CITY COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXIV, Issue 134, 7 June 1890, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

The Counoil met at 730 last night. Proaont : The Mayor, Crs Webster, Akersteu, Piper, Trask, Stringer, Everett, and Soott. Accounts. The following accounts were passed fjr payment :— Gas, £103 93; Water, £9 Is; Genera!, £200 14s 2d: Cemeteries, 8j 61. Total, £313 12s Bd. Manic Balances The following statement of the banking aooounts was laid on the table :—

Correspondence. From Henry L.yell, relative to cutting down willows in Brook street, and asking for aoine allowanae for work done.— The letter was ordered to lie on (he (able. From Dr Cressey, reporting a oase of typhoid f^ver at Mr Ewer's in Harley street. From Fleming & Sods, asking for a reduction of the rent of the Couucil property in Bridge streefc.—Baferred to the Works Commi t tee. From John McDowell, asking for a cross' ing to his premisea ia Waimea street. -Ra ferred to the Works Committee From the Public Works Department relative to vesting in the Counoil the land near Saltwater bridge ; and the fishermen's wharf, abating with regard to the forraer that it was a matter for the Railway Commisruissioners, and to the later that they were waiting for a plan, — Resolved that a plan be forwarded to the proper authori'ie.'. Cr Akersten said it looked as though the Department wero trying to shunt the wharf on to the Council, and he for one would have nothing to do with it. The wharf was in a rotten condition, the fishermen had had the use of it for 12 years, and it was only available during two hours from high water Cr Webster understood the letter to refer to the wharf at Cross' lease, Cr Akersten said ifc was the fishermen's wharf at the Government wharf that was referred to. Cr Everett said there could be no harm in forwarding the plan. lieports. The Works Committee reported as follows : — (1.) On letter from the Trustees of the Wesleyan Church. —That the footpath be dished to suit the channel, and the kerbing removed to the old gate to the satisfaction of the City Surveyor. (2.) On letter from Mrs S. Lloyd. — That a trapped grating be laid with a pipe to the sewer. (3.) On letter from Mr C. Jones. — Consideration deferred. (4.) On letter from Mr W. Miller re cemetery, — That the surplus earth be put outside the breastwork. Cr Piper, referring t j the drain from Mr Lambert's place, said it was a matter of import moe to Mr Lambert, and he thought the Council ought to look to it. -The Mayor said the matter had not been overlooked, but the Surveyor had been asked to report upon it. Ordinary Business. Cr Webster moved " That the General Manager be instructed to make an immediate and detailed inspection of the Corporation Gasworks With a view to reporting to the Council, at its next meet ng, the present condition and efficiency of the plant generally, and to take stock of all spare plant about the works, and further to advise the Council whether he has any suggestions to make as to any alterations or additions to the retort house or elsewhere which would lead to increased economy in the production of our gas " He thought it was very uecessary that something of this kind was done, and that it would b 9 to the advantago of the Council and the surveyor to take stock of the plant and place on record the contents of the gasworks. If the Surveyor found a fortnight too short a time, an extension of time should be granted. Cr Everett seconded. It was very necessary that this should be done, and ho hoped the Council would agree to it unanimously. Cr Akersten would agree to it bub thought there should be an inventory made of the whole of the Council's properby including metres. The resolution was carried, the time being fixed nt a month instead of a fortnight. Cr Stringer would like the work of oleaning the sewers postponed until until the Surveyor had reported on their condition. The Mayor said he had already spoken to the Surveyor and the work had been stopped for a time. Cr Stringer said there was an item on the accounts for removing cinders from the gasworks. He thought there were plenty o€ people who would be glad to cart them away for nothing 1 . The Mayor said that all the ashes were utilised. He thought the matter might be brought before the Works Committee. Cr Akersten moved that the Inspector make an inventory of all other properby, tools, plant, eke, belonging to the Corporation, landed property excepted, the same to be furnished within a month. — Carried. Reverting to the matter of the fishermen's wharf, Cr Akersten suggested that the Works Committee should visib it. Notices of Motion. Cr Piper moved, "That this Council be divided into three Committees. That the Mayor, Ors Akersten, Bethwaite, Scott, and Stringer be the Work 3 Committee, with charge of the finances of the general fund : that Crs Everett, Harley, Trask, Webster, and the mover be a Gas, Waterworks, and Cemeteries Committee, with charge of the finances of the separate fund 3 connected with these several works ; that the whole Council form a Drainage Committee." He did not wish to force his opinion upon the Council, but merely desired to create a discussion on the best method of administering the Corporation's affaire. When he was placed on the Finance Committee he felt that it was Bimply putting him on the shelf, and on making enquiry found that it was so, as the Works Committao was the only active body, aad the- Town Clerk was really the Finance Committee. He quite believed that even under this arrangement everything would go on. well. But the Town Clerk was mortal and might go off the | scene, when the Counoil would find it elf In trouble. The Counoil had to deal with aa income of £5,310, with the expenditure of whioh the Works Committee had to do [No. The Counoil]. He thought they ought to have the management of the funds, and then there would no longer be so large an overdraft, which was most objeotionable when they only had au annuity to deal with. The water and gas fund ought to yield a profit that would go far towards beautifying and improving the town. There was a profit of 5£ per cent from the gasworks over and above the 6 per cent paid for interest. Flere was an income which if properly nursed would go far towards reclaiming the mudfl.it which might be done by degrees, and the cinders from the gasworks and refuse from the streets v tilised in that direction. The ohaunel might be deepened too so as to allow of small timber vessels ooraing up and discharging their cargoes there. He knew what a watering place ought to be, and saw no reason why Nelson should not be made a moit attractive place. Or Akersten aoooaded the motion ia order | that id mig'at be discussed, Ho did not go with Or Piper in all that he had said, but he did in the matter of finances to whioh sufficient attention was not paid, He thought the Finance Committee ought to go through all the accounts before they wera brought before the Council, He knew the Town Clerk woqld keep everything straigty, , but he | thought the Qounoil ouglr, nol to be asked to vote for anything in the dark. For that reason he aoooaded the resolution. With regard to filling up the rnudfUt that was a very large master. At the losi masting he had been told there was no Gas Committee, but he had looked the matter up and found he was parfeotly right, and those who ooa • tradioted him were the other way. The waterworks, too, were of great importance, ; and he thought tha Water and Gas Committees should be distinct. Tha water was perhaps of the greater consequence, connected as it was with the drainage. He was [ very sorry the Drainage Committee had been shelved. A year or two ago a panic seiss : d the Council ; they sent far and wide .for p'aus, paid £200 for an utterly useless one, and then lost sight of the matter altogether. There was something in Or Piper's resolution, and he hoped it would be oarried. Cr Webster, instead of splitting up the Counoil into several Oommibtees, would prefer to do away with Committees altogether. What was the Council, consisting • as it did of nine members," but a Committee? Cr Piper's remarks would lead people tobelieve that the Town Clerk and Mayor were rogues and thieves. In a great measure the ratepayers constituted the Finance Committee, as they were frequently applying for certain works, and it was often argued that each work would only cost £20 or £30, forgetting, what the aggregate would amount to. Cr Piper referred to the" overdraft, ignoring the faot that it was owing to aa extraordinary ciroumstanoe, namely, the Nile-street bridge accident. The Committee had so far arranged the aooounts for the year that the overdraft would nob have exceeded £500, instead of which the Qounoil ha.d, made jtj over £.2,0.90, Ih,vs was

owing to the numerous works that had been undertaken. The contention of Or Piper that the Council had no control overtly finances was utterly wrong, but the faot; was that the ratepayers insisted upon having works carried out whioh ought to be done without. Cr Piper, in reply, said that Or Web3ter had misunderstood him. He only wished to divide the Council into two Committees, which ought to be done, so that each Councillor did his fall share of the work. With regard to wh >t Cr Webster had Bai* in connection with the Town Clerk, he wished to say that thero was no man in Nelson whom he would trust more fully. But for all that as a public man lie felfc that it was his duty to look fully into the finances. He believed they had thoroughly good officers, but they ought not to be lax in their supervision. The Mayor said that not a single sixpence was pissed by the Council that had not been formerly authorised by it. The salaries were authorised at the beginning of the year, and everyone of the other accounts was authorised by the Council, and not a penny could be expended without the Council's knowledge and approval. He did not think he could put the resolution as it was drawn as it would stultify the Council, and he would nsk Cr Piper to strike out the works " with charge of the finance of the general fund," and " with charge of the finances of the separate funds connected with these several works." Cr Webster said that the elimination of these words had completely altered the purport of the resolution, and as it stood he did not know that he had muoh objection to it. Still he thought he must vote against ifc . aa the Mayor was shut out from the Chairmanship. . • •; The resolution as amended was put. Ayes 5 : The Mayor, Crs Webster, Trask. Everett, and Scott. Noes 3: Crs Akersten, Piper, and Stringer. . .

Dr. o'. £. s. a. £. s. a. General Acoontxt 2905 8 6 Contractors' Deposits 0 15 0 Cemeteries.. .. 172 9 9 Gas 441 12 7 Interest .. .. 726 8 5 Queen's Gardens .. 54 6 9 flpeoial Fund .. 606 14 1 Water „ .. 258 10 6 £2950 8 6 £2262 17 1