CITY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13946, 4 July 1907, Page 10

CITY COUNCIL.

The regular meeting of the City Council, held last evening, was ' attended by the Mayor (Mr J, Loudon). Crs Stewart, Sullivan, Walker, M'Donnld, Gilkison, Wilson Rutherford, Cole,' Smith, Shacklock, Fiddis' H. H. S. White, Small, J, E. White, Burnett, Tapley, and Soott. CORRESPONDENCE. Cr Keast wrote requesting six weeks' leave of absence, he having been called away from the colony in consequence of the ilbiess.of his father.—Granted. The South Duncdin Fire Brigade requested permission to use the South Dunodin Town Hall for its arniual 6ocial on August 16.—Granted. The Hon. the Minister of Justice acknowledged receipt of copy of the resolution passed by the council protesting against the utilisation of I.arnach's Castle as an asylum for criminal lunatics, and stated that all institutions of tho nature referred to were under the oontrol of the Minister of Public Hcalh, to whom tho communication had been forwarded for consideration. Received. The President and Secretary of the Wednesday Half Holiday Association, Inverc«ir. gill, wrote that in consequence of the recent ■ enforcement of the laws relating to the statutory half-holiday as regards factories, the whole question of the half-holiday had been • under consideration amongst tho tradespeople, and it was felt that file present was a very suitable time for bringing the subject beforo Parliament, with a view to securing the necessary alteration of the laws. At a largely-attended public mooting tho principle was affirmed that tho only satisfactory legislation was that whioh gave to each district tho opportunity of fixing the day most convenient, to itself, and. that the laws should bo so altered that all factories and shopkeepers should be enabled to keep the day so chosen as a statutory.half-holiday. It was oven mooted that it might, bo desirable to includo all public and Government offices and banks undor tlio samo law. Petitions wcro being signed for presentation to Parliament, and tlio co-operation of the council was desired by bringing the matter under the notice of .the Municipal Association and in other ways.—Referred to the General Committee to report. Mr G, M, Thomson, of the Chemical and Bacteriological Laboratory, called' attention to the necessity of purifying the water supplied to the citv, especially that from the Silverstream.. Tho water contained not only' a large proportion of organic matterchiefly disintegrated vegetable matter, due to tho long open shallow race by which it was brought into the reservoir,—but also a' very considerable amount, of finely suspended clay. Mechanical filtering with sand beds would materially assist the purification of tho water, but' to make an effective job iti would bo almost essential to '• employ some ohemjcal precipitant .'as well. It would •be necessary to have two settling tanks. The material required to purify a million gallons of water would probably cost about. 10s a day, whilst the gains to health, would be great. The desirability of purification must be apparent. By precipitating the clay and organic matter an enormous amount, of bacterial life was carried down, so that in tho hygienic aspect tho water was immensely improved. He submitted that steps should bo taken to filter the water supnlied through the Southern Reservoir.—Referred to Water Committee.

Tho Dunedin Fire Board wrote making application for.an advance of £750 pending the completion of financial Th© board would then bo enabled to reliovo tho council of all further responsibility in connection with the working, of the fire brigades in tho Dunedin district.—Referred to Finance Committee to.report. * . Tho Women's Christian Tomperanoo Union wrote requesting permission to have stands, in tho streets with anti-gambling petition forms to give oitizons an . opportunity of signing.—Agreed to. A communication was received from the Dunedin Ratepayers and, HouMoldere' Association enclosimc - copies of .resolutions asking tho council to oppose th© bill' to be placed before Parliament in connection with the Caversham Gasworks; calling attention 'to the condition of the main streets, and the necessity of keening them clean; and requesting that the tramway manager take into consideration tho matter of sale of tramway concession,tickets at terminal sections.—Received; the clerk to reply that the matters referred to'would receive consideration; WOIIKS COUUITTRF.'S BEFORT.

Cr Wilson moved the adoption of the Works Committee's report, and said with regard to notice being given to pull down old buildings; that they had received a. report from Inoir own officers concerning the matter, and lie concurred with Dr Ogston that, these buildings .should be pulled' dovpn, Wjth reaard to half coat of ketbing' and eiannellhix, it was not advisable to let these amounts stand over from year to. year. . In reference to .the Dimedin railway station, they , had urged Government to do something to improve the approach-to the station.—Cr. Walkor seconded the motion, which was carried.— Cr Wilson then moved, and Cr Burnott seconded, that notices be served on tho owners of buildings condemned that ■ they must be pulled down.—Carried. WATER COMMITTEE'S RKPfIRT, ,

Cr M'Dnnald, in moving the adoption of the Water Committee's, report, said lie had roceivod a ; number' of complaints from the hill part of Cavereham a 6 to the water supply Hoi rip Inadequate. Residents said t.hev could not tret a, sufficient supply for their needs. The council had not the pipes to do what was required, and it would be impossible to do anything for'at ' least six months.—Cr ' Wileon said he thought pipes for. this work had been in hand, hut, had been taken and used in Maori Hill.—Cr Scott said that was not the position. The work in Caversham liad been carricd out as ,per the agreement come to about a year ago. The nocossary pipes were under order and would be hero shortly. No pipes had been transferred to any other place.—Cr Sullivan said residents in the part named had to draw off water during the night in order'to get sufficient water for washing-day.—THo report was adopted. GAS COMMITTEE. The Gas Committee's report was adopted without discussion. In moving, the adoption of it Cr Walker said tho tenders in connection' with tho new works were vory satisfactory, and that they camo within the estimates of Mr English. ' GENfIRiU' COMMITTEE. Cr Burnett moved the adoption of tho General Committee's report.—Cr Fiddis seconded.—Cr Small called attention to clause 6—a recommendation that the tender of Messrs Russell and Sons for the erection of roofing over tho sheep pens at the city abattoir, Burnside, bo accepted at the sum of £301 lis—pointing out that this' was

not an allocation, and would involve a Joss on the operations of the abattoirs in the present year. Cr Scott said the roofing had been wanted for throe years. The abattoirs wero paying and the profits would 6tand tho expenditure easily. Cr Small: I understand that the profit has been £200. per annum for tho last two years. > _ Cr Tapley moved that the olauso in question be inferred back to the committee. Cr Burnett, in roply, said the proposal was made only after full consideration of tho matter both from the economical and' the humanitarian standpoint. The amendment was lost, and the report as read was then adopted. KLEOTIUO rOWEIt COMMITTEE. Cr Shacklook asked that the words "and others" be' added to the clause in the Electric Power and Lighting: Committee's report dealing with the purchase of transformers, and this was agreed to. He then moved the adoption of the report, with the exception of the last clause, recommending the passing of accounts. Ho asked that this be referred back owing to remarks he lmd heard made at Monday's meeting of the council.—The Mayor said he thought probably a number of tho accounts had been paid. It was most unusual to refer such a thing back, but tho matter might be got over by instructing the town clerk not to pay any of the accounts until they were looked into.—Cr M'Donald asked why the steam had been .kept constantly up at tho power house, and Cr J. E. White asked how muoh longer they were going to retain the services of the engineer and foreman at the power house. He did not sec any recommendation as to reducing the staff there.—Cr Shacklock said he understood that steam had boon kept up on one of tho boilers and one engine had been kept warm so that one generator could be started at a moment's notice if anything wont wronsr on the Waipori line. As far as the engineer was concerned, it might be necessary to employ one continuously. The question of reducing the staff would have to to looked into, and very possibly a reduction would be report was adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE'S REPORT. . Or Small moved the adoption of tho Finance Committee's report, and said in connection with tho clause having reference to the Caversham Gasworks, that it was merely inserted so that tbe company might

1 LINSEED COMPOUND.' Trad© Mark of Hay's' Compound Essouce of Lyiwed for Coughs -sad .Colda. ' '

not be able to say in Wellington that it was misled by any conversation between members of the council and representatives of the company. He understood that a resolution stood in the books of the council that it oppose tlio bill—The Mayor, .referring to the Amenities Society's application for a. grant, said ho thought the committee might strain a point to pay tho £25. Evidences of the society's work wore all over tho town, and he hoped the'.chairman would reconsider tJie matter, of making tho donation.—Cr Small said tliero was no allocation to meet tho £25.—Tho report was then adopted.

OTHER REPOBTS. A supplementary report from tho Works Committee,-recommending that "the tender of Mr Win. Me.atlc for the suoplv and delivery of 1200 cubic yards of biuostono spalls to Jetty street at tho sum of' 3s 9d per cubic yard be accepted," was ruled out of order. Consideration .of tho clause in the Frnanoo Committee's report of the 23rd April, referring to tho scope of committees, was allowed to stand over: ' ,

MOTIONS. Cr Cole moved—" That the time has arrived when the whole of tho tramway linos belonging to tho tDunedin Corporation within tho Greater Duncdin area (not already lighted) should bo lighted by the clectrio arc lamps, and that tho wholo question of fixing lamps and lighting samo bo remitted to the. Electric Power and Lighting and the Public Works Committees to report on the cost of carrying out the' work 6, to the next meeting of the council." He said he was. sure councillors wAuld see tho utility of having the tram lines lit lip, especially in the south end qf the town, A portion of King; Edward, street in, South Duncdin was absolutely dangerous, and people driving at night had to pull up to let the trams pass. Cavcrsham Ward, ho pointed out, had been debarred from gas lights for some considerable time.

Cr Scott moved an amendment that the words "fixing lamps and lighting" and '"cost of carrying out the works" be deleted.

The amendment, which was seconded by Cr M'Donald, was carried, and the motion in its altered form agreed to. Or' Smith moved-" That 'tho resolution of council of sth July, 1905, in the following terms—viz., 'That the engineer ajid all conjmittces bo instructed to advertiso in one of the Dunedin papers when calling f?r tenders, labour or material I —bo'and the samo is hereby rescinded."—The motion, was lost, and Cr Smith then intimated.thai he would withdraw a second motion standing in his name. The motion withdrawn, was as follows—" Except in cases ..whero a committee has been empowered to act by resolution of council, that all authorised work required to be done . (oxcept day labour) by this council be tendered for at the discretion of. the committee controlling the samo (either by advertisement or quotations by the responsiblo officer). The acceptance of any such tenders or quotationa to be subject to the confirmation of the council." "

Cr Wilson moyetl-" That, it is desirablo ' that the management of the .tramway 'car house and tramway maintenance be placod m the hands of the traffic superintendent (Mr . Alexander), ajid that the Tramways Committee eonfor with Mr Alexander and report thereon to next meeting of tho council, and this was seconded by Cr J E White. . ■ ' .' Cfr Soott moved as an amendment tho addition of , tho words after the word main- j tonance "except strictly engineering and olectrioal." ' • Tho amendment was lost, and the'motion carried. , TENDERS. , Tenders for 21 years' building Jease of a lotment 4, subdivision of sections 3 and 4, block VI, Town District (Eglinton road, Oariabfook), woro referred to tho General' Committee to act. Tenders for the construction of founda. tions, including the supply and driving of piles, for a three-lift gasholder for the city gasworks, wore referred to tho Gas Committee to report. . , OFFICE CADET. For ,the' position of office cadet in tho ga« department there were 13 applications. These were , referred to tho Gm Committee and the town.clork, from which to select th# most eligible candidates. { .