CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4250, 3 November 1874, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

The adjourned meeting of the Council was held yesterday at the Provincial Buildings. Present : The Mayor (in the chair), Councillors Moss, Burrett, Dransfield, Rainie, and George. mb. schultz’s claim. In reference to the claim of Mr. Schultz for compensation for alleged loss of water at his mill at Kaiwarra, the City Solicitor, to whom the claim was referred, desired to be informed whether the Council were willing to pay Mr. Schultz any sum, so that the necessary steps might be taken to have the claim adjusted. The matter was referred to the Waterworks Committee.

THE GEORGE STREET POND. The City Solicitor having been instructed to take steps to abate the nuisance caused by the pond in George-street, Tinakori-road, requested to be furnished with information concerning the number of the section on which the pond is situate, the name of the owner, &c. ; and stated that it would be necessary that the Local Board of Health should appoint an in speotor, as the notice to abate the nuisance was drafted but could not be completed without the above information and the signature of such an inspector. The Inspector of Nuisances was directed to furnish all information required, and to place himself at the service of the City Solicitor. GEORGE-STREET. WATER-SUPPLY. Mr. Geo. Fannin, and several other residents of George-street, complained that although the City Surveyor had been instructed by the Council at the beginning of the year to lay the water mains along George-street, no steps had as yet been taken to carry out that object. The Surveyor said the pipes for Georgestreet and May-street had arrived by the Ladybird from Dunedin on Friday, and would be laid os soon as possible.

DRUMMOND-STKEET. Mr, Henry Rowley anil Mr. Geo. Elliott petitioned the Council to complete the formation of Drummond-street, three chains being all that required attention to carry out the views of the petitioners. Referred to the Surveyor. CUSTOM-HOUSE QDAT. An application from Messrs. Mclntyre and Co. to he allowed to stack timber on Customhome quay for a period not exceeding one month, was not entertained, as the Council had no power to grant the request. CLAIM FOR COMPENSATION. Mr. J. Turner, by his solicitor, Mr. Allan, forwarded a claim for compensation on account of his having been fined lor discharging nightsoil into the harbor, which he did in accordance with instructions received from the Inspector of Nuisances. Councillor Bukbett considered the case a very hard one, as Turner had acted entirely upon the instructions of the Inspector of Nuisances in discharging the night-soil into the harbor ; besides the Corporation carts discharged their night-soil into the harbor, and it was hard that Turner should be singled out for prosecution. Councillor Geobcje considered Turner had been made the victim of a system of persecution. He had simply done what the Corporation carts did, and the Hues imposed upon him should certainly be recouped by the Council. Councillor Bhrrett then moved that the fines, amounting to .£6 155., be recouped. The motion was carried. THE MAKKET RESERVE. Messrs. Archibald and Scoular applied for a lease of portion of the market reserve, now ■ occupied by them upon a yearly tenancy. ■ The application was refused, on the ground that the Corporation would shortly require the ground for its own rises. It was resolved that all correspondence connected with the Rev. Mr. Taylor’s applicationfor a portion of the market reserve be produced previous to the application being granted. THE THORN DON FORESHORE. Councillor Moss moved,—“ That the City Solicitor be asked to give his opinion whether the Provincial Government can legally sell the land to be reclaimed on the Thomdon foreshore in one block as advertised.” In moving the motion, Councillor Moss said he had hoped that the land would become the property of the Corporation, and he still hoped so, but the Provincial Government, in view of the possibility of the provinces being abolished, wore of course endeavoring to bring to the mill all the gristr they could, and were trying to do what he believed they had no power to do ; therefore he wished to know what the opinion of their solicitor was-on the subject of the proposed sale. Councillor Dbanspield did not desire to refer to any remarks that had been made outside in reference to the proposed sale, or to import references to the political views of the Provincial or General Governments into the question, but he could not help remarking that one of the objects of the General Government in proposing the abolition of the North' Island provinces was to localise the land revenue as much as possible. That object was a very desirable one, and in furtherance of such a scheme the land at the Thomdon foreshore, when reclaimed, should come into the possession of the city, proper arrangements of course being made between the Corporation and the Provincial Government. The proposal to sell the land at auction in one block would not do justice to it, because the full value of the land would not be obtained. It was patent to everyone that the land was being forced into the market on account of the General Government having proposed to abolish the North Island provinces, but that was a consideration which should not be allowed to interfere with local rights. The Government were perfectly right in selling laud already surveyed and ready for the market, because that was part of the functions of the Provincial Government, but in this particular case it appeared to him that the Provincial Government were forcing the land into the market, and decreasing its value, ■solely on account of Mr. Vogel having made a proposal to abolish the. North Island provinces. In the interests of the city he should do all he could to prevent the sale, except it took place in the ordinary course. A great deal had been said in certain quarters about the Corporation being ungrateful toward the Provincial Government who had acted so kindly to the Corporation, ’ They were told that the Provincial Government had handed over to them the, Te Aro foreshore, but he begged to assure those people who talked in this way that the Corporation had got its grant for the foreshore from the same power that gave it to the Provincial Governmeut, with this difference ; that in the one case the grant was made by Sir George Grey, and in the other by Sir James EerguAon, He did not wish to be misunderstood in the matter. He knew as well as anyone that the Superintendent had worked very hard in the interests of the city, but when a question of this sort came forward, it ought to be considered on its own merits. There were, no doubt, many persons who existed in the belief that the Corporation -had never done anything for the benefit of the province, but it should not be forgotten that they had given up 113 acres for college and lunatic asylum purposes, which would be quite as beneficial to the province as the Te Aro foreshore. During their term of. office the Superintendent and his Executive had acted generously toward the city, and on that account he did not wish to say anything that might lead to an angry feeling, but this was one of those questions upon which they were justified in expressing their opinions, and it was because he considered this land was being forced into the market in a manner which must injuriously affect its value that he felt bound; to support the motion of Councillor | Moss,

Councillor George said he should oppose the motion, because he did not consider it any business of the Council whether the Provincial Government sold the land in the manner proposed or not. To his mind, the abolition of the provinces was a question altogether foreign to the proposed action of the Provincial Government, and thp motion in its present shape was entirely uncalled for. Councillor Dransfield said the land should revert to the Corporation, but it would not revert to the Corporation unless they paid for it, and they had the same opportunity to purchase as other people. As to taking the opinion of the City Solicitor, he did not see in what way that opinion could influence the Government. He should, therefore, oppose the motion because it would place the Council in a false position. If, Councillor, Moss would consent to amend his motion so as to bring about negotiations between the Corporation and the Government, with a view to purchase the land, he would support it. Councillor Kainie saw no objection to the motion being passed, as it was merely a preliminary step. If the land were put up to auction, the Council could bid for it as well as other parties. The Mayor said the matter before the Council was whether or not they should consult their legal adviser upon the question as to their power to stop the sale of .this land. For his own part, he felt convinced that they had no power to do anything of the kind ; but if ■ it was thought they had the power, there would certainly be no harm done in putting the question to their solicitor. Councillor Green MELD saw no harm, in obtaining the opinion of the solicitor. Councillor Moss did not intend to go into a discussion upon the whole question, when he proposed the motion. All he wished to do was to obtain the opinion of the Solicitor, and when that opinion was produced the Council could then discuss its position and its power in the matter. INSPECTOR or NUISANCES. Councillor Georbe moved—“ That the Inspector of Nuisances do furnish a return to the next meeting of the Council, showing the number of horses, with description of brands, number of drays and sots of harness, and particulars of other implements and material purchased on behalf of the City Council, and now in his charge ; and by what authority such purchases were effected. The return to he kept in the Town Clerk’s office, and entered in a stock-hook. Any addition or deduction for repairs, loss or otherwise, to bo reported to the

Town Clerk, and duly entered in suck stockbook.” He moved the motion because a great many rumors had got afloat as to.-the cost of horses, carts, &c., purchased for the Corporation, and because he found that the Town Clerk had no list of stock or property purchased by the Inspector of Nuisances. It was very necessary that there should be a stock-book kept, so that the Council should know what property it possessed. - . Councillor Moss, Councillor Bui! RETT, and Councillor Greenfield, while agreeing that a stock-book would be a most desirable record of the property owned by the Council, pointed out that the carts already in their possession were tendered for on the authority of the Council. The motion was agreed to.reports. The reports of the City Surveyor and Inspector of Nuisances were received and read. MOTIONS WITHDRAWN. Councillor George requested leave to withdraw the other resolutions of which he had given notice. NOTICE OE MOTION. Councillor George gave notice that, at the next meeting of the Council, he would move — “ That tenders be called for the supply of road metal, the supply to be obtained from the quarries at Ngahauranga Valley, and delivered in the railway trucks- at the railway station at Ngahauranga ; persons tendering to furnish' a sample of the metal to he supplied; separate tenders to-he supplied for the cartage of the metal from the Thorndon station to the depot.” The Council then adjourned.