THE CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 8408, 8 January 1891, Page 4

THE CITY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting, held last evening, ■was attended by the Mayor, Crs Gourley, Fish, Haynes, Barron, hardy, Cramond, Swan, Cohen, Chapman, Toomey, »nd Solomon. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr B. C. Haggitt acknowledged receipt of the town clerk’s letter on the subject of certain payments disallowed by the AuditorGeneral in the borough accounts for the year 1889-90, and intimated that he was waiting to learn what course the AuditorGeneral intended to take.

Professor Scott intimated that the pictures belonging to the Art Society had been removed to the permanent gallery attached to the museum, and again thanked the Council for the use of the room in which they had been displayed during the last few years. The Under-Secretary for justice forwarded a rider passed by a coroner’s jury in Dunedin on October 17 last, viz,: “ That the attention of the City Council should be directed to the want of a public mergue in the City of Dunedin.”—Received. Mr William Royse wrote complaining of the state in which Duke street north and George street north were kept, and said that as previous complaints from the residents bad been treated with studied indifference by the Council he intended, if the nuisance was not effectually stopped, to take legal proceedings and claim damages. The writer mentioned a certain work which was being carried out, and added that while wanting no favor from the Corporation he thought it was high time that justice was done to all ratepayers.— Cr Barron took exception to the writer accusing the Council of favoritism with regard to the keeping of streets in order.— Cr Swan mentioned that the repairs t.sked had been authorised by the City Surveyor, —Cr Fish agreed with what had fallen from Cr Barron. He considered the letter an impertinent one, and that Mr Rcy&e would have best consulted hio dignity as a 'citizen had he couched his remarks with less sarcasm and morejoommon sense.—The letter was referred to the Works Committee with power to act. The Cblonial Drug and Manufacturing Company wrote complaining of the great inattention of the contractors for the removal of the dust. Several other complaints of a like character were received.— More than one councillor stated that complaints had been made to them of the manner in which the contract was being carried out, and it was stated that unless the contractor carried out his duties in a better manner penalties would be enforced. —The matter was referred to the Works Committee for report. Dr Coughtrey wrote : —“I have the honor to report the existence of a case of true diphtheria in a house in George street. I have ordered all the usual precautions to be adopted, and have inspected the sanitary surroundings of the house. As there has been much diphtheria in the surrounding districts, it is more than probable the cause was imported into the City in this case,”— The Mayor said that there was no occasion for any alarm. As It was a matter of urgency he had sent the inspector of nuisances to inspect the premises, and that officer had reported that the yard was clean end in pretty good order. He had also inspected the dairy from which the milk supply was obtained, and found it in a tolerably clean state. Every step that could be taken in the wav of precaution had been taken.

Requests from the dust contractors, and from the contractors for cutting gorse and broom, for a refund, as their contracts were resulting in a loss, were peremptorily declined.

Mr A. H. Ross wrote“ My daughterhaving sustained serious und permanent injuries by falling over a cliff situate on the Town Belt, through a fence which had been erected by order or authority of the City Council having been allowed to fall out of repair (the bottom rail only being left), I have, on her behalf, to ask that you will take her ease into consideration, and award such relict as will equitably compensate for loss and injury consequent on the unfortunate accident, which would not have occurred if the existence of such a dangerous precipice had been publicly notified and the fence maintained in a proper state of repair.”—Referred to the Finance Committee to report.

The City Surveyor reported with respect to an injury occasioned by Mr Palmer, of Wain’s Hotel, fixing a hydrant on to the Srs-plug adjacent to his premises.—Cr Fish said the action of Mr Palmer was most impudent, and it had resulted in the whole town being deprived of its water supply for two hours while repairs were being effected. It had cost the Corporation in actual labor in undoing what Mr Palmer had done in this peculiar fashion something like 15s. The man must either be a great fool or something worse, and the Council would not be doing its duty unless it took action against him.—On the motion of Cr Barron, the Water Supply Committee were authorised to act specially with reference to M.r Palmer.

Mr C. W. Adams (Chief Surveyor) wrote indicating in what way the grade of the track from Nevada to Argyle street might be greatly improved. A letter received from the Mayor of Moscow asking for information regarding the cable tramways in the city was referred to the Tramways Committee for reply. THE MAYOR’S SALARY, During the temporary absence of the mayor (Mr Carroll) his salary for the ensuing year was fixed at L4OO, REPORT OR SALARIES. The special report of the Finance Committee on the question of the salaries of Corporation officers, which has been already published, and the consideration of which was postponed, came up for consideration. Cr Fish (in the absence of Mr Roberts, who was chairman of the Finance Committee when the report was presented) moved its adoption, and referred in detail to the alterations proposed. The Committee, he mentioned, had endeavored to lay down what they though tought to be the maximum salaries for all the offices. In some cases immediate increases had been recommended, but in each case the maximum for the office was suggested. The report, he considered, was modest and moderate. The immediate increases suggested amounted to LB7 16s, and the maximum increase, extending over four or five years, would be L 277 16s. It was well known that he was not an advocate for extravagant salaries, but the duties of the officers were of a character that demanded continual vigilance and effort and attention to details in order to keep the accounts up to the mark and to go on without mistakes. Cr Hardy seconded the adoption of the report, and said that this matter, along with all other matters that had come under the attention of the late mayor, bad received tbe very greatest consideration.

Cr Swan moved as an amendment—- “ That the immediate increases be agreed to, bat that the remainder of the report be negatived.” Cr Cramond seconded, and Cr Barron spoke in support of the amendment. Cr Haynes supported the motion, and remarked that the practical effect of adopting the report as a whole was merely to grant the immediate increases, as subsequent ones would have to come up again for consideration.

Cr Solomon said he should vote against themotion and the amendment, becausein the present condition of Corporation finance they were not justified in raising salaries at all. As codncillors knew, there was the greatest possible trouble in making ends meet with the present expenditure. The streets wese very badly in need of repair; the gasworks were in a state of disrepair, and considerable expenditure was required upon them; and there had been a great fall in the value of property, and consequently in the rateable value, so that a diminished revenue might be expected. Would reasonable commercial men with a falling exchequer increase expenditure ? On the amendment being put it was negatived, there voting for it Crs Swan, Cramond, and Barron.

Cr Babbon wished to move that each application for an increase be dealt with on its merits, but it was ruled by His Worship that the amendment was out of order, Cr Barron having spoken to the main question.

Cr Solomon desired to move an amendment affirming that increases were not

justifiable, but it waß tolled for a similar reason that this amendment could not be received.

CrGotoausv hoped the report would be adopted almost unanimously, and said that the whole of the salaries paid in the municipal department did not together amount to the sum paid to one bank manager. Cr Cohen also supported the adoption of the report. Cr Toomey was willing to grant the increase* proposed to be given immediately, but rather than commit the Council to further Increases, would vote against the adoption of the report. On the question being put, the report was adopted by six rotes to five, the voting being: For the motion—Crs Gourley, Fish, Hardy, Haynes, Cohen, and Chapman; against—Crs Toomey, Solomon, Cramcnd, Swan, and Barron. CEMETERY EVTEIiSION. Cr Fisk said ther'a was a serious and important question to which he desired to call attention. It was well known that the Southern Cemetery was full, and the Northern Cemetery was rapidly becoming so, The attempt made to got parliamentary sanction to extend the Northern Cemetery bad failed last session, but he had reason to believe that if another attempt were made through Parliament the necessary legislation would be sanctioned. The attempt should be made not ia the coming, but in the following session of Parliament—viz., in April nest. At any rate something must be done, even if it was in conjunction with the other local bodies, to get a cemetery somewhere outside Dunedin. He would move—- “ That His Worship be requested to call a special meeting of the Council to meet the City and suburban members of the House of Representatives, and such members of the Legislative Council as reside in or near Duucdin, to consult with them regarding cemtterv accommodation.”

The motion was carried unanimously, and Kis Worship, who said that the matterwas one requiring immediate attention, intimuted that he would give effect to the wishes of the Council as soon as possible.