GRANTS IN AID OF MUNICIPALITIES.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 257, 8 April 1875, Page 4

GRANTS IN AID OF MUNICIPALITIES.

PUBLIC MEETING. A public meeting, convened by his Worship the Mayor in compliance with a requisition presented to him, signed by a number of influential citizens, was held last evening in the Canterbury Music Hall. There was a good attendance at the hall at the time the meeting was called, but some misapprehension existed as to the time the meeting was called for. Amongst those on the platform were Messrs Nathan, T. D. Jones, Bray, C. W. Turner, W. Wilson, Hassal, W, Day, D. Craig, Ick, Eaphael, Pavitt, Walkden, Gapes, Professor Bickerton, Dr Foster, Captain Wilson, Dr Powell. The chair was taken by his Worship the Mayor, who read the requisition, and also letters of apology from Messrs B. C. J. Stevens, A. Duncan, G, Gould, W.D. Carruthers, and H. P. Murray-Aynsley, expressing their sympathy with the movement. Mr Gould’s letter, after apologising for his absence, went on to say—“ I think it a most unjust proceeding on the part of the Provincial Council to withhold from the city the income arising from fees, licenses, &c, and which every other town in New Zealand, outside Canterbury, I believe, gets. In addition to this, unless some reserves are made for municipal purposes, I cannot see how it is possible to carry on the necessary works of the town, without taxing the inhabitants beyond their ability to pay. Hoping the meeting will succeed, I|am, &c.” His Worship then proceeded to say that the question was one of vital importance, as Christchurch had not had justice done to it for many years. He was afraid that unless there was some pressure brought to bear on the Provincial Council they would not get their rights. The Provincial Council as at present constituted did not represent the people ; they represented the districts, but not the people, as they were not elected on the basis of population. The estate of the people belonged to the people, and the municipalities had a right to participate in this estate, and he therefore trusted that the meeting would be unanimous, and let the Provincial Council see that Christchurch was determined that justice should be done to it. He would now call upon Mr William Wilson to move the first resolution. Mr William Wilson, who was warmly received on coming forward, said that he was proud to say that he had no apology to offer for not being present on this occasion— [hear, tear]—because he felt that this was an occasion: when all citizens should come forward to render what assistance they could. [Hear, hear.] He thought it was a mistake when the city of Christchurch was founded that the Canterbury Association had not made provision by way of endowment for municipalities; for other things they had done so, but the city was left without. In Otago the city was endowed with onertenth of the quarter-acre sections of the city, the income from which now realised about £B,OOO. This property would increase in value as the leases fell in, because many of them were granted some 15 or 16 years ago. Thus it would be seen that the founders of Otago had made wise provision, which had been omitted in the case of Canterbury. Thus it was that they had to come before the public to ask them to support them in their application to the Legislature for assistance. As old colonists would remember, the town reserve was limited to one thousand acres, which was sold to the Government to cover obligations incurred by the Canterbury Association. The Provincial Government, when Mr. Fitzgerald was superintendent, took over this thousand acres of town reserves, and paid off this debt, for which Lord Lyttelton and other gentlemen had made themselves liable. Thus it was that the town reserves which would have formed a municipal estate, passed away from them to pay the debts, not only of Christchurch alone, but of the whole province. It was then agreed that a reserve should be made on both sides of the Ashburton, but it was found that it could not be done, so the Municipal Council were granted £20,000. The Government then left off making bridges and other works thinking that they had done enough when they gave them £20,000. They had appealed to the Provincial Council for an increase to this sura, on the ground that the town belt, which was a municipal property, had realised somewhere near £IOO,OOO. Therefore they were entitled to receive the difference between the £20,000 and the £IOO,OOO which had been realised for the sale of the town reserves. They had, however, not received anything until the past session, when they had got £3,000, thus making a total of £23,000 out of £IOO,OOO. Let them look at this in the proper light, and they would see that the city had a good case. Another point was that the Government Buildings paid no rates, which, if rated, would produce a sum of £IOOO a year, which made a total of something like £12,000. Now the Government Buildings, the hospital, &c, were not more beneficial to the residents in Christchurch than to others outside, and therefore it was not right that the city should be called upon year after year, to lose the sum of £IOOO. Again, it was to the interest of every one in the province that the city should be improved, because all were as much as and deeply interested as the residents therein. Now he held that the Provincial Government were fully entitled to pay out of • the revenues of tbe province generally a sum to reimburse the city for the loss thus sustained..- Let them take another illustration, the tank opposite Matheson’s Agency, which cost some £3OO, had been instrumental in the saving of property to at least the value of £20,000, [Hear, hear.] Now they wanted to extend these tanks further into the outskirts of the city, and give all that it was possible to do the benefit of these valuable agents for the suppression of fire. [Hear, hear.] There were numerous other works of public utility which were necessary to be done, such as drainage, &c. They all knew that fever was prevalent in Christchurch, and that illness was rampant, but the Council had no funds wherewith to carry out the very necessary works of drainage, making side channels, &c. He would now ask the Mayor to read the list of works absolutely necessary to be done by the Council, which had been prepared and read at the recent meeting of the revenue committee. His Worship then read the estimate of the works which has already been pubished. Mr Wilson continued—These works were absolutely necessary to be done, and they had no funds to go on with. The rate of Is in the £ would only at the utmost produce about £6OOO, which of course would be completely inadequate to carry out these works. They had, therefore only to look to extraneous assistance, and they had a right to go to the Provincial Government to assist them, and he hoped they would be unanimous in passing resolutions strengthening the hands

of their representatives in the Provincial Council. They knew very well that diphtheria and typhoid fever were prevalent, and none knew when they went home that night that some member of their family had not been stricken down by one or other of these diseases. Therefore it was their duty, and the duty of the Government, to see that their city was cleansed and kept in such order as' to prevent the spread amongst them of disease and death,. [Hear, hear.] He might say that Dunedin was far in advance of the city of Christchurch, though they had for some time thought themselves the premier city of the colony. He stated it most positively that the city of Christchurch had not received such encouragement at the hands of the Government as the townships of the West Coast, which were endowed by the Provincial Council with onetenth of the The city of Christchurch, however, owing to the debt of the Canterbury Association, had been deprived of its endowment, and therefore he contended that they were only asking for their own when they asked for the balance of the money which was due to them. The resolution he had the honor to move was as follows—“ That in the opinion of this meeting there are many important public works urgently required in Christchurch highly necessary for the health and safety of the inhabitants, which should be immediately carried out.” They wanted larger bridges, drainage for their streets, and other things, and he trusted that the resolution which had been moved by him would receive the hearty and unanimous support of those present. Dr Powell seconded the resolution. In the west portion of the city the inconvenience of being without bridges was most keenly felt, and he need not tell them that it was most necessary that bridges and roads should be made. Besides this, he would ask them who it was used the roads. Let anyone take their stand at the entrance of the city on a Saturday, and they would see who used the roads. [A Voice: Put on a toll.] It seemed to him that the city of Christchurch had been called into existence by no will of its own, and they were now called upon to provide for themselves without any means to do it with; in fact, they were asked to make bricks without straw. He .hoped they would believe him when he said that he was not an alarmist; he had always stood up for the city being not so unhealthy as it was said to be, but in the face of the fact that, during the past month, there had been fifty admissions into the hospital of typhoid or gastric fever; he could do so no longer. He might point out that, if the city were unhealthy; if they had to go on pouring their house slops into the gutters and soaking the earth until miasma spread the seeds of fever and death amongst them, the Provincial Council were to blame. He cordially supported the action of the City Council, and hoped that justice would be done to them by the Provincial Council and the Government, [Hear, hear. 1 Professor Bickerton said that there was no doubt that this was a prosperous city, because in any other town that he could recollect a building like this would have been crammed to excess when the reduction of taxation was spoken of. The result of the application being refused would be that more taxes would have to be paid. Now he wished to point out that typhoid fever was one which was most easily transmitted and spread, and it was always found that the disease had been transmitted from another case. The side channels were all very well; a whiting of the sepulchre, as it were, because in many cases the side channels were higher than the back premises. It was absolutely necessary to have deep drainage, because the slops and household refuse was, as Dr Powell had said, allowed to stagnate and poison the atmosphere. There was not the slightest doubt but that the accumulation of this rubbish generated fever. They bad most splendid opportunities for the dissemination of disease, because thematter stagnated in their gardens and side channels, a dry nor’wester came and dried up the soil and created germs of disease which were most actively spread abroad broadcast amongst the people. Therefore it was that it became so necessary that the system of deep drainage should be carried out if they wanted to stop the spread of that detestable low fever, which was so rife amongst them, and if they did not get the money from the Provincial Council they would have to put their hands hands in their pockets and pay up, say, 5s in the £ for drainage. This was the only way in which people felt it, by appealing to their pockets, and he hoped that all present would put this argument strongly to their friends who did not take any interest in this matter. Again, as to the bridges, he might say that they required a bridge at Antigua street, and the Provincial Council, he thought, were the proper persons to erect these bridges, and they ought to be very pleased that they in the city kept them in repair. He did hope that all present would unanimously support the resolution which had been so ably proposed by Mr Wilson, and seconded by Dr Powell. [Hear, hear.] The resolution was put and carried unanimously. The Eev C. Fraser in proposing the next resolution said that this was a most important question, and one which was not at all a local one but one of broad provincial basis. He contended that the City of Christchurch had been most unjustly treated by the Government, and he might say that the General Government buildings in Christchurch contrasted most miserably with those in other parts of the colony, notably in Otago. It was true they had that miserable shanty known as the post office, and the noble pile used as the telegraph office, but nothing to equal those erected in other parts of the colony. Now he wanted to point out that the General Assembly voted certain sums per head to be paid to the province on the basis of population. Now Christchurch within the belt contained one-sixth of the entire population of the province, and why should they not have their share of this money voted out of the general revenues of the colony to which they by their numbers contributed. Thus it would not benefit them if a road were made to Mount Cook ; and beyond this, he would point out that large sums were paid to Eoad Boards which certainly had not the amount of work to carry out as in the city. The roads of the city were used throughout the day by those who paid not one shilling towards the taxes of the city, and were out of the city during the evening. This was the reason why Christchurch did not get its fair share of justice done to them. If they took the population of Christchurch at say lla.m or 3 p.m. they would find the Government buildings filled, the merchants’ offices filled, and they would then find that they numbered one-fourth, and not one-sixth of the popnlation of the province. Thus it would be seen that they had a fair

claim for their own right?, and he held that the Government should grant them the whole £IOB,OOO asked for as an endowment for the city, to enable them to carry out necessary works. Now was the time when it could be done, when ample provision could be made for the future permanent charges for •lighting, drainage, &c, without the necessity of imposing such a tax as would press heavily upon the people. If Christchurch was left ill-lighted and ill-drained, they would find that they were establishing a nest of immorality and vice; by keeping Christchurch as dark as it was at present, with a largely increased population, they would find vice and crime concentrating around it, and thence radiating back again over the whole country. Let them try to make the city one whence the moral power for the amelioration of human life might radiate, and this might be done by well lighting, well draining, and providing a large supply of water for the city. The founders of the city had provided for this by making the streets all of one width, and they should see that every family, however humble, had the opportunity of living a happy life brought to their door. It was their duty to do this; to have no ill-lighted, ill-drained quarters in their city, no distinction between rich and poor, but ample opportunity given to all to live the life they all ought to do, and provide opportunities for all to do so healthfully and happily. He would now move the resolution, which was as follows :—“ That, in order to provide funds for such works, this meeting cordially endorses the action of the City Council in applying to the Provincial Council for a grant in aid.” Mr Nathan said he seconded the motion with great pleasure. It was obvious he thought that the rates levied were totally inadequate to carry out the works which were necessary to the health and comfort of its inhabitants. Therefore it was that they were simply asking for justice. In the last session of the Council they had applied for the fees and licenses, but had been refused, while in Dunedin the Council there had granted the very same request. He trusted that they would not allow of this matter being shelved by a mere money vote. The Council had now plenty of means, and if they failed to get justice from the Provincial Council he suggested an appeal to the higher tribunal of the General Assembly, and he had no fear but that their application would receive due attention at the hands of the General Assembly. He hoped therefore that the City Council would not lose sight of this, but would if justice were refused to them go to the General Assembly, and get from them that which was their due. [Cheers.] The resolution was then put, and declared to be carried unanimously. Dr Frankish came forward to propose the next resolution. He might say with other speakers that Dunedin was magnificently endowed, and received a revenue of some £BOOO from their municipal endowment, and some £3OOO from licenses, &c. Let them compare this with Christchurch. Christchurch had the munificent endowment of £SO a year from the cabs, and whatever amount of rates they could squeeze out of the pockets of the ratepayers. Now, he frequently heard his friends, the councillors of Christchurch, blamed for not making the roads better —and they were very bad—but he wished to point out that they had no money to do work with, and if they were to have their streets well lighted and well drained, they would have to obtain funds from somewhere, but where were they to come from. First as to lighting. He might say that it would conduce greatly to the comfort of those who had to travel at night, doctors included, if the gas lamps were within cooee of each other. [Laughter.] As regarded drainage, he might say that when the new drain was projected he opposed it, because he did not think it was necessary nor large enough ; but it was, as far as it had gone, a great success. Now he would tell them something, and that was that fever had increased most tremendously since the closing of the Ferry road drain. He had practised for twelve years in Christchurch, and during that time while the Ferry road drain was open, he had not a single case of fever arising from defective drainage until this year. Now since the Ferry road drain had been closed he had had twenty-four fever patients living contiguous to the Ferry road drain. The people living there had no opportunity of draining ; a natural watercourse had been filled up. and vulgar as it might be, he said that a moving stink was a far better thing than a standing one. Now he wished to say that his experience showed him that Christchurch was one of the healthiest cities in the colony, and compared favorably with any other city. Let them take Glasgow, which anyone would allow was a welldrained city. Well, the death rate in Glasgow for the year was 64 in the 1000, and in Christchurch for the past month l|th. [Cheers.] It was not from the good drainage, but from the artesian water supply, which rendered Christchurch one of the healthiest cities in the colony. He asked them to go to the Provincial Council and ask them to do that justice to Christchurch which was its right to ask and receive. If this was not done, then let them erect toll bars at the end of every street in Christchurch, and let those who now sneered at the fact that the streets of Christchurch were used more by outsiders than residents pay for it. [Cheers.] He agreed with Professor Bickerton as to the practice of throwing their house slops into the back yards. By this means they were converting their places into nests of fever; but what was to be done when they had no means of drainage and no money to provide it. He hoped that the citizens would be unanimous upon this point, and that the members of the central districts and for municipalities would combine together to obtain for the centres of population their just rights. Outside the city they found stagnant water, foul drains, and pestiferous exhalations, and it was quite time that some means should be adopted to get rid of this, either by making the suburbs into separate municipalities or providing the City Council with such an amount of assistance as would enable it to carry out the works required. He would now move the following resolution, viz:—“ That this meeting considers that all fees arising from licenses, dog taxes, &c., raised in any municipality should form a portion of the revenue of such borough.” Mr W. H. Lane seconded the resolution, expressing his hearty concurrence with the purport of the resolution, and hoping that those present would unanimously support it. Mr Hassall moved—“ That this meeting requests his Worship the Mayor to forward a copy of the foregoing resolutions to his Honor the Superintendent, asking him to cause the same to be laid before the Provincial Council.” The people of Christchurch were only just now beginning to see the

vital importance of drainage, and that they would now most cordially support the application now about to be made to the Provincial Council. He thought they were greatly indebted to the gentlemen who had given them so much information on this important subject, and he hoped that when their application for their rights came before the Provincial Council, it would receive due consideration. | Hear, hear.] Mr. Jameson seconded the resolution. He knew the difficulty which existed to find the money necessary to carry out the works which were urgently needed from want of money. There were road boards in the province which had so much money that they did not know what to do with it. One road board, he had heard, had £50,000 lying to their credit at the bank, and last year over £IOO,OOO was voted for road boards. Now, it was impossible for the city with the funds at their disposal to carry out the works necessary to keep the city healthy, and, therefore, some means must be taken to procure funds somewhere, and he thought that they should, as well as applying for the licence fees, ask for an endowment in land, as a permanent source of revenue to the city. [Hear, hear.] The motion was Jput and carried unanimously. On the motion of Mr Wilson, a vote of thanks to his worship for presiding was passed, and the proceedings terminated.