CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 8524, 2 November 1888, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

♦ , An ordinary meeting of the City Council was held last night. Present —Councillors Williams, Seed, Harris, Brandon, Moeller, Fraser, Willeston, Chapman, Muir, and Smith, In the absence of the Mayor (who telegraphed that he could not return from the West Coast for five or six days) Councillor Williams was voted to the chair. An apology for non-at-tendance was received from Councillor Heaton.’ ORIENTAL BOATING CLUB. An application from the Oriental Boating Club for permission to erect a boatshed in Oriental Bay, next to that of Mr Tringham, was referred to the Public Works Committee. BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. Councillor Willeston was nominated for the vacancy caused on the Benevolent Institution by the retirement of Councillor Young. CITY RESERVES COMMITTEE. The City Reserves Committee recommended that the offer of the Rugby Football Union of L 25 toward cost of repairs to Newtown Park be accepted, and that Council also contribute L 25, the City Surveyor having estimated that an expenditure of LSO was necessary ; that the Caledonian Society bo allowed the use of the Basin Reserve for their sports on New Year’s Day, on the usual conditions; that six new seats be placed in the Basin Reserve, Newtown Park, and Naimstreet reserve. On the motion of Councillor Seed, the report was adopted. HNANCE COMMITTEE, The Finance Committee recommended : —l. That a draft for the half year’s interest on Consolidated Loan, duo in London on 31st December next, be forwarded by the direct mail leaving Now Zealand •n the 15th inst., and due in London on J7th December. 2. That £SOOO City Improvements Loan Deposit Account be disposed of as under: —£4ooo re-deposited

for one year, and £IOOO placed to current aoccunt No. 2 to provide for expenditure during the next six months. 3. That the offer of Captain Williams to pay over at once the sura of £I2OO due from him on Te Aro Foreshore account in January next, on condition of the Corporation allowing him 7 per cent, discount for the unexpired term, be accepted. 4.' That in the case ef the undermentioned applications for remission of rates,' a reply be sent that the Council has no power to accede to the request: —Wellington Opera 'House Company, building burnt down ; Sir William Fox, building in Willis-street burnt down ; Mrs Toomath, building on Wellington-terrace pulled down. On the motion of Councillor Williams the report was adopted. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE. This Committee’s report was read. On clause 3, That the proposal to lay a drain in Constable-street (from Danielstreet to Riddiford-street) be nob entertained at present. Councillor Moeller moved to strike out the words “not entertained at present,” and to insert “ be laid at once.” He pointed out the urgent necessity for the drain, and complained that there was not sufficient expenditure on drainage in Cook Ward. The amendment was lost on the voices, and the clause was agreed to. Clausa 4, That a reply be sent to the Pitone Borough Council and the Kaiwhara Town Board, that the Council is unable to enter into an arrangement for supplying those bodies with water until the electric light installation has been completed, and the quantity of water required for lighting purposes definitely ascertained. On the motion of Councillor ’Brandon this was referred back to the Committee, it being stated that there was a probability of terms being arranged with the Pitone Council. Clause 11, referring to the request of Mr F. Stevens, of Oriental Bay, for payment for a drain laid by him, was referred back to the Committee. . The remainder of the report was agreed to. THE CORPORATION STAFF. Pursuant to notice, Councillor Seed moved —“That there be prepared and laid before this Council a nominal return of all persons holding appointments under or employed continuously by the Corporation, showing their respective offices or employments, together with the salary or pay of each ; also, copies of their letters of appointment or other documents showing the terms and conditions on which each person is employed ; also, particulars in any case where an officer is employed on duties other than those he performs for the Municipality, the amount of remuneration he receives for such extra duties, and the rate of pay he received from the Corporation before and after his assumption of those duties.” He expressed an opinion that the information asked for would be very valuable tao the Council, looking at the large number of new members.

Councillor Harris seconded the motion,

Councillor Chapman supported the motion, remarking that he did so with no hostile motive, but solely for the reason given by Councillor Seed. He suggested that the return should be submitted annually. The motion was then carried. DRAINAGE.

Councillor Seed moved, “That there be laid before this Council the record map or plan on which the reticulation of the street drains of the city is plotted, together with a sketch or description of the proposed drains which are intended to complete the drainage of the whole city, at a cost of L14,500.’ ” Councillor Fraser seconded the motion.

Councillor Smith expressed an opinion that such a map would be very costly. At the same time he agreed that the matter was one of great importance. Councillor Chapman expressed similar views.

The Chairman explained that a much larger map than the one that had hitherto been used was being prepared. s The City Surveyor said the map referred to would show all the drains in the city. _ * The motion was then carried.