CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 185, 12 January 1875, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, January 11. The usual weekly meeting was held in the Council Chambers. Present —His Worship the Mayor, and Crs Farr, Bishop, Jones, Raphael, Ick, Gapes, and Hart, The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Mayor stated that he had attended a meeting of the Board of Conservators that day, and was glad to be able to inform the Council that the works were in a most satisfactory condition, and would effectually prevent any overflow to the city. (Hear, hear.) From the late number of improvements made by the Board it was anticipated that the works would be kept in their present satislactory condition at a very small expense. He also desired to mention that the Hackney Carriage Bye-law had been gazetted, and woilld be laid on the table that evening by the the town clerk along with a letter from the city solicitor. The town clerk reported receipts for the week to be as follows : From rate collector, account general city rates, 1874, £BS 17s ; Waimakariri do, £l4 6s 2d ; fines from Resident Magistrate’s Court, £4; rent of weighbridge for January, £6 5s ; carriers’ and hawkers’licenses, £37; kerosene licenses, £7 ; registration of public buildings, £3 ; rent from Market place, 7s. Total receipts, £157 15s 2d. Credit in Bank—On general account, £ll 4s 6d : drainage cr. account, £8530 16s 8d ; drainage rate account cr., £1264 17s fid. Wages, Ac., to be paid on general account, £237 4s Id ; on drainage account, £B9 3s 2d. ' The city surveyor reported : “1. I cannot complete the forming of Chester street on account of the footpath alongside the Supreme Court being so high. I believe the only method will be to put a retaining wall, and an iron railing on the edge of it. “ 2, Mr Goss’ license for the hoarding on footpath in High street expired on the 4th December last.” On clause No 1 being discussed it was resolved on the motion of Cr Bishop that the Goveiuuisnfc be ootnnniinicated with to have a retaining wall and iron railing erected as directed by the surveyor. In connection with paragraph No 2, an application was read from Mr Goss asking for an extension of time to permit the hoarding to remain as at present. Cr Raphael moved—“ That an extension of two months be granted to Mr Goss.” Cr Farr seconded, and spoke in support of the motion on account of public safety while the building was being erected. Cr Ick would like the matter referred to the works committee to make enquiries. Cr Gapes moved as an amendment —'* That one month’s extension be granted to Mr Goss.” Cr Hart seconded the amendment, merely to prevent the general public being inconvenienced for a longer period. On the question being put, the amendment of Or Gapes was declared to be carried. The Mayor and Cr Gapes drew the attention of the works committee to complaints being made of the present mode of watering the streets. Two tenders were received for the Lichfield water supply (16J chains), and after some discussion, one was accepted. A letter was read from the Provincial Secretary’s office, forwarding the special order ,for. watering rate duly approved by his Honor the Superintendent,

It was-, resolved that the town clerk take the-.noQesaary steps for the collection of the rate.,.,,

A copy of the Provincial Gazette , containing the hackney carriage and borough stage ■ bye law, . was .laid on the table, and also an t opinion from the city solicitor on the validity of the bye law. Further consideration of this matter was deferred for a week, and the town clerk was instructed to give the necessary notice when the licence forms are ready. : A letter was read from the Chief Postmaster, acknowledging copy of resolution with reference to posting newspapers at the receiving boxes in Christchurch, stating that a horse and cart had been provided and all necessary arrangements made to give effect to the resolution of the Council, and suggesting a few more additions to the accomodation provided by the Council to make that building more complete. The Mayor endorsed the necessity of this work being done, and it was referred to the works committee to carry out, if deemed necessary. A letter was read from the chairman ot the East Christchurch school committee, calling attention to the state of the drains in •the neighborhood of Barbadoes street school, South town belt. The’clerk was instructed to write that these drains were being attended to. " A petition was read, signed by a number of Thte'payers residing in the vicinity of Whately road, binding themselves to pay their due proportion of the expense of asphalting from the corner of Peterboro’ street and Whately road to corner of Kilmore street. . . , After considerable discussion, a motion by ,Cr Gapes, to have the work asked for done, was withdrawn by leave of the Council, as it was found that a resolution existed on the books of the Council limiting all aided work of this kind to not less than 10 chains in extent. , (Jr Farr gave notice of motion to have the words in the original resolution “not less than 10 chains ” rescinded, and the words “ not less than five ch tins ” inserted instead, Mr Superintendent Harris and the surveyor were introduced to the Council chamber, and explained the alterations in the plans of the projected Market place fire brigade station, arranged by them in conjunction with the committee.

After some remarks, Cr Gapes moved, and Or Raphael seconded, a resolution—“ That discussion on this subject be deferred for a week, to enable the surveyor to estimate the cost of suggested alterations.” The motion was put and carried. A sum of £5 was, on the motion of Cr Jones, voted to Engineer Croll for improvements made by him at the Lichfield street station. . 4 ,. . The usual weekly report of the inspector of nuisances was read and approved. Cr Bishop wished to ask the Sanitary Committee if any steps were being taken to provide pans suitable for earth closets by the Ist of July next, when the Act would come into force compelling their use ?

Or Farr replied that the committee had not yet considered this question, but a full report would be drawn up in which the necessity for providing for these pans would be mentioned. In reply to Cr Ick, Cr Farr said that the sanitary committee had taken no further steps towards erecting public urinals. A carrier’s license was granted to George Wagstaffe, Papanui road. Cr Raphael asked for leave to withdraw a motion standing in his name, desiring that a sum of money should be passed for the best method of deodorising night soil, &c. Cr Hart opposed the withdrawal of the motion.

After the debate which followed had taken a very acrimonious turn, in which unparliamentary expressions were the rule, Or Raphael obtained leave to withdraw his motion. The Council then adjourned. NOTICES OF MOTION. Cr Gapes—“ That as there are several parts of the side channels in the city in a very bad state of drainage on account of the flatness of surface and other causes, thereby endangering the health of the inhabitants, and as our present system of channelling the streets in rotation from end to end will not reach all those bad places for a long time, it is desirable that the said parts of channelling should be formed with concrete, Ac., and that the Inspector of Nuisances be instructed to report to this Council by Monday next, those parts of the side channels that require immediate attention, with the view of the surveyor taking the proper levels and carrying out the work forthwith.”

Cr Farr, to move—“ That that portion of resolution 33, of 18th May last, in reference to length of asphalting, viz., ‘ not less than ten chains be done at any one time,’ be rescinded, and that the words ‘ not less than five chains,’ be inserted in lieu thereof.”