CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 7180, 6 April 1887, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the City Council held last night was attended by His Worship the Mayor, Crs Fagan, Fish, Murray, Dawson, Barron, Lee Smith, Cramond, Sinclair, Esther, Carroll, and Dr Hislop. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr W. Howorth asked for a reduction of the present ground rental of section in Princes street on which is erected the Spanish Restaurant.— On Cr Fish's motion it was resolved that the Council had no power to grant the request. G. W. Pogson applied for a renewal for five years of his license to graze sheep on the waterworks reserve on condition of keeping down the rabbits.—Ref. rred to the Water Supply Committee to act. Mr Robert Anderson wrote :—" I notice from this evening's Star (April 1) that you purpose taking the Leith into the mains for supplying the low levels. I beg to give you notice that if you do so before first agreeing with me to the terms contained in my letter to you of 25th ult.that I will claim on you for the amount specified in the above letter, and also special damages."—Cr Carroll expressed the opinion that the Council should take a stand on this matter. Tho Council had offered fair terms to the mill-owners, and, these having been declined, they should make a test case, and see whether the mill-owners had prior rights to the water when the citizens required it.—Cr Singlair said the Council had already expressed an emphatic opinion on the matter. As a matter of fact, the water was only taken for one day (Sunday).—Referred to the Water Supply Committee. The Marine Department wrote with reference to the dispute between the Corporation and the Harbor Board in regard to the streets on the Board's reclaimed land that this was a matter which the Corporation and the Board should settle between themselves.—ln moving that the communication be referred to the Works Committee, Cr Fish said he had previously expressed the opinion that such a reply would be received to the Corporation's letter. The Inspector of Nuisances reported that a number of the licensed carriage-drivers had signifh d their intention of applying for and getting licenses from the Borough Council of South Dunedin for the ensuing half-year.—The Tramways and Vehicles Committee were instructed to obtain advice from the City Solicitor as to whether it was necessary to pass a by-law to meet the difficulty. The town clerk, Mornlngton, wrote drawing attention to the dangerous and impassable state of the road from Stafford street across the Belt to Nidpath road, Eglinton ; and also the one from the old cattle market, top of Serpentine Avenue, to the Mornington Hotel. The writer continued : " His Worship suggests that Mornington contribute one-third as a fair proportion for the benefit of being free from accidents by having a road in good repair; and also encouraging trade by better communication, being all in favor of the City."—Referred to Works Committee to report and interview the Mornington Council. THE WATER SUPPLY. The City Surveyor reported:—" The south reservoir stands to-day (April 5) at 26ft 2in, being 2ft 2in higher than on Saturday, 2Gth ult, the intake being llin. The north reservoir is 17ft lOin, being oin lower than at the same date, but the upper basin is full, and the intake Tin over the sill of the inlet gate. With hucli a good present intake from bath sources I estimate that we can now reckon on about ten days' supply. The low-level supply has been taken in on the last two Sundays only." WILFULLY POLLUTING THE LEITH. Cr Dawson, in moving the report of tho Water Supply Committee, mentioned what he thought was a case of the wilful pollution of the low-level water supply. The men started to take the water from the Leith at about eight o'clock last Sunday morning, and at about 10.30 the men at tho screens saw Mr Davidson go up stream and shortly afterwards a large quantity of sawdust and chips came down, the effect being to choke the screens. The speaker and a policeman went inside the mill shortly afterwards, where they found a stream of water carrying down the sawdust. The chips must have been put into the stream, as the planing bench was some distance from it. Outside there was a heap of black dirty sawdust, that must have been the accumulation of years, which appeared to have been deliberately wheeled and pitched into the bed of the Leith, an.l it looked as if this had been done that morning. This, he thought, was a case in which the Council should take steps to prosecute the offender. On Cr Facsan's motion it was resolved—"That the Council instiuct the Mayor and chairman of the Committee to take such steps as they might be advised with a view of punishing any persons wilfully polluting the stream." . A PATENT LAMP-LIGHTED. The Public Works and Gas Supply Committee jointly having considered Mr El'Auliff's experiments with his patent automatic lamplighter and extinguisher, recommended, by way of further test, that twenty-five lamps be experimented upon, and that the lamps be under the control of the gas department for one month.—Adopted. GA3 COMMITTKE. The Gas Committee recommended that they be empowered to effect tho extensions and reticulations of mains necessary to enable them to meet such applications for new services as it may be considered advisable to comply with ; that the inquiry asked for by L. Grimaldi be granted ; that in future purchasers of coke he not required to send hands to bag or fill into I trucks the same, but that this shall be done by the department at a charge of Is 6d per ton for bagging and Is per ton for filling into trucks. With reference to the applications for new services in hand, which necessitate extensions or reticulations of the mains if carried out, the secretary has been instructed to obtain an estimate in each case of the cost thereof, and to submit the same at the next meeting of the Committee. The Committee reported that arrangements had been ma>;e with Mr James M'Donald for the supply of lime to the Gasworks for a period of twelve months ; that, having been informed that the woollen manufacturers might be induced to use sulphate of ammonia for tho manufacture of ammonia water, they made inquiries, but regretted to say that the replies were not of a favorable nature; that during the past fortnight forty-four applications for gas supply had been received, of which thirty-eight were for services and .supply to premises hitherto unoccupied. During tho corresponding period of last year only one such application was received.

Cr BARRON moved that the clause recommending the Council to agree to grant an inquiry to Grimaldi be deleted, as no good could possibly come of such an inquiry. Cr Carroll did not want an inquiry particularly, but urged that the man's case should be favorably considered by the Council.

Crs Sinclair and Murray said it was impossible to reinstate Grimaldi at the Gasworks, as ho and the Engineer could not work amicably. Cr Dawson said such a course would lead to the resignation of the Engineer. The latter should not be interfered with in discharging mon whom he might think incompetent, and it would bt a great mistake to reopen tho matter. Cr Kagan said Grimaldi was a thoroughly good man and an invaluable servant, and it was hard to force him to seek work elsewhere after being eighteen years in the employ of the Council.

Cr Lee Smith thought it would be one of the harshest acta ever perpetrated by the Council if tlis inquiry was not granted. By simply answering a question straightforwardly which was put to him by a councillor, Gr'maldi had incurred the displeasure of the Engineer, and had been a condemned man ever since. His persecution had never ceased until ho had been driven from the department. In support of his contention that an inquiry was necessary, he (the speaker) would show that tho Engineer had quarrelled with other Corporation officials who had been brought into contact with him. Cr Fish submitted that Cr Smith was entirely out of order in referring to quarrels and dissensions that had taken place between the Gas Engineer and officials other than Grimaldi. The Mayor said that Cr Smith was travelling rather wide of the amendment. The question before the Council was whether an inquiry should be granted so far as Grimaldi was concerned, and Cr Smith should confine his remarks to giving reasons for tho holding of such inquiry. Cr Smith would content himself by saying that the Engineer had quarrelled with Mr Allen, with the Town Clerk, with Mr Adamß, with Mr Taylor, and at the present time was daggers drawn with Mr Griffeu—so much so that only written communications passed between tho Engineer and his chief clerk. Cr Sinclair said that although a member of the Gas Committee he was not aware of the relations between Mr Graham and Mr Griffen just referred to. Cr Fish: Most improper, and should not have been mentioned. I submit that it is grossly unfair to make a statement of the kind. If Cr Smith did his duty ho would ask for an inquiry instead of referring to a matter of which apparently only himself knows anything. Or Sinclair wanted to know if he could not ask for an explanation in reference to Cr Smith's statement. The Mayor : It is not usual for one councillor to ask an explanation from another councillor ; but any councillor is at liberty to get up and make an explanation. Probably after what has occurred Or Smith will volunteer some explanation. Or Smith : I thought it was generally known by the Council that Mr Griffen had called on your Worship to seek protection from his superior officer.

The Mayor : That is a fact, gentlemen. Cr Smith proceeded to give reasons why the inquiry should lie hold, Cr Fish said that, from the discussion which had just taken place, it seemed to him that it wjh not Mr Grimaldi who was so much cared for by :<ome nv mbers of the Council, but they desired to have a fling at the Engineer.—(Hear). When the speaker came into the Council he took up a strong attitude against the Engineer, because he thought he justly deserved it; but, in consequence of the phase assumed, he deemed it prudent, in the interests of the Council and of the public, to condone the past so far as Mr Graham was concerned. He said so in the Council, and he Baid it honestly and truly. Now it would be recognised that in any business, to ensure decorum, there must be subordination; but this would be unlikely to be the case between Grimaldi and the head of the gas department. He called the proposed solemn inquiry a solemn farce. Any inquiry haying for its object the reinstatement of Grimaldi would be most impolitic and most disastrous. The motion that the clause recommending the inquiry be not agreed to was then carried. The clause empowering the Committee _ to effect the extension and reticulation of mains, was, on Cr Fish's motion, limited by adding the words " provided the cost does not exceed L 10." The clause referring to the supply of lime to the works was referred back, and the report, as amended, was then adopted. WATER SUPPLY COMMITTEE. The Water Supply Committee reported that the Surveyor had been instructed to take steps to prevent the waste of water at the water troughs ; also to devise means to utilise at small cost the spring of pure water running down the Dowling street channel for the purpose of supplying the trough in the Triangle.—The report was adopted. FIRE BRIGADE COMMITTEE. The Fire Brigade Committee recommended that two five-year service medals and nine twoyear, service bars (total cost L 3 4s 6d) be presented to those members of the Dunedin City Fire Brigade who by length of service had become entitled to them.—The report was adopted. RESERVES COMMITTEE. The Reserves Committee recommended that, in order to avert the serious inconvenience that would arise owing to the ground available for interments in the Northern Cemetery being almost exhausted, the Council promote a Bill during the ensuing session for the purpose of extending the boundaries of the cemetery, in accordance with a plan already prepared ; and that the City members be invited to visit the ground. Cr Sinclair thought a site should be secured farther from the City instead of enlarging the present cemeteries. Cr Murray said the matter had received great attention from the Council, and no site so suitable as the present one could be secured. There was only one representative who had offered such emphatic opposition. The report was adopted as read. TRAMWAYS AND VEHICLES COMMITTEE. The Committeo reported regarding a memo, from the Mayor re the cabstands at the Poßt Offico and Custom-house, that the Inspector had been instructed to caution the men as to their behavior, but they did not see their wayto recommend any amendment of the existing by-law at present.—The report was adopted. THE JUBILEE CELEBRATION. The following recommendations from the Committee appointed re the Jubilee were adopted:— 1. That a congratulatory address from tho Mayor and Council be prepared and forwarded to Her Majesty the Queen through His Excellency tho Governor of New Zealand. 2. That on the day of celebration the Town Hall building be illuminated. 3. That tho Council purohase at the invoice priceviz., L 27 10a—the fireworks imported by the Fire Brigade Demonstration Committee (which failed to arrivo in time for the Decision), the Dunedin Fire Brigade having asrreed to manage the pyrotechnic display. A POINT OP ORDER. The Mayor said: At a former meeting of the Council, on the adoption of a report from the Fmanco Committee virtually restoring an item of expenditure included in the schedule of reductions recommended by the Ketrenchment Committee and approved by the Council, Cr Carroll raised the question as to the necessity of rescinding the former resolution of the Council in respect of that portion of the Retrenchment Committee's report to which I havo referred. I have given the point careful consideration, and am of opinion that it is competent for the Council by adopting a subsequent report to vary its previous decision regarding any recommendation in a committee's report, without passing any motion specifically rescinding its former decision, and I shall rule accordingly. But I shall rule as regards resolutions of the Council of which no notice had been given that no motions virtually repealing them can be accepted until the resolutions shall have been rescinded. MOTIOSS. Cr Lee Smith's motion to rescind the resolution re the erection of wooden fences around graves was removed from the Order Paper, seven days' notice not having been given of it. Cr Cramond moved—"That ihe Town Belt ranger be instructed to take immediate proceedings with a view to compelling all persons 1 aving unregistered dogs to have them registered at once."—Cr Fish seconded this.—The Mayor remarked that there had been a very considerable falling off in the feej during the last twelve months.—The motion was carried. tenders. The following alternative tenders were received for the City works for one, two. and throe years respectively :—W. M'J-.voy, L 2.493, 12,59:5, L 2.593; D. M'lntyre, L 3,470, L 3.420, and L 3,400; F. 11. Downes, L3.G88, L3.G6S, andL3,64B; E. M'Ewen, L 3.927, L 3.927, and L 3.927. Patrick Lee, for Bell and Leith Wards only, tendered at L 823 for each of the three terms. The tenders were referred to tho Works Committee, with instructions to report, and call a .special meeting of the Council to consider them if necessary.