CITY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4011, 24 December 1874, Page 5 (Supplement)

CITY COUNCIL.

Theregular foitnightly meeting of the~City Council was held last evening. Present— His Worship tho Mayor, Messrs Walter, Fish, Prosper, Grant, Reeves, Isaac, Beck, Mercer, Barron, Carroll, and Gibson. BACK RENTS OF THE I'RINCES SfKEET. RESERVE.

The Under Secretary wrote, replj ing to a letter of the,Town Clerk as to accrued ients of the Princes street Reserve, understood to be in the hands of the' Government after settling Maori claims. In reply, ho would state that the Council laboured under a misapprehension, as the Government had disbursed in law costs an amount in excess of what they had in their hands, and therefore that they would not pay any of the sum in hand to the Corporation. "SAILORS1 HOME. Mr Fish, Hon Secretary of the Sailors' . Home Committee, wrote, stating that he understood the Government had given up possession of the old Immigration Barracks, and renewed his former application for the building. .A fair rent, to be agreed upon, would be paid, and the Committee would remove on three months' notice. The part the Home wanted was the building which was end on to the street, by a frontage of about -30 feet. " Mr Fish spoke in favour of the application, and moved it be granted. Mr Isaac opposed the motion, as he intended to bring forward a motion at the next meeting that all the land there be cut up into allotments. *

Mr Reeves strongly objected to the letting of the place to the Sailors' Home, as to do so would be to deteriorate the value of property in the locality. ..-■'.

On the casting vote of the Mayor, the motion that Mr Fish's application be granted was carried, as against the amendment that the matter be referred to the Reserves Committee.

. Mr Reeves then moved a further amendment that tho rent of the' ground applied for be not less than £200 per annum. He would move amendment after amendment rather than see tho application granted.' It would be cheaper for the Council to give the Committee £500, or they could give them another site.

Mr Fish said the only effect of passing the resolution would be that the Corporation would be getting a rent for what would otherwise be lying vacant. If it were not decided now, there would be a delay of a month, as the Council would not meet sooner.

Mr Reeves expressed his intention to move amendment after amendment, and stay till morning. . He was hot opposed to the Sailors'Home, but did not wish to seethe matter rushed through, and a City reserve thrown away.

After some amendments had been lost, Mr Reeves moved that the application be referred to a special Cotninittue, consisting of Messrs Carroll, Grant, Walter, and Gibson.

It was pointed out that the names -were those of the Reserves Committee, and that a proposition for referring the application to the Reserves Committee had already been lost.

Mr Fish remarked that had such a proposal been brought forward earlier, "and in a proper spirit, he would have agreed to it, but now he would rather remain till next day.

Mr Prosser said he had on a previous occasion remained till half-past five in the morning, and would do tho same again, rather than that a minority should dictate to the majority.

Mr Walter said that the referring of this to the Reserves Committee was nonsense. It was a lasting disgrace that the business of the city should be humbugged in this way, because a few members of the Council were obstinate enough not to give way to tho majority.

The Mayor suggested that they should adjourn till the next morning at ten o'clock. By sleeping over it they could come to Borne decision on the application, and take up business of importance that was waiting to be dealt with. He would not stay all night; he would adjourn the Council at ten o'clock.

- Mr Reeves th :ught it might be better that those gentlemen who were in favour of granting the application at once should take the onus and responsibility on themselves. He moved that it be referred to a Committee consisting of Messrs Prosser, Fish, Walter, and the Mayor, with power to act. Mr Fish seconded the amendment. The amendment was lost, and Mr Fish's original motion, which was as follows, was eventually carried : —"That the request of the Secretary of the Sailors' Home Committee, so far as occupancy is concerned, be agreed to, subject to .two months' notice; bub that tho matter of rent be referred to to the Reserves Committee to arrange, and to report to a future meeting of the Council. It was now ten o'clock, and the Council adjourned for ten minutes.

TRAMWAY FROM THE FOOT OF DOWLING STREET.

Permission was given to the Government to lay down a tramway along the foot of Dowling street, across High street, and along Crawford street, during pleasure of the Council. Permission to. lay down a tramway along Maclaggan street and Rattray street was declined, it being considered. highly dangerous. '

SUPREME COURT SITE. Tlie following letter was read from Mr I. N. Watt. ' •

On behalf of the Commission appointed to report upon a site for the Supreme Court House, 1 have the honour to enquire if your Worship will be good enough to ascertain if tlie City Council are willing to treat for the exchange, upon equitable terms, tlie Octagon Reserve for the site of the present Court Hou e.

Tho Commission is aware that there lias been some talk of building the Town Hall upon the Octagon Reservo, but it is not aware whether any such intention now exists.

Tlie commission would respectfully represent that the building of a suitable and commodious Supreme Court House in Dunedin is almost as much a, concern of the citizens as the building of a Town Hall, that for a- Suj reme Court House, especially if the Resident Magistrate's Court s-hould be held in. the same building, a considerable area, a central situation, and freedom from the noise of the traffic/ &c, a.ro required That if a site other than that iu High street is required for the Town Hall, the Dowling 6treet site would be of sufficient area, and f, r such a purpose the traffic noise would not be so objectionable. That the present site of tho Court House is being rapidly enclosed by buildings desi«-ned for manufacturing; and commercial purposes, and this, whilst it renders it unsuitable for the site of a Court House, cehsiderably enhances its market value. It would no doubt yield a large return if let on building; leases.

The letter was referred to the Reserves Committee.

The Council then adjourned for a month,