CITY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13518, 15 February 1906, Page 8

CITY COUNCIL.

The fortnightly .meeting of the Dunedin City Council was held last evening, and was attended by his Worship the Mayor (Mr J. Braithwaite), Crs Gore, Crust, Loudon, Wilson, Walker, Connor, Cole, Arkle, Shaddock, Harrison, Small, Lawrence, Scott, lirinslcy, Burnett, and Dr Riley. An apology for absence from Cr Rutherford was received. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr A. Marshall, superintendent of the Technical Classes Association, wroto reminding the council that its annual contribution in aid of the work of the school was now due, and suggesting that the contribution be £100, instead of £75 as formerly. —Referred to the Finance Committee to report. Mr Robert Duncan, lion, secretary of the St. Clair Progress Association, wrote enclosing a number of rcsoluMoiu adopted at the last meeting of the association, in which the attention of the council was drawn to the lone delay that had taken place. in dealing with the question of reducing tho tramway tares to St. Clair, the necessity for a hand-rail over the cliff to the second beach, the lighting of the district, public conveniences, I'orbury road footpath, expenditure 011 roads, ami band performances. Attention to these matters would materially contribute, to the comfort, of tho inhabitants of the district, and the good of the city as a whole.—The matters mentioned in the letter wore referred to the various committees concerned. Messrs. Duncan -irid MacGregor. solicitors, wrote, acting under instructions from the First. Church Deacons' Court, calling attention to the damage caused to the church, manse, and other buildings on their property by the smoke and grime nuisance proceeding from the city tramways power house. The council had from lime to time made promises to abate this nuisance, which, instead of being abated, had become more aggravated.—Referred to tho Tramways Committee to act. WORKS COMMITTEE. Cr Crust moved the adoption of the Work' Committee's report. Cr Brinsley moved that sub-clause (5) of clause 1, empowering tlic committee to prepare by-laws within the scope of the committee's work for the whole city, be referred back to the committee for further consideration. New by-laws were required. but they should be prepared for all departments, and not be done piecemeal. During tho discussion it was mentioned that the town clerk had the matter in hand with a view of codifying the whole business. The Mayor read a letter from the city solicitors, in which they stated that they did not see any urgent reason for going to Iho expense of new bylaws at tho present time. Until the Greater Dunedin scheme was complete and the remaining boroughs amalgamated with tiie city, the present bylaws would meet, all requirements. Cr Crust said that ho wa-s surprised at tho city solicitors' statement in their letter. There had been great difficulty in working the by-laws. There were three sets of bylaws, and very often they did not know where they were. The matter had been before tho council for four or five years, but they never seemed to get any further forward. The amendment; was carried, and the report otherwise agreed to. OAS COmiITTKE. Cr Walker moved the adoption of tho Gas Committee's report. Cr Scott asked for some explanation of the recommendation that the contract, between the council and the Ammonia Company of Australia, concerning the matter of the concentrated ammoniacal liquor produced at the City gasworks, be extonded for a further period of five years. When the. engineer originally requisitioned for this plant the reason lie.gave for suggesting that the machinery should be secured from outside makers instead of in Australia was that if it was let in the open market they would get a better price for the ammoniacal liquor. Yet in face of that, and after paying nearly double for the machines, they had tho committee recommending that the company get all the liquor for the nextfive years. Either the engineer had misled the committee or there was something not right. Cr Walker said he. did not know what the engineer's report in /regard to the machines had been, but h ft presumed that Cr Scott was correct. All the other gas companies in New Zealand wcrp this company, and he was given to understand that there was no other market for the liquor. Ho might, say that tho engineer was nor. present when the Gas Committee met tlie company's representative, and camp, to an arrangement. Tho report was adopted, OTHER REPORTS. The reports of the Water, Reserves, General, and Finance Committees were also adopted.