholders ; but they beg to assure the Corporation that, should they see fit to mp,ke any offer tq purchase the Works, &c., the Board will take every care that it is brought before the shareholders without delay, and in such a favorable way as to be fairly considered. At the same time the Directors feel compelled to point out that the very offensive way in which the shareholders and Directory of the Company are spoken of by His Worship the Mayor on all occasions, and specially at a recent meeting of the Fire Brigade, is not calculated to bring about any amicable arrangement in the interests of the public; and they would res-, pectfuliy suggest the desirability of promote ing a feeling of mutual endeavor for the benefit of the city, rather than of antagonism, as being more in consonance with the honorable ai;d responsible positions held by both parties.’—l have, &q., Thomas Dick, Secretary.” A desultory discussion ensued. In alluding to the letter, the Mayor expressed an opinion that the directors had gone out of their way to insult him—for he could only regard it as a covert insult, if not a direct one. The remarks that he made in reference to the Company were not made with a view to giving offence ; he had simply exercised his influence for the public good. He characterised the letter as an emanation from Mr Robert Gillies, and, as such, he thought the Council could afford to pass it over.— Councillors Winter and Barnes defended the action of the Mayor ; and first a motion was made that the letter be not received, and afterwards that that portion of it referring to the Mayor be remitted back to the.Company’s office. —Councillor Cargill, while differing from the Mayor regarding his recent action—he being of opinion that as a private citizen his Worship was entitled to express his opinions in any way he thought proper, and as a citizen demand that consideration be given to them, but those opinions should not be expressed in his official capacity—thought his Worship’s remarks at the Fire Brigade meeting no ca,use, so far as the present directors and shareholders of the Company were concerned, for what had been said in the letter. He advised that the matter should be allowed to drop, as to do, otherwise would be to continue the feeling of irritation, and would militate against the Council getting po« session of the water works.—After further discussion, the motion to refer back the letter was witjgjlrawn, aud the subject dropped. A letter from the Bank of Otago demanduur payment of the Corporation’s overdraft of L 3899 13s 7d, with accruing interest, was referred to the Finance Committee. The secretary of the Artillery Company wrote reminding the Council that some months since they were offered a‘site on the Octagon for drill shed purposes, at an annual rental of LlO ; but that the offer was not taken advantage of, because a movement had been set on foot for the erection of aheadquarters drill shed. The idea having fallen through for want of funds, the Artillery now intimated their willingness to take advantage of the Council’s previous offer. The letter was referred to the ilesems Committee.

Mr W. N. Blair, engineer to the Clutha Railway, wrote, that the construction of a culvert through the railway embankment at Kensington was provided for. He added : •‘I have made enquiries with reference to the alleged Hooding at Kensington, and understand that no floods have taken place ; hut in case they may accur bef >re the commencement of the new works, I have given instructions for the construction of a temporary opening through the embankment. The other business transacted was as follows :—The resignation of the Be l lower watchman was received, and the salary reduced from LI2O to LSD.-The use of the Northern Reel cation Ground was granted to the Athletic Gluh for their sports on St Andrew’s Day ( ■ ov. 30). —A new bye-law, for the regulation of cab fares, was adopted. —Councillor Barnes’s motion for dispensing with the services of an extra inspectoy of works, and one affirming that men residing in the City should be empl yed on Corporation works in preference to residents in the suburbs, were carried.