CITY COUNCIL.

Colonist, Volume XXIII, Issue 2649, 3 January 1880, Page 5

CITY COUNCIL.

An ordinary meeting of the Council was held last night. Present: His Worship the Mayor (in the bhairj.'and Crs Levien, Trask, Crewdson, Johns, and Everett. ■-'''■' ' ■ :■;■■■■ ; After confirmation of the minutes of last meeting and the passing of numerous aocounts, cOrrespondence was considered.' . ; ; Letter from the Secretary to the Friendly Societies' Sports Committee was read, and permission, was granted to the Committee to- hold their annual sports at the Botanical • Gardens on Monday, 2nd February. , . . ' '; Letter from Mr E.Woodward stated that in accordance with the reoent. decision of the Council relative to reducing the number of laborers, he had been dismissed, and he begged the Council to reconsider his diami.Bal on the ground that he had been in their servi.e for twelve years, and had lo.t one eye in their ser.ice, and, was consequently greatly inoapaoitated from other employment. His Worship remarked that they ought not to interfere with the Surveyor in his ohoice of workmen, and several Crs agreed with his Worship ; but it was ultimately agreed, on the motion of Cr Trask, seconded by Cr Everett, to retain Woodward in their service, inasmuoh as regards seniority he would have been ?he first on the list had it not been for the loss of bis eye, which prevented his working for a considerable time and caused him to lose his position, whioh had he not lost he would not bave been among those discharged. Letter signed by a number of cab drivers complained that the by-laws were continually being bioken by drivers of expresses, in their not keeping to the proper stands, and also by frequently carrying passengers;; and they requested that the persons re-' ferred to be warned. It wa3 agreed that a warning should be advenis.d. Another letter signed by several cab drivers complained that Mr Oooksey was carrying passengers to Wakapuaku yesterday without a license. It was stated in the Council that Mr Gooksey had been engaged by Mr Oldham and instructed to convey a number of immigrants to W^^puaka, where he gave them a picnic; and some doubt was expressed as to whether ,he had broken the by laws. It was ultimately agreed to refer the letter back to the writers, and to intimate that they, had better take action if they considered thepiselves aggrieved. Or Everett remarked that he should like to see the questipn settled, but if they were I o expend the rates in trying these oißes, bo did not know where the matter would end. '•■.■"■■,••■;.-■■'•■; Letter from Mr F. H. Pickering complained of the condition of Bronti street to (he- west of Trafalgar street. It was agreed that aB there would shortly be some material available for repairing the road, it should then be done ; also that the Inspector of Nuisances should be instructed' to compel ths owners of property to trim the hedge?, whioh were damaging the footpath. , The report of tbe Works Committee contained a great number of euggestiens, and the following were adopted.—That a tew loads of gravel should be laid down round Church HiU; that some repairs to roads and.! footways in Grove, Ngatitama,, and Cambria Btreeta should be effected; and that the parallel pieces'of timber on the Normanby Bridge 7 should- be slightly shortened.. A suggestion that the trees in Victory Square should be" attended .-to',. was disapproved of, it being considered the wrong time of the year to inter/ere with .them. 'Another suggestion wa. that the.lamp near the Temperance Hall should be removed. His Worship Baid he did not see the objection to the lamp, and Or Trask^aommented on Cr.jJ.itt.le proposing subh a thing. The suggestion was negatived. Upon a suggestion.as to repairs in • New street, in was agreed to gravel where neoessary. ■ The report of the Finance Committee was adopted. With regard to an application from Meßsra N. 1 Edwards & Co. for a partial remission of rates on the Government Wharf, it recommended that the matter was one for adjustment between Messrs N. Edwards & Qo. and tbe Government. •It recommended that proceedings be taken to recover unpaid rates, and also that proceedings be taken to compel the owners of property at the rear of Bridge street to contribute their share towards reclamation. The Gas and Water Works Committee reported that the work? were working satisfactorily, and his Worship remarked that he had been over the Gas Works, and was pleased to have found everything in such good order. They dropped in suddenly, bat everything was as nice as he could have wished to see, and reflected great oredit on Mr Lightfoot. A number of applications'for licenses to drivers of hackney carriages were granted, but one application elicited a good deal of discussion, as it waa stated r,hat the lad applying was too small; however, the application was found to be informal, and the matter dropped. Or Crewdson referred to the question of concreting "i:he footpath on the west Bide ot Trafalgar .street, bui the matter stands over, for an estimate of the work. The Surveyor reported as to the'cost of extending th) Waimea street sewer, also as to clearing certain streets of gorse. It was agreed that tenders should oe'invited for the latter work, but the former was held over for a full meeting. Cr Trask oalied attention to tha state of the Waimea road, (torn tho mideaet ol Mx Joaw ta th«

Tollgate. The Surveyor was instructed to get same gravelled. . On the motion of Cr Trask, it was agreed to instruct the Inspector of Nuisances to compel the occupiers of properties ia Bridge street, east of the Nor man by bridge, to trim their hedges; and on tbe motion of Cr Everett, tbe same officer was directed Io take action regarding an offensive ditch in a paddock adjoining Mr Patterson's store in Hardy street. Cr Trask called attention .to the plank bridge in Bronti ttreot, and it waß agreed to put a hand-rail upon Barae. The Council then adjourned.