CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 416, 12 October 1875, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, October 10. The weekly meeting of the Council was held yesterday for the first time at four p.ru. Present—His Worship the Mayor, aud Crs Ick,; Schmidt, Turner, Jones, Wood, Hawkes, and Gapes. The minutes of the previous weekly meeting, were read and confirmed, In reply to a personal complaint with reference to uncollected rates for 1874 from his tenants, from Cr Jones, the Mayor said the landlord was always responsible to the Council for rates. The town clerk reported receipts for the ■week to be as follow—From rate collector, account general city rates, 1875, £l9B 8s ; Waimakiriri rate do, £33 Is 4d ; fines from Resident Magistrate’s Court, £3 10?; deposit on timber contract, £ll 5s ; licenses' £5 ; rent from market place, 7s. Total receipts, £251 11b 4d. Overdraft at bank on general account, £2321 8s lOd ; do on drainage account, £2798 18s 4d ; drainage -tate account, Cr., £1257 9s 8d : wages. &c, to be paid on general account, £494 9s lOd ; on drainage account, £757 10s 9d. The Mayor said that during the week he had received the following telegram from the ’ Hon Mr Buckley :—Drainage Bill passed without Menzies’ amendment and ballot clauses ; the latter too late.” It would be remembered by those who had attended the meetings of the drainage conference that these clauses had been agreed upon at their meetings;. When the Bill passed the Lower House he saw that the clauses respecting ballot were not inserted in the Bill, He then telegraphed to Mr Buckley as follows : «Regret exceedingly delay in sending clauses ; only received this moment from Cowlishaw. Practically the clauses for ballot are the same as in Corporation Amendment Act. 1871. Please have copy made of them, as no steamer will be going up for three days.” The clauses had evidently not been copied as he had suggested, and their absence from the Bill was simply a matter between the solicitor and Mr Buckley. The ’ first election would be without ballot, but it would be easy at the next session to have the necessary clauses inserted. He ("the Mayor) had observed by the Appropriation Ordinance that £ISOO had been voted for cemeteries for Christchurch and Kaiapoi, apportioned he believed in the proportions of £IOOO for Christchurch, and £SOO for the latter town. He felt it would be desirable for the Council to endeavor to ' obtain a site for a new cemetery, if the Government would not find one, He trusted that some action would be taken which Would prevent the motion from lapsing. He knew that his Honor the Superintendent was of the opinion that some action should be taken in this direction, and that a long time would not elapse before the present < cemeteries would have to be closed.

On the motion of Or Turner, seconded by Cr Wood, it was resolved —“ That the town clerk be instructed to apply to the Government to learn what action has been taken with reference to obtaining a site for a public cemetery under the vote of last session, and to ask how much of the vote comes to Christchurch.” The city surveyor reported : « i. Mr Lane requests permission to close Hereford street bridge for two or three days, in order to facilitate some necessary repairs to the mill. “2. The works committee have given Mr Aitken permission to erect a boat shed between Cashel and Montreal bridges. He is to pay the Council £5 per annum ground rent, and not to charge more than Is an hour for the use of his boats,

“3. The channelling of Worcester and Gloucester streets will be finished this week, and that of Armagh and Chester streets will then be commenced.

“ 4. A design for Hereford street bridge will be laid before the Council next Monday. “ 5. The water tanks at Lane’s mill and at the hack of the God ley statue are in a very dilapidated condition, and leak so much that the water carts have not a sufficient supply. Perhaps as soon as fuuds will permit the Council will sanction brick or stone tanks instead of the present iron and timber ones.”

Nos 1,2, 3, and 4 clauses of the report were approved. On clause 5 being read, it was resolved, on the motion of Cr Hawkes—“ That the works committee be empowered to purchase new tanks.” A letter was read from the Public Works office, in reply to an application for a grant of money to water Madras street, stating, in reply, that the Government having considered the matter, could not see their way to grant the request. A letter was road from the town clerk, Timaru, expressing thanks for information received respecting rules of fire brigade. A letter was read from Mr W. H. James, calling attention to the inconvenience and danger to foot-passengers, caused by the obstruction of a doorstep in the footpath on the right-hand side of High street, below the junction of that street with St Asaph street. Kef erred to the surveyor. A letter was read from Mr George Robinson, asking permission to erect a verandah to his house in Whately road. Referred to the surveyor.

The town clerk was instructed to advertise tenders for the city weigh bridge for the ensuing twelve months. Cr Hawkes was elected a member of the finance committee and chairman of the lighting committee. An opinion was read from Dr Foster on the powers held by the Council to compel the owners of bye streets to form and drain those streets.

On the motion of Cr Gapes, it was resolved —“ That the city surveyor be instructed to prepare an estimate of the cost of forming and draining Halkett street, with a view to this work being carried out.” The weekly report of the inspector of nuisances was read and approved. Cr Ick moved the following notice, of which he had given notice: —“ That the resolution, No Ba, bearing date 22nd August, 1875, relative to the proportion to be contributed towards the construction of the Hereford street bridge, be rescinded.” Or Hawkes seconded the motion, which was agreed to. A license for a spring cart was granted to B. Geoghegan. The Council then adjourned.