CITY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10033, 26 April 1894, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the City Council was held last evening, and attjnded by the Mayor (Mr H. S. Fish), Crt Gontley, Hardy, Qoro, Wale^, Swan, Owen, Xoomey, Solomon, Carroll, M'Gregor, Daw Son, and Cohen. CO ttllß.-I'ONDKNCE. The Secretary of the Sinking Fund Commi66rcnera forwarded a preliminary statement of the fund ai ou the 31st March last.— Received.

Mr Thomas Graham (Wafeari) requested the council to recoosMer their former decision regarding hi» application for permission to make a road through a portion of the water reserve at Ross's Crtek.—Referred to the Water Committee to repott.

Mr C. T. i'atsrson wrofa drawing attention to tho unsatisfactory stato oE the drainage in Grant street, end suggesting that the channel on the upper Bida should be formed.—Referred to the Works Committee to act.

Messrs A. Briscoe aud Co. again directed the attention of the council to the blocking of the access to their busine's premises by the line of street cab 3in front of tho wooden marks laid down, and by ». Una cf tramcara which discharged and changed horses just on or near the crossing. They complained, moreover, that tho crossing itself was uneven, irregular, often o&nsSve from bone manure, and generally of a character ta prevent ladies and others attempting to cross the street. They suggested a wood-paved crossing from Messrs Brown, Ewing, and Co.'is corner ac:o39 to their premises; and so arxioua were they to see this carried out that they would, if needful, contribute to the coßt.—Tho Mayou thought that the council should do something in the matter, for there was no doubt that it was a considerable nuisance to the firm that they should not have an open crossing, and he thought also that Messrs Briscoe and Co. should contribute something towards the cost.— Cr Solomon' supported the suggestion, and the letter was referred to the Works Committee to report and to ascertain what Messrs Briscoe and Co. would coutribute.

Messrs Scoular Bros, and Co. drew attention to tho amount of the council's account against them for water used by their lift for the three mouths esding March 31, and requested an investigation.—Referred to the Water Com-. mittee fo.-adjustment.

A petition was read from 59 gas consumers asking that the price of gas for illuminating purposes should be reduced to the price charged for gas used for heating and manufacturing purposes—viz , 6b per 1000 ft, with Is discount.— Cr Cohen moved that the petition be merely received, as he considered it would ba a waste of time to refer it to the Gas Committee. The price of gas had been reduced for the purpose of encouraging its use for manufacturing purposes, but until tho finances were inoic elastic they could not consider the question of further reduction.—Latter received.

The Hou. Secretary of tho Dunedin Amateur Boating Club wrote asking for a license for the hall over the club's new shed.—Referred to General Committee to act.

Mr J. H. Hosking wrote complaining of the intermittance of water supply to his residence.— Referred to Water Committee.

The secretary of tho Dunedin and Suburban Reserves Conservation Society wrote applying for permission to carry out the following works :— To plant a row of deciduous shade trees in the southern recreation ground along the Anderson's Bay road so far as the level has beon raised to that of the road, and to plant trees in lower Albany street from the Pelichet Bay station as far as Castle street (or such less distance as available funds will allow), in a similar manner to those planted in Royal terrace. It was expected that the inhabitants in the locality would subscribe towards this work, and the society did not ask any assistance from the corporation beyond the services of the under-gardener.—The letter was referreVl to the Reserves Committee to report, Cr Swan expressing the opinion that there was nob room to plant a row of trees in Albany street.

Messrs J. and T. Christie wroto drawing | attention to a few of the defects in the sanitation of houses which had come under their notice. — The Mayou, in moving that the letter to referred to the General Committee for the purpose of making a report, said that this was one of the most important questions that had ever been brought before the City Gounoil. There was no doubt that the city of Dunedin was in a very unsanitary oondition. At present there was no by-law in connection with the building regulations enabling the city surveyor to insist that proper drainage should be laid down when houses were being built, and he thought they should go further, aud take power to insist on the draiuage of the present houses being perfected.—Cr Cohen seconded the motion, and expressed his pleasure at finding that the importance of this subject was at last being rtcoguised. When the by-laws were under revision he pressed this matter strongly on his colleagues on the committee, but their opinions were adverse to his.—Cr M'Gheqob expressed the opinion that the city surveyor need not pass any building unless he was satisfied with the drainage system.—The motion was carried. A petition was received from 31 ratepayers and householders in Leith Ward requesting that a lamp be placed on or adjoining the new bridge, recently erected, connecting Leith and Union streets.—On the motion of Cr Swan, the petition was referred to the Works Committee with power to act. THE DItATNAGE QUESTION. A letter was received from the Colonial Secretary's Office enclosing the following letters: — Bruce street, Roslyn, April 7,1891. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Dear Sir,—l have been requested by the West Harbour Borough Council to bring under your notice the matter of the drainage of the city of Dunedin in so far as it affects the residents of West Harbour.

As you are aware, the whole of the Dnnedin sewage runs into tho harbour, and for some time the Harbour Board and City Council have beon at variance upon the subject, and I am informed the matter has already beon referred to you in their case; but I now wish to point out to you that the sewage, after entering the harbour at Dunedin,

gradually finds its way down the river, and in due time deposits it?elf Upon the foreshore around Ravansbourne, Burkes, and St. Leonards, the sblell from which at low water is anything but pleasant or healthy, and something should be done to prevent this—either ,by compelling, the City Council to deposit their sewage eleevhere, or comp"el .them to build vrorko Such as are in .existence in several fcwas in England, whereby nothing but the liquid matter would run into the htoßouv.

I would respectfully suggest that you should make inquiries upon this matter v;ith l!l8 object ,of speedily putting & stop to what is a rapidly - increasing nuisance, as it appears that you are the only ono having the power to do anything, aa the City Council have declined the request of the Harbour Board to_ consider the matter at all, their only reply being that there is no dlsputo 6t all.— I have, &c, J. a. Millar.

ftbthesay, Dunedin, 6th April. 1894. The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, Welling-

ton. ~ Sir,—l am instructed to forward ycu tiia following resolution, n^serttt '.ast meeting of the council—viz i—" lliat a letter ba written to the Colonel Secretary asking whether the Gorcmiiient have taken any etep3 with regard to the complaint made by the Otago Harbour Board against the city of Dunedin disposing of their sewage in the harbour, because the pollution of the harbour prejudicially affects the foreshore of the borough, and that the member for the district bo requested to Use his influence in the matter. ".^-1 nave, &c (tiigned) D. lArnach, Town Clerk.

Cr Carroll said this fiVlbjecS had been before the board and tbe council, and the fact was the Government had been called upon to interfere without the essential preliminary of a disagreement between the, l^eal bodTcß. The borough of West Harbour cere travelling outaide their, functions in attempting to dictate as to what time this nuisance should be stopped. They all knew they could not afford to enter upon this wort, and it seemed to kiai the borough, might as well complain of the miisance that camo with tvs tide from Port Chalmers drainage. The spueal to the Government had bcess teprbper, for the majority of tto members of the ' Harbour Board were reasonable men, and could sea plainly that the time had not arrived to fores the council to action. The member for tils district could not, he though^ be ftwM'e Of the facts or he would not have acted as he had done on behalf of a portion of his constituents. The MiVon suggested that tho clatter should be referred to h'ioic-3ft and to the town clerk to reply to. this raemed to him an unnecessary and rather meddlesome interference on the part of a small borough to annoy the City Council. He was strongly of opinion that tho nuisance was more imaginary than real. For some time he had himself lived on tile banks of the river, and he had never observed any auisance there, and ho did not think the nuisar.ee could have increased sinca then. It seemed to him that the reply should be to the effect that they had nothing to. add to their former commuuiwtion on the subject. Cr Walks thought everyone mast b 3 cognisant of the fact that the drainage from a large city of 40,000 inhabitants going into the harbour must 13 deleterious to the health of those livin« on its borders. He knew the petition of the council, that they were cou in a position to do anything at tte present moment, nevertheless ho did not think this communication should be treated lightly, but that the council should again consider some, means of reducing the nuisance as soon as possible. Cr Gartoll had said that the board and council had not disagreed. He knew there had been considerable correspsndence btntan the bodies, that it had been frequently discussed, and that if they had not disagreed they certainly had not agreed upon this subject. Cr Gore saia that m tho past this question had been often considered", and it had been discovered that interest on the cost of plant and working machinery lo carry tho sewage to tho Ocean Beach would amount to £15,000 j-jr annum. He did not thinkthero was the danger arising from this source which people imagined, Cr Toomet said that no doubt a nuisance did arise, but if tho cost of its removal would be the sum indlsated by Cr Gore, io seemed to him it would ba better for them to buy up the borough of West Harbour altogether and make a sewer of tho chaanel, whioh was all it appeared to be fit for juet now. Ho had lived at Rivensbonrae quite recently, and had not noticed the nuisance complained of. At the present time they Were handiciprsd with the shrinkage of income from licenses, and if the ratepajeij were to ba burdened with interest amounting to an additional charge of £15,000 per annum the ratepayers would bo in nearly as bid a position as propsity-holdera at Oimaru. and miuht almost as well give their property away altogether. Toe MatoH : That is what it's coming to. Cr M'GreoOb said tho council had never had any dirtCl; evidence of the creation of the nuisance alleged. There had been talk about it, but no proof of the fact.

Cr Cohen : Do you want to be killed before you are satisfied.

Cr M'GueOOb said that the nu'sanca was just a 1) muc^l caused by drainage from Moraington, Roslyn, and other boroughs aa from Dancdin, and thoe boroughs should Contribute to tha removal of the nuisance. Ho thought that a drainage- district should ba crcit:d, and a separat3 bard formed to deal with the mattsr.

Mr Solomon cxpreised the opinion that Cr Jl'Qregor could obtain ample evidence as to the sxiatecce of the nuisance if ho would walk ta the bottom of Hanover street or Uniou street. The foreshore w?i in a most deplorable condition. Hia impression was, somehow, this matter would have to bs dealt with for the bent fit and safety of-our own ratepayers. - It was true the matter was a moat difficult one to deal with, but ho agreed with Cr Walei, that it was not judicious tv treat it lightly. He would move as an amendment—"That tha letter be referred to ths General Committee."

Tho Mayor said he disagreed entirely with what had bsen eaid by Or Walf3 and Cr Solomon. Ho denied thut there was anuifanca i-xisting on the chores of suburban boroughs, and h9 denied that thera was anything deleterious to human health. The law wis entirely with the corporation. If anyone would turn to section 279 of the Munioipal Corporations Act, which provided that the council might make auch drains— Cr Wales : Rsad the 280 th clause. The Matob said he knew of that, but there was a gcod answer to it—ths drains had been constructed before thero ws3 any Harbonr Board. Tho nsitter had bean discussed and threshed out bavore, and a complete answer had been sent to the Colonial Secretary. Cr Cohen seconded the amendment pro formi, but said it would be absolutely useless to send the matter ta a committee, for the committee that had previously taken the matter in hand had never been allowed to proceed with ordinary court: »y, but had been bauiked. The same answer would be made now as then —that there never had been any disease creited by this nuisance. Ho supposed that never would b3 admitted until half the town had been killed, and then possibly tho evil would bs admitted. The amendment was lost, there voting five for and seven (including tho major) against it. The motion was then carried. DEPARTMENTAL EEPOBTS. The reports of the Reserves, Gas, and General Committees were adopted without diecussion, and thorepoit of the Finance Committee was adopted without amendment aftar a shoifc discussion had taken place with reference to the proposed construction of a pipe drain in Clyde On the motion for the adoption of the Water Supply Committce'a report, Cr Toomey proposed that Mr James Gray to permitted to take a copy of an anonymous letter, referring to the Fernhill Collieiy, recently received br the council; bat the amendment did not Cud a seconder, and the motion was oiiried. On tho motion for tho adoption of the Finance Committee's repot i, Cr Solomon took exception to tha olause stating that the committee had given instructions that in future all deposits lodged with tanders should be paid into tho ordinary municipal account at the bank. He was strongly of opinion that the proper course was to pay the deposits into a special account. The adoption of such a couree would prevent confusion in the corporation accounts, and it was the course specially urged upon the council by the Auditorgeneral. It wa« a question of bookkeeping, and he did not fcbiuk extra trouble would be involved by tho opening of a special account. He moved—"That the clauso be altered to the extent of having tho deposits paid into a special instead of into the municipal account." Cr Toomey seconded the amendment. The Mayor said the question wa3 simply one of the safe custody of these moneys. _ The council, he had ascertained, had been in the habit of allowing those moneys to remain m the hauds of one of the clerks, and it had struck him that such a proceeding was very improper, as the deposits amounted sometimes 1.0 £100 or £400 That was the explanation of Uj .«■ ih.9 matter had come before the committee Ho considered the plan proposed by Cr Salomon of dealing with tho deponts was no belter tor the security of the money than the plau recommended by the committee; but it would involve tho opening of an extra banking account, and would entail a lot of trouble on the departmThe amendment was lost by seven votes to flvo Crs Solomon, Toomey, Walcj, Gourloy, and Dawson forming the minority, aud the motion was carried. OFFICE HOLIDAYS. A memorandum on the question of the officers' holidays was submitted by the Matoe, who asked that it should be referred to the Finance Committe to report. The memorandum was in the following terms :— Soon after my accession to office requests wore from time to time made to me to grant a fortnicht's leave of absence to various officers of the council. Upon expressing some doubts as to the propriety of granting such lenirthy leave of absence I was informed that it had been the custom for years to grant them, ana tnat the same had been sanctioned by the council. Relying unon these statements as bmug correct, I granted leave to various officers as from time to time renuested However, feeling still dissatisfied about the matter, and feeling strongly that if it wero correct tho leave of absence, together with other holidays, was excessive, and also being unable to call to mind any resolution of the council to this effect, I instructed the town clerk to look up any renort upon the subject and any resolution of the council ■■ theresnent. This was done, with the result that I found there was do sufficient foundation for the information which I had received, except that tho practice may have drifted into a custom.

the following extracts from the Finance' Committee's reports and minutes of the council will show the exact position. Under tlateSoth March lS79, r the committee (clause % reported :-" That in terms of the attached report his Worship the Mayor be authorised to settle with the town clerk a plan or table in conformity with which the different officers employed unrfer the council can receive a fortnight's holiday pearly without unduly interfering, with the business of the office. The attached report" referred to above i eftnnot I'd found.

On the same date the council referred the akbve clause back to tho PonilnlUee for reconsideration; and the town olerk was instructed td lay before the committee a list of the casual holidars And Ihe names of the servants who would under this clause classify as Qfllcera. , Under date the Sthof Ap.i11879, the Finance Committee reported as.follows :-(<Jlause. 20 " Ho the deferred clause of your committee's renort of the 25th of March 1879 as to granting t fortnight's holiday to c?rta.in cf the corporation's officers, reconlnieiida that a fortnight's holiday be given ftjlnually to those officers enumerated in the accompanying list. His Worship the Mayor and town clerk tp arrange a table of dates for leave of absence in each case." "The accompanying list" referred to above cannot also be found. (Glaute 3.) "That upon tile Undef-mentiohorl days the Corporation ofnc'ta be closed—vi£, New Year's Bay Anniversary Day, .Good Friday. Queen's Birthday, Prince of Wales's Birthday. Christmas Day, and Boating.Day." Ih,alJ.seven flays. . ' Cr Fish moved) and Cr Thomson seconded That the clauses in their present shape be struck C-ut.'" - : -\

" Cr Leary moved, and Cr M-'Kinnon, seconded; as an amendment, ' That the question Vif holidays be referred to his Worship the Mayor.' The amendment,wr!s'cafried.!' ' ' ' '■ '

i ClaoTies 2 and 3 of the report were' then struck cut. ■'I find the then town clerk (Mr Hassey) endorsed on the face of the report the woi'fls " Clauses 2 and 3 are neaatlved iv the Council, and are lost. Recommendations fall through.!' I therefore think I am justified in Resuming that tile matter Wa.B practically shelved by the cotiucil and left w tie, brought before the mayor as o'SSftaicln might arise. • The position of affairs at present with regard to this matter is, that in addition to a fortnight's holiday, the following days are also deserted bs holidays—via, hew year and following, day (2), Good Friday, Saturday, and Mdnday (3),,Annt. Vefsary Day; Queen's Birthday, Prince ofjVal'da's Birthday. St. Andrew's Day, Christinas Day and Boxing Day (2), .and,any special dais-(3) proclaimed .by. the;mayor as a holiday/or in all, including the fortnight, 29 days; and as there are 15 officeia who would be entitled, the total of holidays would be about 15 months in the year, or about equal in. money value to £200 jer annum, or ona nod a • quarter- year's service of one clerk. This does, not In; elude about 12 other permanent officials. Now, whilst desirous of allowing the officers of the corporation . every fair opportunity for feorSatit'n and the recuperation Of their health and faculties, I am strongly of Spinion that these holidays are too many, and dertainly so far as I can learn very considerably more than allowed by any banking institution or mercantile firrd in Dunedin. The hours during which our officials workaro not Unduly exacting, being from 9.30 a.m. to E.p.m, I therefore suggest <o the council that in future the rule with regard to holidays should be somewhat as follows, viz. :— That the days, upon which the, corporation offices shall be closed are JSew Yeairs Day, Good Friday, Saturday, tint! MBaday (3), Queen's and Frmce^o! A\ales"3 Birthdays (2), St. Andrew's Day, Christmas, and Boxing Day, and any day proclaimed by the mayor; and that any extension of thesa be tpecially asked for from the council. The council will obßcrve that I strike out of the days presently observed the following, via., the 2nd of January and Anniversary Day, as I do not think the former is nece3sa.ry, and the latter is not now observed as a holiday .by the general public. Even allowing.the above as holidays, they are two more than was tha custom in 1879.

Cr Solomon opposed the motion to refer the memorandum to the Finance : Coinmitt.e because, he said; thera was nothing in it to report Upoa. The pith of the memorandum consisted in the mayor's statement that tho officers' holidays were too many, and,. 89 far a3 he (tho mayor) could learu, wore more than were allowed by any banking institution or mercantile firm in Dunedin. The speaker had taken the trouble to ascertain what actually was the custom in Dunedin. He fouud that in the Bank of Australasia all the clerks under five years' service received two weiks' holiday in each year, and that clerks above five years' service received three wcaks' holiday, thess holidays being not permissive but compulsory. What his Worship objected to was that two week*' holiday wa3 given tr> the corporation staff beyond the general holi ■ ays. In the Colonial Bank, the Bank of New Zealand, the Union Bank, and the Bank of New South Wales all tho employees received a fortnight's holiday in each year whenever it could be given without interfering witli th 9 work of the bank. The National and Staudard Insurance Companies granted two weeks' holiday in each year i the customs house gave a fortnight to a month's holiday; Messrs Murray, Roberts, and Co. granted a fortnight, and the Union Steamship Company also granted a fortnight; and Messrs Briecoe and Co. gave a fortnight and sometimes so mush more as to enablo thtir employees to visit Australia. It seemed to him that that sufficiently disposed of tho portion of the mayor's momorandum to which he had referred. Moreover, he found.that the corporation employees did not take advantage of the holidays to the full extent. Mr Fairbairn had taken eight holidays of a fortnight each in 19 years, Mr Leighton had taken six holidays of a fortnight in 13 year?, Mr Duncan had had 11 wrski' holiday in 21 years, Mr Crtagu had a mouth in 1890 and a month in 1893 anc! he hud occasionally had three or four days' holidays in 20 years, Mr Waidie had one fortnight in seven years, Mr Ibbataon (lid not ipply for a holiday for several years, and (Vie Wilson hid received nine holidays of a fortnight in 15£ ye.irs. No saving had been suggested in tho memor. j.ndum, and ho did not see that any was likely to bj effected, for when men were away on ttnir holidays other members of the staff did their work and did it cheerfully. He thought it wai highly desirable that nil the holidays should bo taken, as it was a great check en their officers that they should bo away for a fortnight from time to time. Tha Mayoij said ho wai vary hoarse, and he askedCi a favour to himself that the council should refer the meßiuiandum' to the committee. Cr Solomon said if the Mayor asked ii as a personal favour ha h:ui no objection. The M.vyoe said he would not ask a favour from Cr Solomon. Strange as it mighi seem, whatever the mayor proposed Cr Solomon opposed, yet when he had told Cr Solomon that the corporation hands received a fortnight's holiday each year beyond the ordinary holidays, that councillor pressed him to bring tho matter up btfore the council. Cr ISolomos asserted that what the mayor had just stated was not correct. The mayor had told him that he intended to bring forward a report, but the speaker did not know the facts till tho report was before the meeting. The Mayor : The council has heard Cr Solomon and has heard mo. You know Cr Solomon aud you know me. I reiterate that what I have said is correct. The motion waa carried. INSPECTOB OF NUISANCES.

The Inspector of Nuisances reported having paid a visit to a dairy in the city as directed.— The Mayor expressed the opinion that it was improper to have a dairy in the centre of the city.—Referred to the General Committee. Tho Inspector also reported regarding the disposal of offal by fishmongers.—Raferred to the General Committee for rc-poit. by-law, .KO. 2. On tha notice of motion given by Cr Cohsn to amend by-law No. 2 being called on, the Mayor ruled that it was not in order to consider it, but that notice to amend must ba made with the eatae formalities as were required to make a by-law. Cr Cohen said he had anticipated this ruling, and intimated that ho would give notice in dee form. ■ .

"A LITISG WAOB."

Cr Cohen moved—" That in all future contracts any person or firm tendering for work under this council shall be required to make a declaration that he or they pay such rates of wages, and observe such hours of labour, as are generally accepted as fair in his or their particular trade; aud in the event of any charge to the contrary being established against such person or firm, the contract shall not ba accepted. That every contractor shall be required to insert au undertaking in his tender to pay the rate of wages and to observe the hours of labour above specified, and not to assign or make over tho contract to any other person, except with the consent of this council; nor to underlet it, not to mako a sub-contract with any workman or workmen for the execution of any part of the contract." There had, he said, been two discussions which in a Urge measure had given rise to thi3 resolution, a resolution founded upon one which two years ago the London County Council, one of tho largest municipal governments in the world, had adopted under circumstances which ought to be known to the council and to the public. In 1888 the London Society of Compositors managed to get one of their members elected to the School Board. With the help of the Socialist members of that board he secured the adoption of a resolution in accordance with which all firms sending in tenders for work under that board are obliged to declare that they "pay not less than the standard rate of wages in each branch of their trade," and the following clause is now inserted in every contract for printing—viz: " The contractors shall not assign over or underlet this contract or any portion thereof. IE the contractors assign or underlet, br attempt to assign or underlet, any portion of the coutract, or if they become bankrupt, the hoard shall have power to determine this contract immedi&t'ly." Other public bodies in England, notably tho city councils of Birmingham, Bristol, Hull, Manchester, Nottingham, and Sheffield had adopted similar resolutions. Many of the metropolitan vestries and district boards had adopted the principle, as had also numerous local bodies, as school boards and boards of guardians, to the number of 174 in »U. The existing contracts had a clause referring to the non-subletting of contracts, but the power of allowing subletting was in the hands of the major. He desired to have that altered so that the coasent of tho council should be required. Ij_i dealing with the principal reason which had induced him to give notice of this resolution it was necessary for him to refer to a memorandum which the mayor had put before tho council at its last meeting dealing with a particular tender. When his Worship last spoka he admitted haviDg made a mistake on the previous occasion, and reduced the percentage of alleged saving from.6o to 50 per

cont. No doubt if he opdke again tlie mayof ■would find it necessary to take off another 10

par oent. And notwithstanding the statements his Worship had made, he (Cr Cohen) had reason to believe the totemeit.u mask by tbS eeoretary Bf tlie printers' Association was fcbsoliitely correct, and that over the whole coutract the difference for the year would .t?d £70, and not £ICG as stakd by the mayor. Tl>3 " order pftpsc" A3 a rule contained very littlS punted matter, but under the contract it was withio. the pdwer of the.council to fill rfjj one oe twq sides; and in U-iidering printers had Id fiiske an estimate of the possibility of the council exercising that power. In tho malrt things—such as the burgess,roll; list of rbseivc»j and balance shoots—the difference in price was represented by the difference in tho wages paid in Duuedin aud Chrit-t' hurch, and that should have been considered by the Finaucs Committee. Take, for instance, the burgets roll. The Cmistchurch firm which got the tender charged 12s a pugc; the Danertir. firms asked 13}. The balance sheet= The Mayor : I hardly think you are in orfc in analysing Whitcoml'3 and Xoraba's tend^rt That certainly does not ome within the scojla oil the motion. - * . Cr Cohen said the motion stated that ihp council ought! not to accept any tender based Su unfair wages; and he would show thai in this instance the council deliberately accepted a tender based on unfair wages.

- The Mayor : 1 must rule that out of order. You cannot refer to a p*st debate. That question has been discussed in all its bearing?. I must confine you to a general argument upon the motion. Cr Cohkv said iia was iiow following tne course of procedure the mayor had thought lit to adopt on two previous occasions, and to prevent counter statements now was most unfair, At the last meeting tho mayor had appeared with a carefully-prepared statement analysing these tenders) aud that statement was placed befctro tho council. Ho (Cr Cohen) haa h'J hesitation in sayiog there was, riot .? man at, the titble who .could understand what was then stated from a

technical standpoint, and he had himself promised in the interval to prepare evidence to show that the premises on which his

Worship's contention had been based were absolutely wrong. He had come so prepared, and at this juncture he was told he was not to bo permitted to carry out that intention. Ec submitted

The Mayor would point but that at the last meeting Cr Cohen might have moved the adjournment of the debate. Or Cohen- i There was no debate to adjourn, The Mayoh : Cr Cohen might have utoved that the question stand over for farther consideration. There wa3 nothing Unfair on his (the major's) part. He was doing what.van strictly in ■ accordance • with parliamentary practice, aud he must rule that Cr Goheu waii distinctly out of order in referring to a past debate, and must make his remarks of a general character. Cr Cooes said he would submit to the ruling, but in doing so would express the hope that it would be observed on f ature occasions; that if parliamentary procedure was to be carried out all should be treated alike. They must be cognisant that th&counoil under tlie rule had let contracts under which fair wages..could nafi )3 paid. They had let contracts fot ; lightic>j the city under conditions that would, bnl? permit of: the payment, of a scale of wages that) with all respect, was almost a disgrace to tho city. If he were permitted, he could show that whilst at one time the council had paid,?j a day, and allowed overtime for certain arduous service?, at times involving risk of life, they now paid men for the same services 6s 6d a day and allowed no overtime, though the men might be required to work in tho middle of tho night. This was a condition of things that must be altered. The whole ground was of course not covered by this particular resolution ; but if the council were to persevere in the policy it. had adopted, it placed large employers of labour and heavy ratepayers at a disadvantage, and by compelling them to bring wages down to the standard that ruled somewhere else he had no hesitation in saying the Duuedin Corporation would be encouraging a system of " sweating," which no lecal body should do. He was sati-fied tha principle embodied in his resolution was right, and though ho, wrts not addressing a sympathetic body, ho was satisfied that at co distant date this question would be received in a very different manner, and that the proposal would commend itself not only to tho council but to the ratepayers at large. There was at present no help for it, aud he would merely move his resolution in its naked form and allow the council to deal wkh it. Cr Goubley, in seconding the motion, said that his experience led him to believe that thn City Council should do away with tendering altogether. Somo tiino ago the Water Committee received a tender of £2 10a an acre for clearing 18 acres of gorse. In the first place the men came and r.eked for working tooli?, with which they were provided, but after a few days they threw the contract up, finding that they could not make Is a day. The next lowest tender was for £i 10s an acre, bus the tenderer* found thejr could not m»ko 2s a day, and they threw it up. The next tenderers offered to do the work for £6 10j un acre; but they could not make 2s 6(1 a day. Tub <;onitnitteo then put on meu (all of them were competent workmen) at 6s a day, and it cost the corporation- £12 lO.< an ncre to do work for which they had accepted a tamlcr at £2 10=1 an acre. The council had now before them the tenders for the removal of dust from tha city, aud the lowest offer was £377 for the jeir. It took four horses and drays and font men to do the work, aud if they allowed 15s a week for each horse and dray they would find thit; tho four men would each receive tho munificent sum of 21a a week for their labour. He said it was not fair that the council should employ men at tint price.—(Hear, hear.) Cr Cohen's reference to the lighting contract was unfortunate, because the City Council themselves employed four or five men for lighting the city, and paid them IGj Id a week. He thought it was time the council took it in hand to pay honest and fair wages and to do away with contracting altogether. Ai Cr Cohen had said, there was an uusympathetic council; bub he believed the time was not far distant when that state of thiogs would bo altered.' Cr Toomey said he would move —" That thq council proceed to the nezt business." The motion was, he said, an attempt to turn the council into a labouc uuiou, whereas councillors were sent there to conservo the interests of the ratepayers and to see that tho rates were kept as low as possible. Cr M'Gregoe seconded the amendment. The Mayor, interposing, said ho could allow no debate on the proposal to proceed to the next business. Cr M'Geegor desired to explain why he seconded the amendment. He did so because he considered the question was outside the province of tho council, and the man who tabled the motion knew nothing about contracting. It was simply playing into the hands of cooperative people and capitalists. The Mayor : I think you have said enough, Cr M'Gregor.—(Laughter.) Cr Wales remarked that he would vote against tho amendment. The question was then put—" That the council now proceed to tko next business"—with tho result that there voted : Ayes (7)— The Mayor, Crs Toomey, M'Gregor, Swan, O»en, Hardy, and Gore; nous (6)—Crs Solomon, Carroll, Cohen, Dawson, Wales; aud Gourley. APPOINTMENT.

The council went into committee for the purpose of apponting a junior clerk. On resuming it was resolved to appoint Mr H. Titchener. Tho council adjourned at 10.25 p.m.