CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 138, 10 November 1874, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, November 9. The usual weekly meeting was held at 7 p.m. Present : His Worship the Mayor, Crs Jones, Bishop, Ick, Raphael, Farr, Gapes, Calvert, and Hobbs. The credit balance at the bank was stated as being £797 Is 7d. The credit at draiuage account was stated to be £4003 9s sd, and of the drainage rate account £1159 16s 7d. The town clerk reported receiving £321 3s during the week, made up as follows : General city rate, 1874, £l6O 4s; Waimakariri do, £26 14s ; rent from Post-office. £67 15s ; rent for weigh bridge, £6 5s ; subscriptions from Park terrace, £l3 ; building fees, £8 7s ; fines from Resident Magistrates' Court, £9 ; scavengering fees, £2B Is ; licenses, £1 10s ; Market place rent, 7s. Bills to the amount of £274 15s lOd on general city account, aud £7l ss2d on drainage account, were passed and ordered to be paid. The Mayor stated that the Inspector of Post Offices having been on a visit here recently, it had been arranged that the receiving boxes should be fitted for the purpose of allowing newspapers to be posted therein. If he had done nothing else during his term of office he thought that he should have doue good service, as he felt it would be a very great public convenience indeed. Many newspapers had gone astray from the reason of being put into these boxes, which now would not occur. The city surveyor's report was read, as follows:—"The expense of forming and shingling Avon street would be £lO os per lineal chain. The expense of forming and shingling the east side of the East belt, between the Ferry road and Stanmore road, twenty-five chains, would be £ls. Plans and specification of the new drain up the South belt will be laid before the Council. Thelabourgacghavebeen employed during the week at various works connected with the city." It was resolved —" That the town clerk communicate with the residents of Avon street and the Heathcote Road Board, respecting Avon street and the East Town belt, forwarding particulars of estimated cost." The specification for the brick drain on the South belt, was read aud approved. Cr Jones moved—" That tenders be called for according to plans and specifications for carrying out the work." Cr Gapes seconded the motion, which was agreed to. The report of the finance committee was read, as follows : " The finance committee having carefully considered the present financial position of the City Council, beg to report that seeing the sum of £BOOO, required for public works named in the above resolution, can only be obtained by a loan raised under the powers contained in clause 239 of the Municipal Corporation Act, which loan would have to be repaid in 15 years, thereby causing a heavy additional special rate to provide interest and sinking fund to payoff the loan in so short a period. And having also taken into consideration clause 248, whereby the Council can only levy rates both general and special amounting to 2s in the £, cannot recommend that steps be taken to raise any additional loan at present, for the following reasons : " Firstly—Because the amount of general and special rates at present amount to Is od in the £. " Secondly—The Council havingstill power to borrow £9OOO for drainage works, which will further increase the total amount of rates to Is 7d in the £. "Thirdly—They are of oninion that the total expenditure of the £35,000 will be quite inadequate to complete the surface drainage of the city, and, knowing that work to be the one most urgent of all others, they are of opinion that the Council would act wisely in reserving power to borrow more money for drainage purposes, instead of at present increasing the burden of the ratepayers for works, most of which can, by a temporary expenditure, remain in abeyance for some years to come. "They would, therefore, recommend that the schedule of works named in the resolution should be dealt with as follows : COLOMBO BRIDGE. 1. " This should be repaired and widened a little—say, at a cost of about £2OO. It will then last ten years. " MONTREAL STREET BRIDGE. 2. "To be repaired at a cost of about £IOO. It will then answer for i-ome years. " VICTORIA BRIDGE. 3. "This work, which has been contracted for at a cost of about £SOO, should be proceeded with, THE ASPHALTS CROSSINGS IN MARKET PLACE. 4. " The residents having subscribed largely for this work, it should be at once proceeded with, the cost to the Council will be, say £2OO. WATER SUPPLY IN LICHFIELD STREET. 5. " This work being very necessary for the prevention of fire, an estimate should be obtained for laying down pipes from the river Avon, in accordance with resolution of the Council, and if found too expensive, a tank should be put down in lieu of the above, the total expenditure should not exceed £350. MORTGAGE ON LICHFIELD STREET FIRE BRIGADE STATION. 6. "Notice having been given to pay off the £350 this amount must be provided. FIRE BRIGADE STATION, MARKET PLACE. 7. "We recommend that this should be reconstructed at a cost of about £3OO, to occupy half the present space, the remainder of site to be let on building leases. PUBLIC BATHS. 8. "We fully appreciate the great advantage of the above, but while funds are urgently wanted for repairing the streets aud completing the surface drainage, cannot recommend any expenditure for sime.

BROKEN METAL. 9. "A large supply of the above is very necessary, especially to repair streets to railway station. We recommend that the fourth instalment of grant from Provincial Government should be spent on above, and any surplus ftom next year's rates. 1. Colombo Bridge £2"O 2. Montreal street bridge 100 3. Victoria bridge 500 4. Market place crossings 200 5. Water supply 350 6. Paying off Fire Brigade mortgage 350 7. Fire Brigade Station, Marketplace 300 £2OOO " The total sum of the above, say £2OOO, can be obtained temporarily by overdraft at bank against the balance (if any) of rates for 1874 not allocated and the rates for 1875. " Fredk Hobbs. *' Chairman. '• Christcburch, sth November. 1874." Cr Jones moved, "That the consideration of the report be deferred until next meeting." Cr Gapes seconded the motion. Cr Farr moved, as an amendment, " That the report be adopted." Cr Raphael seconded the amendment. On the amendment being put the numbers were equal, and the Mayor gave Lis casting vote against it. Cr Bishop moved, as a further amendment, "That the report of the finance committee be referred to the works committee to carry out as early as possible." The Mayor ruled that this was not an amendment at all. Cr Hobbs then moved—" That the first part of the report be adopted as far as the schedule of works." Cr Farr seconded the motion, which was agreed to, Cr Jones having withdrawn his resolution. Cr Hobbs then moved—" That the schedule of works attached to the report of the finance committee be referred to the works committee. Cr Calvert seconded the motion, which was agreed to. The works committee report was read as follows : " With reference to the matter referred to the works committee at last meeting, they beg to recommend that Cashel, Lichfield, Tuam, and St Asaph streets, be channelled the whole length on each side, at once, making a distance of upwards of eight miles, and if materials cin be procured to lay down a still greater length before nest winter, it will be recommended to the Council. Iu the absence of other material the kerbing to be of timber, coated with Stockholm tar. It is left with the Council to decide whether or not it should be charged to drainage account. The channels to be 18 inches wide. Assuming the Council would not disapprove of this proposed work, and to save time, the committee have instructed the surveyor to advertise for tenders to supply 2000 barrels of cement, deliverable at stated periods, so as to complete the work if possible before next winter. An arrangement will be made to supply broken metal for the above purpose, in quantities as may be required. " The committee -wish it to be understood that in recommending wood kerbing their aim is to have the work proceeded with as fast as possible, and with economy. The most important part of it is the channelling and not the kerbing, so as to prevent the soil being saturated with offensive liquid. The suggestion of Cr Farr is to have the kerbing of concrete, formed with channels the same as in Latimer square, excepting that in the material which he proposes shall be. a large proportion of broken metal with shingle, instead of as in that case, all shingle. Mr Smart's proposal is with asphalt bitumen, upon which the committee are not in a position to offer any opinion. " The estimated cost of the work, as proposed, is £6OOO, but with concrete ke?b, £9OOO. The financial position is this : In hand for drainaee, £4OOO ; due upon present issue of debentures, £SOOO. Total, £9OOO. South drain, £2,700 ; North belt, £2OO ; proposed eight miles wood kerbing, £6000; total, £8,900. The committee recommend the acceptance of Messrs Austin and Kirk's tenders for bricks for the South drain." The report was considered seriatim. It was resolved that the cost of the wood kerbing should be defrayed out of the general city rates It was resolved that the width of the channels should not be more than two feet, to be left to the discretion of the works committee. The report as a whole was then adopted. A letter was read from Messrs Garrick and Cowlishaw. solicitors to the Heathcote Road Board, stating that with a view to prevent litigation they would, if the Council would permit the use of the storm water dr.un running parallel with the drain constructed by the Council to the estuarv, for the purpose of carrying off the water on the north side of the drain, pay the Council £2O a year for such easement. Cr Farr moved—" That the letter be referred to the city solicitor." Cr Raphael seconded the motion, on which Cr Tck moved as an amendment —•• That, the Heathcote Road Board be written to, requesting them to have a conference with the City Council on the subject of their solicitor's letter of the sth November." Cr Jones seconded the amendment. The amendment was carried. A letter was read from Mr D. Crai?. as the hon sec of the Insurance Association, forwarding certain resolutions passed by a meeting of the Insurance Association, and asking the favorable consideration of the Council to them. The resolutions were to the effect that the walls of all buildings within the block should be of brick or stone only; and that the laying of pipes from the river to the junction of Colombo with Lichfield street should be proceeded with without delay.

The letter was directed to be acknowledged with thanks.

A letter was read from Mr Geo. Gordon, hon sec of the Popular Amusement Association, asking the Council to furnish the assn ciation with the use of materials and labor as on former occasions, and also that permission be given to hold the sports in Latimer square on 16th December next. On the motion of Cr Jones the request was granted on the same terms as last year. The Mayor announced that the offices of the Council would be closed on Thursday next as usual. Off Jones moved -" That an extension of time of three weeks be given to the fire brigade committee to brine up their report respecting the extension of the fire block.'

Or Raphael seconded 'he motion. Cr Ick moved—" That the fire block be extended to the city pn p r, that is to say Salisbury street on the North, St Asaph,

street on the South, Antigua street on the WYst, and Barbadoeß street on the East, both sides of the streets to be included." Cr Calvert seconded the amendment. Af v er a lengthy discussion the amendment was withdrawn.

The motion of Cr Jones was then put and agreed to. (Jr Jones, on beha'f of the sanitary committee, brought up a report respecting a paddock belonging to Mr Win Wilso". The report of the inspector of nuisances was read and approved. A license was granted to Mr Clifford to keep a spring cart for hire. The Council then adjourned. NOTICE OF MOTION.

By Cr Gapes—" That this. Council do endeavour to get the necessary poweis for borrowing the sum of £50.000, at—per cent per annum, for carrying out the geiural works of the city, the above amount to be borrowed by £10,00) each year for five years, each £IO.OOO to be borrowed for a term of fifty years, and to be repaid, with interest, by special rates, to be levied from time to time. a"d the general rate to be lowered each year in proportion to the special rate levied, 8" that the special and general rate together do not exceed in each year one shilling iu the pound."