CITY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14684, 18 November 1909, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Ciiy Council, held last evening, was attended by his Worship the Mayor (Mr J. 11. Walker), (Jrs Kcast, Sullivan, Tapley, M'Phcrson, Wilson, Rutherford, Cole, Marlow, Shaddock, White, Tapper, Fiddis, Clark, Douglas Burnett, Stewart, and Barr. CORRESPONDENCE. Scoutmislress Reynolds applied, on Ijohnll of the Girl Scouts, for similar treatment in the matter of tram fares to that given to the Boy Scouts. She forwarded details of the movement.—Referred to the Tramways Committee. - In reference to the removal of the shelter shed in Castle street, William Muirhead repeated a tormer proposal to meet the council in the erection ol a verandah at the corner of Albany street, provided terms and conditions could be arranged.—Referred to Tramwaj'6 Committee to report. UEFOiITS.

p. Cr_ Wilson moved the adoption of tho j Public Works Committee — fU- White said lie would like to move that, the cladse about tho footpath on the right hank of tho Leith bo referred back to the committee for furI her consideration. This was the land about, which there had recently been some trouble in moving back the fences to the proper boundary. If councillors would go down and look at the spoil deposited there from the George street, tramway track they wijuld agree if was one of the worst filings over done. The ground should have been handed to (ho Reserves Committee to beautify instead of being made an eyesore by being made, into a footpath, which was not required, for all necessities were met by the present footpath.—Cr Chirk seconded the amendment.—The Mayor added that he sympathised with it. The filling-in had not. been satisfactory, for the conscqneuco ot rain would be the Hooding of grounds.—Cr Fiddis asked when Waverley street would be attended to.—Cr Shacklock asked similarly in conncction with the Gasworks siding.—Cr Wilson, in reply, paid some councillors wore looking at private instead of public interests. The Works Committee had fully looked into the matter, and had decided that tho encroachment of tho ■fences should end. They could make a beautiful walk of (his place. In regard io the spoil, instruction had been given to protect tho private property. 'It seemed to him that the tramway men had done what they liked with this spoil. In regard to Cr Fiddis's remarks, Waverley street would be put in order this year. In conncction with the Gasworks siding, instructions had been given for this to he attended to.— The amendment to refer the. clauso back was'lost, aind the rci»rt adopted. , The adoption of the Water Committee's report was moved by Cr Sullivan.—lt was, adopted without discussion, as was also the Reserves Committee's report, on the motion of Cr Burnett.

G'r,White, in moving tho adoption of the Gas Committee's report, explained that, having gone into the matter, the comnritteo felt thoroughly justified in selling coko by weight. .As to the conservation of Coal there was no doubt that the works would be able to carry on without inconvenience. —Cr Shacklock said the authorities should have waited till dry weather before selling, coke by weight. He was unaware that any additions to the new retort-house had been authorised.—Cr Fiddis said tho gas was quite poor enough without the people getting, water gas. Was it true that the gasholder had been choked up? Would someone tell tho public that the foundations .wen: right? Thousands of' pounds were being spent on the Gasworks that should not be spent.—Cr White said be had little to reply to.-Ho had worked a' good deal at night, and the present City Corporation gas compared well with previous supplies. There were very few complaints about the quality of the gas now. In-suggesting the water plant should be used the committee v-as doing a good Hung.—The report was adopted.

■Cr Tapley moved i.ne adoption of the Gcnoral Committee's report, lie said the reorganisation of the sanitary arrangements in Caversham and South Dunedin Wards would save a lot of money.—Cr .Shacklock asked what by-law it was which-was preventing vehicles trom standing in Princes street, and when if had been passed.—The Mayor l-eiiarked thot the. revised by-laws were now practically completo, and had been sent to various bodies for further suggestions.—CV Tnpley said, in-reference to the by-law, that he personally- and' others would, when considering the traffic by laws, go into the'matter very carefully, and see if they could not strike.,them out, as they were very drastic indeed when put into'the hands of an officious policciran. The present bylaw had lieen passed last year.—The rejxirt was adopted.

Cr TCcast moved tlio adoption of the Tramway Committee's report. He lirst. asked permission to refer tlh'proposal anent Castle street shelter shed back to tho'committee. Ho might say in connection witli tho refusal oi the commit tec to run Sunday morning trams, the religious question had net been considered at all. From a business point only the committeo considered there -vas not ■ sufficient traffic to justify tho running. The report was adopted.

: Cr Shacklock, before, moving the adoption of tho Eleetric Power, and Lighting Committee, asked leave to delete the subclause relating to draft, rules and '-egulat.ions 'En terms of ''The. Waipori Falls' Hydro-Electric Power Act, 1904," as they were not yet sufficiently prepared: ' Permission having been given, Cr Shacklock moved the ado'ptio.i of the, report, and explained -that, tho increase in the insurance was duo to the machinery just landed, \vlii,h the committee had thought lit to insure without loss of rime,—Cr Sullivan considered that, when one clause recommended granting' an application,- and tho fcllotving clause '■ccommendei 1 that it be .declined, some reasons.should bo given for the decisions.—Cr Miacklock explained that the circumstancij were different—Tho report. was adopted.

CrGilkisou, in moving the adoption ot the report of the Library Committee, informed the council that it had been decided that the juvenile branch should bo a lending department. He was pleased to be able to report that the Reference Library was now practically complete, and contained from 2000 to 3000 ro{umcs. The Reference Library would be opened by his Worship the Mayor, at <3 p.m., on Monday next. As usual, they had been fortunate in donations, and a number of volumes had been presented to the library during the last fortnight.—Cr Burnett, in seconding tho motion, remarked that Cr Gilkison, in men tioning donctiQiis, invariably omitted to inentio- the number of books he himself had so generously pn-sentdd to the library —Tho report was adopted.

Cr Ban- moved 'tho udoptioli of tlio Finance Committee's report. Ho said that the matter of the donation of £50 to the city by Madame Melbn was known to them. There could be !,o doubt that all would agree that the distinguished donor tliouhl bo suitably thanked. This had been done. Th\v had also probably noticed that his Worship tin Mayor had proposed that this sum should be nude tho nucleus oi a sum for the formation of a fund .to provide Christmas cheer. This matter was now under consideration by the committee, and the council would hear more of■ it shortly. —Cr White considered sub-clausc 1, clause 2, ,to lie rather severe. Ho did not, however, wish to go the length ol having it referred back.—His Worship remarked that the elections for the Charitable: Aid Board were at hand. He would point out that the rate which had been struck Avould, contrary to Cr Barr's expectations, bo only a little'higher than last year. As .a matter of fact, tlio increase was only to be £30 15s 3d, bringing the figures up to £6320 Ts lid. TEXDRHS. Tenders for the erection oi fencing (labour only) in tho vicinity of the hydro-, olcctrb wprks at Wafnoc> Falls, for tlio. supply and delivery of cast-iron pipes, supply and delivery of special castings, were referred to committees for report