CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 410, 5 October 1875, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, October 4, SPECIAL MEETING.

A special meeting was held last evening at the Council Chambers, for the purpose of making a separate rate for watering portions of certain streets. Present —His Worship the Mayor, and Crs Ick, Turner, Schmidt, Thomson, Wood, Jones, and Gapes. The minutes of the previous special meeting were read and confirmed. Cr Ick moved —“ That this Council having received a petition signed by ratepayers, requesting a separate rate of l£d in £ would be made for watering certain portions of streets as mentioned in the petition dated 27th September last, do now agree to make the same, and direct the town clerk to advertise, as required by clause 144 of the Municipal Corporation Act, 1867.” Cr Turner seconded the motion, which was agreed to. ORDINARY MEETING. The ordinary meeting was then held. The minutes of the last ordinary meeting were read and confirmed. Cr Jones brought forward two receipts for rates, on which 28s 6d had been paid in excess by Mr Manning, sen. A memo was attached from the valuer, saying that the property had been valued at £26, and by mistake rates on the valuation of £BS had been paid. He (Cr Jones) would move—- “ That a sum of 28s 6d be refunded to Mr Manning.” Cr Ick seconded the motion, as the Council had already allowed something similar; He would admit that it was rather a difficult matter to deal with, but as one of equity he would support the resolution. He might add that many of the valuations made this year were most ridiculous. Cr Wood would like to know what the property was valued at before, and thought they were establishing a principle which might involve the Council in considerable difficulty. Mr Manning should have seen to the matter at the time. Cr Turner did not know the property himsclf..'but he had been told by a person who did’ know it, that the valuation had not been tdo high. It would be much better for them to act according to the strict letter of the law than establish a precedent which might launch the Council in considerable difficulty. This money had been paid, and was altogether different to the last case that had come before the Council. Cr Thomson considered that as the amount was so trivial, and Mr Manning had not taken exception at the proper time, the Council should not refund any portion of the rates. A similar case had occurred to himself, and as he had not appealed when he should have done, he paid the rates without any demur. He did not think it would be prudent for the Council to take any notice of these applications. Cr Gapes considered the error should have been discovered before the money was paid and if the Council remitted the amount asked for in the resolution, they would be overwhelmed with similar applications. On being put the resolution was declared to be lost by 5 to 2. The town clerk reported receipts for the week to be as follow—From rate collector, account general city rates, 1875, £l7B Is ; Waimakiriri do rate, £29 13s Gd ; fines from Resident Magistrate’s Court, £7 ss; quarter’s rent for Resident Magistrate’s Court, £3l ss; received on account of rent for Post-office, £76 17s Id ; rent of weigh-bridge for Oct, £6 ss; deposit on contract, £3 9s ; rent from market place, 7s. Total receipts for the week, £333 2s 7d. Overdraft at bank on general account, £2117 4s 7d;

do. on drainage account, £2700 8s 4d ; drainage rate account, Or, £llsß 19s; wages. &c, to be paid on general account, £144 1 Is lid ; on drainage, account, £sl 10s. 'The Mayor reported the result of the deputation to the Government, which has already been made public. The Government had promised to consider the representations made to them and forward a reply, but up to the present no reply had been received. The finance committee had instructed the town clerk to close up the rate roll for 1874. He had the pleasure of telling the Council that titles for the Lichfield street fire brigade station, and the section along the line of drain, about which there had existed a difficulty fur some time, were now complete. 'Hie surveyor reported :

“ 1. Tenders for timber for Madras Bridge; also, tenders for channelling Chester and Armagh streets, will be laid before the Council this evening. “2. As Madras Bridge must necessarily be some time in the hands of the workmen, the works committee recommend that a footbridge be provided for the convenience of the public. The expense would be about £7 or £B.

!i 3. The contractors have to-day commenced the work in Conference street,” In connection with the first paragraph of (he report, some tenders for timber were opened, and one from Messrs W. Mont gomcry and Co (Limited), as agents for Capl B. Jenkins, was accepted. Tenders for channelling Chester and Armagh streets were opened, and that of Mr Jarvis Beard was accepted for the former street, and Messrs Prudoe and Cooper’s for the latter.

The remaining paragraphs of the report were approved as read. Cr Turner moved —“ That an application be made to the Secretary for Public Works to pay the sum of £3O towards the expense of watering Madras street, from the railway station to High street.” He felt that if a proper representation were made to the Secretary for Public Works to have the street watered, he would comply with a request which would prove so great a boon to the large number of persons who travel by the railways. At least he thought there would be no harm in making an application for this small sum. Cr Thomson seconded the resolution. Cr Jones trusted the Government would receive the application favorably, as it would bo esteemed a great boon by railway travellers. He would like also that the Government would be made to understand that this amount would have to be supplemented by the citizens to carry out the work effectually. Cr Ick, though admitting the necessity for this street being watered, hardly thought it would be fair to charge the citizens with any portion of the work. Cr Gapes considered the Government had a right to go to the whole of the expense, as the benefit received from watering the street would be principally felt by the up-country visitors to town.

Cr Schmidt knew this was so necessary a work, that he would himself contribute £6 or £7 towards its being carried out. [Hear, hear. ] The Mayor said this was an exceptional case, as it would not be to the advantage of shop-keepers in the city that this portion of the street should be watered. The travellers by rail would derive most comfort if the Government complied with the terms of the resolution.

After Or Turner in reply, had pointed out the benefits that would result to railway travellers, which must increase the number of passengers by rail on a windy day, the resolution was put and carried. A letter was read from the Provincial Secretary in reply, stating that the notice forwarded of the Council’s intention to borrow £9OOO, would be inserted in the next Provincial Gazette as requested, A letter was read from the town clerk, Timaru, asking to be furnished with copy of rules of Christchurch Fire Brigade, and other information thereto.

The town clerk stated that he had complied with the request. A letter was read from Mr J. Newton, offering the Council about 150 yards of road metal in six sizes for 9s per yard. Referred to the works committee, with power to act. A letter was read from William Aitken, Cashel street, asking to be granted a license to occupy a piece of ground on the west bank of the river, south side of Cashel street, for the purpose of erecting a shed to build and store boats in.

On the motion of Cr Jones, seconded by Cr Wood, the letter was referred to the works committee, with power to take action. Cr Turner would like the works committee to see Mr Aitken as to whether he could not combine baths with his boat sheds. Or Ick, as chairman of that committee, promised to confer with Mr Aitken on this matter.

A letter was read from Mr A. Lean, asking that the Council would lay down a concrete drain along Manchester street north, and Cambridge Terrace, and expressing willingness to pay his proportion of the expense; also pointing to the necessity of afoot-bridge being placed in line with the footpath over Manchester bridge. The foot-bridge was ordered to be laid down, and the remainder ,'of the letter was referred to the works committee, to carry out on the usual terras.

A letter was read from Mr W. W. Charters, calling attention to the state of the footpath in front of the Good Templar hall, Worcester street. Referred to the surveyor.

A letter was read from Mr T, Harrop. drawing attention to the overflowing state of some cesspools in the right-of-way between 8t Asaph and Tuam streets. Referred to the inspector to take action. At the request of the Mayor, the works committee took a note of the necessity for two foot-bridges being laid down on the east side of Latimer Square, near the approach to St John’s church. A letter was read from Mrs Sarah Green, stating her inability to pay her rates, as she is left a widow with three children to support, Referred to the rate collector to report.

An application for remission of rates was received from Denis Harrington, who had been unable to follow his employment for the last seven months through having lost his sight. Referred to the rate collector.

(j r Turner drew attention to the state of the footpath where the channelling was being done in Worcester street. Unless the footpath was lowered at that spot some accident would surely happen. Cr ick said this was one result of the reduction in the number of laborers lately

made !iy the Council. The channelling was being done faster than the works corarniti e could follow up with the woik of levelling.

Or Turner move''—“That resolutions No 2 of Bid March, IS(>2, and No !) of 2(Uh April, 18(1!), also No 2‘> of 20th September. 1875. be rescinded ; auditin' in place thereof the ordinary meetings of the Council shall be held on each Monday al I p m.” He had had tin opportunity of seeing Mr Hawkes and Mr Hart, who were both agreeable to the change. The Council were thus unanimous as to its desirableness.

Cr Thomson seconded the motion, which was unanimously agreed to. The usual weekly report of the inspector of nuisances was read. Cr Turner moved—“ That the chairman of the sanitary committee be requested to confer with Dr Foster, and report to this Council as to the best method to proceed in the matter of Halkett street, or any similar case.”

Cr Jones seconded the motion, which was agreed to. The report was approved.

Owners’ licenses were granted to James Lairb, Lewis Da we, Henry Irwin, and Martin Munday. A driver’s license was granted to Thomas Lear. The Council then resolved itself into a local hoard of health, and on resuming adjourned until Monday next, at 4 p.m.