CITY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7328, 11 August 1885, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

v. :,*i^ -.ordinary meeting of the City Council was held last evening. There were present :— .His Worship The Mayor, Crs fcl'iott, Fagan, Cairns, Barron, Murray, Barnes, Robin, Carroll, Barr, and' Esther.

~j • ,- . CORJtESPOVi'DEXCE. ~ J-cp.Caversham ,City Council .wrote suggestmgtnat the bluegums at tlie Southern recrea-tion-ground near Park street", Kensington, would he greatly improved in appearance if they were trimriied and topped. This would also assist iv drying the street on that side.— Referred to the Reserves Committee. _ F. Burton wrote complaining of a nuisance m Upper Elm Row. A gully there was made a receptacle for all kinds of filth.—Referred to the Works Committee to act.

._ James Gore, M.H.R., tulcgmphed that he had, in company with Or. Spalding, interviewed Sir Julius Vogpl with reference to the .charitable Sid JSrepqsdls.. _ 'Sir "Julius had promised them jpo'und for pound in all Contributions. — Rebeived. •

:.- J.- Holmaii forwarded an .extract from an English paper on the subject of sewage purification,—Received, letter to lie on the table. The secretary of the Fire Brigade wrote stating that Robert Little had been in the brigade for five years, and was therefore entitled to a long service medal.—lt was resolved to grant the medal.

THE SOAP-WORKS NUISANCE. Sergeant Mulville, inspector of nuisances, reported that William 'McLeod had committed a breach of the Public Health Act by establishing an offensive trade, to wit,' a soap-boiling establishment within the city of Duuedin without the written consent of the City Council, on the 20th July, 1885. This establishment had been erected about a.month, and had been working for ten days. The serjeant had inspected on the 29th July, and found it iv.working order. He saw a quantity of newly-made soap, but nothing that was offensive. Neither was there any bad smell, but as the above-mentioned act prohibited the establishment of the trade, he had to report the matter to his superior officer. Mr M'Leocl told him he was not aware he was breaking the law, i for he had permission from the Council to erect I the building, but the permit did not state what the building was intended for. According to the town clerk, he had no permission from the council' to erect soapworks.—Referred to the Works Committee for report, OAS COMStITTE!?. The Gas Committee recommended that the application front the Maori Hill Borough Council to Ifty^mains and supply gas within the borough fee granted; estimated cost, including interest, £1000. . That , the Gas Engineer be instructed to lay mains in Cargill road, South Dunedin, or to supply gas to several applicants; estimated cost, £733 3s. The, committee report having carefully considered ;wha;t, savings c.oul.d be effected by reducing the wages of the nieri employed in the. Gas Department, and recommend that no reduc- ■ tion.be. made (except in the case of the retortsjetter,,presently receiving 12s per day, but who would be sufficiently well paid at 11s per day), £he stokers and yardmen npt being paid more \yages than_workmen hi similar establishments. The cpm'riiit tee nave resolved to invite tenders forthwith for lifting the 14iu main in the Anderson's Bay road, and re-laying it in Princes street South as a substitute for the existing 6in. main, as sanctioned by the council, 7th April 1885, in order to lessen the leakage of gas, and have_ instructed the gas engineer to prepare specifiations for the work; estimated cost £400. : . '

The Mayor, in moving the adoption of the report, referred to the application from the Maori Hill Council for a gas supply. He said that two mains would be necessary—one to the top of the hill'and the other up the valley. The cost with'pipes would be £1000, but the six-inch main in Princes street south could be utilised for the service, so that the direct expenditure would be only £300 in laying these ,mains. Maori Hill would then have a high and a low level service. The engineer had shown that it ■would be inadvisable to reduce the wages of the stokers.

Cr. Barron, in speaking of the report, referred to the very economical and efficient manner in which the gas works were now managed.

Cr. Murray also supported the recommendations of the committee.

Cr. Fagan thought that the gas committee should follow in the steps of the other committees, and go in for a reduction of the wages of the, men engaged in their department. He thought it was very unfair 1 that one class of -men under the corporation ' should be. receiving the highest rate of wages when others'were reduced to a miserable pittance of 6s per day. He contended that they were quite entitled.to look for a reduction in the price of the gas,'because the works now were far more complete than they were two years ago, and consequently should be worked at a .much cheaper rate. He'hoiked the committee would readjust the rate of wages in their department, or that the council would reinstate . those of their employes who had been reduced. Cr Barnks said he would have opposed the reduction of the workmen's wages if he had known that there was to beno reduction in the "~gpn3epartm^St._«: M:' :•.:;;-—-- - 7",/,,..,„ - Or Esther supported the committee in "their recommendation. ' ' ■ ■ '• i _: ■

:: Cr Robin urged that the report be referred back to the committee.- With regard to the new governor house, he thought they mi^ht delay that work for some time. He was°m favour of Maori Hill being supplied with gas, ■but thought it would not be wise to go on with the work now that the winter was nearly over With regard to the reduction of wages he approved of the recommendation of the committee. He had all along been opposed to the reduction of wages of the workmen, being opposed to the men being kept on at starvation pomt. Retrenchment was all very well, but they should not go in for cheese-paring He moved that the report be referred back. • Cr Babnes seconded the amendment. Cr Baero* said no reason had been shown why the report should be referred back If it ■was too late to supply Maori Hill at this time of the year, the matter might very well be left in the hands of the committee to carry out the works when the proper time came. Cr Eliott approved of the report as it stood. ■■■-.■

Cr Careou, thought the whole of the committees should make reductions, and that the new works should not be gone on with for some time.

The Mayor said if the council did not agree to the Maori Hill application that boroiHi would agree to accept the offer made by the Caversham Company. If the council had been more enterprising they might have had the supply of theßoslyn and Mornington boroughs, and thus increased the consumption of their gas. • •. - . The report was adopted, only four councillors voting for the amendment to refer it back. WOIiKS COMMITTEE. Tne Public Works Committee recommended that Messrs Smith, Anderson, and Co.'s application for consent of council to a right-of-way on part of section 10, block XXI, Hanover street, 66ft long by 10ft .wide, be granted on certain conditions. The city surveyor has been instructed to purchase screenings and spread them on the footpath leading to the Northern Cemetery. The complaints from the Union Steam Ship Company and Messrs Tapper and Co. re footpaths have been attended to.—Adopted. WATER COMMITTEE. . The Water Supply Committee recommend that the council adhere to its former resolution with reference to Mr A. Dornwell's application for council to reconsider its decision to move for an injunction should he proceed to establish a slaughtering business in the vicinity of the Southern Reservoir.—The report was adopted, with a clause protesting against the erection of a slaughter-house. . ■'■ RESERVES COMMITTEE. The Reserves Committee recommended with reference to Messrs Kenyon and Hosking's letter objecting, on behalf Mr E. B. Cargill, to the further continuance of the fence erected across the corporation private roadway on the Southern Market Reserve leading from Princes street south into Market street, on the ground that it has been used as a public roadway for between 20 and 30 years, and stating that, if necessary, an application will be made to the Supreme Court for the purpose of compelling the removal of the same—that a reply be sent to the effect that the Toadway in question was formed and metalled in March 1871, the Southern Market shed, which it fronts, having been erected in December 1870, and the fence surrounding the reserve in May 1873, the road and shed being left outside the fence, and that the old road used prior to the fillin" in of 1 ™cci ?, treet soufch ran farther back at the foot ! ot the hill on the natural surface of the ground I hat notice be served oil Mr George Tut-ahull requiring him to remove all fences and other encroachments from oft: the Town Belt on or before 31st December 1885. From a recant survey it appears that Mr Turnbull's fence encroaches about 19ft on the line of Ilattray street, extended westward into the Town Belt, enclosing an area of about 1 rood 30 poles.-That the city surveyor be instructed to make a new survey of the boundary of the Town Belt, in order to discover what encroachments still remain upon the Belt.

On the motion of Or Robin the report was adopted.

l-'IXANCE COMMITTEE. The Finance Committee reported, with reference to the letter from Mr A. Bathgate, statin ■* that he had been instructed by the trustees of the City of Dunedin Sinking Fund to obtain the opinion of the judge as the refund of the moneys paid in respect of the gas and waterworks loans, and as to the liability of the corporation to continue these payments, that they have instructed the city solicitors to appear on behalf of the corporation at the hearing of the application. Accounts have been passed for payment as follow •- Mivnieivjal, £984 19s 5d • water, £126 5s 5d ; gas, £953 9s (xl.

The Mayoij moved the adoption of the report. He stated the bank overdraft was £32 000 and that only £3 2s 6d of last year's rate's remained uncollected.

Cr Barhon asked if the Finance Committee were going to consider how they could reduce the expenditure in their department. The Mayor said he had no doubt the committee would report if it was the wish of the council, but for his own part he did not think there was any room for reductions. The income of the council v.-as £100,000 per annum, and the cost of collection, clerical v/ork, and supervision was under two per cent, on the whole amount. As there were four departments this made the cost to each department only one-half per cent. Cr Carroll thought the thanks of the council and the ratepayers wore due to the officers of the council for the satisfactory manner in which they had carried out their work. With regard to the outstanding rates

there was probably not another city in the Australian Colonies that could show such a favourable state of affairs. . : Cr Murray and the Mayor spoke in similar terms, and. -. . The report w:;^ adopted. •; ■ , :: V.ATHS: ■ i • ■• ■ ..,-. The Baths and. Sanitary Committee, reported with reference .to the applications from Messrs W. J. Wilson, and B; J. Lawry for the appointment of. caretaker of the Logan's Point baths, that they recommend that public tenders ba invited for a lease of the baths for .the ensuing 12 months. A reply has been forwarded to the j Caversham Borough Council to the effect that a copy of the City Surveyor's report on the St. Glair baths will be forwarded. —The report was adopted. FIRE HRIOADE. The Fire Brigade Committee reported that they consider it advisable and necessary that a paid fire brigade ■be t<st<iWished; iii lieti of the volunteer 'one about to be disbanded. They recommend that the now brigade consist of a superintendent at £150 per annum : two foremen at £20 each; 16 firemen at £16 each; 5 auxiliaries at £10 each. The estimated annual cost is £721—being £496f0r wages as above, and £225 for horse hire, &c. The committee recommend that the night watchman be dispensed with, the fire alarm indicators now being sufficient.—Tho report was adopted.