CITY COUNCIL.

Colonist, Volume I, Issue 12126, 28 December 1907, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

Th 9 ordinary fortnightly meeting of the City Council was held last evening. Present: The Mayor (Mr J. Piper), and Councillors M. Lightband, J. Robertson, T. Pettit, .•» . H. Bisley, J. J. Franklyn, W. MeOonchie, W. S. Hampson, and A: A: Graco. Accounts amounting J5742 17s lOd were passed. % Correspondence was read and dealt with as follows:— From Athletic and Cycling Club, asking for use of Trafalgar Park on February 1, and also for permission to have a licensed booth on th<a ground.— The use of the ground was granted, but the request for a licensed booth waa refused. . From Messrs H. W. Martyn Roberta and C 0,., asking for a return of their schedule in connection with the drainage contract.— Referred to the Works Committee. From the Athletic and Cycling Club; asking for repairs in Trafalgar Park.— Referred to Works Committee. A number of lotter3 dealing with matters of minor importance were referred to committees or otherwise dealt with. The special committee sat up to consider the water supply by-laws reported, recommending: — 1. That the draft by-laws as submitted by the Acting Town Clerk be adopted, and that copies te printed and furnished to eaoh councillor, and that the necessary steps be taken for passing th© said by-laws: and 2 that pending the passing of the said bylaw, and subsequent -thereto, the price charged for water by meter be Is 3d per 1000 gallons instead of 2s per 1000 gallons as at (present charged* subject to a discount of 3d per 1000 gallons if paid within 14 dtrys from rendering of accounts. Accounts to be rendered monthly. The report was adopted. The Fiuancn Committee reeotn* mended that information bo obtained from other towns relative to the Town Schools Committee's request for a remission of water charges; that the Mayor and Cr Hampson interview the manager of the Baok on letters from Wanganui and Dun. edin, and report to the Committee; that Mr Ford be paid as manager the .abattoir at the rate of £75 per annum for three months from the Ist instant, he to find his own means of locomotion. The Committee could not recommend the payments asked for by Messrs Langlauds and Co;' and it had no recommendation to make regarding the Fire Brigade's letter. It recommended that a protest be sent to the Audit Department against interest which has been earaed on fixed deposits, having to be transferred to general account : that the draft batnifig by-laws be confirmed; that Messr3 Adams and Harley he ottered the sum of £35 as compensa tion without jrejudice. Consideration of various matters had been deferred. The report was adopted. The- Works Committee recommended the formation of footpath in Waimea street, as requested by Mr Kershaw, during the autumn; that Mr Westley be allowed to remove 1000 yards of stripping from the Maicai quarry, if required, at a charge of 2d per load. The Committee also recommended that the usa of public reserves on Sunday for band and other purposes be not allowed except by permission of the Council, and that the practice of charging for adjnission be not allowed. With regard to the recommendations of the Retailers' Association, that enquiries be made from Aberdeen as to tne use of calcium chloride in connection vvitn street watering, and that the matter of scaffolding bo ref^rmd to

the Building By- laws As to broken .tnetal: (a) Tbat the Mayor and Councillor Robertsoii, with the City Engineer, wait upotl the Chairman of the Harbor Board as to obtaining metal from tho ! Boulder Bank: (b) that the matter of crushing 13 uuclnr consideration. As to Church Hill improvement: Tbat the contribution of £2v bo made to the Society unconditionally, and that the Council's representative be requested to endeavor to arrange for the' money to be spent upon the outskirts of* the hilh The report was adopted. The Inspector of Nuisances reported that since last meeting one case of scarlet fever had been reported. The report 6f the managed of thn Abattoir dealt with the numbers of stock slaughtered since last meeting. Ono sheep had bcon ., condemned. He agreed to supply tho causes of condemnation, of stock* Cr. Pettit deprecated liaj* ap= proach to secrecy in connection with the Abattoir. Ho thought all information as to the causes of con demnation of stock . and parts of bea9ts should be .made public: He* would to speak on the matter when it came before the committee". The confirmation df special order making drainage by-laws was then" considered. - Cr. llampson moved that the matter bo postponed. It was oi to much importane9 to be hiirrind through* The clause requiring" the embedding 'of pipes in concrete when near trees would mean a serious thing for many ratepayers, as the expense would be great. He was given to understand that the danger aTising from tree roots was of very small moment.He moved that the matter* bo postponed with a view to tho modification of the clause; The Mayor said there could be nd harm in deferring the matter, but they should ndt- modify any of the by-laws without consulting tho City Engineer. Cr. Robertson snid the dost of embedding pipes would only be .about sixpence per foot, and in. the interest of health and the efficiency of the drains, he thought the' clause should Stand. Or. Bisley secotided tho motion. Ue thought the clause complained of was un necessary. The acting Town Clurk said a special meeting called for the purpose of confirming a special order could not be adjourned. Cr. Grace suggested that the bylaws should be confirmed, and if necessary the clause objected to could be" afterwards amended. Cr. Franklyn opposed the motion. Cr. ilampson said Cr Robertson had put the matter in a very different light to others who had spoken to him about tho matter, lie asked for permission to withdraw the re- ' solution. Permission was granted. The special order was confirmed, and the date upon' which the bylaws should become effective was fixed for January 6th. The Council then went into committee to consider certain matters and on. resuming it was reported that ie bad been resolved that the Mayor and Councillors Uampson, Bisloy, Robertson and Grace be a sub-committee to consider correspondence from Mr Mestayer* 'lhe tender of Messrs Haggifct and Ga'braith for drainage of the Wood area was riot *Hceepted, and the City Eiigirie"Br was authorised to have the work done by day labor i It wa3 also resolved to," if possible, eniploy local >nen on the drainage works. Seasonable greetings were exchanged between Mai'or and Councillors, and the Council then rose;