CITY COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXII, Issue 242, 13 October 1888, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

A Bpeoial meeting of the Council was held last evening, Present : His Worship the Mayor (Mr Sharp), Councillors Webster, . Scott, Brown, Harley, Trask, Stringer, Akersten, and Coleman. The ininutes of the previous meeting were cad and confirmed. The Mayor explained that the speoial meeting was called for the purpose of adopting the provisions of Seotions 22 to 51 of the Rating Aot 1882. Cr Webster moved the adoption of Sections 22 to 51 of the Act referred to on the understanding that the confirmation of the resolution be not agreed to for a month. He said that he thought it would be better to adopt those seotions in preference to the whole Aot, as the latter course would mean they would have to accept the capital value of all property instead of the annual rental as the basis on which to levy rates. When the question was discussed some time ago it was concluded that the adoption of the capital value as the basis would mean a loss of from £600 to £600 a year to the Counoil, and also necessitate the alteration of all their books and stationery, a matter of considerable expense. By adopting the Sections referred to certain rates would be easier to recover. Cr Harley secooded the m ;tioo, end said tbat tha adoption of the sections would enable them to reoover rates from absentee and mortgagee?. The Mayor agreed with the remarks of th( propoter and seconder. The mo ion was then carried. . The ordinary business of tho Council wae then prooeeded with. Cr Harley referred io Rome correspondence which, had taken plaoe in the newspapers on the subject of tbe City accounts. He thought that a statement of the position of eaoh account at their for. nightly meetings wonld be advisable. The Town Clerk explainel that this was furnished, Or Harley wonld like the information published. The Mayor thon read the synopsis of tbe -tote of tbe aooouot at this date,

Cr Webster a .id tint without an e_plana« tion this statement might be misleading f.r although a talancs to ore .is of £680 was shown, tho ratepayers muss undcrs and that tbis amount was not really available for expenditure. At any moment they might be oalled opon to pay £400, the balance of their chare of the Hospital ond Charitable Aid Bo.rd.st-, and at tbe n»__fc meeting £1100 on interest account would have to be transferred from oue account to the rther. He wonld 'like to impress upon the Council tt a. there waa no money available for worka. of improvem.nt. Payments were then authorise I ac follows .-General Account, £127 9s lld ; Gasworks Account, £7_ 18a lOd ; Waterworks Accents', £12 19s. Total, £215 7s 9d. The correspondence was then read. from Mr Heaps, requesting that the Oounoil would reconsider their decision as to drainage of hia property.— Referred to the Works Committee, From the Rev. Father Mahoney asking permission to connect St. Mary's Girls' School with the new drain. Leave was granted subject to the supervision of the City Sur_ veyor. From the Volunteer Fire Police and Sal« .age Corps, requesting the Council to supply their meeting room with gas free of cost, and asking that the rates may not be enforced on their bnilding. Or Colgpaan moved, in veiy complimentary terms to the Salvage Corps, that the applica* tion be granted, Or Trfcsk seconded the motion. . » Or Akersten supported the motion, and in doing _o oalled attention to the need of some S revision being made fer"_ropplying water to tepney v ilie bn theuPoift Hills. Or Coleman's motion was oarried, From Messra P. Cooke and others applying for assistance to drain their propert es into the Collingwood street sewer. • ■ Or Webster aaid that he hoped the Council would consider this application favorably It (Jiffefced from so many others, inasmuch fM the applicants were willing to give assistance in tkte shape of either labor or pipes. . Or Harley asked whether all the drainage works were now being done in accordance witib. Mr Somerville's plan.— The Mayor replied in the affirmative. • Froc^Dr Hudson, reporting a case of diphtherial*? tbe hoase of Mr Talbot, Cambria rtree t>. • From Dr Mackie, reporting a oase of diphtheria at the residenoe of Mr Jeffries, Kawai street. .■ . From Dr Locking, reporting a case of diphtheria at tbe residenoe of Mr Branford, Washington Valley. From G. H. Buck-ridge, Assistant Clerk, applying for an increase of salary on consideration of having bten in the service for four years.— Application referred to the _ftn»noe.Ck__. uittee. The Pablio Works Committee reported as , fellows:— (1.) Oa letter from Mr H. V. - Smith. — That they are unable to reoommend that this olaim he admitted. (2.) On letter Iroa Mr J. Hamilton.— That Mr Hamilton be allowed io ase a portable incline. (3.) On Settei from Mr George Harper.— From inentries made by the Committee on this Butter, and from au inspection of the locality jyft plans, the Committee are unable to »S__-§nend complying with Mr Harper. - request, the land in question having become by wage and dedication a publio road. (4.] On utter from Mr H. Baigent.— -That thej are unable to reoommend tbat this applioa Jiori be granted. (5.) On the City Surveyor'i report ye gorse.— That tenders he invited fo: olearing .*. Vincent street and Quebeo road. As to Clause 3, Cr Harley thought that a legal opinion should be taken on the matter, as in a similar oase sometime before the Council were defeated. I The Mayor said he had .pent a gnat deal of time on the matter, and that he was eonVinoed that even if they agreed to Mr Harper's suggestion the publio would endeavour to prevent it being carried out. Mr Harper's right (if any) should be contested in. the Sur rfare Court. Legal opinion wbioh he had taken confirmed thia view. The Clause Was then agreed to and tbe report adopted. Tenders. Tenders were then opened for laying pipe drain in Harley street, seven chains, as foi. lows: — J. Malone & Co., 14s per ohain (aocepted); fl. Collins, 14s lld ; R. Prater, 17s Bd; Jas, Butler, 18s 4d ; Hooker and Co.. 19s 9d; Goss ii C0.,* 21s 3d; Edwards and Co., 22s 3d ; Hudson, 255 ; Smith, 275. Tenders for relaying the pipea in Alton Street were opened as follows : — J. Malone <_ 00., 12s per chain (accepted) ; Collins & Co., - 188 54; B. Frater, 14a sd; A. Glover, 16s Sd; Goss &Oo„ 16s lld; Edwards* Co., 19a 6a; Hooker & Co., 19s 6d; J. Butler, 225; B. Hudson, 30s. Tenders for levelling and olearing the Queen's Gardens were then opened as foilows:—Smith, £14 15s; Collins & Co., £23 19s; Malone & Co., £24; Hooker and Co., £28; D. McDonald & Co., £25; Mills and party, £25 ; J. Butler, _29 ; Edwards & Co., £29Us6d. Thr tender of Mr Smith waa Woepted.

The report of the Inspeotor of Nnieanc .1 was then read. The report stated tbat 1. cases of diphtheria had ocoured sinoe the 31s! Auguet, although the premises in each cast were perfectly clean, and that the Q'own generally was quite olean. Cr Everett was granted leave of absence for six weeks. Cr Coleman asked what steps the Counoil proposed taking in reference to the report of the medical gentlemen on the epidemic of diphtheria. The Mayor suggested that the better course would be to make some motion on the subjeot. Cr Coleman complained thafc tho report had fallen quite flat, whioh was not very coin* plimentary to the gentlemen who had framed it. As one who had signed the report he ooald hardly move in the matter. Cr Harley said he had difficulty in understanding the report, which stated that the disease arose principally from bad and in_ sufficient drainage, yet it waa a noted faot that it broke out and was prevalent in some of the healthiest spots possible; this was his own personal experience at all events. He complained that the medical men did not report all cases. He moved that the report J be referred to a Committee of the whole ' J Council. j Cr Trask seconded the motion. Cr Webster said that the reason of the report falling flat was very evident, as all the suggestions whioh were made therein, with the exception of tbe appointment of a medioal officer, had previously been carried out. He suggested that a room should be set apart in the Hospital, and all attacked with the disease should be compelled to be removed there. He thought that it was impossible to account for the disease. Cr Trask thought that tho recommend .- tion as to the Hospital ward was a good one ; although there w»b one fatal difficulty whioh was tbe dislike of the mothtrs 0 have tfceir children taken from them. Cr Akersten though, ib was due to the medical men to thank them for tbeir report, <The report was referred to a Committee of the wh.le Council. The Moyor said that the retting apart of a Hospital war J, and keeping a cab for the purpose ouly of conveying 1 patients had been under the consider a. ioo of the Hospital Board, -Cr Akersten gave aotice to move at next meeting that the City Surveyor put a hose connection to the water supply service at Stepneyviile. Cr Akersten gave notice of the following motion :— That the Town Clerk be instructed to calculate the amount of interest due by the General Account to the various other accounts (particularise each) from 31st March, 1881, mainly with the object of justly adding such amount of interest to the Gas Account, with a view to reduce the price of gas if found desirable. Cr Webster called attention to the faot that the Railway authorities were cutting a water table near the line in St. Vincent Btreet, and tha. a hank was being left. This was confirmed by the Surveyor. lt was agreed to see to the matter. Cr Webster suggested that tLe contractor for watering- the etre.tß should commence cv»ry morning &t _ev*n. ; The Conncil then adjourned. 1

Cb. £ b. d. Oontriototß' Deposits 4 10 0 Gas 189 910 Cemeteries 143 18 1 luteretf 208 u 9 Special ... 592 1 7 Wftter 76i 1 6 £2202 14 9 Db, General Acotalnt £1572 11 5 BatanootoCr. £630 3 4