CITY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8387, 10 January 1889, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the City Council was held last evening, and attended by his Worship the Mayor {Mr H. Gourley), Crs Kiinbell, Haynes, Barrou, Hardy, Lee Smith, Sinclair, Carroll, Solomon, M'Gregor, Cohen, Cramond, and Fish. CORRESPONDENCE. The Secretary of the New Zealand Exhibition wrote thanking the City Council for their valuable concession in connection with the supply of gas to the exhibition.—Received. Thomas Brown wrote, by direction of the subcommittee having charge of the garden arrangements in connection with the Ncv? Zealand Exhibition, asking for the use of the two glass houses in the gardens for the purpose of propogating and rearing plants for the Botanical I section of the exhibition ; also for leave to erect a temporary mai mai (or mi-mi) for storing ferns, &c.—Referred to the Reserves Committee with power to act. the Anderson's bat tramway. The Secretary of the Dunedin City and Suburban Tramway Company (Limited) wrote stating that in consequence of the way in which the company had been met by the city and some of the surburban corporations it had been decided not to proceed further in the meantime with the proposed line to Auderson's Bay.—The letter was received. THE SEWAGE QUESTION. Messrs Macassey, Kettle, and Woodhouse i wrote as follows:—"Referring to our letter of 9th April last, aud previous letters —to none of which we have been favoured with & reply—we have now the honour to draw your attention to the following extract from Mr R Hay's report on exhibition sites published in the Daily Times of 2lst ;December. Extract —' The smell from the harbour is rather prominent owing to the deposit of refuse from the sewers discharging on the foreshore.' After this statement we hope the council will see its way to take this matter of the city sewerage into consideration." It was moved that the letter be received. Cr BArron said he was rather surprised that the letters referred to had not been answered. As a mere matter of courtesy a reply should have been sent. He moved "that the clerk reply to the present letter, stating that the council had the matter under consideration, and that it would bo dealt with at the earliest opportunity.

Or Lee Smith : I am afraid that the council has not got this matter under consideration. It has been indefinitely postponed.

Or Sinclair : Kept steadily in view. Cr Lee Smith : Far too steadily. It is a most important question which it behoves this council seriously to consider by appointing a committee to see what is necessary and how much it will cost. If a very dry summer comes it will be a serious matter. This is a great question which has beeu hanging over the council for two or threu years.

Cr Barron : I think the reply should bo to :he effect that the matter was under considera-

tion.—(Laughter from Crs Smith and others.) Well, Cr Smith laughs, but if he will look up the records he will find that several meetings have been held specially in connection with this matter. We cannot make bricks without straw — (Cr Lee Smith: I know that)—aud the fact is we have not the money to carry out this scheme.

Cr Lee Smith : Then we can;t have it under consideration.

Cr Barbon : I say wo have it under consideraion.

Cr Carroll seconded the amendment,

. Cr Lee Smith : But we have not got the money, and this is only drawing a red herring across the scent. People will think you can do

and you won't,

Cr Solomon said Messrs Macassey, Kettle, and Woodhouse's letters had been replied to in

the usual way by the town clerk. As to the question of sewage, more had been done in Dunedin than in any city of its .*;z?in the Australian colonies. Very much more had been done than

in Melbourne, and the council had reason to be proud of what they had done. It was no doubt desirable to have a big sewer going out to the Ocean Beach if they had the money, but they had not the money. Cr Barren's amendment was lest, and the motion that the letter be received wa9 carried. WORKS COMMITTEE. On this report (which has already been published) being read and its adoption moved, Cr Lee Smith referred to the condition of the upper portions of George aud Queen streets, where he said the docks and other weeds had not been properly cleared off.

Cr Sinclair said the matter would be seen ;o.

Cr Coiien moved—" That the part of the report regarding the sand contract be deferred for a fortnight."

Cr Cramond, referring to Cr Lee Smith's remarks, said the latter spoke because he was afraid some of the ratepayers would not vote for him unless he took the matter up. Cr Lee Smith denied this.

Cr Cbamond : I submit it is quite correct. Cr Lee Smith told me himself that Mr Gregg had told him he would not vote for him unless he had the matter attended to.

Cr Lee Smith gave this an absolute deuial.

Mr Gregg had never spoken to him. He bad told O Cramond in ii jocular way that unless thoy looked more after the north find of the towu they would never get into the council again. The amendment was then put and lost, and the motion for the adoption of the report carried. The other reports were adopted without discussion. QUESTIONS BY CB KIJIBELL. Cr Kimbbll asked by whose authority the bridge over Lindsay's creek had been removed. Cr Carroll said the reason was because the bridge was broken down and quite dangerou3. Cr Kimbeli. then asked by whose authority portion of the Southern Recreation ground had been covered with rotten rock. The part he referred to had been levelled and sown down in grass. Several councillors said the work had been very properly carried out, and would prove of great benefit. Cr Solomon said he had a foggy idea that it was Cr Kimbell himself who had recommended that this rock should be put there.— (Great laughter.) Cr Kimbeix said that was quite true, but there were 25 acres in the Southern Recreation ground, and the stuff had been put in the wrong place. The council then went into committee. THE MAYOR'S SALAKY.

The question of the mayoral salary having come on, his Worship retired, and Cr Carroll was voted to the chair. Cr Hakdt had great pleasure in moving that the mayor's salary be the same as in the past— viz., £400 a year. In his opinion there was no reason why it should be reduced; indeed, he would rather see it tha other way.—(Hear.) Cr Lee Smith seconded the motion. Cr Kimbell moved as an amendment—" That the sum be £300 for the current year." He did bo out of no feeling of disrespect for the present occupant of tbo chair, who he had no doubt would fill it with as much credit as any of his predecessors, but he looked on it in this way : They were paying this salary out of borrowed money

Cr Solomon : No. Cc Kimbeix said they were. They were getting further into debt, ami until their income balanced their expenditure he did not think it I right that they should pay the mayor £400. Economy should bo exercised, but hitherto this had only been done at the expense of their servants and employes. The mayor was better paid than some of the corporation officials, without having harder work. Probably next year the mayor would have to dispuusa a great deal of hospitality in connection with the exhibition, and it might be advisable to increase his salary for the purpose, but at the pre:,e'.it time he saw no reason why it should not ba reduced £100. Cc Cii.MioND sccondul the amendment, thinking it only right that a reduction should be D]ade. Every one of their officials had been reduce;! and in other cities the mayors had also fared the same. His idea was that they should set their faces against all uuueccssary expenditure.

Or Cohbn echoed the last sentiment of the previous speaker. They ought; to ;>.uanl ngaiusb all unnecessary expenditure, ami UiertfoTe ho would vote for the motion ;•.•> he ii:jiii;vml this to be necessary expenditure. Cr Barron fefiid any c>-:ni.!,.iii.iii who fii;l liis duty to the city in this ofK.-;: w i.- .v<J! =!«jei.Tvinjj of a far larger salary tb;w £-100 T!;e Diiijor was often called upon to do m-uiy 'hin;Ts wijio'i even councillors did not ki'iv.v about, and £400 was a drop in the bucket tmniwiMi with ihcMirn he had to expend if he did bis ,lut-y ivt!!. The peaker would like to see the amount larger, and hoped the time would conic, when it would be.—(Hear.) There could 1.-v no argument in any shape or form why I'uo present mayor should not receive the same salary as the previous ones. Cr Sinclair said £400 was little enough. He was sorry the mover of the amendment had introduced a remark about payment to the mayor for his services. It was a well-known fact thufc they did not pay the mayor at. all, but only recouped him for his expenditure. He (the speaker) was sr.tifcfmd that the major could not put a penny out of the £400 in hi.s own pocket. Cr Lee Smith agreed that £400 was little enough for the mayor's salary, and hoped the time would come when they would be able to make it far more. It would be a cheeseparing policy to cut it down. Cr "Fish was free to confess a considerable amount of sympathy with Urn r.rnendrr.ent.— (Hear.) They knew the (inam.s of the ci'y were in notliii'if 'ike a flourishing condition, and it, took the council all their time to make the two ends meet under present circumstances. If the present mayor had not been opposed by a gentleman who. he thought, on;;ht no', to hav'i opposed him in the interests of the c.iHzi.-ns—:f he had been allowed t.o have the walkover which apparently the councillors thought desirablethen he (Or Fish) would bavo voted for the leaser sum. The tiMi.s for high salaries not only for mayors but othvr officer;; <.>f corporations w*rp p.ist, and the city of Auckland, with a fnc i-i; ■ » i -. inS--t-r cf rc.t-i [v.:y"cs ::>:'! uiorc. Hn-ui- \ i.i !<■■■',-';■ <.;■, :.i\ ;i;i'- iv;!o!c, i>.tii!.--;iliiri( s ' 1.,.-... ■: :i J>: l .i- -i:I fi I pdrjii-in t>ai-l. il^ , \v;..- ii. '.ji.-:- • "■(- t!:i-r 'll'-y >■'.'■ ul'1 kiC^i up . I high cla;-s saiiTi-.i tii.;tit- tfirmmhout (tie dep',irv I 1 ment, and thereby put a pos.^bio t'^sra i>J rate

on the people, or bring salaries down to a scale commensurate with the work done, and the altered circumstances in which they now lived. He would vote to retain the £400 for the reason he. had stated. As to paying a higher salary, that would lead to the encouragement of lavish expenditure, which would not be a good thing, for only a rich man could then contest the position. Cr Solomon said Cr Fish had great sympathy with the amendment, yet intended to vato against it. He (the speaker) would vote against it, but on totally different grounds. He thought the'amount paid to the mayor was, if he did his duty properly, very small, and that he would be at least that amount out of pocket. He did not think the mayor should be called upon to make a very heavy sacrifice. The gentleman who filled the office next year would, he felt sure, not get out of it under a loss of £1000. The amendment was then put, Cr Kimboll only voting for it, and the motion was carried. Qu the mayor resuming the chair, Cr Carroll informed his Worship that his salary had been fixed at the same sum as the previous year—viz, £400. The Mayor : I thauk you, gentlemen, for the vote.