CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 11663, 23 January 1902, Page 8

CITY COUNCIL.

Last night's ordinary meeting of the City Council was attended by tbe Mayor (Mr Denniston) and Crs Carroll, Crust, Scott, Braithwaite. Muir, Maitland, Lawrence, M'Donald, Tapper, Christie, and Park. Cr Gore was granted further leave of absence. CORRESrOVOKNCK Tbe. New Zealand Farmers' Union forwarded a circular urging the necessity of stringent measures for tbe destruction of urr<wtered dogs.—Received. Mr John M'Farlane asked a contribution towards making good the damage caused bv a slip in Clarke street in October last. He bad spent over £250 in clearing away the debris and erecting a new retaining wall.— Finance Committee to report. Mr W. 0. Milla?. secretary Underwriters' Association, forwarded copy of a letter from Thomson, Bridger, and Co. drawing attention to the dangerous practice of setting off firework* in the City.—General Committee in reoort. Mr" R. Forrest, on behalf of Mrs M. P.rami, asked whether water would be laid on to buildings to be erected at the junction of Pino TTill road and North-east Valley Main mad.— Water Committee to report. Mrs M. Braun complained of the state of Hie footpaths in Upper Dmidas street.— Works Committee to act*. One hundred and fifty-two ratepayers petitioned the Council not to seel the Logan Point baths, as there was a sum of monev nrovided for repairing the flood-gates, and it ivas possible there might, be an improvement in the lake—General Committee to act. Mr J. • Walquist forwarded reasons for protesting against the refusal to brm of a hawkers license.—General Committee to HOt. Tn reference to a request as to the substitution of earthenware pipes for an old box drain in Maclaggan street, the Drainage Board replied that they had resolved to decline the execution of any permanent work until a definite scheme of drainage was before them.—Cr Park explained that a nuisance existed, and authority was given to the Works Committee to act. Mr M. Glaister asked permission for a flub, yet unnamed, to play Association foothall nn the Belt.—Reserves Committee to .■»<•'. Mr A. Kyle asked for a. drain through the pound reserve fronting Regent road.—Works Committee to report. Mr J. A. E. Garrow wrote stating that the retailers' section of the Employers' Association recommended that the 29th March be observed as Anniversary Day.—Crßraithwnite undertook to inquire and report to next meeting. Ten ratepayers petitioned the Council not tn replant trees in Royal retrace. —Works I 'ommittee to report. THE I'OWRU fFOrSK Mr W. G. T. Goodman intimated that, havirg inspected the proposed site for the I'owcr station on the Taieri River, be cun-i-'dered the site in every way suitable.—[n answer to questions, the Mayor said that tbe visit wa..- unofficial and voluntary, and eypnssed the opinion that it would pay the Con.rvil v-pry "'ell to foot Mr Goodman's expenses for the trip for the sake of getting his opinion, which was valuable.—Cr Laurence said that he protected against the. Council's money being expended in such a way. Cr Lawrence asked what was the position of Mr Goodman and Xoyes Mros. in relation to the Council.—His Win-ship said that they simply acted as consulting engineers to the Council. No communication had passed between Noyes Bros, respecting the decision of the Council at last meeting. THK WVI'KII HfimvMK. Mr Cr. M. Jiarr wrote to state that some of the pegs put in by him in Corporation land near Ross Creek reservoir, marking the line of pipes, had been ploughed out. and he had had them replaced. He now asked that the caretaker l>e asked to proten the pegs. Mr Ban- further wrote protesting against blame attaching to him for delay in preparation of the plans for the proposed extension iif the waterworks. His letter concluded [litis: —"No time has been lost through ililatoriness on my part; rather that had I been allowed to act as I wished the business would liave been further ahead than it is. As regards a.n alteration in the plans coining before you to-night from the expressed or implied desires of the Council, Or Park is completely wrong. I submit that the remarks reported to have been made by Crs Carroll and Park do not represent the true position of thin matter, and are exceedingly unjust to myjwlf. 1 feel this all the move because had it not been for my offering the scheme of a wafer supply from the Waitati and Leith to the Council this subject of an additional supply to the City would have been in a much less satisfactory condition than it is at the present moment. For somewhere about a quarter of a century I have been advocating this, and have during that tiine spent much time gauging streams in extreme droughts and otherwise gaining detailed knowledge of the gathering grounds, all of which I voluntarily put before the Council. Since the preparation of the first plans, etc., was pnt in my hands I have worked steadily at it, through very unfavorable circumstances of weather and country, and I feel through it. all that I have in no particular failed in my duty towards you." The Corporation solicitors forwarded draft notice of intention to take land and streams. The schedules were copied from matter supplied by Mr B;irr, who presumably vouched for their correctness. Cr Can-oil, chairman of the Water Committee, said that when Mr Barr's plans and specifications were finished it would be Mr Rogers's duty to assume the responsibility as engineer to the Council of carrying out the works. The Committee had every confidence in Mr Barr, but the work of earning out th« construction of the waterworks would fab on the city engineer. He (Cr Carroll) moved that the plans of the proposed extensifm of the City water supply as prepared by Mr G. M. Barr, C.E., be now adopted, and that the town clerk be authorised to insert \he notice as drafted by the city solicitor, and that Mr Edgar Scott Clarke, of Woodhauirh, and Mr Alexander Kilpatrick, of Waitati, have the custody of the plans. Cr Tapper seconded the motion. 0* Park said that for months he had been asking as to the position of the Waitati Stream, because he believed that things were being done prematurely, without authority. He was anxious to see everything in order, and did not intend to reflect upon anybody. He would move as an amendment that the plans prepared by Mr Burr be sent to the Water Committee with instructions to get a report thereon from Mr Rogers for next meeting of the Council. Cr Braithwaite thought that the sooner they cast the responsibility on their engineer the better, and for that reason he would second the amendment. Or Christie thought it not fair to pnt the responsibility on Mr Rogers. How was he in know the water was obtainable? Or Carroll replied that he would only be responsible after he had seeti Mr Barr's plans and presuming they were correct. The amendment was carried on the voices. TDK WOODHAtTOH LAKE. The Oity Engineer reported that he had examined the lake in Woodhaugh Gardens in connection with the proposal to utilise it for bathing purposes. The, mud and weeds would have to be taken out, a fence would be required to ensure privacy, the native bush would probably suffer, and to make the lake safe it should be filled with gravel to a uniform depth. Ho thought tbiit in the interests of public health and safety the Council should refuse to recognise or allow the lake to be used r or bathing. Cr M'Donald hoped tbe Council would not take too much notice of the report. With a little expenditure a good bathing ground for lads could be provided, and the wishes o*. the north end people met. Cr Carroll said be had visited the place, and found the pond full of decaying vegetable matter. He doubted if if could be aiade a good swimming place. VoungsteTS there would have l<> wash themfelves when they came out of it.Cr Maitland said if they made up their fluids to supply the north end with ponds for swimming they could do so. If was tasy to raise difficulties, but they siieuld tndeavor to overcome them.

The report was referred to the Resarfe Committee,

THE WATER OF LKTTH. Mr Rogers further reported advising that it was necessary and desirable that an early decision be arrived at in connection wiii the jwoposal to divert the Water of Leith through the Woodh&ugh Reserve, as ts vermanent route affected the site and desyu of the proposed bridge at the northern end of George street. The city engineer fu.fcht-r pointed out that the by-wash must eitlnr be opened up permanently for the Wa-jr of Leith channel or fillet! in; otherwise, iJ the Water of Leith and by-wash remain as at present the proposed "bridge would be of unnecessary length and consequently ve:y costly. He was also of opinion that riie biidge should be erected over the channel of the Water of Leith; eonsequentlv, the proposal to improve the reserve by filling up the Leith should preferably be abandoned in favor of filing up the bywash. ... . The report was referred to the Works Committee. RTSPORTS. The various' reports were adopted without amendment after brief discussions. The special points were the making of a bylaw forbidding spitting on the footpatns and the. giving of authority to the Tramways Committee to buy a second/ draught horse and start all the northern dinnerhour cars from the foot of the hill as requested by certain petitioners. GENERAL. The city engineer's report on the Lee Stream was referred to the Tramways Committee to bring up a report on the main points. Cr Maitland was permitted to withdraw the notice of motion appearing in his name on the order paper a motion for the appointment of an electrical engineer—said appointment being now unnecessary. TENDERS TOR COAL. . Tenders for the supply of about 10,000 tons of New Zealand West Coast; coal or of New South Wales coal for the year commencing April 1, 1902, were received as follows:—Greymouth Point Elizabeth Coal Company, Brunuer black, 21s 6d per ton; unscreened seam coal, 26s 6d; unscreened (not more than 40 per cent, slack), 28s 6d; unscreened coal nuts, 295. Andrew Sneddon—Stockton coal, screened, 27s 9d; unscreened, 26s 9d; small, 225; East Greta, 26s 9d, 25s 9d, and 21s 6d. James Macfie and Co.—East Greta, 26s 9d, 26s 9d, and 23s (small); and James Fox—East Greta, 31s 3d per ton. The West port Coal Company wrote that the conditions of the. tenders for coal supply were so stringent and so different from that of other gasworks which the company supplied! that they did not sou their way to tender. They would, however, be. prepared to supply unscreened coal at 21s .per ton c.i.L, Dunedin, the Corporation taking delivery from ship's slings and paying wharfage and all shore charges. Cr Park spoke strongly as to the advisability of accepting a New Zealand tender if possible, and thereby preventing about £20,000 being sent, out of the colony in two years. The, West Coast coal was, he believed, more economical and better in every way than the Newcastle coal, excepting that ours had less sulphur in it. The Mayor said it had been a source of considerable annoyance to him to see tenders going out of New Zealand for the bust two years. He hoped the Gas Committee would see their way to keeping as much of our own money as possible in our oM-n country. The tenders were, referred to the Gas Committee to accept the lowest or the most eligible tender. thk rrnr loan. Tenders for the purchase of forty-one, debentures of £IOO each, being the fourth redemption loan, were then opened. The total amount offered was £11,400. One tenderer offered 5s and two Is premium, die other offers being par. Tho tenders were referred to the Finance Committee. The Council rose at 10.45 p.m.