CITY COUNCIL.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3361, 2 December 1871, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

■ - ■» Friday, December, 30. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Council was held yesterday afternoon at the chambers. Present : — The Mayor (in the I chair), Messrs Krull, Bannatyne, Moas, Buckley, Ramie and Mills. surveyor's office. The Sueveyoe read a letter from Mr Wallace offering to let a room to the City Council at a rental of £25 per annum, half the amount to be paid in advance. Mr Allan also had offered a room, bufc he required £50 per annum. The Survoyor statod that in carrying out the water works it would "be necessary to obtain a room in which to carry on the preparation of the plans and other necessary engineering work. He had made much inquiry for a suitable room, and the most suitable amongst those available was the one offered by Mr Wallace, the terms for the occupation of which he bad already mentioned. After some discussion of an uninteresting nature had taken place, generally unfavorable to the proposal, Councillor Miller thought the Surveyor had no right to take upon himself the re»> sponsibility of incurring expense in renting additional offices. The Mayoe informed-OcfunCilfoivMiller that the Surveyor had acted upon his .authority, because it was^iSPessary that the engineering work connected with the water works should be proceeded with as soon as^possible, and ho had instructed the Surveyor to do whatever was requisito for the carrying out of that object. Of course this action was subject to the approval of the Council, and he would put it to the members present whether it was desirable to adopt such a plan. Councillor Buckley thought they were acting somewhat prematurely with regard to these preparations for the water works. Before proceeding any further in the matter they should consult the act on the proper course to be pursued. He had taken only a superficial glance at the act, bufc he thought it was necessary, before incurring any expense on account of the proposed works, that they should levy a rate. The Mayoii said this was merely a preliminary matter and he could not help thinking that the tone of the discussion was very severe upon those who were anxious to do what was necessary to the furtherance of the work. This was really a part of the whole work to bo performed. The surveyor had reported that he could not properly get through hie duties without the additional room, and he had been instructed to endeavor to obtain a suitable office. Ho (the Mayor) thought ib rather ungracious on the part of those who probably had not thought much about the matter to throw obstacles in the way of the carrying out of the scheme. Councillor Buckley merely pointed out that he dfd not want to see the Council do something that was not necessary to be done j besides, it struck him that there was plenty of room in the Council Chambers without going outside and paying an annual rent for an office. If the Council spent about £10 in fittings, the Chamber could be made t;> answer very well. Councillor Moss agreed that it was necessary to have some additional accommodation for the Surveyor, but his objection to considering Mr Wallace's offer by itself was that he knew the Surveyor had received an offer of an office opposite to the Chambers, and he merely wished to know which was most convenient. He did not intend to oppose the rental of an office in nny way. Counoillor Bannatyne thought it would be absurd to postpone the consideration of the matter. If the office were really wanted, and if the Surveyor said it was absolutely necessary that ho should have a room, the best way would be to go to work as economically as possible. He should therefore support the proposal to rent the room from Mr Wallace. Councillor Buckley asked the Surveyor whether it would be possible to fit up th.o Couujil Chamber. His object in wishing for an answer to that question was that ib would bo much more convenient to the members of the Council to have the plans and other necessary papers at their hands than to go to Mr Wallace's office. By having the maps in the Council Chamber they would always have an opportunity of obtaining any necessary explanation of the works on the epofc. The Sueveyob said it was utterly impossible that it could be done. As it was, he could only do three days work a week in consequence of the chamber being occupied on the other days by the meetings of the Benevolent; Society and other meetings, Councillor Buckley : Let them hold their meetings somewhere else. The Surveyor said the number of drawings required for the waterworks would be about fifty, and he would very likely require to have as many as twenty drawing boards in use at the same time. Under these circumstances it was utterly impossible to carry out Counoillor Buckley's suggestion. Councillor Bannatyne, to bring the matter to an issue, proposed that the Surveyor be empowered to carry out the arrangement with Mr Wallace, any more economic arrangement, to be made if possible. Councillor Mo;s seconded the proposition, but would object to money being paid to Mr Wallace in advance. It was quite time to pay when the rent became due, either quarterly, half yearly or monthly. The Mayoe suggested that in that case Mr Wallace's offer would fall through. Councillor Bannatyne fancied the reason Mr Wallace had inserted such a stipulation was because the payment for the work of the city valuation was very small. The Mayoe said ho thought the matter very simple. The Council had two offers before it, one of £25 and one of £50. Councillor Buckley suggested that the matter might bo easily settled by making the offer to rent tho room and pay the rent in the ordinary manner ; and if Mr Wallace did not care about that he could decline it. Councillor Bannatyne did not approve of payment in advance, and would odd to his motion the condition that Mr Wallace should be paid the rent in the usual way. Councillor Milleu thought tho matter should bo thrown open to public tender. It was then proposed and agreed to that tho settlement of the matter should bo left entirely to Councillor Bannatyne. COEEESFONDENCE. A letter was read from Mr Bunny, Provin* cial Secretary, requesting the Mayor to bring under the consideration of the Council the question concerning tho erection of the sheds on tho wharf. The letter stated that the Provincial Government had arranged with the 'Council that tho sheds should be erected at the expense of the city. A number of tenders for leasing tho wharf had been sent in to the Provincial Government for the work, the lowest of which was £725. The Provincial Government desired that the Council would consider the matter, and commence the work immediately. Ordered to be considered presently. A letter was read from Mr E. T. Q-illon, which stated that ho had beea requested by tho provisional directors of thp -^ropoaed theatre to ask whether the Council womc^e willing to let sections 65, 66, 71, 72, 7s,' and 76 on tho reclaimed land as a site for the proposed theatre at a rental of five per cent per annum on the present upset price of the land, and for a period of forty-four years. The letter stated that the building being an expensive one, the directors would not feel justified in erecting it on a leasehold property unless they were assured of a lengthened tenure. If a long lease could be obtained on moderate terms, the directors believed there would be no difficulty in erecting a building which would be an acquisition and an ornumont to tho city. Councillor Ramie thought it would be better for tho Council first to see what the upset price of each section really was. There was nothing definite before them on that head. The Mayob said he was about to raise the game question himßolf, but he did not think

it desirable to discuss the matter at the present Bitting. Councillor Ramie agreed that it would be •advisable to postpone the consideration of the proposal. Councillor Mills thought the proposal contained in the letter a very reasonable ono. Councillor Bankatyne agreed with the Mayor that the matter required longer consideration than they could givo it at the present meeting. Tho matter was then postponed till next Bitting day. THE BBArK> r K ACCOUNT. Tho overdraft; at the bank was stated to be £916 -is lOd. THE PINASCE COMMITTEE. The Mayor said ho had to make a statement on behalf of tho Finance Committee appointed at the last meeting to negotiate the sale of the debentures for (he purchase of tho reclaimed land and the wharf. The committee had to report that they had succeeded in negotiating with the Mutual Investment Society for the disposal of £20,000 worth of the debentures, at 7i per cent. They were also negotiating for tho s:»le. of the debentures for the carrying out of the water works scheme, and had every reason to believe they would be successful. With regard to what had been stated in a local paper as to the obtaining of at 6 per cent, as had been done in Auctond, he might say, on behalf of the coml»»itte, that the^Jiad not gone into the market inN^s dark. They had found that the money could not be obtained in Wellington at the same rate, and he had also been informed that the Mercantilo Loan Association, a company •which they might say was very fairly informed on such matters, had decided to raise their rate to 9 per cent. With this information before them, he thought the members of the Council had reason to congratulate themselves on tho success of tho committee. Ho had also learned from a reliable source that there would not now be any difficulty in obtaining the loan for the water works. THE WATERWORKS. Councillor Krull proposed that the following Councillors be appointed a committee to inquire into and report upon the best means to bo taken with regard to ordering tho necessary plant for the waterworks :— Tho Mayor, and Councillors Ramie, Bannatyne, Moss, and the mover. As the Council was aware, the money was lying at the bank, waiting to be taken i:p, aud it, was necessary that the matter should be taken in, hand at once. He moved the appointment of the committee ; report to be brought up next Bitting dayCouncillor Buckley read the 15th Clause of the Act, which corroborated the statement he had made at an earlier part of tho sitting, namely, that for tho purpose of raising money to provide for tho payment of any works, there should be levied and paid certain specifled rates. He thought, before doing anything, further, the proper course would be to levy the rate imposed under the act. In that case the motion of Councillor Erull might not come to anything, and the sooner they acted upon the clause the better. The motion was put and agreed to ; it •was also npjreed that a meeting should be called for next Friday for the purpose of levying the rate. TIIE WEARF. Councillor Krull movod the appointment of the following committee to draw up rules and regulations for leasing tho wharf:— The Mayor, and Councillors Bannatyne, and Mills ; to report next sitting day. The Motion was carried, and the clerk instructed to advertise for tenders for tho lease of the wharf. THE KEROSENE STORE. Councillor Moss wished to know whether any steps had been taken in reference to the kerosene store. Since their last meeting kerosene had been brought into tho place, and he would like to know what had become of it. The Mayor eaid Councillor Moss was a member of the committee appointed in the matter, and he should remember that it was arranged that no action should be taken with regard to kerosene already landed, but that all Bhipments that might arrive after a certain date should come within the operation of the Act ; that was to say, the clerk had instructions to sue anyone who did not put their kerosene in store after that date. Councillor Moss had no recollection of anything of the kind. He was no party to any arrangement by which kerosene already landed should not be placed in tho store. The matter dropped. THE WHARF SIIEDS. The Mayor said he would like to hear what course the Council thought necessary to bo adopted with regard to the matter contained in the Provincial Secretary's letter in reference to tho sheds on the wharf. He would Btato for the information of the Council that it was distinctly arranged that the sheds should be erected by the Council. When tho Reclaimed Land Bill was passing through tho Assembly it was clearly understood that the aheds should be erected out of the balance of the money provided, and the Council would be obliged to carry out that agreement. Councillor Mills thought that if they were going to build the sheds no time should be lost in doing it. The Councillors would see the necessity of deciding quickly, so that no time should be lost in completing tho work before the incoming lessee took possession. They would obtain a higher rate for the iease, and it would be a means of increasing their income and of giving them more funds with which to pay the interest on the money borrowed. He would propose that the matter be referred to the committee already appointed. It would be a pity to delay the matter, because if they were going to let. the wharf in a month it would be necessary that the lessee should see what ho was paying his money for. The MAYOR thought this proposal a very good one. The committoe could make the necessary inquiry, and then the Council could decide what course should be adopted. Councillor Buckley thought the proposal of Councillor Mills a yery reasonable one. Il would expedite the matter very much. Seeing tbat they were going to lease tho wharfin a very short time, ho thought tho committee should make the necessary inquiries and report to the Council next Friday. Then they could either accept one of tho tenders already aent to the Provincial Government or advertise for fresh tenders, Councillor Moss objected to taking a tender from the list which was aent into tho Provincial Government somo montliß ago. The Mayor pointed out that Councillor Mose did not thoroughly understand the matter. The committee would have power to make any arrangement they thought proper. Councillor Buckley explained that what he meant was this : that tho committee named by Councillor Mills should obtain information, and having done so that they should lay it before the Council. If they were satisfied that any result arrived at by tho committee was an advisable course to adopt, then of course they would adopt it, but not that they should be compelled to follow any suggestion brought before the committee. Ho did not desire that they should be bound by the inquiries of the ■ committee. Ho merely meant to say that if the committco wero satisfied at the resonablcness of the offers, then they should come to tho Council and say that is what we recommend. The time was fast approaching when they must do something towards leasing tho wharf, and if this property wero added then the interest must bo much more valuable Councillor Moss quite agreed that the Committee should bring up their report to the Council, but he would insist that fresh tenders bo called for. Ho objecttd to tenders six mouths old being accepted. A motion referring the letter to the Wharf Committee was then put and carried. THE CORPORATION ACT. Councillor Moss's motion with regard to the bringing into force of the 13th clause of the Municipal Corporations Act was deferred until next sitting day, the bye-law not having been advertised.