suggesting that the men, should be em ployed for that time '£& that the monej mi^iit not be thrown away, and expressing iloubta as to tl.e legality of a month's notice to <l;iy\s wn^es nion, Councillor Hatch being J'n~ilu v r of opinion that had the men beui; the -n.-fcssful i.-iileiern for the lighting !>v vntrsict no claim would rli»v« been. inn<\c lurjhe 11 days. - -*rh^-C^hhiiiift«6-- teconrrifettcied 4ti»t>- no alteration should be made in the price of gas nor charge for meters made to email consumers. A long dieseitssion followed^ in course of which exception was taken to the Gas- works report as showing a factitious protii on the tnonth'd transactions : no allow twice ' being made for interest arid 6ther charges*. His Worship corrected these statement^ by remarking tbat the report did not prpfessj© be » balance-sheet, but merely a statement of the actual working" of tuo Gas Department for the iTionlh. Councillor Curswell moved as an amend ment that the' recommendation of the Retrenchment Committee, viz., that a minimum charge of 5s per month be made for gas to all consumers and a meter rent to oi\ conßUjqers o£ tees ihari 10a w ; orjji of gas per montlfi-bo'jHJopt^d.' * '-'- 1 '■■ Tiiis was seconded by Councillor Moir, and afterwards withdrawn, the clause when put being also negatived. The matter therefore lapsed. Gas accounts amounting to £391 12s 4d were passed for payment. A recommendation that the Mayor be empowered to pay the lighting contractors at the end of each month was negatived, the majority holding that tbe^e contrac tors should be placed in the s»jne position as others who lutd dealings with thie Corporation. ' : '. Tenders for puri6ers and engine-houses at the gaswdrics were ordered to-be callecl for as recommended by the committee. '; The last clause of the committee's report rfecommended that two / Councillors should bo appointed to sign contracts. The clause yr#s negatived in. favor of an amendment by Councillors McEwan and Roch* that all the Councillorg ,be emj powercd to sign such doctuouents. The tenders of A. Aitkin, at £11 H9 for box drains in Leet street, of Moran and Keefe, at £22 18s 4d for 500 yards of gravel," antl ' of ' Moretdn 'Broftiers, at £7 10s for painting names of streets on the public lamps, were Accepted. ; Extensions of the, leases of J. 