FORTNIGHTLY MEETING.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12765, 5 February 1910, Page 4

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING.

Tho fortnightly meeting of the City Council, held last evening, was attended by the Mayor and Councillors Turner, Adams, Field, Neale, McConchie, Lightband, Grace, Pettit, and Bisley. The statement of balances was as

Correspondence was read and dealt • with as under: — From Mr-G. Lancaster, asking for access to his property in Van Dieman street. — Referred to the Works Committee, with power to act. From the Education Board, asking that__ the.; City Engineer be allowed to give an estimate of the cost of • connecting the Nelson boys' and girls' schools with the sewerage system. — Permission granted. From Mr S. Cooper, asking the Council to form footpath to his property in Gloucester street.—Referred to the Works Committee with power to act. From Mr F. N. Nalder, accepting sum offered by the Council, £7 10s, as solatium for injuries sustained in an accident on Nile street -bridge. From Mr W. W. de Castro, re proposed road through land between Vanguard and Mount streets. The owners with one exception favoured the work.— Referred to the Works Committee. From Mr de Castro, offering to dedicate a small piece of land for street purposes.— Referred to Works .Committee. . From Mr Samuel Gorman, asking that Russell street footpath be tarred and sanded.— Referred to the Works Committee. ". From Mr A. C. Maginnity, asking permission to form approach to lr's property in Kawai street.— ltc.erred to Works Committee. From the Citizens' Band, complaining that the charge for gas at the Rotunda was out of all reason. The value of the gas used at each performance could not amount to more than threepence, the charge being . one shilling. They thought the Council might supply the gas gratis. TJh.e Town Glerk said the Garrison Band had paid the charge without a murmer. It was resolved on the Mayor's motion, that the Council could not see its way to reduce the charge. From the Fire Brigade, asking for payment of £35 on account of subsidy. — The amount was passed for payment. From Mr W. Kenning, offering £1 for old shed at the Abattoir. — Referred to the abattoir committee, with power to act. From Mr Thos. Rowe, complaining of nuisance caused by a tree in Victory Square.— Permission was granted to remove the tree. From Mr W. H. Grimmett, asking for permission to remove a tree stump on his property by means of dynamite. — Permission was granted on the usual conditions. From Mrs Richardson, objecting to the erection of a fence to screen bathers at Sunday Hole, on her property, and stating her intention of prohibiting the use of the place by bathers. — Referred to the Works Committee. The Finance Committee reported, recommending in the mattter of complaints of shortage of water by HeirLemmer and others: (a) That steps will be taken to ensure an adequate supply being maintained, (b) That the water inspector make a house to house inspection of water fittings, and that he be authorised to repair leaky taps and that the Council make a nominal charge of Is for supplying and fitting new washers, etc. (c) That the water be shut off from all . urinals and public conveniences at about ten o'clock each night. A water meter should be affixed as requested by the Anchor Company, and at the end of six months accounts bo adjusted on the basis of six months' consumption. The Council should pay half the cost of dividing fence between the Queen's Gardens and Captain Home's property. The Acclimatisation Society should be asked its opinion on the question of importing grey owls. The manager of the State Coal Department would be asked if it is correct that a seam of coal better adapted to the purposes of gas manufacture has been opened up,and if so whether a supply can be obtained by the Council. On the letter from Mr G. R. Selby, the Committee recommended that as a leak occurred in Mr Selby's fittings, no reduction in the account can be made. -The Committee also recommended that the Town Clerk prepare a draft of consolidated by-laws- for the city. t The report was adopted. The Works Committee reported, making the following recommendations: — That the City Engineer have the boundaries of "Milton's Acre defiued, and that any pipes, etc., that may be on the land occupied by Mr Turner 'be removed to Milton's Acre. Botanical Reserve: (a) That the Garrison Band be granted the j use of the Botanical Reserve on the i dates mentioned in their letter, (b) That the Citizens' Band be granted the use of the Botanical Reserve on the dates mentioned in their letter, except the 2nd March, (c) That a fixed charge of Is be made for the use. of the gas to each band requiring the gas, the charge to be paid in advance. As to reserve, Collingwood street, that application be made to ■have this reserve vested in the Council. The report was adopted. _ The Sanitary_ Inspector stated that six cases of scarlet fever and one of enteric had been reported during the fortnight. - ■- : Cr Pettit said he did not think the Council had taken sufficient steps to ensure proper precautions being taken, to prevent, the spread of infection. It was evident that too many cases were reported, and if the Council could do anything to minimise the risk of infection it should do so. . Cr Neale said Cr Pettit's remarks were opportune. They had not the same control over, these matters as they had when-a doctor held tihe position of locar health officer. In some cases of scarlet fever a doctor was not called in. They should have some, means of. seeing that the '. proper period of quarantine was observed. The Mayor said the scarlet fever now prevalent was not of a virulent nature. The doctors did the best they could to safeguard the public, and reported the cases to the Council. Or Turner said the infection was mainly^ at school. They should prevent children in houses where the disease existed from attending Bchool. - Cr Grace said the present epidemic was mild, but it might , at any time become serious. If it did become serious, they had no means of meeting it, the Health Department having been .shorn of its usefulness by retrenchment and so on.- They should.

consider the means they could adopt to grapple with an epidemic Or Pettit's remarks were perfectly proper, but they did not go far enough. Cr Pettit moved that the matter be referred to the Finance Committee, to consider what further supervision of scarlet fever cases can be carried out. Cr Grace seconded the motion. . Cr Field suggested that the chairman of the Town Schools Committee and the chairman of the local branch of the British Medical Association be invited to attend the meeting. • ' Cr Pettit accepted this addition, and the motion,was carried. The manager of the abattoir reported a total slaughter of 865 animals. He called attention to the necessity of installing means for cooling meat in the abattoir before next summer. The recommendation was referred to the Abattoir Committee. On the motion of Cr Turner, the matter of erecting a gate at the rubbish tip was referred to the Works Committee. Cr. Neale said they were paying from £22 to £23 a week in interest on the overdraft, at 5J per cent. He conterided that that was too much on an account which carried so little risk. They should approach the Bank for better terms. He moved to that effect. The motion was seconded by Gr Pettit and carried. This was all the ordinary business.

1 follows: — 1 Db. . Cb. General A/c... 1-1,514 10 6 Water „ ... 4,242 18 8 : Gas „ ... 1,690 13 9 s Interest „ ... 1,370 5 9 Abattoir „ ... 146 2 10 Balance Dr. 21,815 16 2 19 0 21,961 19 0 Cr. £ b d Cemeteries (trust account) 197 12 ' 9 Contractors' deposit accouiit 36 13 9 Trafalgar Park account *9513 11 Drainage Loan Account 11 16 1 Bridges Reinstatement Loan, Account • 17 210 Accounts were passed for payment 1 as follows:— £ s d General account 198 16 0 . Gas account 276 5 3 Water 32 5 7 Abattoir , 25 16 0 Cemeteries 7 10 6 Trafalgar Park reserve 16 7 0 Bridges 1 11 9 Total £558 12 1