BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 274, 28 April 1875, Page 4

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

LYTTELTON. Monday, April 26. This Council met at the usual hour. Present—His Worship the Mayor, Crs Chalmers, Hawkins, Buist, Graham, Kenner, and Grange. The clerk stated he had received during the week £5 18s 9d, Correspondence was read from Mr Donkin, stating he was in receipt of copy of Mr Higgenson’s report on his plans for the water supply of Lyttelton, suggesting that the water pipes should be laid on the side instead of the centre of the streets, and to keep them away from the gas pipes. He (Mr Donkin) agreed to this, and suggested the gas pipes should be placed on the opposite side, as it had been found in England that when there was an escape of gas it was drawn into the watermains if they were open for repairs, &c., and explaining about his advice that large pipes should be used to prevent corrosion. From Mr O. Cuif, informing the Council that he had pegged out the bridle path frontage of section No 302, and that Mr Sowden knew the position of the pegs. The Mayor said that was the whole of the inward correspondence. With regard to Mr Donkin s letter, he thought the plan of having the gas pipes on one side of the street and the water main on the other was a good one, as it would be fair to the people living on both sides. Some of the streets were above the 150 feet to which the water would rise, but the pipes might be laid on by excavation. In Exeter street some of the pipes were below and some above the level, and Mr Donkin had told him they would want a man acquainted with the plugs to cut off supply, in order that the whole force might be used for the upper part of the town in the event of a fire occurring in that locality. Cr Grange said that if there were leakage it would be good, but could not be without, as it appeared to him that if the lower pipes were full, cutting the water off from them would not add to the supply from the upper pipes. The Mayor asked if it was the wish of the Council that the plan of the engineer be at once adopted, or if the Government be communicated with, letting them know how far the Council had at present proceeded in the matter.

Cr Grange moved—“ That the Government be informed of the matter, and its present state of progression.” This was seconded by Or Chalmers, and carried unanimously. With reference to Mr Cuff’s letter, the foreman of works said he thoroughly understood the matter, but that if Mr Stinson fenced in the road, it would make the bridlepath very narrow in some places, not more than seven or eight feet, and this would be inconvenient to the people living there. Cr Grange said that the bridle-path went back to the corner of his shop ; the people who first formed the track had made it as easdy as possible. The Mayor said he believed that Captain McLellan’s verandah was partly in the road. The foreman said he also thought that Captain McLellan’s verandah was partly on the road.

Cr Grange said Mr Farr had surveyed this portion of the town some time previously. The Mayor said that the clerk might look up the matter and see if there were any maps or other papers on the matter in the office. Or Kenner also spoke, saying that Mr Farr had been employed by the Council in this matter.

Cr Grange thought that the gradient might be made easier by taking the bridle track from Jackson’s road. Cr Chalmers said it entered into the scheme of the works committee to divert the bridle path in the manner mentioned, and he thoroughly agreed with Or Grange in think' ing it would improve the road. The Mayor asked if anything had been done about the bathing-shed. Cr Hawkins said he had been absent, but Cr Young had, he believed, taken action in the matter. The foreman of works said that as requested he had visited the bathing shed, but he found it was not in such a dirty state as had been n presented. He had had it swept out. A complaint had afterwards been made to Cr Murray, and he had had it scrubbed out. The property had been handed over to him by the custodia l. He did not think that the place had required scrubbing. He would have a few loads of ashes placed on the road in order to make it better in wet weather. In reference to the slaughter yards, the foreman said he understood they had been cleaned up; but a complaint had been made about the position of the new yards. The Mayor said Dr Donald, as the health officer of the town, would be careful to see the new yards were in a proper place. He did not know exactly where the new yards were.

The foreman said that the new yards were just outside the fence at Corsair Bay, His Worship asked if the works committee had a complete account of what amount of grant they required from the Provincial Council.

During a search for documents, the Mayor said with reference to the illness of the men on the breakwaters that he thought those working at Naval Point suffered more than the others. No doubt the pestilential stench from the slaughter yards would have a serious effect on men engaged in such occupations as theirs. The discussion as to the sum to be asked for from the Government was then resumed,

His Worship stated it was necessary to place a detailed statement of what they required before their members at once, as the session would shortly be renewed.

Cr Graham said he had considered the matter, and looking at the large grant asked for by the City Council of Christchurch, he had come to the belief that they should apply for a very considerable sum. He would suggest that they should beg the Conn'd! to grant £6OOO for their drainage, £2OOO foi their roads, footpaths and side channels, £2OO for their gas lamps and fittings, £6OOO for their waterworks and reserved, £BOOO for a Town Hall. £260 for the engine for the fire brigade, and £3OO as a special grant for the Sumner read and Governor’s Bay road In round numbers, h. thought about £2O 000 would be required, and he thought they should, through their members, say to the Council, “Help us, and we will help ourselves; give us a grant ol £IO,OOO, and we will raise the other £IO.OOO in the borough.” They could easily borrov the sum, and repay it in say fifty years, and ii would not be a very heavy burden on the lorough to pay the interest and sinking

fund. The drainage and water supply were the principal items, and any Government not composed of gentlemen, who, residing on their runs, looked down with contempt on municipalities, would recognise their right to claim a large sum for the benefit of the health of those residing in towns. Surely if the town was prepared to do its part the Government should help liberally. If they did not, neither the drainage nor the water supply was possible. As to the other works mentioned by him, he thought that they would bring in a fair return. If they did not do something in the matter of the town hall, private enterprise would step in, and then the Council would have no control over the institution. £3OOO spent in this way would be well spent; and when the money was once repaid, would be a source of revenue to the town, as the revenue from it might be calculated as at least £6O or £7O per annum. As to the £250 for the fire engine, that might be asked for as a grant in aid of the fire brigade, and not specially for the engine, and would be a great encouragement for them. It was necessary they should at once know where the money was to come from for their water mains, sewage, and gas lamps; he thought that if the latter were provided by the Gas Company they would be far more expensive. As to the Sumner road and Governor’s Bay road grants, he had only put down what it was usual for the Government to vote for that purpose. Should the Provincial Council agree to assist them, he thought that with the aid of their owe efforts Lyttelton might be made as nice a little sea port town as any in England, and the taxes would be quite sufficient to enable the town to present a good appearance. The Mayor said that in order the discussion might be regular, he hoped Cr Graham would found a motion on what he had said. Cr Graham then moved —“ That it be an instruction to our members that £20,000 is required for the improvement of the town, and that the borough was willing to raise £IO,OOO if the Government would grant an equal sum.” Cr Buist seconded the motion.

Cr Grange said he had always advocated borrowing a large sum at once instead of making their applications piecemeal. The Provincial Council did not meet for some days, and he thought perhaps it would be better to adjourn the question, as he doubted if Councillors came prepared to discuss this matter.

The Mayor said that their member, Mr Richardson, would, he believed, leave for Dunedin with the Governor on Saturday, and that it was requisite to get the information at once, in order that that gentleman and their other member might see the Provincial Government on this matter before he left the province. He believed the present Government were willing to treat the municipalities liberally. He was of opinion that they should not apply for a grant for a town hall, as the Government would consider it was a luxury. They should only go to the Government for what was absolutely necessary for the town as a town and a part of the province. Or Chalmers said the information should certainly be furnished their members at once. The Executive no doubt consider Lyttelton merely as the port of the province. He agreed that the town hall was not an ab solute necessity, and the same might be said about gas lights. He was very anxious to see a town hall erected. As to the amount to be borrowed, they must take care to keep the amount for the water supply separate from their general borrowing powers, as it could be secured by a special water rate. £SOOO or £6OOO could be raised on their general rates, as the Act empowered them to raise five times as much as their annual rate roll. £ISOO could be also borrowed on their rents, but he did not approve of borrowing too fast.

Cr Hawkins thought the question should be left for a special meeting, say the next Wednesday evening. The Government would require them to make out clear details of what they required before any grant would be made. They would only consider real substantial claims, such as those for water supply and drainage ; but for these they were certainly entitled to the support of the Government. ■

Cr Grange was willing that a special meeting should be held if Or Hawkins was prepared to promise that he would produce further details, but not otherwise. The Mayor said that the absolute sum required by the works committee for works and sewerage was about £7064. This did not include the cost of the outfall drain to take the sewage beyond the breakwater. He did not think that drain would cost less than £IO,OOO, but he thought that was entirely a Government matter. They had formed the breakwaters, and no doubt would provide for the drainage being carried outside. This was probably the last time they would be able to ask a Provincial Government for anything, and they had better confine themselves to what they really expected to get, and not like Christchurch, ask for an absurd sum. Cr Chalmers said he should like to see something done about a public garden. He had asked Mr Maude to let the grant of £250 for a fire engine be used to procure hose and other necessaries for the brigade, but he had been refused, as Mr Maude considered that was not the purpose for which the money had been voted. The Mayor said it would be better for them to instruct their members to go to the Council and ask for a certain sum without saying what they (the Borough Council) intended to raise. The sewerage was necessary for the sanitary condition of the town, and as to the water and gas items, they would be remunerative. He proposed they should take the estimate of the works committee for necessary works and the cost of new culverts. This would amount to £7064, and contingencies would make it up to say £7500. He believed the Council would grant this sum, but if they asked for £ 10,000 there might be a dispute, and then very likely the grant would be reduced to £SOOO. He would move, “ That the members be instructed that the Council wanted £7500 for the use of the town.”

Cr Graham said on such a question as this they should be unanimous, and he would withdraw his resolution. He pointed out that the usual vote for Governor’s Bay road and Sumner road should not be included in the sum.

Cr Chalmers seconded the Mayor’s resolu lion, which was carried unanimously.

Or Graham said that the Council had a great deal of trouble and no profit from putting down private drains, and he would move “ That in future no drains should be put in by the Council for private parties.” Cr Buist would second the motion. In several instances money had been lost by the Council, the parties not having refunded,

Or Kenner said one part of the town had been obliged in this way, and he thought the other should be too. Or Chalmers said that if the drains were laid down by the foreman they would be sure they were properly laid, whereas if private parties or tradesmen did it they might make a mess of them. As to the money going adrift, that was the fault of a former town clerk. Cr Grange said why not let the applicant deposit a sum equal to the expense before the work was done, and moved an amendment to that effect, which was seconded by Cr Chalmers, and carried unanimously. The pay sheet, amounting to £l6 Bs, was passed for payment. Cr Kenner moved that accounts should be sent to all those who had had drainage done who were not marked off as paid, and if it proved that they had, they could easily send the receipts. Or Buist seconded the motion, which was carried.

The following notice of motion was laid on the table by Cr Grange:—“ That no work be undertaken by the Council of a value greater than £3O, work of this class to be submitted to public competition.” The Council then adjourned.