CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 67, 18 August 1874, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, August 17. The usual weekly meeting was held in the Council Chamber. Present His Worship the Mayor, and Crs Lane, Farr, lek, Hobbs, Calvert, Bishop, Jones, and Gapes. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

The town clerk reported receipts for the week to be as follows —From rate collector, account general city rates, 1874, £lB4 15s ; Waimakariri do, £3O 15s lOd; from Board of Conservators on account of collection of rates for 1873, £B4 10s ; from the Provincial Government, half-year for fire engine, £25 ; rent of weighbridge, for July, £5 Os lOd; fines from Resident Magistrate’s Court, £2 15s ; carrier’s license, 15s; rent of marketplace. 7s; total receipts, £343 18s Bd. Drainage account, Dr, £784 8s lOd; drainage rate account, Cr, £670 Us 9d, Overdraft at Bank on general account, £655 5s 3d; wages, &c, to be paid on general account, £292 2s 4d ; wages, &c, to be paid on drainage account, £42 3s. After some remarks from his Worship, it was resolved, on the motion of Cr Jones—- “ That the Mayor be empowered to take such measures as may be necessary to pay off the mortgage on the Fire Brigade station.”

The city surveyor reported as follows : “1. The shingling of Cashel street west, and part of Cambridge terrace, is finished. “2. O’Donoghue and Meats’contract, for delivering shingle in the city, expires this day. They are willing to continue it for another month if their price is increased from 3s lOd to 4s Bd. “ 3. The works committee requested me to examine and report upon the best manner of dealing with the drain in Kilmore street, so as to form the street. If that portion of the drain which runs along the street were enclosed in a 2ft Gin barrel drain, it would cost about £BO, and the footpath could be made good over it. If the drain is taken through Messrs Boot and Mouldey’s land, direct to the river, in a similar manner, it would cost about £l5O ; the difference in cost is caused by the difference in length. These amounts are, of course, exclusive of the bridge or culvert to be substituted for the one now across the street. This method would be much cheaper and easier to deal with after the formation of the North belt, as Kilmore street would, by that work being done, be relieved of a great portion of the water now flowing through it.” On the motion of Cr Lane, it was resolved to leave it in the hands of the works committee to make the best arrangements for the delivery of shingle for the space of one month. The Mayor mentioned that Mr Packer had offered to give the City Council permission to stack shingle required for the works of the city on a piece of land belonging to him.^ On the motion of Cr Jones, it was decided that the works committee confer with Mr Packer, and report the result in a fortnight hence• On paragraph three of the report being considered. it was resolved, on the motion of Cr G a p CS _-‘ That the recommendation of the surveyor be adopted.” Cr Lane moved —“ That the sum of £25 be paid to the town clerk for services rendered in connection with the collection of the Waimakariri rate of 1873, and that the sum of £ls be paid to the rate collector for his services in collecting the said rate.” Cr Farr seconded the motion, which was agreed to. A letter was read from the office of the Secretary for Public Works, stating that a voucher for £25 had been forwarded to the Provincial Treasury on account of maintenance of Government engine. A letter in reply was read from the Commissioner of Police, stating that he had brought under the notice of the Government the necessity of placing a bridge across the side drain nt the entrance to the depot, as requested by the Council. A letter was read from Mr Smith, of the White Horse Hotel, Tuam street, asking that the footpath might bo kcubed in front of his place, and the holes on the path filled up with gravel ; the work to be done on the usual terms.

On the motion of Cr Jones seconded by Cr Ick, it was resolved—That the work be done on the usual terms.”

Cr Ick wished to mention one matter. Some months ago, the Bye-Law Committee brought up a report, recommending that a bye-law should be framed for the purpose of regulating driving around corners. _ He should like to see something done on this at once, as he observed a great deal of reckless driving in the streets every day. The Mayor said he had a resolution in his pocket affecting this matter, but on coni deration, he thought it would be better not to move it for a week or two. Cr Lane, as chairman of the bye laws committee, said that they had done all in their power, and had then left the matter in the hands of the solicitor, who considered it would be advisable not to take further action until the Bill giving the Council proper powers to make bye-laws had passed, and received the Governor’s assent. The letter from the secretary to the market house company which had been referred to the market committee at the last sitting of the Council, was brought up. The following report was attached. “The market committee beg to report that hey see no objection to the Council accedng to the wishes of the company, as expressed in their letter of the 4th inst, and recommend the date of the lease to commence from the Ist January, 1875. “ VV. H. Lane, “ Chairman.” The adoption of the report was supported by Cr Lane. Cr Farr moved—“ That the recommendation of the market committee be adopted.” Cr Gapes seconded the motion. Cr Jones desired to say that he was opposed to the motion, not because he did not wish to see a market house erected, but because he objected to the promoters of this company receiving such a valuable site for the sum of £1 per annum, which was worth £4OO per annum, and which amount would go far towards shingling the streets and ootpaths. He would move, as an amendment, that the following words be added to he report of the market-house committee : —“ That the promoters pay an annual rent of £4OO per annum.” The amendment was not seconded, and fell to the ground. After a discussion of a very desultory nature, the motion was put and carried, with Crs Jones and Calvert dissentients. The following report was read from the rate collector : “ I beg to report that I have closed and balanced the rate roll for the year 1878, and the following are the amounts outstanding on each rate :—General city rate, £3 11s 9d ; Waimakariri, £1 Os 6d; drainage, £1 10s 9d.” The weekly report of the inspector of nuisances was read and approved. Cr Bishop moved the following motion of which he had previously given notice —“That the resolution passed on the 13th July, with reference to the formation of Chester street west and Cranmor square west by tender be revoked, and that in lieu thereof the work be done by the no™ labor gang.” Cr Calvert seconded the mo; ion, which was agreed to. Carriers’ licenses were granted toGeoEdds, Whately road, and Jas. Mulholland, Caledonian road. The Council then resolved itself into committee.