AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13673, 14 February 1908, Page 8

AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL.

A HEKTIXG of the Auckland City Council was held last evening, when there were present: The Mayor (Mr. A- M. Myers), and Messrs. J. Court, C. J. Parr, H. M. Smceton, A. J. Entrican, P. M. Maekay, W. C. Soruers, G. Knight, C. Grey, A. E. Glover, L. J. Bagnall, R. Tudehope, M. Casey, and R. Farrell. Humanised Milk: The chairman of the meeting held in the Opera House on Sunday forwarded the resolution passed regarding a humanised milk «*PP'. V - -M"* letter was forwarded to tho Finance Committee for consideration. Massed Bands Performance: The Auckland citv bands -requested permission to hold a massed bands performance in the Albert Park on March 15, and to take tip a collection in aid of the funds.. .The Council granted the necessary permission. _ Police Protection for the Domain: I.he Commissioner of Police wrote to say that tho matter of police protection for Auckland Domain would receive consideration. Waitakerei Reserve: William Thomas Nutting, a settler on the Waitakerei water reserve, complained that the blackberry bushes on the Council's property had only been cut along the road frontage, and a great proportion of the briars was left untouched. He also asked for a deviation of the road through Waitakerei -watershed. In regard to preservation of tho bush and fauna, the watershed was practically unprotected. He had frequently seen men on the "Cuttygrass Road shooting native birds, and also molesting the kauri trees for gum, and several times the bush narrowly escaped fires. He offered to act as a ranger. The letter was referred to the Works Committee.

Boundary Lines: The town clerk of Parnell wrote requesting the City Council "to appoint a committee to confer with a Parnell committee and determine tho boundary lino of the city and Parnell. Recent surveys divided allotments hitherto supposed to be within the city boundary. The Works Committee was instructed to consult with the Parnell committee.

Examination of Milk: Dr. Purely wrote saying that it was customary now'in most modern cities to have a bacteriologist attached to the municipal staff to examine milk, water supply, etc. In London and other large centres this examination was conducted daily. Once a month would be sufficient in Auckland to examine the water supply. Probably Dr. Frost, bacteriologist to Auckland Hospital, would bo willing to undertake the work, and as Mr. J. A. Pond was analyst to the Council, and analysed the water from time to time, the chain of evidence would be complete, and the city would bo in the position of receiving sufficient warning in case of an outbreak of fever. It was agreed to refer this matter to the Finance Committee. Wages of Carters: The Streets Committee, in reporting in regard to the wages of carters, recommended that the previous decision of the Council in regard to carters' wages be adhered to, but that all carters be taken on at award rates of pay. Messrs. Tudehope, Bagnall, and Entrican strongly urged that the award rate of wages should be adhered to, and that there was no reason why the Council should pay its carters more than was received by other carters in the city. Mr. Grey said that if the men did their work well they were entitled to the small extra amount that was being paid. Mr. Bush (city engineer) stated that the rise of 6d a day which was given to the carters had been made in consequence of the wages of the labourers being raised. Waitemata and Beaumont Streets: The Streets Committee reported that the city engineer had received a letter from the Gas Company to the effect that it was unable to entertain any proposal for temporary faculties for a, footpath across the company's land from Waitemata-street until the Harbour Board had decided as to what future operations they were likely to carry out. The committee recommended that the city solicitor be consulted as to the liability of the Council, and subject to his advice being that the Council is not liable steps be taken to provide a path across the Gas Company's property from Waitemata-street to Beau-mont-street. Mr. Parr urged that the Council should negotiate right away for the acquisition of sufficient land to give a public road right through from New-street to Beau-mont-street. He moved that the Streets Committee be instructed to negotiate for the purchase of the land required, and that failing an agreement as to value the same bo taken under tho Public Works Act. The motion was carried.

Turner-street: A letter received from the Department of Roads stated that Turnerstreet would be exempted from the operation of the Public Works Act, 1905, on condition that the consent of the property owners to the setting back of the building line for 25ft from the centre of the street on each side be obtained.

Tramways: The Electric and Tramways Committee recommended that the Tramways Company be again strongly urged to make provision to facilitate the sale of packets of tickets to tho public; that as the seats in cars Nos. 20 and 38 are longitudinally placed the licenses be amended to permit of 10 passengers being carried standing inside; and that the electrical engineer bo requested to report in regard to the discontinuance of the switch boys at the corner of Wellesley and Queen Streets. The clause, in regard to the number of strap-hangers to be allowed in the two cars was referred back to tho committee.

Leys Institute: Tim Leys Institute Committee reported donations and purchases of various books, the resignation of Mr. W. Cecil Leys as president, and the election of Mr. T. W. Leys to that office for the ensuing year. On the subject of a children's library the committee recommended that the subscription for boys and girls under 18 years of age be reduced from 10s to 5s per annum, 2s 6d per half-year, or Is 6d per quarter. The report was adopted. Cab Stands: The Cabmen's Union wrote asking for the establishment of an up-to-date cabstand at the foot of Queen-street or in Quay-street. As the Government had decided to build the new post office at the railway station it would be necessary to provide a "feeder" cabstand in Quay-street, with a cabmen's shelter, telephone, etc., as was established in Wellington. It was patent to anyone'that the present system of allowing four or five cabs to stand in Queenstreet opposite the railway station would have to be altered when the post office was erected, and there should be positions allotted to single cabs in different parts of the street, these positions to bo filled up when vacant from the feeder stand. Dr. Purdy forwarded a letter saying that the proprietor of the Imperial Hotel had complained against the condition of the cabstand opposite the hotel. He (Dr. Purdy) had no doubt one of the Council's committees would take into consideration the whole question of the accommodation for cabs in the city, and he had suggested some time ago that the system in vogue in Melbourne, whore the onus of keeping shelters and cab ranks clean was mainly taken over by the cabmen in return for suitablo accommodation, should be tried here. The city engineer said instructions had been given for the street to be recoated at the point complained of. Unfortunately the fact that in connection with the drainage scheme new sewers would have to be laid in every street in the low-lying portions of the city prevented him from recommending such permanent works of paving as he would like to. The Council decided to refer the wholo matter to the Works Committee.