CITY BOARD—Tuesday.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 274, 28 September 1864, Page 5

CITY BOARD—Tuesday.

.The usual weekly meeting of tho City Board '""is hold nt their office, Canada Buildings, yesterday nftornoon. Mr. David Graham in the chair. Present: Messrs. I'inlay, George, Sheehan, Swansoii, Darby, Maeready, and Turnbull. The Secretary read" the minutes of tho previous mooting which were duly confirmed. COKItESI'ONIIENCE. The Secretary then read tho correspondence received by him during the past week. From Mr. Voter Grace, complaining of tho state of tho roads in AYyndhani-street, and requesting that steps may be taken by the Board to repair the same. Mr. Sheehan said the evil was not merely confined to 'Wyndham-streot, and he trusted the Board would see to tho matter at once. I It was agreed after some discussion that tho work should be executed. A letter was also read from some of the inhabitants ol the houses in Karangaliapo Koad, complaining of the state of the drainage in that locality, and ealljng attention to Mr. Buchanan's memorial on that subject. air. -"Uaercady said it was impossible for the City Board to do anything with this road. The Secretary said that the subject was referred to in the engineer's report. A letter was read from 13 of the inhabitants in the locality of Eden Crescent, and calling attention to (he state of the drainage. The Secretary observed that the subject, lisul been moved before, but deferred iti consequence of the city levels. Mr. Maeready thought, a few loads of scoria and the drain cleared out would settle tho complaint. It was afterwards decided that the Chairman should see the Superintendent respecting the road in question. Hie Secretary then read a copy of correspondence from the Superintendent of the Fire Brigade agreeing to tho terms mentioned in a resolution adopted by the City Board held on the 13th inst; forwarding also an inventory of the lire engine and its appendages. Another letter was reail from the Provincial Secretary stating that the Superintendent had authorised the payment of the sum of .CoOO in aid of expenses incurred by the Board in sinking public wells m this city, which was ordered to be duly acknowledged ; also, from the Provincial Secretary, stating that his Honor tho Superintendent had received a letter from the Colonial Secretary, inclosing a eommunicatiou from the Collector of Customs respecting the stoppage of a drain in the Custom-house yard, and believes that as this locality was within tho jurisdiction of the Commissioners, it was deshable that the matter should be brought into notice. This letter inclosed also some ollicial documents, respecting the same. Mr. Fiiiluy thought the place did not want drainage ; if it was filled in it would answer the purpose. After some discussion it was resolved that the road in question should be filled up. The Secretary stated that a number of the ratepayers were summoned, and the cases would be heard to-morrow. STONE URKiKINU. Several agreements were read by tho Secretary from various persons engaging to break stones at Mount Kdeu for ss. per cubic yard, as per previous advertisement to that, ellect, issued by the Board. Air. Maeready said lie considered 3s. (id. per yard was quite sullici'-nt to give for the work, lie felt sure iiu industrious man could make 7s. per dav at the work. It was not intended to give a high rate of wages, but simply as a lesort to the unemployed, as was done by the Otago Government at the time of the gold-digging panic. Mr. X'inlay said ho considered the advertisement in question was issued with the intention of tmdimr work for tho unemployed, and not for supplying good paying contracts to speculative persons, it was afterwards decided that a properly qualified engineer should be appointed to invito tenders for doing tho work by machine, as it was believed that tho work could bo done for about 2s. Ikl. TKN'IIKIIS. The tender of Yiekery and Masefield for the repair of a stone breaking machine, was accepted. The contractors offered ,fJS as security for the contract, which would amount to about £70. MECHANICS* BAY. Messrs. Sheehan, Einlay, and Maeready, were appointed the Committee to examine the works in Mechanics' Bay rrm.ic nuisances. Mr. Maeready complained of the public nuisance allowed to exist in allowing earth to be thrown upon Albert-street and other public roads, lie did not know whose fault it was, but if the Board paid salaries it had a right to expect that the work should be done. Mr. Sheehan quite agreed with the last speaker, and considered that fuller power should be given to the Inspector of Nuisanccs. Tho summer was coming on, and the population had immensely increased. it therefore behoved the Board to jnit an cml to the matter at once. Mr. Finluy, said it was impossible for the inspector of Nuisances to do his duty, when he was compelled to be ill the oflice acting as second clerk, tins was wrong and lie thought the proper sphere lor the. inspector was in the streets. The Inspector of Nuisances explained that mil >a ces were generally deposited in the dead liourof night, the police could help him very materialy. lie had been requested to remain in the otliee, and help the Secretary ; he could conscientionaLly say lie liad done his duty. Until there was drainage in this city, it would bo impossible to prevent nuisances, ho diii not shrink from any .investigation, but rather courted it. Mr. Maeready had liiinself, asked him to stay in the ollice for three weeks. 31 r. Maeready denied ever asking the Inspector to wait in the oflice so loiig a time as three weeks. The chaiiman said the question before the meeting was the removal of a certain nuisance ; at the same time the remarks that had been elicited from Mr. Maeready and others, were much to the purpose. It was impossible for the Inspector or any other man to be übiquitous. The chairman suggested that, a book should be kept and left upon ttie table, in tho office, for complaints to bo entered in. It was proposeil and seconded, tliat tho application for the sum of £'2,000 be allowed'. it was further moved and carried " That the Board approve of the estimate now read, and resolve that a rate of six-pence on each one pound btcrling of the value of the property assessable is necessary to raise tho money required, and further resolve tluit on Tuesday, the -lib day of October, I.SG-t, a rate of that amount on the rateable value of the property assessable, bo laid under tho ' City Board Act, 18G3, Amendment Act' for the period from Ist Juno to 30th November, ISO 4, both days inclusive, and that tho statement of the proposed rate be deposited in the Board-room for inspection of tho rate-payers, and that the requisite noticcs thereof be inserted in tho New Zeai-anj) liEitAi.ii, the JS\w Zcalaudcr and tho JJaihj tSuuthirn Cross newspapers." It was then proposed and seconded " That the plans and specifications for the Market House be displayed in the Board-room, for tho benefit of the rate-payers." Proposed and seconded that the Secretary see the inhabitants of Grey-street for the purpose of obtaining their guarantee for tho payment of tho £-100 promised for the repairs of that street. The following report of the City Engineer was then read. Enuixeek's Kei'ort fkom 13tii Sei'TEMiikk to HT'l'll bJII'TEMUEtI, lblif. " City Engineer's Oflice, Auckland, 27th September, iSlif. "To the Chairman and tho Board :— ;I Genti.kmen,—According to your instructions I have pushed the work in Fort-street, Connuereestreot, ami Custom House-street; tho three lamps auil posts are fixed and tho work proceeding satisfactorily. " 1 have surveyed Mr. Buchanan's property and the cum: is as follows :—Tho water passes from a gutter pool on the suburban side of the lvurangnhapo Koad and by a drain crosses the road to tho city gutter, running along it about fifty yards turning on to the lmd by Ati-. H»ynes house, running over tho

snrface of tho reaches a port-holo at, tlio back of Mr. Lorrigan's pivmic.es and then across it private lane about twenty feet wide, anil made a deep hole in the lano nine ton feet deep, by six or seven loot wide, about six feet across the lane from f hence down Mr. Buchanan's land which is naturally a. gidlv, washing away Uio upper land, and slipping this allotment lower us well as tho adjoining allotment. " 1 have seen Messrs. Vickery <fc Co. about tho repairs of the; stone-breaking* machine, and Mr. Vielcery states it is being done as fast as possible. " I have prepared working drawings and specification for tlie proposed works in Grey-street, and tiie present contractors arc agreeable to carry out tho additional works at tho same sehedulo of' prices as tlie lirat contract. " 1 have made an inventory and duplicate of tho fire-engine and appendages, one of wliieli I have Itiinded to Mr. Gilbert, and the signed duplicate I hiivo bunded to your secretary Mr. Ogilvie. ! really must call your attention to the dangerous state of Albert street arising from tlie deptlv of cutting. X have seen three gentlemen on the property, and called their attention to tho dangerous state of Albert-street Buildings, and I am assured by one of them that the board is in no degree liable for any accident that may occur by tlie side land slipping into the cutt ing, as there was an agreement made and signed by the owners of Albert-street property to have the sides cut. plumb-line down. I need not, fear, •'ind thanked mo for my anxiety on his account. Another gentleman told me that he knew well enough it would stop, but ho did not know when, and when it did ho would send for an anchor and moor it fast; but, however jocose and pleasant all these gentlemen treated me, 1 must not forget my duty to you and the public, and I now distinctly toll you, gentlemen, that as soon as the cutting is made, or during the progress most likely, tho bind will slip and bring with it all that stands upon it, and I hope yon will tako it into your consideration that after I have given you this notice 1 an not in any degree liable for anything that may occur in Albcrt-.-trcol, through the making of this road cutting. "I proposo a granite crossing in Fort-street; shall it be done 'i '■ .1 am, gentlemen, " Your obedient humble servant, "8. I!i:amaii I''hasi, " City Kngineer." The accounts were gono into, and tho meeting then separated.