CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 10391, 12 August 1897, Page 1

CITY COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the City Council was held last evening. There were present—the Mayor (Mr Gourley) and Crs Hardy, Chishohn, M'Gregor, Haynes, Mouat, Carroll, Thomson, Solomon. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter from the Town Clerk of Timarn was received asking if the City Council would lend them certain iron pipes, that borough's stock having run short.—Referred to the Water Committee. Some twenty-three residents petitioned the Council to continue the formation of the footpath on the west side of Princes street south from Maitland street.—Referred to the Works Committee to report. Mr G. Daniels and others requested the Council to erect a gas lamp in Castle street, midway between St. David and Dundas Streets;— Referred to the Works Committee to report. .',.'•. The Secretary of the All Saints' Xoung Men's Cricket Club, wrote asking permission to play on-the clear, Maori Hill.—Referred to Reserves Committee to act. , Mr John Mitchell wrote acknowledging receipt of the Council's letter of the 30th nit. intimating having received a .petition with seventy-four signatures, and also a deputation in support of same. He could assure the Council that the complaint about polluting the river had had hi 3 serious attention, and at the suggestion of a deputation of anglers who called on him about the matter he built a brick tank to hold tho fluid complained of. He had also been most careful to adopt any reasonable scheme that would abate the nuisance.—Referred to the General Committee to report. Mr W. G. Harland wrote that at a meeting of the petitioners who waited on the Council re the extension of the Frederick street sewer, the Council's reply declining to do this most necessary work for financial! reasons was considered. As the necessity for the extension seemed to be more urgent than when the deputation waited upon the Counoil, and as the amount required could not disorganise the Council's finance, the petitioners asked that the question be reconsidered.—Referred to the Works Committee to report. RESIGNATION OF CR FISH. The following letter was received from Mr ■H. 8. Fish :- To the Mayor and City Councillors. Gentlemen,—My illness being of such a protracted character, with little sign of present amendment, I do not think it right to longer deprive the ward of a representative. I therefore have to ask you to accept my resignation as councillor for South Ward, regretting much to sever my long connection with the City Council, and wishing the Council every success in carrying on the business of the City.

The Mayor said : With regard to the letter just read from our old friend and brother councillor, Mr H. S. Fish, I need, I am sure, say but fsw words here. We are one and all aware of his long and vigilant services in this Council, and of the immense amount of energy aud practical knowledge he has brought to bear in the carrying out of his duties, both as mayor and councillor. Five times mayor of the City, and almo3t continuously serving the City either as mayor or councillor for the last thirty years, in addition to his- many other public duties, he has truly done yeoman's work. No one more feels his present prostration on a bed of sickness than I do myself; but that, I feel sure, is a feeling we ail sincerely have in common. For the present we are deprived of his services, but let us hope that we may yet again see him able to don his harness, and once more take his seat with us. Ido not wish to say more now, but will' simply move—" That in receiving Mr Fish's letter the members of the Council desire to place on record their high appreciation of the invaluable services he has rendered to the City of Dunedin during the many years he has held office, and to express the hope that his health may speedily improve to such an extent as to enable him to resume his scat at the Council table; and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded by the town clerk to Mr Fish." Cr Carroll said he, too, very much re. grafted that thia occasion had arheo, and that Mr Fi9h had been compelled to send in his resignation. He endorsed every word the mayor had Bald. , A man of Mr Fish's force of character and' ability would be missed from any publio body, and it was therefore only right the resolution should be adopted. He seconded the motion.

Cr Thomson, as a very old associate of Mr Fish in municipal matters, said he couW not help also expressing hia sympathy. It was twenty years since he first met Mr Fish in connection with municipal affairs, and he was extremely sorry that Mr Fish had found it necessary to tender his resignation. He heartily endorsed every word of the resolution. The motion was carried unanimously. THE TASMANIA RELIEF FUND. His Worship said he had received a letter from Mr Barclay requesting the patronage of the Council to attend a performance to be given on Wednesday evening next in aid of a relief fund for the sufferers by the wreck of the Tasmania. He moved that the patronage of the Council be given accordingly. Cr Solomon seconded the motion, which was.carried nem. clis. ■:<■■:

WORKS COMMITTEE. The report of the Works Committee, as already published, was read and adopted. Respecting the application of Robert Miller, the contractor for the sewer, for an allowance on account of a loss on his contract, the Committee made no recommendation. Cr Solomon moved that the Council decline to comply with the request contained in Mr Miller's letter. If they did what they were asked to do they would unquestionably adopt a very dangerous precedent, and every person who took a contract would say that something unforeseen had taken place, and they would have many similar requests. To comply with the request would practically nullify the acceptance of the lowest tender. Cr Chisholh seconded the motion. It would, he thought, be legitimate and equitable for a private individual to give the contractor the sum asked, but for a public body to do so was an entirely different matter.

Cr Haynes said that the circumstances of the case were so exceptional that he felt justified in moving an amendment. There Was no doubt that the contractor in this case had lost all his labor, and was £5 out of pocket as well. He moved that the sum of £5 be granted the contractor. Cr M'Gregor seconded the amendment. The amendment was lost, and the motion adopted. REPORTS. The report of the Water Committee was adopted, 'with the exception of the clause recommending the payment of costs in the assault case Havard v. Jones, which clause was, on the motion of Cr Mouat, seconded by Cr Hardy, struck out. The reports of the other committees were adopted without alteration.