♦ A mattee of great importance re lative to tbe storing of kerosene within the city came before the City Council last evening. A letter was read from the agents of the Insurance Companies, stating " that they had long beeu of opinion that far too great a quantity of this inflam mable material was allowed to be stored within the city, and urging the Council to decline granting licenses for storing quantities of kerosene for the present in order that those in terested might be induced to combine and erect a store in some isolated spot as bad been done in Auckland and other cities in Now Zealand. The letter was directed to be acknow ledged with thanks, and the Council then proceeded to consider an appli cation from, a. merchant for a special Jicense permitting him to store petro leum, in any quantity, within the city. Councillor Jameson, after saying " that he thought it unadvisable to grant these special licenses at least within the city fire block," remarked that as Mr Macpherson had already got a large quantity of petroleum in store, it would be a hardship to com pel him to remove it at once, and he therefore moved "That a special license be granted to Mr Macpherson for one month," and Mr Jameson concluded by explaining "that the ordinary license gave permission to store 400 gallons, but Mr Macpherson desired to store any quantity beyond that." The Mayor said that the City Surveyor had certified to the storing place in Mr Macpherson's application being an open yard, and safe for the purpose. Councillor Hart, who de serves the thanks of the citizens for his bold speaking on this occasion, stated " that he had visited the yard in question in company with ,Mr Harris, the superintendent of the Fire Brigade, and he thought that the City Surveyor had acted most improperly in 'giving such certificate. 