NELSON CITY COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 168, 13 July 1918, Page 2

NELSON CITY COUNCIL.

MEETING

The fortnightly meeting of the Nelson City Council was held last evening. Preesnt: The Mayor Snod- : grass), Crs. Stringer, F. Gibbons, R. >.afcson, T. Pettit, F. A. 'Carlisle,,. J. W. Marris, \V_, V. Rout.. <3rs Hampson and H. Baigent were excused, being indisposed. ACCOUNTS. I

CORRESPONDENCE. From <tKe secretary'_l2tHj Band askino- for a Subsidy for one year, the band' relying practically on public support for upkeep.--Referred to ctimI'Tom Mr C. R. Fell, on behalf of Mrs 'O.- Y. Fell, stating that the late Mr C. Y. Fell, by his will gave to the City of' Nelson his oil painting of his grandfather, the late Mr Henry Seymour. M.L.C., one of the founders of i the Nelson Settlement. Mr Seymour ! came out to Nelson in the Lord Auckland. and was years closely identified with the early progress of the settlement. During a visit to England ' in. the 'fifties he was largely instrumental in obtaining front the Colonial Office a favourable settlement of the' claims of the Nelson Settlement in: respect of" the Nelson Trust' Funds which were in great' 'danger of being entirely lost. It was out of the Nelson* Trust Funds that the Nelson College -was ' J end-owed.—Accepted with thanks. ' •■ ■ • •

From the manager of 'the Commonwealth and Domiinion Line, ' quoting from "a letter received from the London O flice "to ' tbe ' effect that all the members of the crew of the Port Keru'bla who had oeen seen had spoken in -tlife warmest manner of the kind treatment and consideration tliey received in New Zealand, especially Nelsbri- v From Ma- R. A: that if the account" for repairing car was not paid lie would take steps* to recover same;—(Received.

From Mr F. Eades, applying for reduction of rates on .the Prince Albert Hotel, .his rent .having 'been. reduced from fiiS 4s a •month to £l2—Referred to committee. From Mr E. Bovey, abattoir staff, applving for increase of' wages otvving to the high cost of k> committee/ ' . V _ From the Lastings Borough Council asking co-operation in approaching the Government urging the' necessity of closely* looking into the manufacture and carriage of cement, it was believed could" be imade available to consumers at a very much lower costthan at present prevailing.- Referred to

From. Mr J. J- Corxy, Mayor of Blenheim, thanking the Mayor of Nelson : for his letter suggesting that' the Nelson arid Blenheim' Councils shoiild combine in formulating a joint scheme for * the generation and supply' of ; ia hycko-electric current for 1 the tise of the:; two ■corporations and otherwise. The proposition was one which heartily commended iteelf to him personally, and had been referred to the Electrical Committee for favourable consideration and report. ' From Mr ,T. F. Martin, solicitor to the nicipal Association of New Zealand, stating that the Sale of* Liquor Restrictions Act, 1917 made no provision for the, rebate of rates in favour of ; the freeholder of an hotel. If he occupied the hotel 'when the Act waspassed he 'bore the loss of trade arising from the reductionin hours. If he leased the hotel he boi'6 the loss in the shape of reduced rent i>r liad r to accept the surrender of the lease. On, accept-' ing a surrender he 'became liable to his lessee, presumably the "occupier" within the Bating Act, for the rates for the'rest of the rating year. 1 1n the case referred to him there had been no reduction in the'rent under Section 4 and there was accordingly no reduced rent in proportion to.- which -a rebate could) he calculated. The freeholder could not now 'be regarded as his own- lessee and he was 1 not. entitled to a rebate of rates in proportion to what he considered' the' letting value would be for the period December Ist, 1917, to 3Lst March 1918. ► ' From -Mr Alfred Hay ward,' drawing attention to the need for lights, in Totara street, which was awkward and dangerous to pedestrians at night at present.—Lamp to be erected when material arrives.

From Miss T.omiinson, hon. secretary of the Eed Cross branch. asking that gas be laid on for the aftwmoon tea ar- ; rangements at Trafalgar Park on Ital- j i;m Red Cross Day.—-Granted. From Mr V. Spiers, stating that unless he could' get a better ga& supplyhe would have to closei his supper roome. It was almost impossible to cooiff, and "half the time the lights were vearly' out,' and he had had to light candles on two nights. His fittings were in good order.—A memo by the Gas Engineer stated that the letter came in too late for investigation.— Referred to Gas Engineer for immediate attention'. I From. Mr F. J. Armstrong, collector and meter reader, applying for an increase in salary.-—Referred tc commit tee. COMBINED COMMITTEES REPORT. The committee, reported' inter alia On letters from Messrs Adams and Hafley (2) as to rates Masonic Hotel, copy of Mr Martin's letter to'be'sriitj, (b) as W draining from brewerthat the noiice already given m}ist*'pe. A car".afnen'djnejvE ,Ky Civ tons - second* "jby r ~Or/ -Striniger that-'tat© rtquirem^ntsi > 'Be inoaffied* w_as (c) that the* Inspector of Nuisances inspect

thpj ;^iiitar^4waiig e ßients at the Ta.«setisfl, and .report to-the Council'. On letters from, Mr C". Ter.maint and Mr O. H. Hammond n.-= to low i>ing land in Parere street.—-That _.thp,Jgfcjters .be received and acknojvredg- • letter from Messrs Chamberlain and Stauna.rd a.s to. extension of sewer in iCollingwood street.— Thai tliat "£hcr extension will be carried out as soon as possible. On: letter Jrom Mr F. Sownum as to cutting grass in Trafalgar Park.—That permission' be not granted, 'but that Messrs .Bisley .Bros, offer to graze in the 'Park, and their offer of £2 10s per annum for the right to do so be accepted.. On letter from J>ifitri-st agent Public Trustee as to drainage premises. ■ —That the -matter is receiving attention. Oil letter fmni'Mr E. S. 'CYesswell, applying for free u.«e of Trafalgar Park on August sth, for the purpose of holding a demonstration in .'connection with the Italian Hed Cross.— That application ; be granted l . As to 'City Engineer's report.— (a) As to state of .roadway, Motueka street, comsideration deferred, the committee' i. to visit; (o) as to culvert under plantation in Alton street; consideration deferred. As to shelter sheds for 'bus passengers,—Consideration deferred until alter the war (iCr. Gib'bons moved •and :Cr. Stringer seconded that the Engineer prepare a plan for a shed with conveniences, cdst not"td'-exceed £lO0 — ; lost on the ■voices). As to fire bell. Waimea road. —Consideration deferred (Cr Watson said, the 'Brigade wished the bell placed on the 'College Hill). As to right of way. 'Ritesell street.—' (a) That the City Engineer report as to the best* method of dealing with'thismatter, with «stima,te of cost; (b) that the City Engineer' * erect ■ a post and rail fence to guard' the den<j;er"ous cor- . ner. As to washout a.t, Reservoir.— That the recommendation of the :City Engineer be carried out, cost about £2BO. On letter from Mr.H. G. Kingsland as to planting trees. —Considera tio.n deferred. That the matter of lighting the street lamps on moonlight nights. 'be left to the discretion of the iGas Engineer. As to water to Railway Wharf. —That notice be given to the Railway department that the water supplyto the Railway Wharf will be cut off. Adopted.

ENGINEER'S REPORT. The City Engineer (Mi- ,5. G. Littlejohn) reported : Streets and footways.—The crusher has been; kept ■ steadily at work the. metal being used for patching nearly as fast as it is proSucecL. Patching has : been done on Wakefield Quay, Kile street, Collingwood street, Selwyn Place, Trafalgar Square, Hardy and Tasman streets. The .footpath in Upper St. Vincent street has been gravelled and repaired m Tory stiveet. The asphalt path over the Church Hill from, the Steps to Nile street has been repaired." A portion of St. Vincent street is in a very 'bad >way being low ajong -.the centre and completely worn /wit. An expenditure of about .£3O .-is required. '• v Uralnage.— The sewers in Russell street and Tipahf street have been re-' paired Iriad Gbrrie street has- been opened up in order to locate the leakage previously reported. " The atormwatea* culverts in the' Maitai at Mrs -Richardson's gate and in Milton Grove near the Tasman street school have been repair ed. ' The; ditch, in t ßr:o:nti street from Waimea 'street, has been cleaned out- | Places 1 of iPublic Recreation.. . -The ! stumps have been removeid in the Queen's Gardens as directed, the wood .being sold for £3 10s. , Work on Victory Square will be' Started ? r next week. | Miscellaneous.—One bay -of . the shed at the Tip has .b.eeii-enclosed as authorised and the site for\th6 pound isybe--iiijr levelled. Five building permiisfor : works valued at'£337 have .been issued. GAS ENGINEER'S REPORT. •- The Gas Engineer reported for the month Jth a -tth/e coal carboriisedi' totalled 377 tons lOcwt." manufactured'Ciii the same period of 1917 \Vas 4.953,400 cubic feet, against 4,794,200 cubic feet in 1918, or 12,833 cubic''feel'per "ton in 1917 against 12,700 cubic feet this, year. " There. ( There were'Bo6o'eallans of tar in h'and'. Sales of residuals, etc., amounted to £194 10s 3d. - .ABATTOIR. REPORT. The abattoir ,managei (Mr G. W Mitchell .reported that the stock slaughtered' during, the fortnight connprised :. cattle 65,: calves' 9, ..sheep 537, lames y9, pigs '26 ; total 736. Condemn- | ed during the period, one cow, one .pig, ; on/e lamb. | GENERAL.

j The Mayor moved that a return of .water meters be made in view of the scale of charges 'being amended. Be ; considered the iwater was being sold at I .too low a irate for market gardenfe, "railway station, breweries, etc.—Seconded .by Cr. Pettit and carried.-"' | Cr. "Watson reported: that a deputaJ tion from the Council hacl" met the Fire ! Brigade. The Brigade -was opposed to the creation of a fire board', and wished the council to come 'to a decision as quickly as possible, as the brigade was ■under' suspense. Cr. Carlisle said he would bring forward his resolution to esta'blish a fire board at the next meeting of the Council. '

The sSayor anoved that the' Council give Mr Neil,' the Gas .Ehginerr, testimonial under the seal of the Council.—Cai'ried, or. Carlisle opposiivg. In reply to Cr. Stringer Mr Neil stated that the worst period at the .gasworks would , be over -by the. middle of .August and he proposed to remain till then. He. was due to go into caanp on September 7ijh. Cr. Marris stated that then;' had been trouble with the gas in Waimea road on t'wo nights. Mr Neil' said the trouble was due to water in the pipes'. There m.ust be a big leak, "which the workmen would endeavour to locate. The Council rose at 9 p.m.

The statement of bank balances as at July 12th, 1918, were as follows : — ; V. I> r _ - Or. . ... .i£''d.-. General Ac. &5,383 10 4 , £ s. d. Water Ac., - : .213 .2 11 "Gfe AC ' j w < 9 1 6 ii .Ac, 2,385 15 -11 'Abattoir Ac. . . *. ■_ . 282 19 2 "Hospital and. . Charitable Aid. 291 .3 0 - Balance Dr. : . 32,309 . 2 6 . £32.592 1 . 8 32,592 1 8 Cemeteries (Trust Ac.j cr. '.29 6. 3 Contractors' Deposit.-: Ac0 count ' " ' " ~ " cr. 25 0 Trafalgar -Paris?. Ac. . :cv:-. .. 28 2 2 Drainage Extension . ; Loan. j. Account cr. 526 9 2 Amount owing to Bank on Overdraft 32,309 2 6Amount of Overdraft at present 'allowed -1 by 'bank 34,000 0 0 Present statutory - limit of - Overdraft and Temporj -ary Loan 34,000 0 0 1 . Accouiits were passed for .payment as follows : — .. - &■ d. General Account • 3-28 10 1 Gas Account 758 7>8 .Water Account ----- •; 53 6 8 Abattoir' Account • 30 ■■'4 ■9 Cemeteries Account 10 16 11 Total - ' £1181 6 1