DRAINAGE CONFERENCE

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 360, 7 August 1875, Page 2

DRAINAGE CONFERENCE

A meeting of the City Council and chairmen of the district Road Boards was held yesterday afternoon at the Council Chamber, to consider the draft of the proposed Christchurch District Drainage Act, 1875. Present —His Worship the Mayor and all the councillors, except Cr Ick. and Messrs H. J. Hall (Riccarton), E. G. Wright (Avon), J. T. Fisher (Heathcote), and H. J. Tancred (Spreydou). Mr W. P. Cowlishaw, who had prepared the draft of the Bill, was also in attendance. Mr Fisher said that before the minutes of the previous meeting were read, he would like to mention that he and the other chairmen had received a circular to meet a committee of the City Council, but now he found that all the members of the City Council were present instead. It seemed to him a strange proceeding, as if all the members of the City Council were allowed to be present, then all the members of the Road Boards might also have been there. It was not acting consistent with the original circular issued, and he must again remark that the course adopted by the Council was, to say the least of it, a strange proceeding. The Mayor explained that he had supported Cr Bishop's motion, so that the members of the City Council might have an opportunity of seeing the Bill for themselves. Such a course, he thought, would also save time. He should mention that Cr Bishop had spoken to him that morning on the subject, and trusted the chairmen of the Road Boards would not think he intended to put any slight on them. He (Cr Bishop) also expressed a hope that no motion would be put to the voie at the meeting. Cr Bishop agreed with what had fallen from the Mayor, and said the Council were present that afternoon in accordance with a resolution passed by them on sth July last. Mr Fisher only wanted to know the basis they were going to work upon. There might be a difference of opinion on some of the clauses, and if no resolutions were put to the vote business would not progress very much; but he was glad to hear that the Road Boards were not going to be outvoted. Cr Jones referred to what he called the peculiar action of one member of the City Oouuuil, wlio had moved at their last meeting for the discharge of the drainage committee, and but for certain action that had been taken, the work of the Conference would have progressed smoothly and efficiently. He was glad to see Cr Hart, an old advocate for drainage, was present that day. Cr Hart said his only opposition to a Drainage Board being constituted was the view he held that in a little while municipalities would receive increased powers, which would enable them to carry out larger works.

Or Raphael said the reason why he moved for the discharge of the committee was that two of them had come prepared to vote with the Road Boards, and with that proclivity in view, he felt the committee did not fairly represent the citizens, thus he had moved for their discharge. The drainage committee appointed by the Oity Council had not been discharged, and the whole of the members had been asked to be present, and he would like to know in which position he stood.

The Mayor said, to allow business to be proceeded with, he would ask the chairmen of the Boad Boards whether they would allow resolutions to be put to the vote.

The chairmen of the Boards said that as only suggestions could be made in the Chambers, and nothing conclusive determined on at that meeting, they had no objection to any resolutions that might be moved being put to the vote. The minutes of the meeting were then read and confirmed.

A letter of apology was read from Cr Ick for non-attendance.

On clause No 2 of the Draft Bill being read, Cr Baphael moved —" That consideration of the clause be deferred for one mouth." He did so as he wished the ratepayers to express their opinion of the Bill before it was sent up to the Assembly. Mr Wright seconded the motion. Cr Jones moved —" 'Chat clauses 2 to 30 inclusive be. passed with amendments." Cr Calvert seconded the motion. Cr Baphael protested against the clauses being so passed, and said he would oppose each clause as read. A passage of arms here occurred between the Mayor and Cr Raphael. After the clauses of the Bill had been further considered, Cr Baphael moved a resolution, which was not seconded, and the Mayor ruled it as lost. Another passage of aims, caused by remarks by Cr Raphael, occurred, in the course of which Mr Wright said that if such a state of things were to continue he would suggest that the chairmen of the Road. Boards retire and wash their hands of the whole matter. Cr Jones' motion was put and carried. Cr Raphael expressed his intention of protesting against the whole of the proceedings at the close of the meeting. ThQ

lauses of the Bill were merely being carried by a Road Board vote. Clauses 31 to 48, inclusive, wore then discussed and agreed to with amendments, and clauses 49 to 106, inclusive, were also agreed to with amendments. On clause 107, under the head of " ancillary drainage" being read, Cr Bishop objected Jo the word " ancillary," as he saw that by the dictionary it meant "pertaining to a maidservant." [Laughter.l Mr Cowlishaw was instructed to alter the word if he could not find it in the English Drainage Act. Clauses 107 to 123, inclusive, were then passed as amended. The Mayor said that a return of the cost of the main drains to the city had been made up by the town clerk, and it amounted altogether to £IB.OOO. Cr Hart thought it would be better for the Board, instead of paying the £IB,OOO to the Council, to be responsible for the interest and sinking fund, thus relieving the Council of that liability. Mr Tancred agreed that Cr Hart's suggestion might easily be carried out. Cr Gapes considered that this was a question to be decided by the Council. Crs Jones and Hart felt that if the city was to carry out its own surface drainage the money would be required for that work. On clause 124 being read, the amount, £IB,OOO, was inserted, to be paid by the Board to the Council. That clause, and clause 125 were then agreed to.

The boundaries of the different districts were agreed to in the schedule, with the exception of Avon and Riccarton, which were adopted with slight alterations. Schedules 1 to 4 were considered and adopted. Mr Fisher moved, and Cr Jones seconded, a motion—" That the chairman of the Conference be requested to forward the Bill as approved by the Board to his Honor the Superintendent, with a request that he will take the necessary steps to have it passed through the Assembly." The resolution was put and carried. Cr Raphael desired before the meeting adjourned to enter his protest against the Bill being forwarded to the Assembly for one month until the ratepayers had expressed their opinion on it. Cr Hart also protested against the Bill being sent to the Assembly. It was understood that after theconferencehad considered the Bill it was to have been submitted to the Council before being sent up, and now that arrangement was being put on one side. The Mayor said that as chairman of the conference he would forward the Bill to Wellington. The members of the City Council could of'.course take what action they thought proper. The meeting then adjourned.