CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5356, 16 January 1879, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of :he City Council was held yesterday. Preseut His Worship the Mayor (Mr. T. Peacock, ia the ch-tir), and Messrs. Waddel, Thompson, CJrowthor, E. Isaacs, Fleming, and J. Cosgrave. Minutes akd Correspondence. — The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed, I and the headiugs of out-goiug correspondence I authorised by the Council V7ere also read. The committee minutes were read. Saturday Half-holiday.—A circular was read from the grocers re the ."Saturday afternoon half-holiday. It wa3 addressed to the Town Clerk, with a lequest that he should introduce it in the Council, in view of co-operatiou. The Town Cleric stated that all the employees were now paid on Friday.—The letter was received. Hobson-street.—George Warroll, through T. 13. Hannaford, wrote complaining of damage to his property through the cutting-down of Hobsou-street, and asking to have his house made accessible.—Referred to the Works Committee. Special Ratk.—The Comptroller and AuditorGeneral wrote signifying approval of the reduction of the special rate upon the city of Auckland, upon which the £20,000 loan was raised, from Gd to 3d for a period of two years. At the close of that term he would, on being furnished with the accessary data, be prepared to consider a renewal of the reduction.—.Received. Hospitals and Charitable Institutions. —A circular letter was received from the Secretary of the Treasury, calling attention to section 5 of the Financial Arrangements Act, 187S. — The letter was received. Firb Bbigads Anniversary.—Charles H. Brown, Decretory of the Firo Brigado, wrote intimating that the Brigade would celebrate their anniversary early noxfc month, and asked a donation from the Council.—On the motion of Mr. Isaacs, a sum of £10 was granted. Obstruction.—Mr. Coaipton wrote, guaranteeing the removal of his building on the completion of his brick premises, and when required by the Council.—lt was agreed to grant the application on the terms specified. Fire Brigade.—The Superintendent of the Fire Brigade wrote as follows " Sir, —Sup-

plementing my letter of the •- urgently recommend thai 500 feet of h * 1 procured, either canvas or leather— th t e k tity being required, -? w .hen a been used at a lire, anil returned to th» . it can be replaced with dry Uoae thus"-'n time for hose to be well dried and -'re! ,"? ■ fore being put on the reeia. —l\? n f HI'GKUS."—It '.v.ii agreed to leav» I over until the finance committee'! renirt ' er i before the meetirii;. ' Cl ®? f Tanwerv AT \Vestbiw SPRISOS - I i„ from Mr. J. Howard, Cniiriu.m of"»he k** land Taunery Co., stated that the company '' prepared to surremler the e.Tistin- 21 Y-: ■■ : of the Western Springs .Mill, if by sodoin' t s ' " could secure an extension of the sa:ne f ' J years, but did not consider thennelvM 3 r in giving up the present lease 0,1 the cii.inc? ■ bscomins; the lesaees, if the property w r . ; up to public auction. Should the Council^ 5 £ tertain the surrender of the leas, on'tims* ditions, the company was to""' ' £140 per annum for the first 21. jv i- 3 ° : ' e [ £200 per annum for the rerr^ini n '> r years, and to guarantee an ture of £5000 on the property within •{! nest two years.—The M .yor -■ they call the attention of toe cusniTtnv tn »^ at iliißculties which eiisted, iiiul tba; a c" suit.ition of th-ir solicitor aud the CuunJr should be held to see whether there was a w out of the legal (liiiiculty, so that the CtiuM could entertain the question.— A motion tu t'.V effect \va3 carried.—ilr. Waddel calk-l afe- 3 to the fact, that when tin! existing graHted it was not a city eadowrneuf. " 15 Vr£LLI.NC,r<jN--STKEhT O'LTI'ING. — Jl r . Eurtt, as ageuc for the K_-t. Dr. Ki ; . ;,'. r ' . ' intimating that the cutting iu Wellingtoii'-strett was endangering his scoria building, and fn t i m ating that the City Couucil would be h-!ii' r «." ponsible for any dacuage.— The letter received. Leasehold Property. ~llr. li. s. LincoU wrote asking to be relieved of his property a* the corner of Symonils ami Mount-streets s ", the Council would not reduce the lent oi'thi allotment. The rent Was £15 a -ye.tr, and i year s rental was now due. It was a leise newly entered on.—The nutter was referred the Finance Cuinaiittee. Drat and Cabt Stand.—A letter from the Secretary of the Harbour Board was read, i D reply, to a letter from the Council, asking to hav« a dray and cart scaud reserved on tlic recUmatiou. Ho enclosed the following resolution, *' That the Guy Council ba intoraied tha^ this Board have no l»u.l available for the purpose of r. cart ami dray..stand/'—Letter received. WOODEN Blildinuo IN* afBEET. —The Secretary of the Bat hour Board in reply to a letter from the Town Clerk, for warded the followiug resolution Hut tht City Council be informed that the occupants of wooden buildiugs in Custom-house-street have received notice in terms of arrangement with the City Council and that a copy of F. VViUiatuVs letter be forwarded to the Council, with the request that as the land occupied by the referred to is not at present, ieouiied by ioCouncil, the request of such letter be granted." Tke applicant is a occupying a tenement at the eastern corner or the Q-iecii-strect Wharf, and he complained that if be had remove, his business would he mined.—Mr. Isaacs moved, 4 * That the matter be deferred ! uutil Mr. Williams was iu a position to fix a definite date."—lt was moved to he referred to the Public Works Committee, and after some discus-ion, an ameudtneuc by ilr. Thompson, "That the Harbour Board be requested to carry out their agreement, ,v was carried. Kelson-street. — A. petition was received from the residents in Nelson-street, complainiu£ of their properties beinj; injured through the street level which had been fixed, and requesting that it might be re-oousidered. —The City Surveyor reported that the present grade was adopted at the solicitation of the persons signing the paper.—The petition -was received. Finance and General Purposes Coh 3IITTEIS : Salaries of DrriCEKS.—Tne report of this committee was as foliowd: — 4i Printing: Your committee have authorised tenders obtained for the printing for the current year. Salaries : Tour committee recommend that the salaries for the ensuing year be as under— Town Clark", £4Ud ; Treasurer, ; receiver, ili.'aO; Citri k lieceivcr's olrloe, £100; do. Town Cierk's ofdoe, J£7s; .Deliverer nf Notices, £7o; Inspector of Dangerous Coois, .iJ-0 ; Valut-r, £IUU; iIIJU ; iutendeot ami Ksjgincer Waterworks Depaiimens, Clerk, £125; In«|tector of Abattoirs, £<5 ; ••Superintemient of F:r-.- Brigaik. £l? 5 0; Sanitary £175; Auditor?, c.ich £'20. lie the iindowtnent Loan motion, the conimiitce do Lot piopose to take auv action at present. The committee reeomnieu iJI that the question of si tughter-hou?e fu?* be deferred until tiie meat inspection by-laws be brought into operation, Th« Accounts were authorise i to lie pad to tLo of £0.3-> li_'s. The items of salari'.-s were taken atriu(i:/i. The oniy adv.iiices wei?, the surveyor to the city from £-vT>O to £400, Town Clerk's assistant from £05 to £75. —Mr. Isaac? said he considered .Ur. l'hilips was wor:b more than his present salaty, and move I. " That his salary be increased £50 a-yoar."_ The Mii3*or secundrd and stippoited the nroticn, spoke of the elKcieut manner iu which the duties of Towu Clerk \rere performed by Mr. Philips.—Air. Thompson objected, and said the Council's nuances would noc ac.md the increase of salaries. This was plainly brought out at the list ommittce meeting.—Mr. Cosgrave considered th.it the action of the committtc >'«? the sah: l ies should be taken aud passed as a whole, iii.s in detail. There was only one councillor absent from that committee meeting.—Mr. G'rwwther, in opposing the motion, referred to the stuailuess of the Borough f.s compared «:th Wellington ami other cities, lie agreed they could not h.tve a better otlicer. —3lc3srj. Waddel and Fleming, iu opposing the increase of s.iliry, testified to Mr. Philips's ability.—Mr. Isaac* replied, and tho amen«lment, moved by Mr. 'ihouipson and secomltd by 3lr. Waddel, that tiie salary rein an y.t £'40») a-year, was carrieil. The other salaries were voted to rern tin as raco.nuieuded.— lie the surveyor's increase of salary, .Mr. Waddel mov-jd that it as it is, and Mr. Thompson seconded.—The aniemiuieut was put aud lost.Mr. Fho-npson asked for a divisiou, which ums accorded. For the amendment: Messrs. Waddel, Crowthcr, and Tiiouipsoii. Against : Coagravo, Fleming, Isaacs, and che Mayor. TLe original motion, proposed by Mr. Cosgiave, w.ts carried.—The other salaries were passed, sl f the report as a whole was then adopted. Public Wokks Comjiittee.—This committee's report recommended the acceptance of James £>emp3ey's contract for completion of works in Victoria-street (£350). That permission bo granted to James Coiupton to remove his wooden house to adjoiuiug allotment, during erection oi brick building, provided he entered into a bond to remove it when required. That Fisher and Co. be allowed a supply of water on the saaa# terms as last ye.tr. That the Domain Board be allowed free use of water to the extent 10,000 gallons, provided they supplied a meter at their own expense. The committee also authorised certain payments.—The report was adopted. Balance-sheet. — The balance-sheet and statement of accounts were read and confirmed, and the accounts were ordered for payment. Printing.—Only one tender for printing was received. Ifc was from Mr. W. Atkin, Highstreet.—lt was agreed to accept the tender. Pumping-statios.-Tho report (coal consumption, &c.) was ordered to lie on the tablv. The amount of water pumped to Pousonby reservoir during the month of December w*s 0,545,900 gallons, and to Ivyber Pass 3,995,-40 gallons. Baths.—The competitive designs for tLe baths were referred to the Works' Committee, with power te accept designs. Street Levels.—This was the day and timt appointed for hearing objections to the levels of the following streets : — SShortland-street froui Field's Lane upwards, Princes-street to the Club-house, Emily Place, Waterloo Quadrant, Sycaonds-street to Grafton Road, Grafton Road, Domain-street. Stanley-street, the Strand, Alt en Road, Havelock-slreet, Wynyard*street, Parliament-street, Eden Crescent, Jennynstreet, Eden-street, Short-street. Objections in writing were received from Robert Kay, Par-liament-street; from William Norrie, and 121 other residents in Shortland-street; from A. E. Isaacs, attorney for Henry Isaacs, John Grey, and David Nathau, and a number ft others re the Eden Cresceut levels.—Mr. L.D. Nathan appeared in support of the objection lodged by him on behalf of David Nathan. Mr. Voung also ajjpeared to support the objection to cutting down Shoriland-street, and Mr. Aitkan also urged that the work was not necessary, and Mr. J. Blackmau supported his statement.—Mr. Isaacs moved, "That the matter |be referred b ick for consideration until the City Surveyor's return." — Mr. CrowtLcr seconded the motion. This concluded the business.