CITY COUNCIL.

Colonist, Volume XX, Issue 2356, 2 March 1878, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Council was held on Thursday evening, in conrequence of the eleotion of Councillor fixed to take'place yesterday. His Worship the Mayor occupied the chair, and Crs. Everett, Webb, Levieh, Hooper, Hounsell, trad Harley were also present. The minutes ofthepre* vious meeting and special By-lawiGommittee meeting were read and confirmed* On the motion of Cr, Everett, leave of absence, for another mqnth wai, granted Cr, Pickering.

A letter from Mr John Spencer asked permission to fence in a portion of Parere-street, on condition of keeping same clear of gorse. Application granted. There were;then read twb; circular; letters' frpm the Government relative to the subsidy, tqithe'Copbration for next year, whioh was estimated at £1136 Ba. 9d. The Finance Committee's Report recommended, with regard to rating property for water, as follows: —That the next rate should be levied for one year, commencing Ist April next, and should be payable half-yearly, on the Ist April and Ist October ; that; all properties of an annual value not exooedingj £12 10s should be rated at 10s per year; properties: of an annual value of over £12 10s and under £200,; should be rated at 6 per cent on annual value 5 pro-; perties over that value and under. £300, at 5 per cent, on annual value; properties over £300 at 4 per cent, oh annual value, exoepfe^tibat; all laridedproperfcy having no building ftheJreonj shall be rated at; 2 per cent, on its annual value, and all stores, &c.,----(not being dwelling-houses) to be rated at 2£ per cent. ~;,..- ■~.,,:. .., ~■■: ■'•■ ': ■ ;,:■.; :•; ; ..■..■■'/■,■ After much discussion, Or. WEBBmqved that the rate to be levied on vacant land should be reduced to 1 per cent:, but the motion being lost by1 the'easting; vote of, the Mayor, the report of the committee was: adopted." . . > , . i ■ The Public Works Committee's report stated that^ the committee waß unable to recommend the work being done to the Marine Baths as requested until after the present bathing season. It recommended' the'following Works :^That a brick dul vert" sbould^be constructed at the junotion of Russell-street with' Washington Valley, extending the whole width of the street. Agreed to, work to be done by tender. That a gas lamp be placed opposite,tho Commercial wharf. Agreed to. That the gas service be extended along Hardy and -Gloucester-streets as far as, St. V.incent'-streefc; Agreed to, !TMt "the culvert in; Washington VaDey, near Mr. Taylor's, be extended the whole width pfithe! street at once.;- Agreed to. >Th;e City Surveyor's report upon the Gasworks for January,, gave the amount of gas produced at 338,3.50 feet;: the consumption, according to consqmeW meters, 238,100 feet j ditto in street lamps, 39,000; gas in metre in excess at end of month over; that at beginning, 25,000 feet; and loss by leakage, &o, 94,250 feet. The very large amount of loss excited muob. attention ; it was thought, liowever, that,the station meter was registering incorrectly, inasmuch as the yield of gas was greatly in;;exce3s of that obtained by any other workß"in iNWZealandi' The Surveyor also reported upon the extension of the water service beyond the College Hill, in whioh he expressed a doubt whether the extension would not out off the supply to the College and adjacent build- ' ings during dry weather; •; ''■ l- « The Surveyor's report upon widening the.HayenjroaidV iwas also rfead.b^ wHiob the]) desirability of "widening the road beyond ihe* Commercial wharf was pointed out, and the advantage of a permanent wall over the present boarding, which each high, tide damaged, and whioh is.a constant ■ source, of expense, was referred to. After disoassion, it was resolved to obtain specifications from the Surveyor showing difierence 1 in, cost of widening and building stone wall and c same work with Btrong woodwork.* - It was decided that tenders should be invited for forming a footpath in St. Vincent-street. ■ . The. only other business transacted was the opening'of tender for supply of lime, and Mr Gilbertson's tender at Is. Bd. per bushel being the only one sent in was accepted. . ~.,. •{,•/■• n ;■".;;■ , v -f ; .