CITY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 740, 3 February 1866, Page 7

CITY COUNCIL.

The usual weekly meeting of the City Council was held on Wednesday in the new Council Chamber, Maclaggan street. The Mayor presided, and there were present — Councillors Barr, Carrick, Chalmer, D.iver, Griffen, and Turner.

ARREARS OF ASSESSMENT.

The Financial Committee's report, the consideration of which had heen postponed from last meeting, having been read,

Mr Turner directed attention to the last paragraph, which was to the effect that the Committee had consulted regarding the arrears of rates for 1862-3-4, with a professional gentleman who agreed to collect the same (exonerating the Council from all law costs) on the following terms : — for 1864 at 5 per cent., 1863 at 7£ per cent., and for 1862 at 10 per cent. Since the last meeting, he said, he had received from a professional fi r m a letter, which he had handed to the Town Clerk, and in which an offer was made to collect all arrears at the rate of 5 per cent. He objected, therefore, to the paragraph of the report being so adopted as to commit the Council to the payment of the higher rate of per centage; and, at his suggestion, it was agreed to omit the figures quoted by the Committee, and to adopt the report, so amended.

In compliance with a previous recommendation of the Finance Committee, the Clerk laid upon the table a list of all persons by whom arrears were due, and the amounts owing by each ; and on the proposition of Mr Turner it was agreed thit, as had been partially done, there should be annexed to each name a statement of the reasons why the rates had not been collected.

THE TOWN SURVEYOR.

The following was read as the report of the Committee appointed to enquire into the Town Surveyor's department : —

Your Committee, in the course of their investigation into the working of the Town Surveyor's department, have examined witnesses, inspected the contract*, plans and specifications, and have the honor to report — That your Committee consider that the manner in which the business of this department has been conducted, is not satisfactory — and have further to report that in several instances the instructions of the Council have been disregarded, and that works which should have had immediate attention — neglected. But that which your Committee consider most important for the public service is, that satisfactory tenders for works cannot be obtained ; and your Committee have been dis tinctly informed that the reason of ihis is, that many conti actors decline to tender under the present head of this department. And your Committee therefore recommend that the services of the present Town Surveyor be dispensed with. It must be obvious to the Council that if the above recommendations are adopted, it will be more agreeeable to the Town Surveyor that he should be at once relieved from his duties, and your Committee would therefore BUggest that one month's salary in advance be paid, to that officer, and that arrangements be

made for the appointment of his successor, in order to the proper carrying on of the bnsiness of the department.

Mr Ch.vi.mer, as the mover of the Committee, moved the adoption of the report. In doing so, he said the Committee had gone through an examination of all details connected with the Surveyor's department, and had come to their conclusions after very careful and calm consideration.

Mr Barr seconded the motion.

Mr Turner said that, had he been aware that such a report was to have been brought up, he would have taken the liberty of asking for an opportunity of perusing it, so that he might have been enabled to rebut some of the unwarrantable assertions which it contained. As it was, he scarcely thought that any remarks of his in defence of the Surveyor would prove to be of any avail ; but he would allude to, at least, one portion of the contents of the report. It stated that, in the opinion of the Committee, " the manner in which the business of the department had been conducted was not satisfactory." This was a very sweeping, and jet very incomplete statement. It did not specify whether the Committee had taken into consideration merely what had occurred under the Corporation, or had extended their enquiries and feelings to the time of the defunct Town Board. It would, he thought, have been only justice and fairness to the Surveyor for the Committee to have restricted itself exclusively to matters transpiring under the rule of the Corporation. In such case they had a right to look, into the engineering department, but the Committee had no right whatever to go back beyond that point, and to investigate matters which in no way concerned the Corporation. No doubt the work of the Committee had been accomplished to its entire and extreme satisfaction. The result was just what he had from the first day anticipated. It was the verdict of a Committee, consisting of men whose minds weie strongly biassed on the subject they had undertaken to investigate. To dismiss the Surveyor was their only object, and now they had accomplished their end. Time would prove whether the next occupant of the office would discharge the duties as efficiently as bad been done in the past. To bring thus suddenly before the Council such a report was unBritish and cowardly in the extreme, and he hoped the Council had 3ufficient of the spirit of fair play to adj mm the adoption of the report, that it might be fully considered. He moved that its consideration be adjourned until next meeting.

Mr Griffen seconded the motion. It was the first he had heard of the Committee's report, and he strongly recommended the question of its adoption b.ing adjourned tor at least a week. It was natural that, before coming to a decision, they should know something of the parties giving the evidence upon which the report wa9 avowedly based.

Mr Driver said that had Mr Turner asked of the Council, as a disinterested man, that they should postpone the consideration of the report, he would have been one who would have consented to it ; but when a man expressed entire ignorance of the proceedings, and yet brought accusations as to the Committee having investigated matters connected with the Town Board, he was not inclined to agree to anything but the adoption of the report, as now received. The Committee had inquired fully, and were unanimous in their decision, and that decision had been come to after six months' opportunity of pleasing the Council had been given the Surveyor. Mr Turner chose to talk of the Committee being prejudiced, and of acting from interested motives —

Mr Turner: I repudiate the words. I said, and say, that the Committee had a bias — and a very strong bias. Mr Driver continued that, on every occasion, Mr Turner started up as a special pltader in this caive, and persisted in groundless accusations. He had no excuse for doing so, and under the circumstances he (Mr Driver) would hold for the immediate adoption of the report.

Mr Turner explained, in reference to a remark by Mr Driver, that while in the Corporation, he had carefully avoided enquiring into any maters before Committee, because of its injustice, and it was only lately, when he had occasion to wait upon the Finance Committee, that he was almost bowed out of the room. He might have had a right to acquaint himself with the matters before the Committee ; but it was a right of which he was certainly ignorant. The Mayor Baid he did not, in the remotest degree, find fault with the professional abilities of the Town Surveyor. The evil of which he had to complain was the difficulty which the Council experienced in getting persons to tender for the works which they were carrying out. It was of little use paying a salary to the Surveyor for the preparation of the plans, if tenderers for the execution of these plans could not be obtained. Twice tenders had been called for works in George street. In the first instance, one tender was received,

and in the second instance, tbree tenders, one of which was inadmissible, and another questionable. He had made it his business to inquire of contractors why they did not tender, and was distinctly told, " So long as you keep your Surveyor, so long shall we refuse to do so." However much ability a professional man might have, it was of no use continuing him in office, if the public would not come forward. These were the reasons for his rote.

On Mr Turner's motion being put to the meeting, it was declared to be negatived, and the motion for the adoption ot the Keport was then put and carried, by the majority of voices.

Mr Turner as-ked if he could have permission to read the evidence and papers received during the Committee's inquiry. The Mayor— Certainly. The evidence and minutes of all meetings of Committee are at your disposal.

Mr Chalmeb, at a later stage of the business, moved the suspension of the Standing Orders, and, seconded by Mr Bakr, proposed that the Mayor should be empowered to make provision for the remporary discharge of the duties of Town Surveyor, and that a competent professional man should be advertised for. Some conversation ensued, the Mayor suggesting the employment of a practical man for a few months, no important engineering works being required for some time, but it was ultimately resolved to obtain the services of a competent officer at once, without change of du'ies or salary. The Clerk was also instructed to communicate the tenor of the report to the Town Surveyor, and to request possession of the Corporation's Offices and property.

THE ATHEN.EUM

The Glebk read a letter, received from the Provincial Secretary, with an enclosure fro-nthe Hon. Secretary to the Athenaeum, containing the resolution passed at the recent meeting, and the resolutions of the Provincial Council.

The Mayor explained, in reference to the application on behalf of the Athenaeum, that the Council had no power except to grant a lease for twenty-one years.

Mr Txjrner, in consideration of that circumstance, moved that the Council decline to accede to the application. Mr Griffen seconded, and Mr Barb and Mr Carrick supported the motion, considering the circumstances to be such as to preclude the Council from granting a fee- simple of the site ; and it was agreed to, with the addition that the original offer of LIOOO made by the Council should be open to acceptance on behalf of the Athenaeum for a month from this date.