CITY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10415, 18 July 1895, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of tha City Council, held last evening, was attondscl by the Mayor (Mr H. S. Fish), Crs Gonrley, Hardy, Goro. • Vvalca, M'Gregor, Swan, Cohen, Carroll, and Solomon. CO R RESPOND EN'CE. The Department of Agriculture notiOed (hat Wednesday, August; 7, had been selected as Amor Day. — Received. Messrs Gilmore Bros., of Uvanedftle, wrote applying for^ a reduction of tho rent of section ■ 10, biock AT, Waikouaifci.— Kef erred to the • Water Committee to report. Mr Andrew Johison ivrots applying for a reduction-of the rent of sections 56, 57, and 53, ! North-east Harbour.—Referred to the Reserves CcmiruU.es to rcparb. Mr K. Sandilands wrote directing attention t:> the Btatc of Frederick street from I Athol pUco to tho nvilway crogsinpr, and to tha I necesuity for a proper foniialion of the utreet.— Hefi^rred to th« Works.OommiHoß to act.

Mkk.ikj Surgood, Bon, mid E»vun wrote drawing attention to fcbo lilthy condition of th« roads round thwr boot fiiotory, and asking if the council co»W sod tljoir v«iy to do something whereby tho roads would bo mj.de passable. Some time miico, they wrotft, a foot track was mado ffoiw tho Stnnrf. KferoeS crossing towards the factory to permit of a large number of their workpeople who lived at the north end of the ciby approaching their worlt without having to go all the way round by Rattray street, but chis track bad been absolutely ruined by the heavy drays curting rftfusc with which to 111! the hole on the south side of the factory.—Referred to the Works Committee to act. '

_ Mr B. J. ; Gibb wrote tendering his resignation of the potition'of caretaker of Logan's Point Baths.—The resignation was accepted, and it was referred to the General Committee to appoint some person to act temporarily in the position.

Messrs 8. N. Brown and C. Bayley, on behalf v of the ratepayers and residents in the South Ward of Maori Hill Borough, requested the assistnnce of the council towards the cost of improving the roadways through the Town Belt between tbe city and South Ward, especially that now almost impassable section running from Dnndas street in the city to the junction with High street, Maori Hill, and the dangerously narrow roadway leading to Newington.—The Mayor remarked that the compliance with -the request would probably involve the council in- an expenditure of £20 or £30, and ba would point out that the Maori Hill Couocil was the paly suburban borough council that had not complied with the request of the Ocean Beach Domain Board for a small donation for the improvement of the Sandhills.—Cr Haynes pointed out tbat it waß not the Borough Council that made this request.— The Mayor replied that it was for the benefit of the b.irough.—Tbe lettsr was referred to the Works Committee to reoort.

Drs Ogston and Coughtrey reported that, acting under instructions from the council, they had carefully examined the group of buildings standing npoa secsiou 4-1, block XLII (which was bounded by Leith street. Si. Audrow street, Athol plaie, aud section 42 of the same block), and had found the buildings, which were used as dwelling houses, to be— from external and internal dolapidations, and generally—in a condition that rendered them unsafe to the "health of their occupiers, and likely to propagate disease 4in the neighbourhood.—On the motion of the DSayob, it wiis resolved to give notice to the owner, pursuant to section 302 of " The Municipal Corporations Act, 1886," to pull the buildings down. Mr C. R. Chapman and six other ratepayers requested the removal, highar up York place, of a gas lamp now between Smiih and Suatt streets. —Referred to the Work 3 Committee to report.

Mr Charles King, dust contractor, requested the council to decide wlmther it was his duty to remove the ashes and refuse from Messrs Irvine and Stevenson's, eagine aud factories, as he,was asked to remove about three-quarters of a too. everyday from their premises.—Referred to the Works Committee to report, the opinion being expressed by the Mayoe, and endorsed by several councillors, that it was unreasonable to expect the nust contractor to remove large quantities of factory rtf<:s9. Mr N. M'Leod wrote stitin? that he was prepared to accept the sum of £50 as compensation on account of damage to his property through a slip caused by leakage from the water race.—Referred to the Water Committee to report. . ....

Mr M. Dixon and 21 other ratepayers and residents of Bdea street,1 Pelichst Bay, direetsd attention to the condition of that street.—Eeferred to the Works Committee to report. Messrs John Mill and^'o. and Mr H. (Juthrie ■wrote calling/attiintion to the condition of the approaches to their coal yards in lower Rittray street.—Referred to the Works Committee to ace. .■••'"

The Typographical Association forwarded the following resolution passed by the Board of Managemant: — " Tha!; the City Couocil be respectfully urged to insert' a clause in their conditions of tender requiring every successful tenderer under the City Corporation to pay tbe ruling rate of wage 3." . REPORTS. The Works and Rsaerves Committees' reports, which have already been published, were adopted without discussion.;

On the General Committee's report coming up i'o,. consideration, :..-..■ - The Mayor referred to the recommendation of the committte that he should be appointed the council's representative at the Municipal Conference to be held in Wellington, and stated that he hardly thought that the conference would be held before the Bthorloth of August. The principal reason for the conference meeting was to consider the proposed new-Loosl Government Bill. He had himself written to the secretary of the conference suggesting that each local body, should have at 'ieasf; a fortnight's time to consider the bill before the dejegfites^ met m Wellibgrpo.,- so that., they might be in a position to instruei their'<Mpg*tes on the various points of the bill. 1 Hia Worship also referred to a number of other hills affecting local bodie-t that it was proposed to iutrcduca this session, and pointed out that they required consideration by the conference Or Solomon said he noticed in the discussion which took place at the Taieri County Council that the mayor stated that the City • Council were prepared to indemnify the Taieri County agamut all proceedings that might ba taken againat them in the event of theic agreeing to gr act _ permission' for the erection of f.be abattoirs on thesite that had heen conditionally purchased. .He presumed that his Worship was authorised by the committee to ins.ka such a statement. He should like to ask if tbe commihteo intended to recommend the council to indemnify the Taieri County Couocil. The Mayor replied ihafc the question had never bseu before the committee at all. He made the statement on his own responsibility, but he should imagine that there would be no question about toe matter at all. If anybody assailed the City Council's right to erect the abattoirs, their right woukl bscomeincorporated with the rights of the Taieri Council, iv which case they should indemnify the latter. Cr Solomon said the land was purchased subject to the condition that the City Council cauid • obtain the permission of the Taieri Council to erect abattoirs on this site, and subject to that condition it was very judicious to purchase it. He, howeveiv thought that; tho matter would bo looked upon in a very different light if the council had to enter into such an undertaking as the mayor had mentioned. 16 might be a very expensive thing to indemnify the Taieri Council against; r.ay proceedings that Bright be taken agdnsi; them. The Mayor thought it was an unfortunate thing that this discussion hsd taken place that night. He had not the slightest doubt that at the nest meeting of the Taieri Council permission would ba granted to the City Council to erect abattoirs without their giving an iudeaanity. ■ .-. ' Cr ConEx, in referring to tha prize designs, said if the council passed over the second plrvn entirely he thought they would make a very serious mistake indeed. Tho question of ventilation was a very important matter, and he cud i not tliink that proper provision had bssu made j "for ventilation in the first prize plan. , The Mayok said if there was one thing which | had been studied more than auother in iar . Hislop's plan it was the matter of ventilation. He had submitted the plau ta a committee of I butchers, and they were thoroughly salisQed j with the whole arrangements of the plan. j A motion for tho srfopiion of tne report was then put and carried, and it was agreed that the bills alluded to by the mayor should ba referred to the Gentwl Committee to report. The l?iuance Committee reported having adopted the draft of the Dunedin Loans Consoiidatioa Bill 1395 as submitted by t^ clcy eolicitors, and KTO mmended that Mr l'wbettoii | M.H.R., be ivquesied to take charge Ol the bnl in tho House of Representatives. Accounts had been parsed for payment amounting to £926 3s sd.— Adopted. The reoort of the Special Drainage Committee wm adopted on the motiou, of tho Mayo:;, who said he had no sympathy with the sßfrgeatioQ made in one of the daily papers that tosy fhould go to England for an expert; and he had uo doubt that from the uamea submitted by the

corarnitteo thres experts could ba selected who ' would give satisfaction to the public.—Cr Soi.omojj then moved and Cr Hardy seconded— "That Meagre Napier Bell, Edwin Cathbort, and Robert Hay be the Drainage Board."—Tha Mayor said he did not think the council could possibly do better fchsn select the three named.— j The motion was carried unanimously. ! ACCOUNTS OF GAS DBPAETMSNT. | The Mayok moved and Cr Uoiijw seconded— I " That the me.yor's memorandum of the 30sh January las!;, relating to suggested changes in ■ the mode of keeping the accounts of the gas department and in the prico of gas, be referred to the Gas Committee to report upon or make such other recommendations to the couocil at n future meeting as the committee may de''m fit" Cr Solcoios said he saw no harm in the i matter being ventilated before the Gas Committee. The motion wns carried unanimously. MINTMUM WAGE IN CONTRACTS. j Cr Cohen moved—"That in all future con- I tracts any person or firm tendering for work under this council shall bs required to make a declaration thai; he or they pay such rate of

wages, and observe such hours of labour, as are generally accepted as fair in his or their particular trade ; and in the event of any charge to the contrary being established against such person or firm the contract shall not be accepted. Tbat every contractor shall be required to insert au undertaking in his tender to pay Mis rate of wajjes and to observe the houra of labour above specified, .and- not to assign or mske over the contract to any other person except with tbie consent ot this oouuoil; nor to under-let it, nor to make a sab-contract with any workman or workmen for the execution of any part of the contract." He had, he said, been induced to put the motion on the order paper by the discussion which took plaea ou the proposal to accept the tenders . for printing the the rolls. At that time he {Cr Cohen) stated that he had good reason for thinking that the successful tender was so low that it was impossible for the tendering firm to pay a fair wage and make a profit at all, bjit he had no knowledge when he gave the notice of motion a fortnight ngo that tha fact? had arisen in connection witu the tender which was practically referred to in the resolution that had been received that evening from the Typographical Association. The effect of that resolution was practically what he was contending for. The motion which he now proposed was a counterpart of what be mov«d 12 months ago, with the exception of two clauses, which were practically covered by the present conditions of the council's contract. What he wished particularly to call attention to was the tact that the mayor and others told the council that the lowest tender for the printing of the rolls was of such a character th^t it was impossible to enable the payment of a fair wage and leave a margin of proHb to the contractor As they knew the tender which was accepted was.for 7s a page' but he had had a statement put in his hands which showed that the bare cost of turning out the roll was 9s a page.' Tbis firm of tenderers^ being a posiety house, employed a man who waR paid the society rate of wage—the "stab wage was £3 a-week,—but nosooner was the man put on the work, it was said, than the house made to him what waa practically a proposal to uudeit?.ka the workat 4s a page. That was not only an infraction of she rule'of the house, but also of the rules of tha society under which the compositor worked- and it was a system against whicifs the council sbould set their face. The arrangement he mentioned had, however, to be broken* and the tenderers themselves, in settling; up with the man, had to pay him at the rats of £3 a week. The effect; of the system which the council at present adopted was not only to make firms tender at price 3 which they could not carry cub if they were going to pay the wage required by the trade, but had also the effect of inducing a cut-throat Kystern of competition, waich must result in wages being cut down all round. He intended to ask the council at; a future stage whether the time had not arrived when the main work in the city should bs done by day labour, and he belitved that if they reverted to that system the council would not ba plscsd- in a much worse position financially than the/ now were. Cr Gourley, in seconding the motion, said hs had always been of opinion that whatever work the corporation required to be done should ba paid for at the current rate of wages. . '. .

I Cr Haynes moved as an amendment—" Tint | the Geoeral Committee ba requested to coot sider and report to the conncil the advisability of inserting a clause in their conditions of tender ; rsquiring every successful tenderer under the i City Corporation to pay the ruling rate of | wages." He agreed with Cr Cohen that it i would be .more advantageous to the council | that many works should'be dons by day labour ! which were at present cent acted" for, because j the work under the contracs system was I frequently scumped, and it was tendered for at j a rate at which it was impossible to do justice j-to the city. . ' I Cr Cabholl seconded the amecdment. ICr Goke could endorse a greit deal'of what | Cr Cohen bad said ; but he thought hid proposal was unworkabk. He had no sympathy with, what Cr Cohen said about the vicious system of accepting the lowast tender. If the lowest tender was not accepted as a rule, it would lead to a lot of jobbery. He suggested that tbe motion should be altered to read as follows:— "That in all future contracts any person or firm tenderiog for work under this council shall undertake to pay all workmen, whether artisms or labourers, employed in carrying out the work.3 the current rate of wages | ruling in the district in which they are so employed during the progress of the contract, and to observe eight hours bs a workiug day for which such rite of wages shall be paid." Cr Cohen said he would accept the amendment. , Cr Swan thought that contractors should bs free, and said if workmen did not get a suffi- | cient wage where they were working they 1 could leave fiheir employment and get work somewhere else. Cr Solomon said this, question of a living wage was nsver raised except in connection with priuting. If he thought that the motion of Cr Cohen was likely to ensure workmen getting a fair wage he would_support it, but he did not think it would. He intended to vote against the motion and also ag&inst the amendment. He thought the efEsct of the motion would bs to benefif. contractors and not the workmen. Tha corporation would also have to pay considerably more than they paid at present to get their work done. He never heard any comrJainfc about the present payment of wages for corporation work, except in connection with printing. Cr Hahdv was entirely opposed to the motion proposed by Cc Cohen, wnieh ha thought waa in the direction of interfering unduly with the liberty of the subject. Cr M'Gkegor was of opinion that it would be a very bad prccedea!; for tha couecil to adopS the motion. It" he supported is he would have to appear before the bench tor attempting to commit suicide, as his actioa would ba like cutting his own throat. The Mayor had no doubt tha<; the question was surrounded with great difficulties, but so far as the council themselves were concerned in relation to their contractors aad men they had not the slightest >reasou for reproach. As to the printing contracts, he was bound to sa? that what was known as the Whiteombe and Tombs episode was the best thing that had ever happened to the corporation, because it had hid the effect of bursting up a ring the existence of which was most dicasf.rous. While he o'esired to see fair wages paid he had no desire to bolster up rings and monopolies. As a rule the wages of the working men lay in their own hands, for they had the power, and if they were true to themselves there was an end to the whole matter. But, unfortunately, when ( .bad times came and employment became scarce tha men were themselves the first to bring on the results which Cr Cohen had deplored. He said distinctly that no public body ought to let a tender for wo:k at a price which would not let tbe contractor pay a fair rats of wsge, and if they could adopt a plau that would be effective iv that direction they ought decidedly to adopt it. He was perfectly carcain, however, that if the council employed men by the day they would spend from 25 to 30 per cent, more than they now did and not get better work. The old system which had prevailed here lei, moreover, to the gravest abuses. The amendment as proposed by Cr Bayiies was then put and carried by the casting veto of the Ssayor. On its being put as the substantive motion Cr Gore moved tke amendment he had previously suggested, and after discussion, it wks accepted by Cr Hayoes and carried, Cc Solomon alone ciipseoting. UNEMPLOYED RELIEF WORKS.

It was resolved—" That where horse hire aad material are required by the Uueniploved Association ia improving any street in the city the amount be paid by the corporation subject to the supervision of the Works Committee, up to the limit of £50."