CITY COUNCIL.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVII, Issue 3371, 14 December 1871, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

, : «» Wednesday, NdYEMBEB 13. >:<£■*:.-. A full meeting of fcho OprinofLwaa hela this) day, there being present— -the Mayor (in the: chair), Councillors Buckley, Krull, .Miller; Ramie, Moss, and Mills. Tho minutes of fcho last meeting having been confirmed, the Mayor read over the following correspondence. ' -. •',..* A letter from Mr Tonks, complaining of-fche assessment made on his property. The Mayor said Mv Tonks had had the samo opportunity as other ratepayers of appealing against the amount afc which his property had been assessed, and unless thero had beon somo elorzoal error in making up fcho list, the Clerk could nob now make any alteration. A letter was read from Mr J. H. Meadows, complaining of tho bad drainage outlot from his premises. The letter stated that Mr Meadows had complained to the City Surveyor, aud had requested 1 that gentleman in a written communication to allow him to pub down a box drain, to which he had never received any reply. All ho asked the Counoil to permit him to do was to put down a box drain across tho footpath. The Surveyor Baid the only communication Mr Meadows had made to him on fche matter was in a conversation he had with him in tho street, and he fchen did request to be permitted to lay down a box drain across the footpath, but as fche drainage referred to was the refuse from a dye works, ifc would not do to run it into the side-drain in the streefc, and asthore was no drain within two or three hundred yards of Mr Meadows' promises this would have to bo dono if Mr Meadows' request, in its present shape, were agreed to. The faofc was, Mr Me-dows' premises'. were situated in fche centre of a number of small sections, to which ifc would bo impossible, in their present condition, to' apply any proper system of drainage. After some remarks from Councillor Moss and the Mayor, who stated thafc tho di'ainago from Mr Meadows' premises mighfc bo injurious fco publio health if drainod into fche street, tho matter was referred to the Surveyor for settlement. A letter from Mr J. E. Evans, Lambton Quay, was read, in which was contained a complaint with reference fco tho condition of the footpath in front of his shop, and a statement to tho effect thafc Mr Evans's wife had sustained some injury through a fall occasioned by tho bad condition of the feotway. Tho Mayoe eaid the footway had * been brokon up by tho Grus Company, and left in the condition of which Mr Evans complained. Ho thought, therefore, the matter should bo referred to the company, who should take steps to remedy the matter aa soon as possible. A letter from Mr H. Decks, Mulgrave street, complained of the state of the drain which passed through his property. Mr Decks stated thafc tho effluvia from the drain, whioh was particularly annoying to him, was not caused by any want of flushing, or through any uneleanliness on his part,, but by tho passage through ifc of tho drainage from hia neighbors' houses. The matter was referred to tho Sanitary Inspector. A letter was read from Mr Thos. Buchanan, directing the attention of the Council fco the fact thafc the crickctors and others had mado greafc improvements in tho Basin Ee3erre, and requesting fche members •to recognise the expense as equivalent to three yeara* rent of the ground. The Mayor, in order that tho Council should thoroughly understand the matter, read the agreement entered into between tlio trustees, aud agreed to by tho Council afc their* meeting on the, 2nd September. By this proposal tbey engaged to contribute the sum ' of twenty pounds, and he proposed that they should confine fchomselvea to the terms of that agreement. This proposition was ogreed to. REPORT OF THE WATERWORKS CO3IMITTEE. Tho Surveyor read the record of the proceedings which took place at tho meeting of the committee, which ifc was agreed by fcho Counoil should stand as a substantive report. The following is the report : — " Letters from E. Or. Buchanan, Esq., dated 28th and 29th December, 1870, to the Council, were read to the meeting, soliciting the agency in tho matter of superintending the purchase of fche waterworks plant in Gr reat Britain. —The Chairman, in reply to Councillor Moss, explained thafc Mr Buchanan was the gentleman entrusted with fche purchase of fche (3-as Company's plant. The exceedingly satisfactory manner iv which fchafc commission was executed ho considered a guarantee that the same energy and discretion would be oxertod on behalf of fche Council, In further reply to Councillor Moss, tbo Chairman stated that 2\ per cenfc was the amount of commission paid on account of fche Gas Company's order. — After a goneral discission on other means of ordering tho plant, Councillor Moss moved that ifc be recommended to the Council that the ordor for the plant be ontrusfced to E. Q*. Buchanan, Esq., of Leith, at a commission nofc exceeding 2_ per cenfc. — Ifc wa3 also resolved to recommend to tho Council fchat a permanent Waterworks Committee be appointed. Also, that the City Surveyor bo appointed an officer for the carrying oufc of tho undertaking under the clause of fcho Watorworks Acfc requiring fche appointment of such officer. These minutes to stand as the Committee's report." Councillor Krull moved the adoption of tho report, stating thafc the committee had gono thoroughly into tho matter and arrived afc the result stated in fcho report read by tho Surveyor, which ho thought would be tho best and mosfc economical course the Couucil oduld follow. Councillor Moss seconded fche motion. The Mayor said if the report, were at onco adopted ifc would enablo them to send homo fcho order for the plant by the next San Francisco mail. Tho Mutual Investment Society, from whom they proposed to borrow fcho monoy, would arrange wifch the agent at homo to pay the necessary amount as soon as tho requisite instructions wero forwarded to him. Councillor Ramie saw nothing in fche report authorising the agenfc to charter a vessel to bring oufc the plant. The Mayor, with regard to that matter, thought it might possibly be better to arrange with some of the merchants in our own oity. He had spoken to Mr Turnbull on the matter, and that gentleman said he would bo willing to make arrangements for shipping the plant if he wero communicated with officially on fche matter. He (the Mayor) thought ifc very likely fchat a saving might bo effected in arranging here for the shipment of the matorial. Councillor Buckley moved fchafc the Mayor be authorised to communicate with Mr Turnbull on the subject. Ifc was their duty to get the plant out as cheaply as possible. The report and tho suggestion of Mr Buckley wero adopted. report of wharf committee. Councillor K-UJLI. read tho report of the committee, which was vory voluminous. Ifc contained tho terms upon which it was proposed to loaso the wharf as well as tho conditions fco bo observed by fche successful tenderoi. Afc tho conclusion of the reading of fche roport Councillor Krull movod ifcs adoption. Councillor Moss desired to say a fow. words upon fcho matters contained in fcho report, and firstly he musfc say thafc ifc was scarcely fair fco ask them fco pas 3 the report without having had somo littlo time in whioh to consider its contents. Speaking for himself, he .was not very well acquainted with its contents, a. ke had only jusfc heard ifc read, bufc, from whafc he did understand of it, it stated that if a man went on tho wharf with a oase or package and thereby earned a shilling he would havo to pay sixpence out of it to the lessee.' Ho thought it would be much better fco make a weeVly charge to persons carrying goods. There wero several other matters requiring further consideration than they could possibly give them at the present mootipg; for instance, _ he had entirely different views, with regard to ' fche sheds than tlio.e expressed in the report, which also stated fchat the plans and specifications had been laid on fche table but he had not

seen them. Ifc mighfc bo the opinion of Mr Toxward fchat tho shod should bo put up accordingfco fcho manner laid down, but that was a matter on which ho would like to have something to say j besides, ho did not agree fchat the lowest tender of those in their possession should be accepted because they wero six months old, and the prico of timber had become considerably lower in the meantime. The Mayor said he could correct Councillor Moss upon thafc matter. Instead of timber being lower in prico it was higher. Councillor Moss thought on fhe whole ifc would be better to havo timo lo consider tho various matters contained in tho report. Councillor Buckley would like to ask a question before they wenfc any further. Bid nofc the resolution appointing the committee expressly state thafc fchey were merely to lay the result of their enquiries before tho Council ? The Mayor read the resolution from the minute book, bufc tho instructions to the committee were there found not fco bo vory accurately defined. Councillor Buckley distinctly remembered something about the committee reporting to tho Council before their report waa adopfced. His memory told him chat it was clearly understood when the committeo was appointed that the plans and specifications for tho oreclion of the sheds were to be submitted to tho Council ibr approval, and ho had not; seen or heard jj^terhma-rifthn matter in tho interim between l ™SpP^6intmenfc of tho committee and the bringing up of this report. The Mayor hoped the Council would see the advisability of deciding as soon as possible upon tho conditions on which the wharf should be leased. Councillor M 033 wonld like fco ask the chairmun of the committee whether there was any alteration in tho present conditions from those previously drawn up. The Mayor : Very little. Councillor Buckley thought ifc would bo wise to adopt Councillor Moss's suggestion, and postpone the consideration of the matter. Councillor Moss, fco bring fche matter to an issue, would move that the report be received, and its adoption postponed until Friday next. The matter was important as well as urgent, and as it had received a considerable amount of tho attontion of the public, it would be better not to settle ifc in any hasty manner. Councillor Buckley hoped the plans and specifications would be placed before fche Council in fche meantime. Clause 15 of the act laid it down in a unmistakable manner fchafc fche plans should bo before fche Council at; least six clear days beforo they could decide on the erection of the sheds. The motion of Councillor Moss, thafc the report be considered at a special meeting to be convened for tho purpose, was pufc and agreed fco, fche day being fined for Monday insfceod of Friday, fche Corporations Acfc requiring fcwo clear days' notice of the holding of a special meeting. THE KEROSENE STORK. Councillor Moss brought up the report; of tho committeo appointed to determine upon tho condition, for fche storage of keroseno oil, wifchin the city, which recommended thafc on and after the Ist day of January, 1872, in aocoi'danco with the law, no dealer shall be allowed to havo on his premises more than eighty gallons of kerosene, nor private individuals more than ten gallons ; and that the lessee of the kerosene bond should nofc be called upon to pay any further rent until the first day of July, 1872. As chairman of the committee, he moved the adoption of the report. Councillor Kru.ll seconded fche motion, at the same time remarking upon tho necessity for some regulation of the kind, as a safeguard againßt fire. THE RECr.AI.rED LAND. Councillor Moss, without making any observations, moved that notice be givon by public advertisement fchafc the sections of the reclaimed land will be submitted to public auction for lease on the 22nd December, for a period of twenty-one years, at an upset; rental of 5 per cent per annum on the estimated value of fche freehold, with right to renew for a farther period of twenty-one years by paying an increase of 50 per cenfc upon the rental, rent to be paid half-yearly in advance. A deposit of £10 fco be paid on tlie fall of fche hammer, fchis to form a portion of fche halfyear in advance. Councillor Buckley inquired whether Councillor Moss proposed thafc the wholo of fche land not sold should afc once be submitted to auction, or merely any portions which mighfc be applied for ? Councillor' Moss said as tho motion stood ifc would mean thafc the whole of tho land should bo put up to auction. The Mayor thought this a fitting opportunity to mention that tho transaction with the Provincial Government for tho purchase of tho land had been completed on Saturday last, by the payment fco tho Provincial Government of the sum of £20,000, £1000 of which, according to the terms of fche purchase, remained to the credit of the City Council, as the amount required for tho erection of the wharf sheds. Councillor Krull proposed as an amendment fco Councillor Moss's motion— "That notice be given by public advertisement that the allotments of the reclaimed land are now open for selection ou lease, and written applications received afc the Council Chamber on the terms hereunder mentioned, until four o'clock on the 21sfc day of December; and should there bo two or more applicants at that time for fche same section, tho lease of the said lots will be put up to public competition on fche 24th December, afc twelve o'clock, for a period of twenty-one years afc an upset rental of 5 per cenfc per annum on the estimated value of tho freehold, wifch right to renew for another twenty-one years, by paying an increase of 50 per cenfc upon tho rental ; rent to be paid halfyearly, in advance ; a deposit of £10 to bo paid on selection ; this to form a portion of fche half-year's rent, payable in advance." He thought it. was nofc right to put up fche whole of tho land, as a greafc many gentlemen had already determined to tako up certain allotments" and it; would be injudicious to force fche rest on the market. Councillor Borlase did not agree with the amendment for the reason that some people might wish to purchase in one place and some in another. The land should, therefore, bo thrown oj-on at a certain price, and allow people fco purchase where they liked. Councillor Buckley had great pleasure in seconding Councillor Krull's amendment. He saw no reason why fcho whole of the land should not bo takon up in a short timo withoufcresorting to the objectionable course of submitting the whole of it to aucfcion at; once. If they wero to throw the whole of tho land into fcho market within a period so lirnileet people would very likely say to themselves "Wo don't caro about buying because tho market is glutted with land." They had the experienc. of tho Provincial Government to guide them in the matter, for they must all know very •well thafc when they threw the whole of the land on tho market at onco nobody would buy it. What they now stated by the amendment} was that if the inhabitants wished to take up- tho land they could get ifc afc a reuson-isassfi-ble price and on stated terms, and thafc if within a certain time there was no second application for a pieco already applied for, fchen that it should be givon to the person who applied. It was their duty to get as much as tliey possibly could for tho land, and fchey would be acting injudiciously if they were to decide fchafc every seefcion should bo submitted to auction. The probability would bo thafc for nine-tenths of ifc thero would bo no buyer. Councillor Mills said his view of the matter was simply this. Those allotmf" ts had been surveyed, and the prices fixed for somo time. Those who desired to secure any of them knew very v/ell what had tuken place in regard to the matter; and his own opinion was thafc those who required them would^ put in their applications in the manner specified iv the amendment. It would bo a pity to put up these 100 allotments all ab ouco, becauso they would only probably get bids for about ten or twelve.

Councillor Borlase made some romarks of an irrovalent kind, when The Mayor said ifc was clear Councillor Borlase '. misunderstood the terms of the amendment, which provided thafc persons should put in their applications for the allotments thoy desired to lease, and if competition took place by the putting iv by two or moro persons of applications for the same piece of grouud it would be put up to auction. This was only dono to protect fche public against the possibility of any individual being favored. Councillor Moss said there wa3 ono othor difficulty. They would have fco adopfc some sort of secrecy in regard to tho receipt and opening of the applications, for which duty they should specially appoint one person. Councillor Buckley thought the applicants should bo placed in the same position as a buyer afc fche land ofiico. As guardians of the public fchey had a right to pursue fchafc course which would creato fcho greatest amount of confidence between the public and themselves ; and with this object fchey should adopfc the same courso and the same principles adopted in the land office, so that if ono man made an application, and another] offer for fcho same pieco of laud wore received subsequently that then ifc should be put up to auction. Councillor Mills, as a matter of business, thought ifc would be a greafc mistake to attempt to dispose of the wholo block ofc once. Decidedly the be3fc way would be to put up lo auction only those lots which were applied for by moro than one person. Councillor Ramie said thafc by putting up the whole of tiie allotments they wonld simply swamp the market. Ho would like to see a provision mado fchafc a certain time should elapse from the making of fche first application, in order thafc they should have an opportunity of seeing whether thore wus any likelihood of compefcifcion for fcho same piece. Councillor Moss clid nofc intend to oppose the amendment, nor did ho wish lo be misunderstood in what ho had said about socresy in the matter. He wished to point oufc to the members of the Council that if tho application were openly posted a person might come up to the room to apply for a certain piece of land, and seeing the name of a friend already down for tho same piece, it would be quite as likely that he would say "Oh, he's a friond of mine ; I won't pufc my narao down." Written applications should bo senfc iv which should not be opened until a certain hour on a specified day. Councillor Buckley soid his desire was to prevent the wholo of fcho lund falling into the hands of a speculator, for if tho possibility of doing so were left open fchey mighfc do the very thing they wished to prerenfc. He believed they all wished fco 3ee the land taken up by people who would build upon ifc The Mayor said if they wero going to insert a building clause in the leases they might; as well never huvo touched the purchase of the land. To do that would bo to carry out the views of Councillor Miller, who had dono all he could in tho way of opposing tho scheme, and they would be likely to have tho land upon their hands for many years. Councillor Borlase would not restrict any person to any particular style of building. As long as ho did not damage his neighbors' property by the erection of a place for the carrying on of some obnoxious trade, that was all they hod to care about. Councillor Mills said he had another amendment to propose, namely, thafc a purchasing clause be inserted in tho lease of those allotments fronting on Lambton Quay. They should try to keep the buildings in that street of a respectable character. What he meant was that they should endeavor to secure fche erection of only first class buildings on thoso sites, and this could only bo done by putting in a purchasing clause, for ifc was not likely fchat business people would pufc up buildings which would bo ornaments fco the town unless the property was likely to become their own. The Mayor, after somo dissent had boon expressed and a difficulty experienced in finding a seconder, said he hoped the amendment would be seconded. He considered that was fche most important part of the proceedings of the day, and if they could by any means devise a scheme by whioh they would increase tho amount of competitors for these sites ifc was their duty to ao so. Councilor Krull seconded tho proposal of Councillor Mills. His reason for doing so was that; some of tho sites m'ighfc bo required by the General Government or by Mr Brogden, and they would thereby become more valuable, so fchat the occupier mighfc wish to sell at an advance. Councillor Moss strongly opposed such a proposition. His object in taking an active pnrt in tha purchase of the land from tho Provincial Government was not; to make a speculation of it, bufc to turn it into an endowment from which the city would benefit in after years. By taking these ten seefcions oufc of the proper mode of lease they would be parting with the mosfc valuable portion of the land. Ho did not doubfc that whafc Councillor Mills said was correct, namely, that there were several persons anxious to purchaso those sites, bufc he thought, they should retain them j he would not part with an inch of ifc. Councillor Borlase made some remarks of a personal naturo in speaking of Councillor Mills, und was called to order by the Mayor. Councillor Ramie thought tho proposal to lease tho land for twenty-one years by far the most reasonable plan. Councillor Buckley opposed Councillor Mills' proposal because he believed the intention of thoso who voted for the purchase did so on fche understanding that it should bocome an endowment for the city, and not a speculation whereby they might make a few hundred pounds. Ifc mattered littlo to him whether they sold or leased the land, provided they did what was most advantageous for the cifcy. His own opinion was thafc it would bo better to lease the land because thero waß no doubt that in twenty years it would bo no easy matter to obtain land for a building site in tho city. If fchey could get a sufficient sum by leasing tho property to pay their interest and creato a little sinking fund they would have done very well for the citizens, ne did not think the argument that tho Messrs Brogden were about to buy some of tho reclaimed land would afc all alter the position of the proporty. He would prefer to keep possession of fche land as long as they possibly could. Councillor Mills made a few remarks in reply to Councillor Borlase's personalities. The Mayor said, before putting fche resolution, he wished fco mako a remark or fcwo. Ifc was perfectly true, as several of tho Councillors had said, thafc the intention in entering into tho purchase with tlio Provincial Govern - menfc was to creato for the future benefit of the citizens an endowment which ho hoped would be of a most valuable character, but ifc must also be bomo in mind thafc thoy should endeavor, if possible, fco reduce tho rates of tho city by making a profit on tho transaction, and he hoped the course proposed by Councillor Mills would be adopted. By doing so they would increase the amount derivable from tho land. Their first year's difficulty would bo their greatest, and thoy would probably be doing a wise thing if they inserted a purchasing clause in tho leuses for thoso sites mentioned by Councillor Mills. At tho same timo he must be permitted to say that he had alwuys advocated that tho land should form a permanent endowment for the city. He wus not going to fight fche matter over again, bufc he thought fchey should give Councillor Mills credit- for having raised a discussion which was productive of good in eliciting an expression of opinion on a very important matter, and now, having arrived at the conclusion thafc ifc would nofc bo advisable, he was satisfied that fche besfc had been done, although ho confessed ho was inclinod to support Councillor Mills in his proposal. Councillor Krull's amondmenfc was put and agreed to. THE THEATRE SITE. Ifc was agreed that; a copy of Councillor -Trull's resolutions 'should bo forwarded to the

directors of tho Theatre Company, as a reply to their request for tho lease of certain sites. WATER KATE ASSESSMENT. For fcho purpose of complying with the terms of fche acfc, a formal assessment had I been made, and fcho value of fche property liablo to bo rated declared at £55,000. SCHEDULE 13 OF THE CORPORATIONS ACT. Councillor Moss moved fche notice standing in his name relative to tho bringing into force of the 13fch schedule of tho act. Councillor Mills seconded fche motion, which wus oarried without dissent. MAIN ROADS. Councillor Buckley desired to know what progress had beon made by tho Surveyor wifch reference to the contracts for keeping in repair fche main roads. Tho Surveyor replied that ho had been very busy taking the levels, but ho expected to be able to advertise fche work in aboufc a week. Ho had been vory careful in the matter of the cross seefcions and lower levels, because ho wished fco avoid disputes with the contractors. Theroforo tho matter had taken rafchcr longor than ifc otherwise would. The Council thon adjourned till Monday noxt.