THE CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 6899, 11 May 1886, Page 3

THE CITY COUNCIL.

The annual statutory meeting of tho City Council, for tho passing of accounts, was iheld this afternoon ; present—The Mayor, •CraCairns, Murray, Barron, Dawson, Robin, Cramond, Esther, anil Carroll. A communication was recoived from J. C. Morris and S. James, City auditors, enclosing audited balance-sheets of tho municipal, gas, and water departments for the year ended March 31, and expressing their thanks to the officers of the different departments for tho assistance afforded by thorn during tiio audit. Cr Carroll moved the adoption of tho balance-sheets, remarking that the Council could see its indebtedness, and that it had not exceeded the overdraft allowed by statute, if the Government paid them tho "unemployed" account, amounting to L 2.200. The gas account for the twelve months had shown no profit at all, but the water acco.u.t showed a profit of L 4,232.

Cr Esther seconded the motion. Cr Robin remarked that the balancesheets appeared to him utterly unexplicable, especially that of the water department, which lie thought was wrongly compiled. It ought to show what th*-y had made or lost, and to be so drawn up that the great majority of the ratepayers would be able to see what had been doi e. The i_ai department, he contended, had really paid, but he thought that f-conoiny was requisite. Cr Barron agreed that the accounts should have been drawn up more clearly. Cr Dawson aho complained that tho balance-sheets were not sufficiently plain. Cr Murray said he felt a degree of disappoint nent at there not being a larger balance in the gas department, and he considered that the Council must set its face against extravagance in that department and go in for retrenchment.

Cr Carroll, in replying to the previous speakers, said that the accounts were made out in tho usual way. Hi 3 Worship said that as a matter of fact the Council had no right to its present overdraft. There was only one way out of the present difficulty, and that was for the Council to set its face against any new works, unless such as were absolutely necessary—footpaths, roads, and drains, for instance. He also thought they must stop the Gas Engineer's extravagant ideas, or that department would never pay as it ought to. Some councillors appeared to be in favor of a new loan, but he hoped that the Council would not go in for such unless it was bound down by Act of Parliament to a limited overdraft. The motion was carried, and the Mayor was authorised to sign the balance-sheet.