CITY COUNCIL.

Colonist, Volume XXX, Issue 5020, 1 October 1887, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

An ordinary meeting of this Council was held last evening, when tbtre were present his Worship th» Mayor (in the ebair), and Grs Webster, Akersten, Graham, Ooleman, Levien, Everett, J. Harlejr, Trask, and Stringer. The minutes of previous meeting having been read and confirmed, payment! were authorised as follow* :—

Cr Webster said that with reepeet tothr Trafalgar street footbridge, he wished to ask the following question* :—: / Does the specification for the Trafalgar street foot bridge require that the timber used on its construction should be all heart and seasoned ? U the Surveyor satisfied that the timber so used is according to specification ? As to' No. 1, the Surveyor said, Tea, it was a splendid lot of timber, and as well seasoned as it could be. Such timber as he thought it was necessary should be seasoned was seasoned. The specification did provide heart ot totara, and it was as well seasoned as it could be. Bis answer waa yes. As to the second question, he said he was satisfied, and the j >b was an exoellent one,. The Mayor referred to the stone-breaking, and said that he was satisfied that tbere were a considerable number of the stones that would not go through the specified ring. The Surveyor said the stone breaking was looked after at carefully as possible. If he saw any stones that were too large, be had | them broken again, bnt a few might esetpa notice. . Cr Akersten a3ked whether the Colling wood coals noted in the account were tendered for ? His Worship said he was sure he did not know. In his opinion the coals were tendered for. Cr Akersten knew as much of the matter as he did. Cr Akers:err wished tbe aoeount for coal pat separately, and he then voted against this payment. * The correspondence was then read and considered, amongst the letters received being tbe following:— From Mr Cox asking permission to connect drain witU tbe Waimea sewer street.—Leave granted v „ . -/' r ."' ''.'.' < From Mr Lineham. asking for work, and stating he had bad none for a long time. The Surveyor, in reply to the Mayor, Mid he could give the man a few days' work. Cr Trask hoped, they would give him a HUlework. The Mayor said they would have to be very | careful how the/ gave work in this way or | they would bo deluged with applications. <Cr Everett suggested that Lineham might be given the grass on tbe reclaimed land on the Haven road, which would spoil if it were 1 not out. The letter was referred to the Works Committee. From Captain Humphries, asking permission to connect drain with Bridge street sewer.—Leave granted. From Mr A. Bogle, asking to have hie name placed on the burgess roll.—Leave granted. From Mr Millington, making similar application.—Leave granted. From the Auditor-General, stating that Mr H. Edwards had been appointed on his behalf to examine the Municipal accounts. From the Rev Father Mahoney, asking tbe Council to provide drainage from the St. Mary's Gins' Orphanage building situated in the hollow near the Brook. The Mayor said this was a very important question. Ah application had been received 10 conned with the Gollingwood street sewer, but this must be done by a, tunnel. Mr Lighifoot told him that if a tannel were put id there would be no difficulty in pntting a l«m in the Brook strwt stream, and thus

enabling them to flash the whole of this sewer. Cr Graham said be believed Mr Mercer and Mr Lightfoot had gone into this matter. Ha moved that the matter be referred to the Works Committee. The Surveyor said he estimated the oost at about £93 if the authorities at Ist. Mary's provided the pipe; Cr Akersten seconded the motion, which was carried. Gr J. Harley said it was worthy of consideration whether they should take the drain by way of Nile street, where a drain would have to be provided. . From Mri Burnett, complaining of the state of the ditch separating her .property from Hampden street, and offering to provide half the oost of a drain. From Dr Key worth; reporting two eases of typhoid fever—a son of Mr J. Wilson, a mild ease, and the other, Mr Worley. a serious one. . . .•■■:'.' ' The Mayor said he did not know whether this was a sort of spring epidemic, which he understood wag prevalent also in Wellington. He d?d not know whether they could do anything Cr Webster said Dr Keyworth suggested whether the state of the Eel pond migfit have bfen the oause. He wished to know whether this has been looked to. Cr Coleman said he had examined this pond, and found sUgnant water with drainage from the urinals of the public sohools. The state was sufficient to cause disease, and he had quick lime placed there. These urinals should be attended to. He referred to a letter in the ' Colonist, 1 and said tbat though from enquiries he found there was a good deal of sickness, still it was ef a mild nature. So far as he could learn the Bickness was such as was prevalent in the healthiest towns at this time of (he year; atthe same time he agreed that they should carefully ext-mine into anything that might cause disease. The Mayor thanked Dr Coleman for having examined into this matter. One of the good things they were doing was to have this Eel pond converted into a pure theet of water. They must prevent drainage flowing into this pond. Cr Graham said there was no drainage from these schools, but the School Committee had taken this matter into consideration, and they erdered a large hole to be dug, iuto which the drainage might be conveyed. He would be glad to get a better suggestion. Cr Coleman said he would suggest that loads of ashes be thrown there, and removed as they became saturated. Cr Graham moved, and Cr Stringer seconded that the matter be referred to the Works Committee, with the assistance of Cr Coleman. The motion was carried. Cr Graham expressed a hops that the part of the Eel Pond nearest Bridge street should be finished first to get rid of the stagnant water theie. It was resolved to leave the matter to the Works Committee. Tbe Publio Works Committee's report was then read a 9 foilowa: — PCBLIC WOBKS COMUITTBS'S REPORT. The Committee met on September 20. Present: His Worship the Mayor (chairman), Crs Graham, Akersten, and Stringer. The Committe reported as follows:— 1. On letter from Mr T. H. Seldon—That the footway has been attended to. That tbe gravelling of Vanguard street be oantianed three chains further up. 2. On letter from Messrs Dayman and Calder—Consideration deferred until tbe Committee have occasion te visit this part of the City. 3. On letter from Mr Dayman r* tar—The Committee are unable to recommend any reduction in price for tar in bulk, but recommend tbat 6d per gallon be ohargedfora single gallon. 4. As to face of Town Clock—That on the first occasion when the clock is accessible, the face be painted white with black figures and hands. Crs Coleman and Trask expressed a desire that JUr Dayman should ba allowed to buy tar at less price that he might do private asphalting. Cr J. Harley thought they had better put as much tar as they could on their own footpaths, for he thought they would save money by doing this. ~ Cr Graham said it was because they could use profitably all the tar. they had that the Committee made the recommendation they did. Cr Akersten proposed that they should sell no less quantity than four gallons—that the charge for a four gallon tin be 2s, for two such tins 3s, for four tins ss, for eight tint Bs, and further quantities at 3d per gallou. Cr Webster agreed with this proposal. Cr Levien moved tbe adoption of the report, with the addition that no less quantity than 4 gallons be sold. Cr Trask moved tbat a reduction of 10 per cent be allowed on all sales exceeding 100 gallons in one lot. Cr Akersten'a motion wai negatived on division. Cr Graham then moved that the price remain as it was. After about half an hour's discussion and another devision, Cr Lavien's motion was oarried, but the Mayor pointed out that the resolutions would not read, and then tbe report was adopted as first read. The report of the Finance Committee was then read as follows :— Finamci Coinnrru'f Bipobt. The Finance Committee met on Sept. ST. Present: Hie Worship the Mayor (chairman) and Crs Harley and Webster. Tbe Committee have to report as follows:— 1. That having gone through the lists of arrears, they submit harenitb for the consideration of the Council a list of some of the arrears which require to be dealt with. 2. As to Special Find Account- Tbe Committee submit herewith a ttatement of the Bpeeial Fund Accounts, and recommend that they be adjusted as follows:—(a). That a special order fee made by this Council vnder section 190 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1886, as follows .-—That tbe credit balanced of No. 3 (£124 18a lOd) and No. 10 (£165 6s), and the unallotted balanoc of £69 3s 7d, making a total of £359 8s sd, be expemded as follows:—To liquidate the deficiency of No. 7, £15 4a 7d; to liquidate the deicienoy of No. 8,£19; towards liquidating No. 4, £32i 3s lOd; total,-£359 8s sd. (b) That the balance of the deficiency of No. 4, viz., £256 3s 7d, be transferred from the General Account. i The Mayor said the rates in arrear referred to were'mottly on land mortgaged up to the hilt, and it was little use suing. It appeared that the time had come when there should be an alteration in their mode of ratinjr. They had remained under the Act of 1876, that they might have their, own valuation and trpre complete control. He said that if a man became bankrupt they could not get the rates from hia; neither could they recover from the owner, as th*y did not press till the expiration of the time during wbioh they could rooever from the owner. If, however, they were under the Bating Act of 1882, secI tions 28 and 39 enabled them to recover, without'trouble, from the owner. Under the Government valuation he pointed oat that the rating woild be upon the capital value I instead of the annual value, and a rate as great as 15-16tbi of a penny in the pound could ba levied on such valuation. -To come uuder the Act of 1883, they would need to pass a resolution, and he said that if they adopted thii course it would not be on account or any dissatisfaction with their valuator, who had always done his work well. Cr Graham complimented the Mayot en putting the matter so clearly before them. It was evident there were many advantages to be derived from coming under the new Act, while he did not see any disadvantage*. Cr Levien would like to know what other Municipalities were working under the new Act, and whether they found it advantageous. It was resolved to defer consideration of the i matter till next meeting, in order that the information suggested should be obtained. It was agreed that those ratepapers whose names appeared on the list of those in arrears be sned. As to the last clause in the Finance Committee's report, the Mayor eaid th» account for each o/ the works constructed under loan bad to be kept separate, and.he went into details, showing tbat wbereas~£4so was the amount borrowed for the Nile-at Bridge the; work had cost £1576, the additional £1126 having been paid for ont of General Account,, but that the other accounts had not been1 closed. Of the £700 borrowed for tbe widening of Wakefield Quay, some £125 remained after completion of the work, but tbe Waimea road sewn, for which £340 was a*t down in the loan schedule, while £170 had bees contributed by the Government, end «SS *«• Oollf* dovewotf i» *4ditfo»,

had cost £581 beyond the money thug avail* able. £430 was get down far Halifax street, but of this £204 remained unexpended, while the kerbing in the Wood coat come £15 more, and the cutting down of Waimea-st. £19 more than the respective snme mnnUened on the loan scbcdJe. "The Hardy street bridge, however, cost £I<!s less than anticipated, the Mew street drain. £39 less, and «f the £900 set down for. the Waimea street sewer only £734 had been expanded on the bricks, leaving £185 lor the work which had not been undertaken. The loan having been floated at a premium, and there having been receipts from interest, there was also a total of £69 beyond the cost of raising the loan. The Finaooe Committee with the view of saving the trouble of keeping all these accounts separately and allocating the interest to eaoh, had, after careful eoneidera. taon, made the recommendations embodied in their report. H:s Worship pointed out that the £200 borrowed for the Ngatiawa street culvert remained unexpended. On the motion of Cr J. Harley, seconded by Or Everett, the olanio of the report referring to these matters was, after consideration, adopted. Cr Webster asked why the £200 allocated for the construction of the Ngatiawa street culvert had not been expended. The Surveyor said it- was by resolution of the Council that the work should await a decision as to the drainage scheme. Cr Webster said he did not understand that there was a special sum voted for this work, and he did not before know the exact locality. A hackney carriage driver's license was granted to N. Crisp. , - Cr J. Harley called attention to the state of the footpath in Trafalgar street near Mrs Bird's, which he said required roughening. —It was agreed that this be done. Cr Webster asUd the Works' Committee i would look at the crossing of Parera street when in that locality. If was stated that-the Council did not undertake to provide crossings. Cr Webster ilso called attention to drainage oh to the footpath in Parere street. It was agreed that the Works' Committee visit the locally, and report on both matters. The Surtej*r presented a plan showing the permanent level of the roadway in Waimea street, as appl td for by Mr S. Bolton. it was agreed to take the necessary steps to fix the levels, and that the plan lie on the table. • Cr Graham moved that the consideration o Mr Climie's report on the Haifix atreet Bridge be referred till next meeting He said that as the work was not going on, the adjournment did not affect them. Cr Trask thought there was no use in bringing this matter up time after time, He thought it better to let it drop Cr J. Harley asked whether* Mr Hay could not be consulted on the matter. The Mayor said that if any good could come out of it let it be adjourned, but he said that they might get ■ another expert and pay him another 10 guineas for a woik they were not going to undett>ke. Cr Coieman did not think it would be wije to pot aside plans that might be used in the future if the plans were of no good. The Mayor thought it better tbat the plans and all correspondence connected with them should be put away together. Cr Trask moved that this be done, but the motion was not seconded and therefore fell through. The matter was then deferred till next meeting, and the Council adjourned.

t i. a. Gasworks Account ., .. 221 17 3 Waterworks Account .. 7 4 I General Account .. .. 332 2 1 Coniraptota' Deposit Actrant 5 0 0 Total .. £466 8 10