CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16757, 25 January 1918, Page 6

CITY COUNCIL.

VALUATIONS FOR THE YEAR. x - l INCREASE OF £11,794. The City Council met last evening, the ' Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson, presiding. | A return of valuations made for tho j rating period of 1918-1919. including tho city, Powell, Archhill, Eden Terrace, and ' Remuera, was submitted by tho city valuer, Mr. E. Hickling. Epsom and Grey J Lynn were not included, those districts being still subject to Government valuation. The total ratable value for the area named, subject to revision by the Assessmoot Court next month, was given at I £1,071,613. The total ratable value after I revision by the Court last year was ( £1,059,719. The present figures, there- ' fore, show an increase of £11.794, pend- ; ing tho hearing of objections. The report stated that new buildings, I Harbour Board, and other leases, mainly ; I accounted for the increase. The valuer , I considered there was an indication of a , ' return to former increases of ratable values after the war. There were still the , March and June supplementary valua- , tiuns to bo submitted, which he esti-., mated to yield about £1000 ratable valua I bearing full year's rates. New Reservoir at Nihotupu. A progress report on the Nihotupu reservoir contract was submitted by the city engineer, Mr. W. E. Bush, based on . ! a visit paid to the works on the previous I' I day. Ho stated that 65 men were em- ' ployed. At the quarry tho removal of the | ' over-burden and softer rock beneath was ; : still in hand. Considerably' over 60,000 j cubic yards had been stripped. As soon j as tho* stream had been diverted into the j i new Hunting the dam site would, said Mr. [ Bush, be cleared of silt—of which there ; I was a large accumulation, brought down j by the heavy rains—and the foundations j would be cleaned up ready for concreting. : ■ There was no sign of a slip anywhere m , the foundations. Preparations for the | commencement of concreting were in hand, j Newmarket Boundary Roads. Recommendations regarding the upkeep ', of boundary roads between the city and Newmarket were brought down by y the , Works Committee, following a conference : with the Streets Committee of the smaller borough. Tiicco included :—Each party to ' do the kerbing, channelling, and footpath 1 on its own side of Gillies Avenue, the City . Council 'to contribute two-thirds and the , ' Borough Council one-third of the cost of ' the work in the carriageway. Each party to pay half the cost of maintenance. The 1 work on the carriageway to he done by I ; the council submitting the lowest estimato j on plans prepared by the city engineer. | ' As regards George Street, arrangements 1 were entered into for tho construction of ' cesspits and connections to receive surface ' water. In the ""case of Park Road, Carlton Gore Road, and George Street bordering on the Domain, it was decided by tho committee that the council could not undertake to do any work or contribute anything thereto, these not being boundary ' roads. The recommendations were adopted. Judge's Bay Improvements. The city engineer reported upon the proposals of the Railway Department in connection with a culvert and'two sluice-gates at Judge's Bay. He stated that the culvert as proposed was tew small, and that ho considered a third sluice and a culvert 50 per cent, larger than that shown on tho . plan to bo necessary. The sluices pro- , posod wero, the engineer pointed out, of. stormwater type, and would not permit of the passage of boats. He considered j also that, beforo tho construction was ' carried out, the question of future main- ) tenance of the 'sluices should be settled. ■ ) The Works Committeo recommended the adoption of tho report, and that the Rail- . way Department should be requested to accopt responsibility for the maintenance of the sluices. Tins was approved. Miscellaneous Matters. , ' The Auckland Electric Tramways Company submitted its balance-sheet for the ' year ended June 30 last. This showed j that the sum of £4999 17s 6d was payable, r to the council in terms of tho deod of dele--0 gation. v Authority was given to the Endowments 0 Committee to have necessary repairs t carried-, out to tho council's 20 shops in : , Karangahape Road, between Howe Street! 8 and tho reservoir. 8 The Markets Committee reported that 3 the takings at tho retail fish shop in I ,', December last, averaged £163 18s lOd per week. " _ It was decided to remove the remain- . ing machinery and plant in connection I, with the fairy fountain at the Domain.