CITY COUNCIL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6313, 13 September 1907, Page 7

CITY COUNCIL

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING. Tho fortnightly meeting of the City Council was held last evening. There wore present:—liis Worship the Mayor (lion. T. W. Hislop), Councillors Luke, Cohen, .Ballinger, Hales, Shirtcliffe, Biss, Fletcher, Carmichael, Morrah, Murdoch, Godber, »Smith, McLaren, and Fisher. BACK-YARDS. Councillor Murdoch moved the adoption of the following report of the Abattoirs ami Public Jiealth Committee : That notices from the Public Health Department, with reference to premises in Willis street, Tory street, and at Miichclltown, bo given effect to. That a bylaw be drafted to compel the owners of all properties to asphalt or concrete a portion of tho back-yards. That a bylaw be drafted giving the Council power to repair or renovate any place at the expense of absentee owners. The mover said that during the visits of the committee to some of the bad quarters of tho city they observed a deplorable state of things. Some backyards had no drainage whatever, and in others the drainage went under tho houses or from one yard to another. In some yards there wore great pools of green stagnant water. They had come to the conclusion that something ought to be done in the interest of public health. Fully seventy-five per cent, of the dirty back-yards would not exist if the owners wore compelled to have a portion of tho yards asphalted or concreted and drained in the proper manner.

Councillor McLaren agreed with the necessity for cleaning up some of the places referred to. The report was agreed to. BATHS AND CITY RESERVES COMMITTEE. Councillor Luke moved the adoption of tho following report:— That the application of Mr E. T. Taylor to transfer his lease of section G, Town Belt, to Mr J, Lamberg, be granted, provided the outstanding rates be paid at time of transfer, and that the gorse on tho section be grubbed up. That the fence between tho Wellington cemetery and sections in Mowbray street be repaired at an estimated cost of £2O, and that a notice under tho Fencing Act bo served on the owners of adjoining sections. That the fence around the plantation reserve in Hutchison road bo repaired at an estimated cost of £6. That permission be granted to the Junior Cricket Association to play on the Nowtown Park during the coming season. That tho Wellington Boys’ Cricket League bo granted permission to use two pitches on the lower portion of Newtown Park for tho coming season. That the thanks of the Council be sent to Mrs S. P. Curtis, Khaudallah, for her gift of a parrot to the collection at the Zoo. That the City Engineer and Superintendent of Reserves be instructed to report as to the’cost of fencing and preparing ground for recreative purpose at the Austin street reserve.

The report was adopted. BY-LAWS AND STREET LIGHTING COMMITTEE.

Councillor Godber moved the adoption of the following report: —That the cab stands in Lambton quay be removed to the adja-cent side streets. That permission be granted to Mr F. F. Cameron to erect six houses at Hamilton road, Kilbimio. subject to the conditions recommended by the City Engineer. That the Public Trustee be informed that no permission to build on part section 458, Clifton terrace, will be granted. That the Opera House Company be requested to . have the'necessary repairs to the stage -Hoar of the Opera House carrlied out, as recommended by the City Engineer. That the express stand now existing in Allen street be abolished, and on© in lieu thereof bo appointed in Courtenay place as follows:—“Commencing 30ft west of the western end of the plantation at the ©astern end of Courtenay place,-and continuing in an easterly direction 2-l Oft on the northern side of the plantation, twelve expresses, heads westerly.” That lamps be erected in Ellice avenue (one lamp), Austin street (two), Lawrence .street (one). The committee submit herewith copy of valuation of plant and appliances at the Fire Brigade stations made by the City and Electrical Engineers, and recommend that same be adopted by the Council,, and forwarded to tho Fire Board.

Councillor Godber stated that the reason why the committee recommended the shifting of the cab stand in Lambton quay was to prevent the possibility of accidents during tho day. Councillor Biss suggested that the cabs might be allowed to stand at night where they were at present. The Mayor objected to cab stands being shifted about here and there without full consideration. If on accident occurred there it could only be through the grossest carelessness. He was not in. favour of the cabs being shifted. Councillor Cohen endorsed the remarks of the Mayor, stating that He had ob--111 to the cabs being shitted. He moved that the clause be struck out.

Fletcher considered it would bo a gro?e injustice to the cabmen if they were shifted. If the locality were kept treo from packing-cases there would be much less likelihood of accident than at present. Councillor Luke spoke in support of the clause. While admitting that the cabmen had been shifted about in the past, and that their earning-power was largely limited by tho tramways, he •' °u£ h }- th £ import was a step m the right direction.

. Councillor Ballinger expressed himself Bi^ aV ° Ur ° f the of Councillor

Councillor Hindmarsh said the locality a mostsiutable place for a cab- * *i? ho C<nmc . U wore there to considei the convenience of the publicand from that point of view the present place was undoubtedly the beet. PreSent discussion the clause was struck out, and the the report adopted. naw w

AND PROPERTY. r„n?°- Ma:> ' or the adoption of the following report ot the Eiuance and Property Committee: - That the wages Tt the men at the destructor now reifying 8a 6d per day ho increased to Os. That a committee bo set up to deal comprehensively with the question of wages to w-ortmen throughout the whole (jLpor! e°",f e ri ce - Xllat alternative tenders be called tor a new chimney stack for the new destructor (1) , in brickwork, ana in reinforced concrete; also that a clinker mill and a weighbridge be provided in connection .with the new destructor. That a charge of twopence per unit be made for the supply of electrical energy for pumping water to the now supplementary reservoirs. That a compassionate allowance of ha p-anted to Mr J. Gregory, who was tor thirty-three years in the employ of Corporation, but is now incapacitated from further work owing to an accident, the mode of payment to be left to the discretion of the City Eoicinoer. * Councillor Ballinger moved that clause 1 be struck out. At every meeting they had to consider applications for increased wages. Councillor Luke said the whole question of wages should be considered comprehensively. but he was in favour, for various reasons, of the proposed increase being granted. Councillor Biss, in supporting the proposal to deal with the whole question of wages, said Jio was certain there were anomalies in the tramway service, probably also in other branches. Councillor McLaren said if he had his way the men working at the destructor should receive 10s a day. Ho was in favour of the whole question of wages being considered. Councillor Shirtcliffo thought 9a a day was not out of the way for the men engaged at the destructor. At the same time, the present way of dealing with wages was not satisfactory, Tho wiiala

question should be dealt with in a comprehensive way once a year. Councillor Fletcher thought the committee had not gone far enough in regard to the destructor hands. He agreed with the suggestion to sot up a wages committee. Councillor Ballinger approved of the wages committee. Tlie report was adopted. Tho following were appointed the Wages Committees The Mayor, Councillors Ballinger, Fletcher, Luke, McLaren, Morrah and Smith. TRAMWAYS COMMITTEE. On tho recommendation of the Tramwavs Committee it was decided that the account of Messrs Rouse, Black and Son for £sl 0s 5d for extras on the six cars recently built by them bo paid, with the exception of an item of £1 0s sd, not allowed. Accounts amounting to £977 15s 3d were approved. MISCELLANEOUS. Accounts amounting to £8907 5s Gd wore passed for pavment, including the following Duthie and Co., £1251 12s for pipes; interest due on loans, £1416 7s lid; wages for fortnight ending August 27th, £3573 15s; E. Scagar, £794 3s 2d, for material supplied for the destructor; Wellington and Manawatu Railway Co., £175 4s 9d for metal. In reply to an application from the Railway Department for permission to connect latrines to septic tank at Waterloo quay, the Council intimated thati while they had no objection to tho proposed work, permission would have to be obtained from tho Harbour Board. CouncilloV Biss moved, pro forma, on' behalf of Councillor Fisher; (1) ‘‘That the City Engineer bo instructed to re-: port on tho cost of wood-paving the road in front of the Government railway station”; and (2) “That it be an instruction to the Tramways Committee to endeavour to prevent overcrowding in tramcars on steep grades.”—Both motious were lost without discussion. ABATTOIR RATE.

At a special meeting a resolution was carried, striking ‘a special rate of onefiftieth of u penny in the pound, to provide for interest and sinking fund on a loan ol £15,000 to be raised by the Council for tho purpose of establishing an abattoir for the city.