CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 314, 15 June 1875, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, June 14.

The usual weekly meeting was held in the Council Chambers. Present—His Worship the Mayor, and Crs Bishop, Ick, Jones, Calvert, Raphael, Gapes, and Schmidt. 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: Account general city rates, 1874, £8 ; Waimakariri do, £1 6s 8d ; watering rate, £8 8s 9d; fines from Resident Magistrate’s Cosirt, £7 15s; from Globe Insurance Company, £l7 lls 6d ; drivers’ and kerosene licenses, £3 ; rent from Market place, 7s, Total receipts, £46 8s lid. Overdraft at Bank on general account, £3234 Is Bd. Drainage account—Or, £IO7B 18s lOd. Drainage rate account—Or, £1259 17s lOd. Wages, &c., to be paid on general account, £6B 12s lOd; on drainage account, £666 3s 9d. The Mayor said he had, as chairman, to report on behalf of the revenue committee that the result of their labours was a grant of £SOOO from the Provincial Council. Ti e committee knowing the urgent necessity that existed for a large sum of money for sanitary and other purposes had left no stone unturned to obtain a share of the revenues of the province for the 10,000 of the people residing within the city in whose interests they acted. They had several times waited on both the late and present Provincial Governments, and exhausted all their persuasiva powers in their endeavors to obtain assistance. A large and influential public meeting had been held, and severel motions had been moved in the Provincial Council by the city members and others, the object of the movers being to get an endowment and a large grant-in-aid for the city. He deeply regretted that these motions had not been carried. The Provincial Council had, however, passed a vote of £ISOO for an “engineering scheme of drainage for Christchurch and the suburbs,” and should provincial institutions exist for any length of time he trusted from the promises made that next session a liberal sum of money would be voted for sanitary purposes. The committee had caused a Bill to be drafted to legalise the granting of wholesale and brewers’ licenses by'.the City Council as provided in clause 10 of the Licensing Act, 1874, but the present Government being unfavorable to the passing of such an Ordinance, they had thought it best to let the matter drop. The committee hoped their efforts would be approved by the Council ; no farther action was at present necessary. As chairman of the suburban drainage committee, he had to report that the committee had held a conference last Thursday with the chairmen of the Road Boards, and by reading the reports in both papers, members of the Council would be able to form a clear idea of what had taken place. Several resolutions had been passed by the conference, as such ; not, of course, binding either the City Council or Road Boards to adopt them. There was a unanimous and strong expression of opinion by the chairmen of the Road Boards against placing any portion of their several districts under the control of the City Council for drainage purposes, but they all appeared willing to place the matter in the bands of a Board of Commissioners, to be elected for the drainage of the whole district. It was very probable that, at the next session of the General Assembly, an attempt would be made to get an Act passed, placing the whole district under some such Board; there would be no necessity for the Council to take further action until the Assembly met. He would now like to make a few remarks for himself; he looked upon the present sanitary condition of the suburbs as a most serious one. Within a short space of time he believed he should not be exaggerating in saying that there had been at least 500 cases of typhoid fever (including the hospital) within the city and suburbs. Now, although he did not think the primary cause existed, as he believed the disease was imported, yet, he thought the condition of the suburbs in particular were only too favorable for the perpetuation and spread of this fatal disease. He therefore hoped members of the Council would give the subject their earnest attention, and would each put the question to himself— *• What can Ido to alter this ?” If they did, he thought they must arrive at the same conclusion that he had come to, viz— That there was a high and a noble duty for the Council to perform in giving way and meeting the wishes of the Road Boards, and allow their functions also for drainage purposes to be handed over to such a Board of Commissioners. It was quite clear that this was the only course which would eventuate in a large grant of money for this purpose, or, in fact, of anything at all being done. If the Council opposed, there would be no prospect of any action being taken for years to come, and where human lives were at stake, all personal feeling, such as standing on the dignity of the Council, should give way. Of course, care should be taken to see that Christchurch got credit for the money spdnt on drainage, and if the Council stipulated that the members of such a Drainage Board should be elected on the basis of population, the interests of the city would be well conserved, He trusted members will give the question full consideration during the interval before the Assembly meets, and so that when the Council are called upon to express their opinions they will be fully prepared to do so. He might mention that during the week he had received a requisition signed by a number of ratepayers asking him to call a public meeting, to consider the Education Ordinance lately passed through the Provincial Council. He had complied with the request, and had called the meeting for Wednesday next. With reference to the first portion of the Mayor’s remarks, Cr Bishop moved —“ That the action of the revenue committee be approved, and a copy of a letter (read) be sent to his Honor the Superintendent.” Cr Calvert seconded the motion, which was carried.

It was kft with the Major and Cr Bishop to wait upon the Government on this matter, Tire city surveyor reported :

“ 1. I have had most of the damage caused by the flood repaired. “2. I have made but very little progress last week with shingling roads and footpaths, owing to all the gravel pits being flooded with water. “3. It was reported to me that Dr Syme’s horse had been thrown down over a heap of shingle left in the road, and it seemed to me to be a case of great neglect, I therefore discharged the man whose duty it was to spread it. “ 4. As there is great difficulty and loss of time in clearing the closed street culverts, I have been endeavoring to find a remedy for it, and for this purpose I have had a new description of culvert built at the junction of Durham and Lichfield streets. The top is moveable, so that it can be taken off and the broom passed along the culvert. Of course the culvert could be increased in width according to the amount of water required to be passed through it. “ 5. A deputation waited upon the work* committee this morning to request that some better provision should be made to take off water from Manchester street, near Oxford terrace. I was desired to look into the matter, and now beg to report that the desired object could be attained by placing another culvert across Armagh street, and deepening the channel from there to the river.

“ 6. A local in this morning’s paper points out that the mud in the streets is allowed to remain on the sides thereof an unnecessarily long time. I beg, therefore, to point out to the Council that it is necessary that such mud remain in the street until it becomes sufficiently dry to be removed by the carts, but if it be necessary to remove it with more expedition proper mud carts and scoops must be provided. Men always follow the sweeping machine in order to clear the regular crossings.” Clause 5 was referred to the works committee, and the other clauses approved. Some discussion took place on the nuisance caused by the accumulation of mud along the sides of the streets after they have been scraped by the scraping machine. It was suggested by several Councillors that men should follow the machine and scrape the mud into heaps. Referring to the present dirty state of the crossings, the Mayor said he thought the Council ought to license sweepers to keep the crossings of the principal thoroughfares throughout the city clean. Cr Ick again drew the attention of the sanitary committee to the necessity for a public urinal being erected. Cr Calvert said that that committee had considered this subject, but had not been able to procure a piece of ground for this purpose. Cr Schmidt’s namewas added to thefsanitary committee. It was resolved that two form a quorum. A letter was read from the Commissioner of Police in reply, stating that the case of furious driving complained of by Mr George should have the fullest attention of the police. A letter was read from the Avon Road Board, drawing attention to the serious injury inflicted on some of the ratepayers on the North town belt and Caledonian road by the closing of Free’s Creek, saying the Road Board had frequently protested against this watercourse being closed, and giving notice that unless the channel is re-opened across the North town belt, the Board will proceed to do the work under the powers possessed by clause 68 of the Roads Ordinance, 1872. In connection with this letter the following were read : From Mr J, P. Jameson, as an owner of land in that direction, asking the Council to prevent the proposed action of the Avon Road Board to re-open the drain leading to Free’s creek.

From Mr J. Boot, protesting against the Avon Road Board re-opening the drain across the North belt leading into Free’s creek. After some discussion, it was resolved that a copy of the letter as read be sent to the Avon Road Board, subject to the approval of Dr Foster.

A letter was read from the Chief Postmaster, stating that in the alterations and additions being made to the Post office additional gas burners would be required Resolved —“ That a reply be sent that the Council are willing to expend a sum of £5 for further gas fittings.” A letter was read from Mr W. H. Hargreaves again calling attention to the state of the footpath and roadway in front of his premises. Referred to the surveyor.

A letter was read from Mr George Bonnington, asking permission to erect a druggist’s lamp in front of his premises in High street. Permission was granted, subject to the supervision of the surveyor. A letter was read from the Hon J. B. Acland, drawing attention to the holes on that part of the town belt road between the Papanui road and Carlton Hotel. Referred to the works committee. A requisition was read signed by several ratepayers, asking that steps might be taken to have the roadway from Wilson’s corner in Cashel street to Manchester street swept and kept clean. The town clerk stated that this matter had been attended to. A letter was read signed by several ratepayers in the Whately road, calling attention to the bad state of the footpath between Durham and Peterborough streets, and asking that it might be shingled. Referred to the works committee, A letter was read from Mr S. Johnston, Kaiapoi, asking that a re-survey might be made of that portion of the belt between the Carlton and the river as a guide to him to erect a fence, as his surveyor had placed his front boundary pegs some distance on the footpath. Referred to the surveyor to report. Two ratepayers on the East town belt attended and informed the Council that they had been very considerable losers by the recent floods.

The Council, through the Mayor, expressed their regret that they could do nothing in the matter, but if a representation were made on a future occasion possibly a reduction might be made in their rates. The discussion on a motion to be moved by Or Bishop on the drainage of the city and suburbs was adjourned for a week, it being understood that the remarks made by the Mayor on this subject were simply his individual opinions. The usual weekly report of the inspector of nuisances was read and approved. An owner’s license was granted to Peter Hamilton, and drivers’ licenses to A. Denton, J. Reed, and G. Green, The Council then adjourned,