AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13234, 20 July 1906, Page 7

AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Auckland City .Council, held last evening, was attended by the Mayor (Mr. A. M. Myers), and Messrs. J. Court, W. E. Hutchison, A. J. Entrican, H. M. Smeeton, L. J. Bagnall, G. Knight, C. D. Grey, R. Tudehope, and R. Farrell.

Offer to Sell Land at Waitakerei; A letter was received from Mr. F. J. Russell, of Henderson, offering to sell 837 acres of land at Waitakerei, with buildings thereon, at £1 10s an acre. The engineer in charge ait the waterworks (Mr. H. M. Wilson) reported that the offer was worth considering for the sake of preserving a very beautifill bush along the eastern slopes of the Waitakerei ranges, where some fine kauri trees could be seen. The Council had already acquired all the land required for the purposes of the water supply out of this property, and he suggested that the Government might be induced to contribute towards the purchase of the additional area in question in the interests of scenic preservation. The matter was referred to the Streets Committee.

Renall-street: A further letter was received from the Roads Department stating that the question of exempting Renallstreet, Ponsonby, from the operation of section 117 of the Public Works Act, 1905, had been carefully considered by the Premier, but that as the street was less than the minimum width prescribed by the Act of 1900 (even in exceptional cases), the'request could not be complied with. The matter was referred back to the Streets Committee.

A, Proposed Park: Mr. G. B. Osmond wrote conveying an offer to sell the Council a piece of land at Bayfield (near ■ Cox's Creek) for the purpose of a public park, for £1200,' The Mayor moved that the letter be referred to the Streets Committee. Mr. Parr seconded, and hoped that the Streets Committee would approach the matter sympathetically. , There could be no question about the" necessity for a breathing space in Ponsonby, which was the most thickly populated part of the city without one. If this land could be acquired, and he thought it could be obtained at a much cheaper figure than asked hoped that the Streets Committee would make a recommendation in the direction of securing it. The motion was. carried.

Resignation of a Clerk: A letter was received from Mr. S. Riley, resigning the position of clerk. to the city valuer, and asking to be relieved of his duties on Saturday next. The city valuer (Mr. Hickling) reported that it would be inconvenient-to lose Mr. Riley's services ait such short notice. Mr. Entricaiu thought that the Council .should insist upon a month's notice. Mr. Parr: Oh, pay a bigger salary, and then they ' will stay. Mr. Enlrican said (hat if they sanctioned iti in this case they would have to do it in others. If Mr. Riley was not prepared to give a. month's notice, then lie should not have applied for the position. The Mayor agreed with Mr. Entriean. The Council would be strictly within their rights in insisting 011 a- month's notice. Mr. Entriean .said temporary assistance for a position" or this kind was absolutely useless. It was decided to ask Mr. Riley to give a month's notice in terms of his engagement. >' The Tramway Tracks: Mr. Hutchison called attention to the state of the tramway track, which lie said was disgraceful in all parts' of the city, the rails being in many places as much as an inch and a-lialf above the cubes. The matter was referred to the engineer. ■ Mechanics' Bay Sewer: The city'engineer, in reporting 011 the alleged nuisance at the outlet of Mechanics' Bay sewer, started that he had twice visited the outlet, but without finding any nuisance; that he would keep the out-let' under observation, and.that, pending consideration of the sewage scheme for the whole city, it would be impossible -to make any alterations in the sewer. Swanson-slreet: The Streets Committee, in reporting upon the petition from certain ratepayers, that Swanson-street from Hobson to Albert Streets, be made available for vehicular traffic, stated) that the engineer had" reported! that- he con Id not- recommend the Council to make this portion of Swan-son-street available for vehicular traffic, but that the present grades might be materially improved, and better accommodation provided for pedestrian traffic. The committee had visited Swanson, Chapel, and' Moore Streets, and bad referred the matter to the engineer, to report, on the advisability of reducing the streets to permanent levels in sections as opportunity offers, and also 011 the cost of the work. The report- was ' 'Aieft of City Property: The Streets Committee, in its report, stated that the town clerk and city engineer had reported that- the brass bosses in the urinal in Dur-ham-street had been stolen, and that- they had advised the police, and, placed a notice in the urinal offering -a reward of £2. They recommended that a standing reward be offered for information leading to the conviction of anv person damaging such city property. The suggestions were approved. . - ■ . Curran-street: It was resolved, on the recommendation of the Streets Committee, that plans and specifications be prepared for forming Curran-street, Ponsonby, to the permanent level. One-tree Hill Domain; It was resolved, on the recommendation of the Finance Committee, to declfne the application for a contribution towards the cost of forming a road to the summit of One-tree Hill, it being considered unwise to establish a precedent.

' Carting Steel Pipes: In reference to some complaints re the cutting up of the roads in the Avondale Road District by the cartage of the pipes for the Waitakerei waterworks extension, the Mayor said that the city solicitor had advised' that the Council had incurred no liability in the matter. The Council had let a contract, and it was for the contractor to carry it out, or refer the matter to the sub-contractors. The New Waterworks Loan: The Finance Committee reported that the city solicitor had advised that the Council could not legally pay the sinking fund on the new waterworks loan direct to the Australian Mutual Provident Society. The committee recommended: 1. That the sinking fund upon the waterworks £150,000 loan be paid over to the Auckland City Sinking Fund Commissioners, with instructions to invest the same in the same class of securities as the other sinking funds under their care. 2. That in view of the city solicitor's opinion, the Council do not exercise the option to redeem the debentures yf the loan by annual payments to the Australian Mutual Provident Society. The report was adopted. Tenders: The following tenders were received for alterations to reservoir .roofs; — J. W. Swales, £863 10s; C. Waddingham, £1007 lis; King and Young, £863 3s 6d; Geo. Clairk, , £950; McLeod and Green, £890 16s 4d. The waterworks engineer's estimate for the work was £890 16s 4d. The tenders were referred to the Streets Committee. The tender of Harkins aucl Moulolen, at £25 15s 9d, was accepted for the supply of lamp posts and frames. Several tenders were also received for the;supply of lanterns, and Charles Judd, at £60, being the lowest, was accepted. »