THE CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16019, 10 September 1915, Page 4

THE CITY COUNCIL.

REPLACING TOWN . CLOCK.

INSURANCE COMPANY'S

OFFER.

OLD TIMEPIECE TO BE SOLD.

The Auckland City Council met last night "when there were present: The Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson, Miss E. Melville, and Messrs. A. J. Entrican, G. Knight, H. D. Heather, G. W. Murray, J. Burton, H. N. Bagnall, G. Baildon, F. Brinsden, E. J. :Carr, J. Dempsey, W. J. Holdsworth, P. M. Mackay, P. J. Nerheny, J. Trevethick ■ and J. A. Warnock.

The Question of replacing the old town clock, removed when the premises of the New Zealand Insurance Company were demolished to make way for a new building, was the subject of a report from the Works Committee.

The committee first wrote to the Sew Zealand Insurance Company intimating that no allocation had been 'made in the ' estimates for a new clock in Queen Street, but pointing out that if any publicspirited citizen should see his way to erect ja clock, the council would maintain it. i The Insurance Company, in reply, stated ; that a dock would be provided m the new buildings without cost to the council, provided permission was given for the timepiece to project over the pavement about the level of the third floor. An offer was ; also made to place a temporary clock on I the corner of Victoria Arcade.

The offer of the New Zealand Insurance Company to donate a clock to the city was accepted with thanks, the work to be carried out subject to the approval of the engineer. The company was also thanked for the offer of a temporary clock, it being pointed out that arrangements had already been made to place a clock on the front of the first floor of the Bank of New Zealand Buildings. The committee recommended that the old clock should be valued and sold, but i this course was objected to by Mr. A. I J. Entrican, who suggested that it might be re-erected at some future date, perhaps at Newmarket, should that district ba amalgamated with* the city, or at the top of Khyber Pass. "It would be a pity to sell this old clock," he added. The -■ Mayor pointed out that the cost of re-erecting the clock would be almost as much as that of an up-to-date timepiece run by electricity. As the council would never consent to the re-erection of the clock, it was considered advisable to sell it. The report was adopted.

ELECTRICITY DEPARTMENT.

RAILWAY STATION LIGHTING. On the suggestion of Mr. E. Davis, the electrical engineer, Mr. A. Wyllie, has been asked by the Public Services Committee to submit a quarterly comparative statement showing the increase in business. For the fortnight ending August 29, the engineer reported as follows —Number of units generated, 280,670; coal consumed, 540 tons; water consumed, 188,270 gallons; wages paid, £521 10s: new customers, 30. makinc a total of 2029. A suggestion that the Railway Department should instal electric light at the railway station was recently made at a meeting of the council by Mr. E. Davis. Last night, the electrical engineer reported that he had on previous occasions approached the Railway Department, but in view of contemplated alterations of station rite, the Department could not see its way to incur the expenditure. The engineer was asked by the Public Services Committee to again approach the Department on the subject.

PETITION AGAINST SAWMILL.

AN ALLEGED NUISANCE. Ratepayers residing in Jervois Road, West End Road, Heme Bay Road, and Marino Parade, petitioned against the renewal of the lease of a portion of Cox's CreeK, Ponsonby, for the purpose of a sawmill. "We submit that a sawmill in the residential portion of the city depreciates the property in the vicinity," the petition set oat, "besides being "an intolerable nuisance to the residents and ratepayers, and we urgently appeal to you to protect us." The petition, which was signed by 53 residents and presented by Mr. H. N. Bagnall, was referred to the Works Committee.

MISCELLANEOUS.

MUNICIPAL FISH MARSET. The question of the erection of a coolstorage chamber in connection with the city fish market, was referred to the Public Services Committee, with power to act, providing the council's Empowering Bill passes into law unamended. The suggestion of a Great South Road resident that a footpath should be formed on the Dilworth side of this thoroughfare to the railway station was unfavourably reported on by the city engineer, who stated that he could not recommend such a work until further settlement toot place. The Works Committee declined to agree to the suggestion, and this course was approved by the council. It was suggested by the Societv of Arts that the council should donate £100 annually to the society, to be expended on works on view at the society's exhibitions, and that all works so purchased should be presented to the Art Gallery. The council endorsed the recommendation of the

Finance and Legal Committee' that the societv should be advised that the council preferred to make its purchases direct. The secretary of the Mackelvie Trust reported the purchase of three pictures — " The Finding of Moses," " From Bimham to Dunsinane," and " Moonrlse Mill.'*