CITY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17066, 26 July 1917, Page 6

CITY COUNCIL.

The customary moctirur of the City Council was hold last evening; present—The Mayor (Mr J. J. Clark), Crs Thompson, Bradley, Scott, Taverner, Wilson, Hancock, lfayward, Eunn, Begg, Douglas, Macdonald, Gilkison, Carroll, Kcllett, Sincock and Black, KXfitKSSIONS OIT SI'MPATHY/ AND BEGBET. l'ho Mayor said tliat thero wore two matters ho wished to bring before the council. He did so with tho utmost regrot. Ho moved that the council expresses its deepest sympathy with Cr Braaley in tho loss ho had sustained by the death of his brother, who hail given his life in tho Empire's cause.. 'Iho motion was carried m the usual way. The Mayor moved further that tho council desires to express its deep appreciation of the services rendered the city of Dunediin by the late Mi- James Gore, an exAlayor, and tenders his family an assurance of its deepest sympatny w,th them in their bereavement; and that the council adjourn for a few minutes as a mark of respect to tho late ex-May or Gore.—i he council adjourned for a tew minutes. BEI'UIiTS. In moving the adoption of the Works Committee s report, Cr Wilson sa.d a good deal has been written off the steam wagon, and it was not in a good state ot repair. It was very costly to keep the wagon up. With regard to the Main South road inquiry, tho city- had to pay the costs awarded by the commission.. i<'or the main portion ol the road the council would have to pay 30 per cent, for upkeep, tor another small portion 15 per cent., and for another portion Z5 per cent.—Cr Macdonald said that- some years ago £500 had been placed upon the estimatcs H ior surveying the Town Beit. J. he work uad been carried to a certa.n stage and then stopped. He wanted to know why it had stopped, and how much money had been expended!— Ur Begg expressed the opmion that £fc2s was not sumcient for the wagon, and suggested that the clause relating to a paiing fence on Mr Falconer's property, lown Belt, was a matter that rightly belonged to the Reserves Committee to deal witli.— Cr Wilson received penu.ss.oii to have the clause referred back to the committee.—Cr Begg moved that the clause deal.ng with the wagon be referred back; Cr Carroll seconding this amendment.—Cr Hayward asked how long the corporat.on had had tho wagon, and what the or.ginal cost was.— Cr Wilson said they had had a good deal of work out of the wagon, which the ooiporat.on had had for about seven years, 'ihe original offer for it had been £150, but the firm had increased it to £225, no hire to be charged for the t.me the firm had had the use of it. He could not answer Cr Macdonald's question, but the information could be obtained from the town clerk or the engineer. It happened 10 or 11 years ago. l'ho wagon had cost £650.— The amendment was lost, and the report was adopted.

Or Wn'son moved the adoption of the Water Committee's report.—Cr Macdonald said ho desired to oppose clause 1, which recommended the granting oi authority to lease part of sections 86, 88, 90, and 92, Wakari district, containing about nine acres He had found that 10,000 trees on this ground had been uprooted. If this ground were planted with blue-gum trees it would in time be a much more payable proposition than leasing the property.—Cr Wilson expressed surprise at Cr Macdonald's remarks. The land was totally unsuited for the growing of -trees, and the course proposed' by the committee was the only feasible one in the circumstances.—The report was adopted. Cr Carroll moved the adoption of the General Committee's report.—Cr Sincock moved as an amendment that clause 3, dealing with the question of the erection of notices Requiring pedestrians to " keep to the right," be referred back to the committee. His reason was. that the rule of the road was "keep to the left," and if this proposal in regard to the footpath traffic were adopted it might lead to confusion in people s minds. He would like the committee to reconsider the matter.—Cr Scott seconded the amendment.—Referring to clause 1, which stated that in future all applications for advertising signs would be dealt with solely upon their merits Cr Taverncr said he hoped the committee would take full cognisance of the subject matter of such signs and censor them where necessary.—Cr Wilson asked when tenders , would be called for new dressing rooms at the St Uair Hayward asked when any information would be available regarding the water in the public baths.—Dealing with Cr. Smcock's amendment, Cr Carroll said he understood the proposal of the committee was in conformity with the usual custom. Regard ng the St. Olair baths, a sub-com-mittee had been sot up, and was considering certain minor amendments to the plans and some suggestions that had been put forward by Cr Gilkison. So far the s-üb-oom-mittee had arrived at no decision, and if finality was not reached-in the near future he doubted if tenders would be called for before next bathing season. In reply to Cr Hayward, he. had to say that this matter had not been finally dealt with. A report had boon received from Dr Champtaloup regarding the treatment of salt water by electricity. He could not hold out much hope of salt water being brought in in the meantime.—l be amendment was lost by one vote, and the report was adopted. Cr Hancock moved the adoption of the Reserves' Committee's report.—Cr Kellett commented on the absence from the report of any reference to encroachments on the lown Belt He had been told since last meeting that someone had planted an orchard on the reserve.—Tho Mayor said he understood that it was a prettv bie undertaking. Ths belt was designed in a most irregular fashion, and it was not easy for the committee to bring forward a report en certain peoplo having encroached on the belt witiiout a fairly accurate survey Jde understood that a report as comprehensive as possible would come before the council expressed the opinion that Mr falconer had some cause for complaint tie had been advised by Mr Tannock to take up the attitude he had in regard to beautifying this reserve It appeared as if Mr Falconer had done something he Rhould not have done.—Or Macdpnaid said that some excavation had taken piace in the locality named, and he wanted to know whether that excavation encroached upon the Town Belt, and if it d.d, who gave authority in tho matter.—Cr Wilson said the portion excavated had been excavated by the previous owner ot the property.—Or Bradley said there was grass growing on private property m soil taken from a place where it was intended to plant trees.—The Mayor pointed out that the discuss.on was not in order, as the matter was not mentioned in the report under consideration.—Or Carroll directed attention. to the convenience that would be provided by a gate in the Market Reserve, at the foot of the steps from Manor place.—Cr Hancock said that years ago £500 had beoi placed on the estimates for a survey of the belt. Some work had been done, but for some reason it had been stopped. The work took some time then and he was sat.sfied that it would take longer now. It could not be done for some time. Mr Falconer had parted with his property, and the purchaser was prepared to put everything right. Possibly a stile of some kind would meet what Cr Carroll nad referred to.—The report was adopted. Cr Hayward, in moving the adoption of the j Electric Power and Lighting Committee s /report, stated that information would be given at an early date regarding the Waipori road.—The report was adopted. Cr Scott moved the adoption of the Tramways Committee's report. He stated that the reports from the various departmental officers regarding the extension of the tramline through the Gardens would be discussed at the next meeting of the coram.ttee, and would come before the following meeting of the council. The Library Committee's report was adopted.

DRAINAGE BOARD MATTERS. When the report of the Finance Committee came up for. consideration, it was decided that the clauses should bo dealt with seriatim.

Cr Taverner moved the adoption of clause 1, recommending the revised, administration of the Drainage Board. He stated that the pos;tion was well known to the council It was a move that would result in increased efficiency, and would be the means of effecting a considerable saving as it would co-ordinate the working of the Drainage' Board and the City Council. Cr Sincock seconded the motion. Cr Douglas raised a point of order that there was at present before the council a resolution referring to a special committee the matters dealt with in the clause as moved by the chairman of the Finance l ■ommittee.

The Mayor said that the two matters did not conflict in any way. Cr Douglas said be differed from that opinion He did not think it was the place of the committee to brng this matter down m view of the probabil'tv of the other committee shortly bring fng in Pn unanimous proposal He thought It wouVl be wise to hold the recommendation over till next meeting.

Cr Wilson said the point was that an injustice was being done to the Drainage' Board officials by having this matter hanging over their heads. It was a question that should be settled at once. Cr Begg asked if there was any urgency. The Mayor: Yes, certainly there is. Cr Begg: That only increases my suspicion. I will move as an amendment that the clause be held over till next meeting. This lapsed for want of a seconder. Cr Scott said ho would move as a further amendment that tho matter be held over until after the report of the special committee that had been set up at the last meeting of tho council was received. Cr Gilkison seconded: this amendment, which was carried by 9 votes to 7. Clause 2 of tho report, dealing with alterations to tho offina accommodation, was adopted without discussion. GRANT TO THE Y.M.C.A. Cr Tavcrner moved tho adoption of the clauso as to declining a grant to tho Y.M.C.A. Ho said the association authorities had made another application on somewhat different terms; tho money to be granted for a specific object. Tho position was unaltered, and the committee still thought it would not bo fair to place money in tho hands of thoso representing only a section of the public, Cr Carroll seconded tho motion. Cr Gilkison said the work carried out by the association was entirely undenominational. It spent money on soldiers regardless of what their religious convictions and if the institution did not exist tho citizens would have to find another one. Ho moved as an amendment that, under the special circumstances created by the war, and in consideration of tho noble sacrifices rendered the Empire's sons by the Y.M.C.A., £50 bo voted towards the i, Y.M.C.A. funds, to bo used for returned soldiers. Cr Dousrlas seconded the amendment. Tho Mayor dire"t"d attention to tho fact that the indebtedness at present was £131.203. and that in the last three years they had increased their overdraft by £13.260. so it was qui to easily seen that £10. £20. £50, or £100 made little difference. But a day of rrokonmg was coming. Cr Hayward said that, if thoy W increased their indebtedness by only £ 3.000 during war time, he would support the amendment. Cr -B"gg expressed surprise at the attitude taken up bv the comnrttec. The council had handed over £200 to the Art Society, and if that had turned down there would have been some reason in it. As to the overdraft, ho did not think £50 would make any difference. Cr Tavcrner having replied, the amendment was lost Cr Black then moved as a. further amendment that £100 be ' granted to the YM.C.A.. to be used for returned soldiers, under the mamo-oni'Tit of the Soldiers' dub of the YM.C.A. Cr Bradley seconded the amendment, wh'oh was carried. The report in its amended form was adopted. TENDER. The tender of Mr G. E. Wrirtit. in the sum of £191 2s. was for the installation of slot meters, in 78 houses.