CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 9701, 9 May 1895, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL.

An ordinary meeting of tire City Council, held last night, was attended by the Mayor (air H. S. Fish), Crs Hardy, Gore, Wales, M'Gregor, Swan, Haynes, Cohen, -Carroll, Morrison, and Solomon. A QUESTION OF PRIVILKUR. Immediately after the minutes had been confirmed Cr Haynes rose and said he wished to raise a question of privilege. At the last meeting of the Council he asked the question whether the Gas Committee intended to supply certain information, and the Mayor replied that he intended at the next meeting to lay the information before the Council. He subsequently went to the town clerk and asked for the information ho wished, and on the 29th ulh.tohis intense surprise, ho received a reply from the town clerk to the elfect that “ the mayor thinks that, seeing the whole question will bo shortly brought before the Council by him, and in all probability referred to the Gas Committee for consideration, it would be unwise to give the information desired especially as just now the stall - is full* occupied.” Throughout the whole course of his experience he had never heard of informa tion respecting departmental matters being refused to any councillor. What he asked was this ; Will the town clerk supply quantities of gas sold for lighting and special supply for years 1392, 1893, 1891, and 1895, and expenses in ful in connection with the show room? The question had resolved itself into this: Whether councillors had a right to go to the town clerk and ask for information in connection with the working of the Corporation departments, or whether it was necessary for them to go to the town clerk in the first instance, and then that .the mayor should subsequently signify whether the information they required was to be given ? On the 30th ult, he again asked for the information, and to this letter the town clerk replied that the mayor desired him to say that in the absence of any authority from the Council ho did not see the necessity of altering his views, as previously expressed, on the matter. Possibly lie would be told that ho should have given notice of motion asking for the information he wanted. That, however, would have been very inconvenient for him, and had ho followed that course it was just possible that the question might have been discussed before lie was fortified with the information he wanted. His contention, hoWever, was that he had a right as a councillor to have access to the information he asked for, and until he was authoritatively informed that he was mt entitled to it he should still hold his opinion that ho was entitled to it. To prevent the possibility of any dispute of this sort occurring again he would move—“ That whereas it is essential that city councillors, to enable them to perform their duty to the ratepayers and intelligently criticise all matters or questions that may bo brought before the Citv Council, should be in a position to obtain the fullest possible information on all matters appertaining to the Corporation of the City of Dunedin and to works undertaken or controlled by it, it is hereby resolved that it shall be the duty of the town clerk of the City of Dunedin to supply to councillors all reasonable information and returns concerning the Corporation’s works and affairs asked for bv councillors.”

Tire Mayor said of course be could not accept tire motion that night. If Cr Haynes wished to move in the direction ho had indicated ho would have to give notice ol motion. Cr Haynes said in that ease he would give notice for next meeting. The Mayor, in reply to Cr Haynes," said it would be extremely inconvenient were it laid down as a rule that every councillor was to be furnished with returns whenever he desired them. There was no by-law to authorise such returns being given, and in the absence of any authority in that direction the Council must fall back on the usages of Parliament. When any member of Parliament required a return lie had to give notice of motion or move for it in the House, when it was either granted or refused. The propriety of this course was manifest, as a return asked for for one member should be available for all. In the present case there was not the slightest necessity for granting what was asked for, unless it was to give an advantage to Cr Haynes which his 'colleagues could not possess, inasmuch as the information he wanted he (the mayor) stated at last meeting he would bring before the Council that night. As a rule, however, any informatioiy required by councillors was freely given ; but in this instance, for the reasons stated, he deemed it quite unnecessary that it should be given. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr W. Rice, lion, secretary of the Pelichet Bay Improvement Committee, wrote applying for the £IOO promised by the Council to the Committee if the latter succeeded in raising by’ subscription the sum of £3OO. He had much pleasure in informing the Council that the Committee had succeeded in exceeding that amount by £lO, and the collectors were still tryiii" to secure more funds. As the Com'fnittee will obtain the Government subsidy of 24s on eaffi £1 of the Council’s donation there would be a total of £572 in hand tq spend.—The Mayor said that from the lists sent in it appeared that the Committ-:e had actually collected only about £234, but there were promises for additional amounts. —Cr Cohen remarked that a lot of money was collectable at intervals, and suggested that- the Council should pay a proportionate instalment of the amount promised.— The Mayor said the Committee deserved a great deal of credit for what they had done, and credit was particularly due to Messrs Bateman and Murray, who had, he understood, collected the bulk of the money.—The letter was referred to the Finance Committee to act.

Mr A. Bathgate, honorary secretary of the Dunedin and Suburban Reserves Conservation Society, wrote forwarding a rough sketch showing the proposed mode of laying out the market reserve. Provision had been made for a site for a band stand, and annexed to the sketch was another of an elegant rotunda, which had kindly been designed by Mr Robert Hay. 'While making provision for a site for a rotunda the society did not propose to include the erection of such a structure in their present operations. As the area to bo enclosed was much larger than was originally supposed, the cost would be considerably greater than the first estimate, and the writer was directed to request the City Council to increase the amount of the grant towards the work already made by them. He also requested that the services of the city engineer be placed at the disposal of the society m the preparation of specifications, etc., as well as the services of the Corporation gardener in superintending the work of layin" out the ground. To carry out the scheme now proposed would necessitate the removal of the old shed at the foot of Manor place, and also the small fire brigade hose shed now standing in the reserve.—On the motion of Cr Carroll, the letter was referred to the Reserves Committee to act.

Mr J. M'Gill and twelve other propertyowners and residents in Leith street and neigh-

borhoorl wrote calling attention to a property at the corner of Leith street, Athol place, and St, Andrew street, which the writers said had been for many years a disgrace to the City, and was quite unfit for human habitation. They therefore asked the Council to use their powers as preservers of the good name of the City and the health of its inhabitants to have the nuisance removed.—Referred 'to the Works Committee to report. Miss Lamb and fifteen other residents of Montpellier wrote requesting the Council to erect a gas lamp near the top of tho steps by the High street School.—Referred to the Works Committee to report. Mr W. M'Glashan wrote stating - that at various times during his absence in Europe the Council had entered on his property at Woodhaugh and built protective works on the Leith Stream without his consent, and to his loss. If the Council claimed a right in the matter he wished to be advised to that effect. As he purposed placing protective work on the river bank which would benefit the Corporation, he had no hesitation in asking the Council to assist where he considered the Council’s works were injurious to himself. He would also like to be secured against prescriptive right arising from the occupation of his property.—Referred to the Water Committee to report. REPORTS. The reports submitted by the Public Works, Water, Reserves, Gas, and General Committees were adopted as read. The Mayor, in moving the adoption of the report of the Finance Committee, said it spoke for itself, and he did not think it required any comment from him. The fact of the matter was that the Committee, having been informed by the town cleric of the position of affairs in the office, felt it incumbent on them to make the recommendations embodied in the report, and he apprehended there would be no objection from any member of the Council, —Or Hardy seconded the adoption of the report.—Cr Swan said he had been taken by surprise by the recommendations to increase the salaries of two clerks, and he thought the Council should be given an opportunity of thinking the matter over. He moved—“ That the clauses relating to the increase of salaries stand over till next meeting.”—The Mayor : I do not think there is any occasion for that.—The amendment was not seconded, and the motion for the adoption of the report was put and carried. THE ABATTOIRS question. The Council went into committee to consider tho question of the suitability of the areas offered as a site for the abattoirs, and on subsequently resuming in public the business transacted in committee was confirmed. THE BURGESS ROLL. ■ A special meeting for the purpose of determining objections to the burgess roll was then held. The town clerk reported that sixteen applications had been received, but of these five—those of Thomas West, Edward Souness, Amos Keast, Alexander MTfenzie, and Adam Glen were received too late, and the others involved clerical alterations only, excepting in the case of Neil Sutherland and E.° R. Smith, whose claims were admitted. The clerk also submitted a list of parties who were dead or had parted with their qualifications, and asked authority to remove their names from the burgess lists.

The names of those who were reported as having parted with their qualifications were Benjamin Greenwood and F. J. Melrose (South Ward), Benjamin Greenwood, D. D. Macdonald, R L. Stanford, and Clement White (High Ward), and Margaret Connell, F. E. Davis, G. RPGnvip, and Henry Winmill (Bell Ward). After a discussion, a proposal was made for an adjournment of the meeting. Crs Haynes, Solomon, Carroll, and Morrison voted in favor of, and the Mayor, Crs Wales, Hardy, and M‘Gregor against this, and the motion was lost on the casting vote of the mayor. 1 lie burgess list as amended was then approved.