CITY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7436, 15 December 1885, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the City Council was held in the council chamber, municipal buildings, last evening, when there were present—his AVorship the Mayor (A. Scoullar, Esq.), and Crs Esther, Barnes (mayor-elect), Mathews, Spedding, Murray, Cairns, and Fagan. CORRESPONDENCE. Messrs Stewart, Holmes, and Denniston wroto relative to a refusal to grant a cab license to aMr James Muir. They asked either that a license should be granted to Mr Muir, or that the specific grounds ou which it was alleged that he was uot of good character or of proper eirill and fitness be stated, and that he have an opportunity of meeting same.—The Mayor said tho town clerk had been instructed to reply that tho' correspondence with regard to the application could be seen at the Town Hall. Messrs M'Millan and Moffat wrote claiming £36 for delay and expense caused in connection with their sewer contract by the old jetty.— Referred to_Works Committee to report. Mr James Wilkie wrote complaining that the running of cows on the belt had destroyed a large number of trees he had planted.—Reserves Committee to report. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE.The Public Works Committee recommended with reference to Mr Charles Ford's offer to supply road metal from Anderson Bay quarry, that the present system of obtaining metal from Boss Creek quarry be continued. The following tenders had been accepted -.—Cement for 12 mouths, Findlay and Co., 10s fld per cask; blacksmiths' work and materials, C. Nunn, at schedule prices; removing dust and refuse, William Barnes, £500 16s. Cr Cairns thought that further inquiry should be made regarding the price for which stone could be got. As he had formerly stated, stone from Logau's Point could be obtained for 3s Cd per yard as against 4s Od—-the price of stone from Ross Creek. The stone from Boss Creek was better thau the Logan's Point stone, hut he thought there was not tho difference of lOd or ls per yard iv the quality of the material. He moved that the portion of the report regarding metal be referred again to the committee.—Cr Barnes asserted that the metal from Ross Creek was so much better thau the Logan's Point stone that one ' yard of tho former was worth two of the latter. —Cr Mathews was of opinion that they ought to try to do without the stone-crusher for the next three months. —The report waa adopted. —His Worship remarked that it might he well for the Works Committee to uso the power the council seomed inclined to give them to lessen tho expense!-- of the working of the quarry. The report merely gave the committee power to carry ou the quarry in the meantime. WATER SUPPLY COMMITTEE. The Water Supply Committee reported having forwarded a reply to the general manager of railways assuring him that the City Council are diligently giving the matter of the proposed discontinuance of the corporation water main through the Caversham tunnel their earnest consideration. Cr Baknes moved the adoption of the report, and in doing so mentioned that the overdraft of this department was steadily going down, and that within two years, if no new works weregone on with, should be paid off. Cr Murray seconded the adoption of the report. His Worship said that some of the coincillors had recently visited the works, and that at the next meeting of the council it was probable I that a report would be brought up on the last claim connected with the waterworks. I Report adopted nem con. oas supply committee. The Gas Supply Committee recommended that all the corporation workmen nt the Gasworks be notified that they must insure in some approved accident insurance company agaitst accident or death by accident, as a condition of service For a weekly payment of about 6d per man, a benefit of £2 per week in case of accident, or £100 in case of death by accident can be secured. On the motion of his Worship the Mayor, seconded by Cr Barnes, the report was adopted. RESERVES committee. The Reserves Committee recommended that Mr Robert Todd's application for reduction of the rent of section 4, block 111, Bast Taieri District, held under farming lease from the corporation, be declined, the council having no power to grant the request. A letter had been forwarded to the Government expressing regret and astonishment at learning that the annual contribution to the Botanical Gardens out of the customary domain vote will uot be mado this year, inasmuch as no previous notice had been given to the council of such intention, and the estimates of expenditure had been framed in the expectation that the subsidy would be continued, and requesting that payment maybe made in the circumstances, and a vote takeii at the next session of Parliament to cover the expenditure. On the motion of Cr Murray, the report was adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Finance Committee reported having passed accounts lis follows .-—Municipal, £1335 17s 8d; water, £70 0s sd; gas, £404 18s. His Worship moved the adoption of the report. Agreed to, TIRE BRIGADE COMMITTEE. The Fire Brigade Committee recommended: That the request of the Otago Fire Underwriters' Association for telegraphic connection between the Salvage Corps aud the Fire Brigade Station be granted. That the remuneration for supplying horses at main station on tho occasion of a day alarm be—first horse, 10s; first pair, 20s; other horses required, 10s each. The city surveyor had been instructed, with the view of dispensing with the night watchman, to adopt a contrivance for ringing the bell by hand from outside the building. Tenders had been accepted—for four horses aud two drivers at main station, E. M'Kewen, 3s 6d per night; horse, harness, and driver at Great King street, each call out to fires, 12s 6d; each false alarm or chimney-fire, 7s Od. Cr Murray, in moving the adoption of tho report, said that things had gone on very well during the new order of things. Thore had been fewer fires during tho past quarter than during the same quarter of last year. For the

quarter there had been but 12 fires, and only one of them of serious consequence. Or Bakxes opposed the adoption of the clause recommending that tho head-quarters of the Salvage Corps should be connected with the Fire. Brigade-station. He thought that much harm was done by the Salvage Corps letting draughts through houses when the members were trying to save furniture.—Tho first clause of the report was again referred to the committee, and the remainder of the report was adopted. THE OXEMI'LOYKD. The following letter was received from the Public Works Department :— « e;„ j.r.Cgj.j.;.,,. + 0 ni.,? interview yesterday re • unemployed, I am authorised by the Engineer-in-chief to' agree with your corporation to i execute' the lilling-up of the western approach to the over-bridge at Dunedin station, s the work to be paid for at tho rate of ls 6d per ! cubic yard. The quantity of material required is approximately 1 1,000 cubic yards. The exact quantity will, however, be determined by ! measurement from time to time as may be arranged. I presume that in terms of our con- : versation the work will be proceeded with by , piecework or clay labour. It is requested that this should be regarded as relief work, and that it shall not in any way interfere with ordinary 1 work of the district, and I am directed to arrange that the price to be paid to the men must bo such that they shall not earn moro than 4s Gd per day, and that none but married men be employed. It is understood by the Minister for Public Works that stonebreaking in terms of our previous arrangement shall bo resumed. I shall be happy to interview and arrange all details with the city engineer.—l have, &c., . " T. B. Low, Assistant-engineer." His Woiismr explained that ho had communicated with the Public Works Department, and that a conference had taken place with the result indicated in the letter. The proposal now merely required the sanction of the corporation. The Government would want about 11,000 yards of material, and the work could be undertaken without any cost to tho corporation. No doubt if the cutting in Dowling street could be carried right through or towards the High School it would be of great public beuefit. Cr Murray thought the proposals contained in the letter should he acceded to, and hoped that they would have the desired effect of providing work for those who were out of employment. He would move that the letter be accepted and acted upon. Cr Fagan seconded the motion, and expressed the opinion that the thanks of the community were due to his Worship the Mayor for the energy and promptitude ho had shown in connection with this matter. He understood that there was some dissatisfaction amongst the men regarding the terms, but he supposed the council had uo alternative but accept them. The Government recommended that the wages should not exceed 4s Cd per day, aud that the work should bo given to married men only. In this he though the Government were acting wisely, as the young, single men should go into the interior of the country, for what would be the condition in winter, seeing there must be such a decrease in the public works expenditure, if men crowded into the towns in summer? He believed there were plenty of places where men could make Gs or 7s a day gold-digging, and he moved " that the letter bo referred to the Works Committee to givo effect to." Cr Barnes seconded the motion. He thought it would be a good thing to get Dowling street cut through, hut considered it was a great pity that the work was of such a kind that horses and carts must be employed. At the outside not more than 20 or 30 men could be engaged on that work, and the other day there were 200 seeking employment. The stonebreaking offered was of no use as a means of relief. Two shillings a yard was the price that had been given for the last 14 years, and tho offer of that prico had tempted professional stonebreakers to leave work iv tho country and come to town; but a man not used to the work could not mako salt at it. He knew of a man aud his son who had worked hard at stonebreaking for a fortnight and had not broken more than two or three yards between them. For his part he thought they should arrange with the road board to get the road to Pine Hill cut through, and that the Government, who were responsible for these people being here, should help the corporation to get roads made while people wore wanting work. The motion was carried nem dis. SCHOOL BUILDISOS. ■ The letter forwarded by the Education Board regarding school building's being maintained by local bodies, which was read as the last meeting, ] came up for consideration. Cr Fagan said he had found that lcttei was inspired by the Minister of Education, and he considered it was therefore their duty to give an expression of opinion upon it. He disagreed with remarks made at the last meeting, and thought they should support any scheme by. which taxation would come directly upon tbe people, because when people paid directly for anything they were inclined to see that the money was laid out to advantage. But if called upon to pay directly for anything, a correspoudiug reduction should be made iv the genera! taxation. He believed in the young being educated, but ho thought the people here were overtaxed for education. The expenditure on education was half-a-raillion annually, and that seemed rather too much. He thought half that sum would be ample for ihe purpose, and that tho local bodies should he asked to pay a portion of it, and a school rate levied upon such as were able aud willing to pay, allowing those who could not pay to scud their children free. This would relievo the country of an enormous burden. His views might be unpopular, but he believed they were the views of a very considerable majority iv the community, and that it was his duty to express them. He would move simply—"That the letter be received." Cr Murray repeated the opinion ho previously expressed that the matter was outside the jurisdiction of the council. He had no objection whatever to local self-government, hut ho objected to additional duties being cast upon the council. If the Government were going in for another ten million loan they should build the schools out of that, and uot put the responsibility upon the council. He hoped that Mr Pryde, who was acting on tho part of the Education Board, would receive an unmistakable opinion that tho council had quite enough to do with its funds in a legitimate way. Cr Cairns also considered that it was not for the council to build schools, and that education being a Colonial question must be provided for out of Colonial funds. The representatives of the city appeared to have been lax in many things, as was shown by the fact that no provision had been made for the maintenauce of the Dunedin public gardens. Cr Mathews was entirely opposed to the council doing what was suggested in tho letter, and thought that tho matter should be brought before the burgesses at the time of the elections. His Worship the Mayor said he would uot have troubled the council with any remarks on the subject but for the fact that his silence at the last meeting had been misconstrued. One of the papers had inferred from his silence that he was a supporter of the present Government. Ho wished to say that he bad no more leaning towards the present Government than towards any previous Government. His opinion was that, so far as taxation was concerned, tho present Government seemed inclined to go further than any Government that had proceeded them, and ho thought tbat if tlie Government attempted to localise taxation without remitting tho general taxation of the country, this Colony would soon be in such a condition that people with property would be very glad to get out of it. A very great drawback in New Zealand was that so many publio men, representatives in the Houso of Parliament, lived by politics. lie was sorry to see that, and would like to sco in Parliament men with some means of their own, who would take au independent stand upon questions_ that were brought up. Some men always contrived to bo on' the winning side because they could not afford to be ou the losing side. He thought tho council was right in expressing au opinion very firmly upon this matter, and quite agreed with Cr Fagan that the country was not able to afford the sum that was being expended upon public education. The motion that the letter be received was put and carried. I MISCELLANEOUS. Or Babnes moved—" That tho council invite competitive designs to lay out the piece of land between Rattray street and High street, reserved for public recreation."—Referred to Reserves Committee to report. Cr Barnes moved—" That the council request tho Government to form Cumberland street through the reserve between Rattray and High streets, seeing the corporation has incurred the expense of forming Castle street."— Referred to Works Committee. A number of small tenders were received and referred to the committees with power to accept the lowest. This concluded tho business.