CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 404, 28 September 1875, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, September 27.

The usual weekly meeting was held in the Council Chambers. Present—His Worship the Major, and Crs. Ick, Schmidt, Turner, Gapes, Jones, and "Wood. The minutes of the last weekly and adjourned meetings were read and confirmed. The town clerk reported receipts for the week. The Mayor said he had much pleasure ir. informing the Council that at a meeting held with the Government on Friday last, at which some of the chairmen of Road Boards and himself met the Provincial Secretary and Secretary for Public Works, the Government resolved to give a premium of £IOOO for a first prize scheme, with working plans, for the most perfect' system of drainage of Christehurcli and suburbs, and £250 for the second best. The Government would choose from among the plans sent in those they considered to be the best, and would submit these to the Drainage Board and Enginecr-in-Chief for final selection. With such premiums advertised throughout the colonies, he felt they would be able to sectfre a drainage scheme from the best talent in the colony. He had told them at the last meeting that their action to borrow £9OOO would have to be done do novo. Dr Foster and Mr Garrick had consented to advise the Council on every step that should be taken in this matter. Mr Harman, Deputy-Superintendent, had called on him last week to ask if the Football Committee miftht have the loan of some old timber in the Council's yards to erect a stand for the accommodation of ladies, in Craumer Square. He (the Mayer) had lent the timber, and all the expense required had been borne by the committee. He mentioned this circumstance, as he learnt it had been remarked that the Council had gone to some expense in the erection of the stand. From the Registrar-General's vital statistics for August, he was glad to see that Christchurch stood so favorable, viz, forty four births and twenty-one deaths. The city surveyor reported : " 1. As it has been reported publicly that the stand erected in Cranmer square on the day of the football competition was paid for out of the ratepayers' money, I beg to contradict that report; the only manner in which the City Council contributed towards it was by lending some old timber which came out of the old bridge lately demolished, and that was done with the sanction of his Worship the Mayor. "2. In consequence of the great need of better bridge accommodation at the Hereford street crossing of the river, the works committee recommend that a new bridge should be erected, provided that £250 be subscribed by the public for assisting towards the expense.

"3. The works committee have given me instructions to advertise for 3000 cubic yards of broken metal in accordance with a resolution of the Council about three months' back." Clause 1 of the report was approved as read. Clause 2 was adopted, and on the motion of Cr Ick the city surveyor was instructed to prepare plans and specifications for a bridge over the Avon in a line with Hereford street. Cr Ick gave notice of motion to rescind an amendment passed by the Coudcil on 2nd August—" That the bridge be erected over the river in a line with Hereford sheet, on the inhabitants subscribing one-third of the cost." In conjunction with clause 3 of the report a letter was read from Mr Joseph Newton, calling attention to the samples of road metal crushed by the stone-breakers lately imported by him, portions of which had been laid down in different parts of the city ; and stating his ability to crush 100 tons of stone per day when the machines are fixed for working in a well opened quarry. Cr Ick said that the works committee had considered that the fairest course would be to advertise. He had been informed that there was another stone breaking machine on the way out, and that Mr Wilson purposed adding a revolving screen to his stone breaker. The committee felt that the Council should,, under all circumstances, advertise for any metal they required broken. Cr Turner did not think that 3000 yards of metal would be a sufficient inducement to the proprietors of stone breaking machines to go to any very great trouble or expense. He suggested that the tender be so worded that contractors be asked to state at what price they can supply a further quantity. Cr Ick thought the suggestion a very good one, and would accept it on behalf of the works committee.

The clause was approved, and it was resolved that a reply be sent to Mr Newton with thanks, and referring him to the advertisement.

Several tenders for the formation, &o, of Conference street were opened, and that of Messrs Somerville, Nichol, and Lamb, ao cepted.

A letter was read from the Provincial Secretary in reply, appointing to-day at 12 noon as the most convenient time for the Government to receive a deputation from the Council with reference to the resolution passed representing the necessity for a reduction of the rates of wharfage and haulage on coals from Lyttelton, The following letter, from Mr E. J. Wakefield, was read :

" Wellington, September 20tb, 1875. " Sir, —As the Government proposes to in* troduce a Bill this session for the redistribution of the representation of the various electoral districts in the General Assembly, I venture to suggest that the City Council of Christchurch should invile the co-operation of 60 many of the electors of the two districts of City of Christchuich east and west, as reside outside the boundaries of the borough, or derive their electoral qualification from freehold, leasehold, or household property outside the same, in securing for the districts an adequate share of the representation in proportion to the population and property contained within them respectively. " According to ' Results of a census of the colony of New Zealand, taken for the night of the Ist March, 1874,' published by authoritj this session, part I, table XVII, p. 13, the following was then the condition of the two electoral districts in question ;

" The whole population of the colony ("exclusive of Maoris) was then reckoned to be 299,385, of whom 170,903 were males, and 128,482 females. The two districts, therefore, contained nearly one seventeenth of the whole population, and more than onetwentieth of the whole male population of the colony. "Electors—Christchurcheast, 1194; Christchurch west, 1281 ; total, 2475. "The total number of electors in the colony was 51,283. The two districts contained, therefore, very little less than onetwentieth part of the whole number of electors in the colony. " These results would tend to establish a claim for the whole of Christchurch and its suburbs to return at least three members, instead of only two, out of the seventy-four members elected for European districts; and, indeed, if the Government Bill should involve an addition to the total number of European members such as to raise it to any number above eighty, to four members instead of two as at present. " Since the above was written I have been able to inspect the results of the revision of the electoral rolls of the whole Colony for 1875. The total number of electors has increased to 56,753, oi at the rate of nearly 10.7 per cent; while the numbers of electors for the two districts have only increased to the following, being at the rate of little more than 5.7 per cent; —Christchurch East, 1279; Christchurch West, 1339; total, 2618; entitling the two districts together to fully one-twenty-second part of the whole representation.

"According to the present electoral roll. the number of electors to a representative (if the total of members remains 74) would be 767, instead of 700 as in 1873 roll ; and Christchurch would be more than entitled to three members. But if the total number of members be increased to 81, so as to preserve the same proportion of 700 electors to a member, the two districts together would be entitled to as nearly four members as the proportion of 3 5-7ths. " I have no means of comparing the property in the two electoral districts of 'Jhristchurch with that of the whole Colony ; but should be glad to be supplied with an estimate of its actual amount if you are able to procure it. " I hope you and the City Council will be able to confer with the chairmen and Road Boards of the suburban districts adjacent, portions of which are included within the electoral districts of City of Christchurch east and west, on the propriety of petitioning the House of Representatives for increased representation for the population now included within them. The information contained in this letter will supply you with some material facts relating to the allegations which should be put forth in such a petition. " Probably, your influence may be greater than mine to procure the publication of this letter in one or both of the Christchurch newspapers, for the information of the electors of the two districts generally. '• I have the honor to be, sir, " Your Worship's most obedient servant, " E. Jerningham Wakefield."

The Mayor said that though action had already been taken in the direction indicated, the letter contained some very valuable statistics, and, if published, it might be as well to send copies to the Canterbury members at Wellington. Resolved—" That a letter of thanks be forwarded to Mr Wakefield, and that his letter be handed to the reporters.'' A letter was read from Messrs Hanmer and Harper, solicitors, saying they found on enquiry that Macfarlane's expenses and loss of time through the late accident would amount to £l2, instead of £lO as formerly mentioned by them as the probable amount. On the motion of Cr Gapes, it was resolved that £2 be further paid. A letter was read from Mr George Gould, for the trustees of the Wesleyan church in Durham street, who would este.m it a favor if the Council would lower the footpath in front of that church to its proper level. Mr Gould added, as a postscript, that he would be prepared to pay the cost of a lamp post at Springfield road when erected. On the motion of Cr Ick, the first part of Mr Gould's letter was referred to the works committee, to be attended to, and on the motion of Cr Jones, the city surveyor was directed to see to the erection of the lamp post in Springfield road. Cr Turner moved—" That this Couucil agrees to borrow a sum of £9OOO to meet the expenses of the works in connection with the drainage of the city during the present year, the said amount to be raised on debentures of £SO each, to be issued for a term of fifty years, bearing interest at 6 per cent per annum, payable half yearly, and secured on a special rate of Id in the £, payable by half yearly instalments."

Cr Jones seconded the motion, which was agreed to.

On the motion of Cr Turner, it was resolved that the town clerk be instructed to see Dr Foster and have the necessary Gazette notico prepared. Cr Ick would wish to remark that as the citizens would no doubt see that this work was being done over again by the Council, it was only fair to Dr Foster and to the old members of the Council that it should be known that it had simply been occasioned through a mistake in the notices calling the special meeting caused by some old members going out and new members coming in.

A letter was read from Mr H. B. Huddlestone, saying his attention had been called to a mistake in the valuation of Mr H. Haggerty's property in Montreal street. He had since inspected the property, and found he had put down the opposite corner twice. The valuation should have been £7 10s. Referred to the rate collector. A letter was read from Mr E. S. Ellisdon, Kilmore street, asking why his name has been omitted from the list of voters from the city, as the sum at which he is assessed entitles him to a vote.

The town clerk said that on referring to the rate roll of the previous year he found that Mr Ellisdon's name was not on it. The Mayor would like it to be known that it was necessary to make out this year's burgess list from last year's rate roll, and as Mr Ellisdon's name was not down on the latter as an occupier, his name had been thus omitted. The town clerk was instructed to write and explain this to Mr Ellisdoo. A letter was read from Mr A. Gray, of Tuam street, saying he was rated this year more than double that of last year, and stating his inability at present to pay his rates, as he had been suffering for a long time from illnes3. Jjtefewed to the rate collector to report. .

A petition was read from a number of residents in various parts of the city praying that a special rate might be struck for the purpose of watering certain streets therein mentioned.

Or Ick moved, " That the prayer of the petitioners respecting the watering of the streets be granted, and that the Council take the necessary steps for levying the separate rate for the purpose, under the provisions of clause 204 of the M. C. Act, 1867." Cr Schmidt seconded the resolution. Cr Turner considered that this rate should not be collected solely from a few shopkeepers, as the benefit derived from watering the streets was general. He believed that measures should be taken to extend the area, commencing from the railway station, where the watering carts were very much required indeed. Cr Ick moved—" That the town clerk be instructed to call a special meeting of the Council at forty-five minutes past six o'clock on Monday next, the 4th October, for the purpose of making the proposed watering rate a special order of the Council." Cr Turner seconded the motion, which was agreed to. Cr Ick had been informed that a report had been prepared with reference to the extension of the fire block. This question was one of such great importance that he would ask the Mayor to have the recommendation of the bye-law committee on this matter.

The Mayor explained that as the Council had experienced so much difficulty with their bye laws, this matter had with others been deferred until the new Act was passed. Cr Ick also referred to the bye-law for regulating the driving round certain corners of the city. He trusted this would not be lost sight of. Cr Turner said that driving round the Bank of New Zealand corner might be met by the Commissioner of Police stationing a policeman there. He did not recollect ever having seen one at that corner. At home where there was so much traffic as at that spot a constable would be stationed in the centre of the street to stop the traffic should a lady be crossing, and this precaution was the means of preventing many accidents. The weekly report of the inspector of nuisances was read and approved. An owner's license for a hackney carriage was granted to James Kearney, of St Asaph street east. The Council then adjourned.

Population. Males Females Total Christchurch east ... 4015 3750 7765 „ west ... 4676 4518 9194 Total ... 8691 526.8 16J53