CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 233, 9 March 1875, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, March 8. The usual weekly meeting was jheld in the Council Chamber. Present —His Worship, the Mayor, and Crs Calvert, Hart, Ick, Farr, Raphael, Gapes, Jones, and Bishop. 1 he minutes or the previous weekly meeting were read and confirmed, . Cr Farr said, before the business of the evening commenced, it was painful for him to have to make the few remarks he was quite determined to make with reference to the disgraceful proceedings enacted on the previous Monday night. Coming so far from home to the flouncil, he really thought that it should be their first endeavor to get through the business for which they had met without going the most disgraceful scene of last Monday’s sitting. He was of the opinion that an apology was due to the Council, and he was not desirous in his remarks to screen one or other of the Councillors. To speak personally, he thought Cr Hart was the aggressor, but he must say that the remarks which followed from Cr Raphael also demanded a much, greater apology. They had often read of misunderstandings which had taken place in councils of a lower grade, for which they had felt pity, and one other feeling was the amount of business which had to be got through on each evening, and it was this feeling that made him regret the cause which compelled him to leave his Worship with this amount of work before him at the last sitting ; but unless these scenes were discontinued, and a promise tantamount to their discontinuance made, he came prepared that evening to tender his resignation. Of himself, he was a quiet man, and though be felt that Cr Hart was the aggressor, and should first tender an apology, his (Cr Hart’s) remarks were of themselves so trivial in their import that the language made use of by Cr Raphael required the strongest apology he could give. Cr Ick felt very much “ displaced ” when referring to the language used, but he trusted these gentlemen, in their moments of reflection would regret the expressions that had fallen from them so hastily. He was glad to hear from Cr Farr that he believed that the expressions that had fallen frem Or Hart were of a trivial character, and did not warrant the remarks of Cr Raphael, and he might at the same time say that so far as he had read the remarks reported of Cr Bishop, they were not at all justified, as he had with other members of that Council been in the company of Or Hart for about two hours after they had left the Chamber, and was thus in a position to judge of the justification of Cr Bishop’s remarks or otherwise. The Mayor, if no other Councillor desired to speak, would like to say a few words. It was exceedingly painful to him when Councillors indulged in personalities. When he occupied the position of Councillor, he always obeyed the ruling of the chair, and he hoped that ex-Mayors and Councillors would assist him in carrying out this rule. Cr Raphael had made an ample apology at the last sitting, and he had hoped that Cr Hart would that evening have done something of the sort, and if he would only do so they would go on with the business of the evening.

Cr Gapes wanted to a*k his Worship who first disobeyed the chair 1 His Worship said that he had requested Cr Hart to sit, down that evening, Cr Farr said that it would be in the recollection of his Worship that it was Cr Raphael who first refused to sit down. Cr Gapes was desirous of hearing the ruling of his Worship in this matter ; as from his recollection he felt certain that Cr Hart was the aggressor, and would move—- “ That Cr Hart be called upon to apologise for his language at the last meeting of the Council.” Cr Jones would second the motion, and had hoped that Cr Hart would have done so before that. He believed that if the business of the Council were properly conducted, Councillors would be able to leave the Chamber long before ten and eleven o’clock at night. Cr Hart’s language in it self was not so bad but for the insinuations implied, and Cr Raphael’s language, though in a degree warranted, had been bad enough, and he believed that if they had not moved too early in this matter Cr Hart would have tendered his regret for the language he had used.

Cr Ick would ask, if this motion were pressed, that Cr Bishop should also expien regret for expressions uttered thoughtlessly. The report that had appeared in print was far from being correct, as it would be remembered that this particular resolution had been considered, on a proposition by Cr Jones, seconded by Cr Gapes. Cr Hart was quite in order in speaking to that motion. He considered that any Councillor would be in order in speaking to a resolution under the like circumstances, and he felt that Crßaphael was out of order in calling Or Hart to order at the time, and the subsequent expressions of Or Raphael were most unwarranted. Cr Bishop’s remarks afterwards, so far as he had read, were, he must say. very much out of place, and he regretted they had been used. He would not say anything further in this matter. Cr Bishop said that if that resolution were to govern his statement of the previous sitting, it would make their position worse, for if he were asked to apologise for what he had said he certainly would not. Cr Calvert hoped the Council would allow bygones to be bygones. Cr Ick, under the circumstances, would move as an amendment, that “ bye-gones be bye-gones, and the matter be allowed to drop.” Cr Calvert seconded the amendment. His Worship said he would like to hear Cr Hart speak either to the resolution or amendment. Cr Hart said he did not intend to speak to either. Cr Raphael, in reply, said that it suited the reporters to take the first portion of the report, and not the second. Cr Farr desired to say that it was his intention to tender his resignation at a later portion of the evening, as he did not desire to be a visitor to a bear-garden. Cr Raphael hoped Or Farr would do so, and leave room for a better man. The amendment and resolution were put, three councillors voting for each. The Mayor gave his casting vote in favor of the amendment, and it was declared to be carried. Cr Hart, now that the amendment had been carried, desired to say that he had not said that he would not apologise ; but what he did say was, that he would not speak to the resolution oramendment. If he had not conformed to ruling of the chair he exceedingly regretted not having done so, but it was within his recollection that having been called upon to sit down while speaking, he did so. If, however, it was thought that he had not sat down when asked to do so, he desired to now tender an apology. The city surveyor reported as follows : “ I—Surface drains have been laid to two of the leaking tanks, but this must of necessity be but a temporary expedient, owing to the channel which carries off the water only being a few inches below the part to be drained.

“ 2—The only efficacious manner of avoiding the evil so much complained of, would be to render the tanks water tight, I know of only two practical methods of doing this, the one would be to excavate the ground outside the tank down to the bottom, and build up a wall of clay puddle, and the other to dress the inside of the tank with sharp pick hammers to render the surface rough, and then coat it with cement compo. The latter method, I believe, would be the best, and also the most economical.

“ 3—But progress was made last week with the Lichfield street work, owing to the very bad nature of the ground, but we have now again got into better material, so that I hope to push it on more rapidly.” Number 1 paragraph of the report was approved, No 2 deferred for consideration, and No 3 approved. The Mayor said he had taken some action with reference to the Canal reserve, a motion relative to which would be moved by Cr Bishop at a later period of the evening. He had also been asked by Mr Harman, chairman of the Domain Board, whether the Council would have any objection to permit license holders to fish in Park Terrace. It would be for councillors to decide.

Cr Bishop thought that the Council would at least be entitled to a portion of the license fees for fishing through the city. Cr Farr said that license holders had permission to fish from the source to the estuary. He, as a member of the Acclimatisation Society, would desire that the permission be granted, and would move a resolution to this effect. After some further discussion, Cr Farr desired to say that the river had been preserved by his Honor the Superintendent. [A Yoice—His Honor had no right to do that through the city,] Well, his Honor had made a proclamation giving permission for license holders, and if he had thought of this before be would have altered his resolution that the licensees be permitted to fish throughout the city. His Worship would ask them to remember that the Acclimatisation Society had imported these fish at a great expense, and he thought that they at least ought to have some influence in this direction. Cr Ick thought the Mayor had hit the right nail on the head. It would be a sin if, after the expense gone to, the society had not the privilege of granting licenses to fish. Cr Raphael intended to move an amendment. The Council made the roads, as also Park terrace, and yet there were some people who wanted to use it without any charge. Cr Gapes would like the matter postponed for a week. The motion was put and carried, Cr Raphael being the only dissentient. The town clerk reported receipts for the week to be as follows:—From rate collector;

account general city rates, 1874, £7l Gs; Waimakariri do, £ll 17s 8d; from fees city siiftfeyor, £l6; rent of weigh bridge, for March, £6 ss; fines from R. M. Court, £1 ss; received for cab licenses, £l3; rent from market place, 7s; total received, £l2O Os Bd. Overdraft at bank, £1671 4s 3d; drainage account (cr), £6413 14s sd; drainage rate account (cr), £1696 16s 9d; wages to be paid on general account. £630 5s 2d; on drainage account, £124 9s 2d.

Several Councillors drew the attention of the chairman of the works committee to repairs required in the works of the city. Cr Farr said that, to prevent a greater expense at no distant date, it would be necessary to make some repairs to the Madras street bridge. 1 r Raphael, as chairman of the finance committee, felt it to be his duty to inform the Council that they were indebted to the bank in the sum of £1775, with a contingent liability of from £SOO to £7OO, and while they were in that position he would protest against any work not immediately required being carried out, and would be no party to allowing the Council to become insolvent. Cr Tck moved—“ That the draft bye-law prepared by the bye-law committee in pursuance of the resolution of the Council, of 21st April, 1874, be referred back to the Council with a request that they will report further thereon.” Cr Farr seconded the motion, which was carried. Cr Tck moved—“ That the bye-law committee be instructed to prepare a bye-law in accordance with a resolution passed by this Conncil, dated Bth February, 1875, having reference to the extension of the building block in this city.” Cr Farr seconded the motion, which was carried, A letter was read from the Timaru Council, acknowledging receipt of letter in re endowments to municipalities ot certain fees, and stating that the question would be submitted to the next meeting of that Council.” A second letter was received from the same Council asking that copies of the by-laws and regulations of the Christchurch Council might be forwarded. The town clerk was instructed to comply with the request. A letter was read from Madame Winter requesting the Council’s patronage at her annual benefit concert.

The Council decided to accord their patronage. A letter was read from Vincent and Co, with respect to the drainage from their new brewery in Colombo street. Referred to the works committee to report upon. A letter was read from Mr C. Schott, asking permission to work his grinding machine out of the prescribed limits. Permission was granted on the same condition as those to Brighting. A letter was read from Mr Thos Gordon explaining the easy way in which an elderly lady had fallen into a large drain running past the Hospital, and the difficulty they had experienced in getting her out of it; stating she (the lady) was very much shaken, and as the night was very dark they had to assist her home; and adding that “it was always unsafe for anyone to walk along the footpath there at night without being in danger of falling in, and perhaps being stunned by falling on the timber at the bottom, which would entirely prevent them from calling out for assistance, and in all probability they would be lost.” A letter was read from the Hawkes Bay Council requesting a copy of the Municipal bye-laws, and of yearly and half-yearly balance-sheet, with such other information as might be useful in starting a new corporation.

The town clerk was instructed to reply,

An application was read from John Fitzgerald, asking permission to erect a lamp over his premises in Gloucester street west. Granted, under the supervision of the surveyor. A letter was read from Samuel Johnson, asking for a printed copy of accounts for comparison. The town clerk was instructed to forward the information asked.

A letter was read from the Lyttelton Borough Town Council stating that they did not consider it advisable to co-operate with the City Council in their contemplated action with reference to licenses, &c. A circular was read from the General Assembly Library asking that an authenticated map of Christchurch might be forwarded for the convenience of members.

The town clerk was instructed to reply. A petition was read on account of A. McTaggart, signed by several ratepayers, respectfully asking that, in consideration of hia large family and a desire to give him an opportunity to be placed in a position to gain an honest livelihood, he might be granted a license.

McTaggart was allowed to speak, and hoped that the Council would overlook his past misconduct, and he would endeavor in the future to merit their approbation. A resolution that an application for a license be received from McTaggart, was carded unanimously. Or Bishop moved —“ That the letter from the Provincial Government, dated February 17th, be acknowledged, and that their offers to have the entrances mentioned be accepted with thanks, and that such entrances be continued until the inner hedges be in a condition to have the outer fence removed altogether.” Cr Gapes seconded the resolution, which was carried.

A certificate from Dr Prins was read, stating that an applicant for the remission of his rates was unfit to work, The prayer of the applicant was granted. Owners’ and drivers’ licenses were granted to Alfred Smith and Stephen Lawrence. Cr Farr desired at the close of the business to again express his determination to send in his resignation. Several Crs hoped that Cr Farr would reconsider his decision. An application was received at this late hour from Mr J. Wood, asking for permission to erect a hoarding between the Bank of New Zealand and De Bourbel’s buildings. Cr Farr supported the resolution, which was granted under the supervision of the surveyor. The Mayor stated that he had expected in the performance of a promise made him to have received a letter from the Cabmen’s Society. Dr Foster (who was present) stated what trouble he had taken in this matter, and how he had determined to advise the Council to act in the event of the promised letter not being received; The Council adjourned until Thursday next at 9.30 a.m.