CORRESPONDENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4870, 26 September 1877, Page 5

CORRESPONDENCE

MrC. C. Kettle, on behalf of the North Dunedin Cricket Club, wrote for permission to clear the 3crub for a cricket ground at Opoho.—Referred to the Reserves Committee. ../

The; Corporation Solicitors reported that they would resist the application to change the venu to Lawrence in th<s case of Pritchard

v. the. Corporation. The costs in this case already amounted to £319 ISs 6d, the Jury having disagreed, aud tho account wr.3 rcferr. d to the Finance Committee.

A memorial from ratepayers against the proposed cutting of St. David street was referred to the Works Committee.

CABMEN AND DISGRACEFUL VEHICLES.

A letter was-received calling attention to the unlit state of a certain licensed cab, and the bad management thereof. Mr Reeves commented upon the striking difference between the cabs here aud'those of Christchurch and 'Wtllington. We hizye some of the larrikin diss driving in Duiiedin, and they were a disgrace to the whole city. Of course there were a number of respectable drivers and cab 3, but the sooner we have strict supervision in this matter the better.

The Clerk, in replying to a question, said the new licenses will be issued in December.

Mr Fish moved—" That these licenses be referred to the Legislative Committee to enquire into.". A great number of the drivers were not fit to hold their license, and many of the cabs were open to serious fault-finding. ; This had been going on for many years, and the cabs did not seem to get any better. One or two " black sheep " had been driven out, but the evil was. not much lessened.

Mr .Reeves seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.

FINANCE COMMITTEE.

Tbe Finance Committee reported— That two applications for remission of City rates (Miss M'Kellar's and Mr Simon Hanlon's) had been declined. —Accounts had been passed for payment as follows:—Municipal account, L 3515 lis 3d ; Water Works account, LG9 17s 9d; Gas account, L 213 Us Id.

The report was adopted.

WATER SUPPLY COMMIT rHE,

The following report was adopted :—

Your Gpajrnittee begs to report—(l.) Having considered a letter received from Messra Clark and Thomson. complaining .of being assessed for the general water rate in addition to being charged by meter for special supply, the Committee decided: to adhere to the Council's former decision, viz., to reply accordingly. Your Committee recommends that similar replies be forwarded to the Albion Brewing Company, and to any other objectors. : (2.) The Engineer has been instructed as follows :—To lay a main at Clyde street,' between Albany and Frederick streets.—-To purchase a set of weighing scales—cost.Ll2, to weigh up to 12 cwt.—To call tenders for necessary, wire fencing at Ross's late property near the-Reser voir.—To repair the flume at the byewash—estimated cost, LSO.

(3.)Mr'D. Proudfoot's application, for. a, water supply to his office at Kattray street has been granted during, Council's pleasure; Mr Proudfoot to pay the cost of service.

RESERVES COMMITTEE,

The following report was adopted :-—

Your Committee begs to recommend—That the-proposed scheme of improvement to the Northern Recreation Ground, mentioned in clause 2 of the Surveyor's Report, 20th Sept., 1877, be carried out at a cost of LIOO.

That a final reply be sent to the memorial under date from residents at Roseneath, ixdvising that they should endeavour to arrange with the leasee (Mr Crickmore) as to bis, keeping open the road to Roseneath township across the Dunedin Corporation section, No. '28, Sawyers Bay. Pg:-.,'. Your Committee is of opinion that the Council cannot fairly compel Mr Crickmore ,to keep this road-line open ;it is purely a matter of arrangement with the residents/interested. That the application of the City undertakers that the sextons at the various cemeteries under the Council's control should be empowered to issue interment warrants be declined, your Committee being of opinion that the issue of warrants should be strictly supervised ; and this can be best effected when all burial orders issue directly aud solely from the Town Clerk's office.

That the Surveyor be instructed to trim up certain small slips of earth along the Town Belt main drive.

Messrs Thomson Kindsay'o application for tho issue of separate leases in respect of allotment 3, block XLII., Dunedin, haa been declined, your Committee not considering it advisable to subdivide the allotment into.two distinct leaseholds.

Your Committee has had under consideration a telegram received from Mr Stout, M.H.R., on the subject of the Council's taking control over the Danedin Botanical Gardens, and has to report that jn the opinion of your Committee it is not advisable to assume such control at present.

PUBHC WORKS COMMITTEE,

The following report was read :—-

The Works Committee recommended:—That the proposed works at Brown and Canongate stroets be, not proceeded with, and" that the tenders receiyea for the same be returned ; .to the tenderers. -. ■. That tenders be at, once called for constructing a brick sewer: along Great King stieet, from Duke street to Frederick street, as per clause 7 of the Surveyor's report, dated 12th September, 1877; estimated ,co3t,; L4500.—1t was considered highly desirablo to construct the sewer prior to the tramway being laid down.—That a few water troughs bs im--pwtrd and placed in 'the most desirable positions in the City; in the meantime the number of water troughs not to be increased.

In reference to motion No. 513, as to taking over portion of -Rattray street from the contractors (Matheson Bros.), the Committee recommended that the street be not taken over until the contract is completed. ~-..-- --■ The Committee recommended.that a bye law be prepared, authorising the Council to charge in future the-following rates in respect of footpath formation:—3s,6d per lineal foot where footpaths arekerbed, and an additional sum cf 2s per. lineal fool when the footpath is as pkalted to the full width: No charge beyond that of 3s' (3d per foot already mentioned to be made in cases where the path is asphalted orly part width.—Also, that motion No. 521, re kerbing, &c, at Arthur street, be deferred until the bye-law ia in operation. The Surveyor had been instructed as follows: —To furiiish the Dunedin Volunteer Fire Brigade with a map, &c," of the City, showing the sizes and positions -of the various water . mains. To act as regards drain pipes at Dundas street its referred toby Mr George Bell. • To prepare plan and estimated cost of widening the Anderson's Bay road. ;To supply Mr Chaplin with 25 cwt. of lime as a deodorant at the Manure Depot. .. : A reply had been ordered to the memorialists from Church street (a right-of-way at the rear of the old Knox Church) that the Council declined to undertake the drainage of their properties, the matter being exclusively a private one. , . . .

The Committee had had under consideration acceunts rendered by the Gas Department to the Works Department for repairs to mains, &c., rendered necessary, by city works, and had decided not to authorise payment, being of opinion that like charges could uot have been made by the original Gas Company or Mr Hankey. The, Committee reported that they had an interview with Mr T. C. Burt, relative to his scheme of drainage for the city by gravitation to the Ocean Beach. It was of opinion that he disclosed no novel features; of siich a character as to warrant its adoption in preference to the schemes already before the Council.

The Mayor remarked that the present balance to the credit of the Corporation was only £4300, and the Surveyor estimated that the authorised worts would cost £37,5C0. The total balance bf the Corporation funds was £28,700.

=.' Mr Fish : That leaves us £17,000 in debt, lt was resolved—" That the clause of the report referring. to Brown street be sent to the City Surveyor to draw up plans and specifications for the work ; that the clause referring to the drainage of Gr?at King ■street be excised, a?well as tho clause referring, to asphalt footpaths. The clause referring to the formation of footpaths near the Town Belt was referred back to the Committee." '

The report was adopted as amended, SANITARY COMMITTEE.

This Committee reported having examined and passed accounts to the amount of £144 9s 2d for payment. The accounts extended over a period of three months. The report was adopted. THE ORDTCR PAPER.

It being 6 p.m., the Council referred a number of tenders to the Works Committee, and left the Order Paper for consideration at the next ordinary meeting of the Council.