AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8961, 19 August 1892, Page 3

AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the City Council was held last night). Present: The Mayor (Mr. VV. Crowther), and Messrs. Paterson, Hewson, Lavera, Courtney, Wright, Swales, Dig nan. Luks, Atkin, Holland, Kidd, Farrell, Trenwith, Warren, Garratt, Grey, Julian, and Dr. Walker. ' Wooden House Building.—Mr. Joseph Oakley "asked the Council to reconsider their decision refusing him permission to build a wooden cottage on lot 15, section 50, Selwyn-strset. Referred to the Streets Committee.

Upper Queen street Retaining Wall. —Messrs. Bycroft and Co. wrote, stating that they considered the Council's offer of £30 towards the erection of a retaining wall in front of their property in Upper Queenstreet insufficient, and asking that they should be granted the same proportion of cost which had been allowed to their neighbours, the total estimated cost being £150. The engineer reported that the Council had voted £30 to Messrs. T. and H. Cooke on an estimated cost of £150—whatever less their actual expenditure might have been— so that Messrs. Bycroft and Co. were being treated on exactly the same lines. He could not advise any increase in the offer, as the Council could erect a temporary timber wall which would last for many years. It was decided to adhere to the previous offer made by the Council. St. Thomas's Schoolroom.—The trustees of St. Thomas's schoolroom applied for exemption from rates, the building being used exclusively for religious and parochial purposes. Referred to the Finance Committee.

Permit for Signboard.— G. Whaley appliod for permission to erect a small signboard under the lamp in front of the VVyndham street Baths. The engineer reported that to grant the application would be contrary to the building regulations, but the board would be nine feet from the ground, and would do no harm. The permit was granted. Elam School of Art. —Mr. F. R. Claude, chairman of the Elatn Free School of Art trustees, wrote asking that further inquiry should be made before the Auckland Teachers' Association were granted the use of the room recently vacated by the school. It this course were pursued it virtually meant throwing the suite of rooms open to the public—a most undesirable thing seeing that valuable property was kept there— practically separating those connected with the school from the room used as a lecture room, besides depriving them of a certain amount of light which for their purposes was *ery necessary. He also stated that the institution had now become so useful that greater accommodation would probably ere long be required. Mr. E. W. Payten wrote to the same effect, pointing out that the room in question was the last one unappropriated, and that if it were granted to the Teachers' Association, the trustees of the Elam School of Art would be prevented from carrying out an extension the trustees hoped to make. Consideration of the letters was deferred until the Legal Committee's report came before the Council.

Fence Wanted.—Mr. A. R. Green way wrote asking the Council to erect a substantial fence at the back of his property in Lome-street and at the rear of the Drill-shed. He stated that the previous fence had been buried by the Council in the exercise of permission granted them to deposit earth on the land, and that the property had now become a thoroughfare to the one adjoining, owned by Mr. W. Crowther, to the inconvenience and annoyance of himself and his tenants. The Engineer reported that there was no fence at the back of the property when the late Mr. Christopher Greenway gave permission for the filling in in 1885. It was decided to forward a copy of the Engineer's report to Mr. Greenway.

Lighting Quay -street.—The Auckland Harbour Board .requested the Council to re-consider their decision relative to lighting Quay-street. On the motion of Mr. Dignan it was decided to erect the two lamps applied for by the Board.

Petition.—Mr. Wright presented a petition from Ponsonby ratepayers calling attention to the stato of Elizabeth-street, and askinjr that some channelling work should be done. Referred to the Streets Committee.

Streets Committee.—This committee reported as follows: —1. Letter from the secretary of the Hebrew congregation trust re asphalting Princes street: Your committee recommends that the application be granted. 2. Mr. Luks's motion re treeplanting in Patteson-street: Your committee has deferred consideration until the planting season, trees not being available, and has instructed Mr. Goldie to reserve all Oriental plane trees for street-planting. The report was adopted.

Legal Committee.—This committee recommended as follows :—l. Letter from president New Zealand Educational Institute re room for Institute's library : That sufficient space be given in the room vacated by the Elam School of Art, fittings to be to satisfaction of City Engineer, and at the expense of the applicants. 2. Letter from the secretary of the General Trust Board re cemetery wall, Symonds-street: That a reply be sent in effect of Engineer's report, viz., that no filling has been made inside the cemetery wall, but the Council will form tho footpath to its full width, if the trustees erect a sufficient fence. 3. Tenders for printing catalogues (five received and referred for report): That Mr. Wilkinson's tender be accepted for 200 copies No. 1 (reference) and 750 No. 2 (lending). Mr. Garratt moved, seconded by Dr. Walker, "That the first clause be struck out." After somo discussion the amendment was carried. The remainder of the report was agreed to.

Finance Committee.—This committee recommends as follows :—I. Letter from Auckland Society of the New Church re remission of rates : That rates be remitted while the building is used only for religious worship, on payment of arrears, £1 16s 9d. 2. Memo, from Town Clerk re annual insurances : That advertisements be inserted for tenders for insurance business. 3. Letter from St. Paul's Church trustees, offering Emily Place site for £1375: That five allotments in Wakefield-street be offered without prejudice, at a peppercorn rent, in exchange for the site in Princes-street. The Mayor moved, " That the last clause be struck out," explaining that circumstances had arisen which rendered it unnecessary that the matter of St. Paul's site should be dealt with that evening. It would come up again. The clause was struck out and the report, as amended, adopted. Lighting of Queen-street. —The engineer, in reporting upon the lighting of the new lamps in the city, suggested that it might now bo a question worthy of consideration as to whether or not the Queenstreet lamps should bo kept alight all night, instead of being extinguished at midnight, as at present. Referred to the Streets Committee. Steam-roller.— Tenders were ordered to be called for repairs to tho steam roadroller. Assistant Librarianship. — Sixty-one applications were received for the post of assistant librarian, and, on the motion of Mr. Kidd, they were referred to the Library Committee to be reduced to six.