CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4265, 20 November 1874, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

A special meeting of the Council was held yesterday afternoon at the Provincial Buildings. Present —The Mayor (in the chair,) Councillors Mills, Moss, Burrett, Dransfield, Greenfield, and George. THE CITY VALUATION. Mr. E. Toomath, representing a large number of ratepayers who were present, complained of the excessive valuation imposed by the City Assessor. Mr. Toomath said he did not complain of the action of the Council or of the conduct of the valuator, but he thought the latter officer had formed a mistaken view of the value of property in the city. That the valuation was excessive must be evident from the universal dissatisfaction it had caused. As a means of removing these complaints, and obtaining the opinion of the ratepayers, he suggested that the Councillors of each ward should call meetings at which the subject should be discussed. Councillor Dransfield suggested that two days should be appointed by the Clerk to receive the names of objectors, who should be requested to give their reasons for their objections ; then that the Council should appoint a special meeting to decide what course it should adopt in such cases to give such relief as they should think necessary. He would suggest that Monday and Tuesday next should be the days appointed for receiving objections. Their first duty was to ascertain the annual value of the property of each objector, and if it became apparent that the valuation was generally excessive, that then a reduction of 10 per cent., -20 per cent., or whatever the ratio of excess might be found to be, should be made all round. This suggestion was acquiesced in by the Council, and by the deputation, who thanked the Council ana withdrew. During the discussion the following opinion of the City Solicitor was read :—The City Solicitor is of opinion that the Council have the power to amend the valuation, by either reducing or raising it, in any case where it may appear to them manifestly excessive or understated, as the case may be, but that the Council having appointed a sworn valuator, the Solicitor would strongly recommend them, if they are satisfied with the valuation as a whole, not to exercise the powers conferred by section 212, but to leave the ratepayers to the appeal given by the Act. RETURNS. Councillor George moved—" That the City Surveyor do report in writing to each ordinary meeting of the Council. 1. The number of persons employed at the expense of the Council under his directions, and the rate of wages or salary being paid. 2. The number of carts or drays, and rate per day. 3. How such persons or carts are employed ; whether on street repairs, waterworks services, watering streets, or othenvise. 4. The work performed, such as streets repaired, water services laid, &c. 5. The number of new buildings in course of erection on which building fees have to be paid. The report to specify works in progress at sole cost of Council, and works assisted by subscription, and such works as in his opinion require immediate attention ; also, when instructions have been given by the Council for work which may not have been performed, to state the cause which has prevented such work being carried out, and any work which is being performed without the express authority of the City Council. The reports to be filed in the Town Clerk's office." His reason for moving the motion was, that Councillors came to the meeting and voted money, though they seldom obtained any information as to the way in which the expenditure was earned out, and it was with the object of showing the number of men employed, and how they were employed. Reasons were given at length for the adoption of such a motion, the chief of which was the advantage which a weekly statement of the work done would afford. Councillor Mills seconded the motion as it could not possibly do any harm. Councillor Dransfield supported the motion, because it would rectify a defect in their present method of procedure which had given rise to much dissatisfaction. The Council must be aware that several works had been authorised which had never been carried out; and if a weekly statement were furnished it would give the Surveyor an opportunity of giving a satisfactory explanation as to the reason why these works were not carried out. The motion would be equally beneficial to the Council and the Surveyor. Councillor Greenfield also supported the motion.

The Mayor said, as he understood the motion, it was not in any way intended to cast any reflection upo.i the Surveyor. It was simply desirable that the Council should know what was being done, and what was required to be done, and the weekly report would furnish this information. Councillor George stated that the observations of the Mayor entirely explained the object he had in view. The motion was put and carried. DEPARTMENTAL DETAILS. i Councillor George moved, —"That the Inspector of Nuisances do report in writing to each ordinary meeting of the Council, the number of carts and persons employed at the cost of the Council, under his direction, and the amount expended weekly for wages, horse feed, &c; the amount of money to be received for work performed ; the number of summonses issued, and amount received for fines ; the number of horses, cattle, &c, impounded, and the amount received for poundage fees; the place being used as night-soil depot, and amount (if any) received for sale of night-soil ; the amount of fees, fines, and to bo received for work performed by carts, &c, to bo stated in detail. Reports to be filed in the Town Clerk's office." Councillor Greenfield seconded the motion, because it would cause the Inspector of Nuisances' department to bo worked upon a detailed system, which would make it what it should be—a source of profit to the Council. The motion was put and carried. Councillor George moved that the quorum on committees bo reduced from three to two. Councillor Mills thought two a very small number to form a quorum, but if the Council thought it desirable to make such a change, he should not oppose it. Councillor Dhansfdjld said the Council always had power to overrule anything done by these committees, so that there would be no great risk of a committeo doing any harm, whether -it were composed of three or two members. Councillor GnKENFiEIiD supported tho motion, because a difficulty was frequently experienced in obtaining the attendance of three members. Ho had himself been one of two members who waited an hour for a third member to form a quorum, and in the end nothing was done. The Mayor pointed out that by clause 47 of the Corporation Act there must be a chairman for every committee. Members of com-

mittees would therefore find themselves in a very awkward position if the quorum were reduced to two, for it would occasionally happen that there would be a bare quorum present, and one of the two members being in the chair, there would be only one left to propose and second motions; or this one member might be ruled out of • order, and there would then be nobody left to address the chairman. He had no strong opinions about the matter himself, but he felt bound to point out the absurd condition of things which might be brought about if the motion were carried. Councillor Dransfield moved the adjournment of the debate, which was carried. OFFICIAL PAPERS. The Mayor said that since the last meeting he had been informed that it was the custom of the Town Clerk to allow the reporters to inspect all papers and letters upon public matters which were forwarded to him for presentation to the Council. This, he thought, was a highly improper course, as they were not public property until they had been laid before the Council. The letter addressed to the Council by Mr. Payne before its last meeting was a special instance of the impropriety of allowing the reporters to inspect letters, and h a . hoped there would not be a recurrence of the proceeding. Councillor Dransfield said he agreed with all the remarks of the Mayor, and considered it a most unheard-of thing that reporters should be allowed to see the correspondence before it was brought before the Council. The Town Clerk reminded the Council that it was Councillor Dransfield himself who had given him instructions to place every facility in the way of the reporters, and to prepare a memorandum of the business to be transacted at every meeting. In doing what he had done he had strictly observed Councillor Dransfield's instructions. Councillor Dransfield explained that what he meant was that the Town Clerk should prepare a kind of notice paper for each meeting. Councillor George and Councillor Greenfield thought no harm had been done, and after some further observations from other Councillors, the matter was allowed to drop. The Council then adjourned.