CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1217, 28 June 1895, Page 38

CITY COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the City Council was held last week. Present — The Mayor (in the chair) and Councillors Anderson, Willeston, Fraser, Penty, Myers, Devine, Tatum, Smith, Harcourt, Harris and Barber. A QUESTION OF DRAINAGE. Mr C. F. Worth waited on the Council to complain that the pipe which drained the Town Belt and went under his property in Alfred street was not sufficient to carry off the water. The result wasj he said, that his property had been considerably affected, and at every rainfall floods of greater or less extent occurred there. He suggested that the sump in the College ground be raised some few feet, and a large pipe be put into the main sewer. The Mayor said this matter had been fully considered in Public "Works Committee, and the disposition of the Council was to provide some radical remedy for the inefficiency of the drainage of the whole of that district. They would see to Mr Worth's matter at the same time. Later on in the evening the Town Clerk reported that the foreman of works stated that he had got into the drain from Alfred street to the sea, and found it quite clear. The Mayor said there was proof positive that some permanent work must be done in regard to this drain, and that a supplementary sewer must be put down. Councillor Harris moved that the matter be referred to the next meeting of the Public Works Committee, which was seconded by Councillor Myers, and carried. THE DRAINAGE* WORKS. , Messrs P. Maroney and McAnaney attended to complain of their dismissal from the drainage works, which they had been working on for the last twenty months. Ten men were discharged at the same time as themselves, and eight of them had been taken on again. Their complaint was not against Mr Mestayer, but against the foreman. "■ '-: ; . ! : ■*'"■." !■''■' '•';■..'; A committee consisting of Councillors Penty, Devine and Smith was appointed to enquire into the matter. BANKS TERRACE. Mr.W. Madeley wrote calling attention to the injury done to his property by the loose clay from the Mount Cook hUI coming down and running over the street. The Mayor said the matter would be brought under the notice of the Government almost immediately. Councillor Penty said they had asked the Government to do something in this matter before, and if the Government would not repair it the Council ought to see to it themselves. The Mayor said if the Government would not do it the Council would repair the damage already done and ask the Government to prevent it recurring. ROAD METAL. The Drainage Engineers recommended

that the tender of Mr Baylis for spaw]s and broken metal be accepted. The recommendation was adopted. BT-IjAWS. The resolutions adopting the Reserves and Water-courses By-laws were adopted. SANITARY BY-LAVK. The City Solicitor wrote stating that in his opinion the Sanitary By-law passed by the Council is valid. FINANCE AND SANITATION COMMITTEE. This committee recommended : —l. That the following applications for drainage works to be done under the deferred payment system be agreed to: —Mrs Annie Bertrand, one house in Rolleston street ; Mr E. Sunley, one house in Gordon street; Mrs A. M. Hicks, one house in Newtown avenue ; Mr H. Eames, one house in Wallace street; Mr T. D. Wrigley, one house in Coromandel street; Mr J. Larnach, two houses in Nairn street. 2. That Mr J. W. Hall, of the Turkish Baths, be informed that the Council has no power to grant his request for reduction of the amount payable by him to the Corporation in respect of the property. 3. That a water service for fire prevention purposes be granted to the New Zealand Candle Company, Kaiwarra, on the usual conditions. 4. That the price of water to the New Zealand Farmers" Dairy Union be reduced to 8d per 1000 gallons from Ist of next month. The report was adopted. NORMANBY TERRACE. The committee appointed to consider Mrs Nelson's application for a bank to be cut away at Normanby terrace recommended that the work be done if Mrs Nelson put up a fence to protect the adjoining property.

The report was adopted. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE.

The report of this committee, which has already been published, was then considered.

Councillor Fraser moved to strike out that clause recommending that the trees on the footpath in Grant road be cut down. The motion was seconded by Councillor Harcourt. The Town Clerk read a letter from Messrs Bell, Gully and Izard requesting the Council, on behalf of Mrs Levin, to cut down the gum trees in Grant road, in front of her property, and hoping that the Council would do so before proceedings were taken in the matter.

The motion proposed by Councillor Fraser was lost by 9 to 3, Councillors Fraser, Harcourt and Tatum being the only ones voting in favour.of it. Councillor Fraser suggested that the trees should *be cut down on Arbour Day. The clause was adopted. Councillor Myers moved to strike out the clause recommending increases of salary to Mr H. P. Hanify, engineering and surveying assistant, and Mr; G. C. Stephenson, in charge of the intercepting sewer works.

Councillor Devine seconded the motion, and both the mover and seconder expressed the opinion that;the. present moment .was inopportune for? such a course, and that it would only be by the greatest care that the money available could be made sufficient for the drainage works. Councillor Fraser supported the motion, and said if it was carried it should be taken as an instruction to the consulting engineers not to increase wages,especially as he understood the loan would not be sufficient to carry out the work.

Councillor Harcourt supported the recommendation of the committee. He did not think there was any reason for stating the loan would not be sufficient for the purpose, and he contended it would be true economy to increase these men's salaries, as recommended by the consulting engineers, whose opinion was entitled to every consideration at the hands of the Council. I

Councillor Smith thought wages should not be raised at present. Councillors Barber and Ta turn opposed the recommendation of the committee on the ground of economy. Councillor Harris supported the recommendation of the consulting engineers, in whom the Council must have confidence. He considered every man was worthy of his hire, and if a man proved his services were •"vorth more than he was getting the department for which he worked should see that he was adequately paid. The motion to strike out the clause was carried by 8 to 4. Clause 11 Was amended so as. to read that a driver's license be granted to the lad W. J. Neman. The other clauses were adopted. BATHS. Councillor Anderson asked when plans of the new baths would be put before the Council ? The Mayor stated that the City Surveyor's assistant in this matter had died, and no fresh assistant had been appointed, besides which some further soundings were required. He (the Mayor) would, however, impress on the City Surveyor the necessity for haste in the matter. OWEN STREET. A letter complaining of the condition of Owen street was referred to the Public Works Committee. EATING ON TJNIMPKOVED VALUES. The Mayor stated that the Government were proposing fresh legislation regarding rating on unimproved values, and the Town Clerk had prepared certain details

as to how Wellington would be affected thereby. It was decided that this report should be type-written and distributed among the Councillors. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to .£3IBB Os 2d were passed for payment. A RETURN WANTED. Councillor Devine moved : —" That a return be prepared by the Drainage Department and laid on the Council table showing (a) the names and salaries of all officers and permanent employees of the department since the inception of the works; (b) the names of the several overseers and workmen employed on the works, the time for which employed and the amount of wages paid for labour or piecework; (c) the amount paid for contracts already completed and paid or payable for contracts already let." Councillor Myers seconded the motion, which was agreed to. COMMITTEES. Councillor Devine, moved —"That the Finance and City Reserves Committees be reconstituted." He thought the wards should be more equally represented on those committees. He first moved that Councillor Smith be placed on both those committees in place of Councillor Petherick, which was agreed to. The consideration of the manner in which the two committees should be reconstituted was adjourned. RIGHTS-OF-WAY. Applications by Mr Wm. Mitchell and Mr C. W. Tanner for sanction to rights-of-way off Mein street and Adelaide road respectively were adjourned till the next meeting of the Public Works Committee. liOAN CONVERSION. The Council went into committee to consider the following' report from the Finance and Sanitation Committee : —" The committee report that they have had under consideration the proposed conversion of the city loans. The particulars placed before the committee have convinced them that a very considerable saving in the amount now paid for interest could be effected by the conversion. They will shortly place the Council in possession of all the information which has been obtained on the subject. In the meantime, in order that no time may be lost, they recommend that the City Solicitor be instructed to prepare a Bill to be submitted to Parliament, giving the ; Council the necessary power to effect the conversion. The committee are advised that the present is an opportune time for the conversion, and they aie sanguine that a material annual saving can be effected." It was decided that the Finance Committee will meet again to further consider the matter, and in the meantime the City Solicitor has been authorised to prepare the necessary Bill. i