CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 245, 23 March 1875, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, March 22. The usual weekly meeting was held in the Council Chambers. Present —His Worship the Mayor, and Crs Bishop, Ick, Raphael, Jones, Gapes, and Hart. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The town clerk reported receipts for the week to be as follow From rate collector on account of general city rates, 1874, £6l 7s; Waimakariri do, £lO 4s 6d ; lines from Resident Magistrate’s Court, £4 10s; licences, £22 ; rent from Market place, 7s ; total receipts, £9B 8s 6d, Overdraft at bank, £1414 16s Bd': drainage account, cr, £6069 6s 3d ; drainage rate account, cr, £1761 11s 9d ; wages, &c, to be paid on general account, £193 8s lid ; on drainage account, £678 4s 7d. The Mayor, in reply to Cr Jones, said he could only reiterate his statement of last Monday with reference to his conversation with Messrs Dodd and Sexton The stal"ments made by those persons at the meeting of their society were positively untrue. Hi desired to tell the Council that he bad re ceived three nominations that day for the vacancy caused by the resignation of M> Parr, but as two of the persons narmd vcfound to be ineligible under clause 35 nt i Municipal Corporations Act, acting nrub r t advice of their solicitor, he had refund u receive their nominations. The third one had been forwarded on account of Mr W.

Schmidt, and it only now remained to for* mally elect him on the Bth April. The city surveyor reported—- “ i. The contractors for the concrete channelling (Messrs Cooper and Purdoe) have commenced to repair the faulty places in the channelling, and are willing to use more care in the future execution of the work. “2. The contractor for Victoria bridge (Mr Acourt) has promised to use all possible effort to accelerate the work.”

Tenders were opened for 25,000 bricks, and one accepted, the sample sent in to be approved by the works committee. A letter was read from the Kaiapoi Borough Council, stating that the scheme proposed by the City Council for increasing the revenues of municipalities would have their warmest support. Referred to the revenue committee.

An application was received from Mr J. Goss, builder, asking permission to erect a temporary verandah in front of Messrs Strange and Co.’s new premises in High street.

On the motion of Cr Raphael the application was granted subject to the supervision of the surveyor. A letter was read, signed by a number of residents in Worcester. Montreal, and Hereford streets and portion of Cambridge terrace (known as Block 2), consenting to pay onefourth the cost of the channelling of that block.

The request of the petitioners was complied with, Cr Gapes dissenting. On the motion of Cr Bishop, it was resolved to channel that portion of Madras street between Hereford and Cashel streets on the residents contributing one-fourth the cost.

Or Raphael, as chairman of the finance committee, submitted an approximate of the estimated receipts and liabilities of the Council to Ist April, 1875, showing that the receipts and all other assets, if realised, would be—receipts £1177, and liabilities £2938, leaving a deficiency of £1761. He said it was the intention of the finance committee to submit a full statement of the Council’s liabilities up to Ist April, 1876, at the next sitting of the Council. The Mayor, in the course of some remarks, said that if they did not get a liberal grant from the Provincial Council, they would shortly have to stop the greater portion of their works, and discharge half of their hands. Cr Raphael agreed with the Mayor.

Cr Bishop felt that from their present state they ought to commence at once, and discharge not only the foreman, but the majority of the hands who were not engaged in the work of channelling. He trusted the residents in the city would see the Council’s position, and use every endeavor to aid them in obtaining a grant from the Provincial Council.

The Mayor said it would be for the Council to consider, as the Provincial Council wonld shortly meet, whether it was necessary to take extreme measures or not.

Cr Gapes did not think it would be advisable to adopt the course at present suggested by Cr Bishop, after which the matter dropped.

The attention of the chairman of the works committee was drawn by Councillors to repairs required throughout the city, Cr Hart hoped that the cutting in Tuam street would be seen to as soon as possible, as it was at present in a dangerous state. Cr Gapes desired to say that when he spoke of defects in the Tuam street channelling last week, he had added that the work was then incomplete, and might not prove to be defects. He felt it to be his duty to make these remarks in justice to the contractors.

The report of the inspector of nuisances was read and approved.

An owner’s license for an omnibus was granted to Messrs Millet and Saunders, Drivers’ licenses were granted to H. W. Fearon, J. McVicor, and Robert Falloon. The application of Alexander Beattie for a driver’s license was adjourned for a week, to enable the inspector to make his usual report. In reply to Cr Jones, the town clerk stated he had received £22 for cab licenses. Cr Jones said that if the cabmen who had applied for and been granted licenses, had not taken them up before next Monday, he would move a resolution that they be allowed to lapse.

The Council then resolved itself into a Local Board of Health.

The Mayor said that he had taken upon himself to write a letter to the Chairman of the Central Board of Health.

The action of the Mayor was approved.

After confirming minutes of previous meetings, the Council resumed. On the motion of Cr Raphael, it was resolved to close the offices of the Council from Thursday until Tuesday morning, 30th inst, for the Easter holidays. The Council then adjourned until Tuesday evening.