CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 422, 19 October 1875, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, Octobeb 18. The usual weekly meeting was held in the Council Chamber. Present—His Worship the Mayor, and Crs Schmidt, Thompson, Turner, Hawkes, Wood, Ick, Jones, and Gapes. The minutes of the previous weekly meeting were read and confirmed. The town clerk reported for the week as follows :—Receipts from rate collector, account general city rates, 1875, £195 4s ; Waimakariri rates, £32 10s 8d; fine from R.M. Court, £5 10s ; licenses, £1 15s ; rent from Market place, 7s ; total receipts, £235 6s Bd. Overdraft at Bank on general account, £2329 0s 8d ; overdraft on drainage account, £3496 lis lOd ; interest received on Government debentures sinking fund account, £l7 5s 6d ; drainage rate account, Cr, £1338 16s 4d ; wages, &c, to be paid on general account, £BB 14s 6d ; on drainage account, £277 16s 7d. The Mayor said he had nothing particular to report, but knowing that the time was approaching when a Mayor would have to be elected, he had telegraphed to the Hon B. Richardson for copies of the Amended Municipal Corporations Act, and believed they would arrive in time to enable him to place them on the table at next meeting, The city surveyor reported:—" 1. In accordance with the Council's instructions I have examined Halkett street, and find that to form it in a manner to afford drainage will cost £3l (including forming and planking), and as the ground is of a very swampy nature it will require a good coat of shingle, which will cost £23 more." "2. A drawing for the proposed Hereford street bridge will be laid before the Council this evening. In accordance with the instructions of the works committee, I have designed a bridge to be constructed alongside that of Mr Lane's, which arrangement necessitates the new bridge being somewhat narrower than Montreal bridge, viz., 32ft between the hand rails. The bridge will consist of three stone piers and two abutments, carried down to a sufficient depth to allow of the bridge standing in the event of themill being atsome future time taken away. The entire length of the bridge will be 117 ft, divided into four openings of 24ft each. In each opening there will be a light wrought iron girder on each side of the bridge to carry the footpath, and to be surmounted by a cast iron railing. The existing weir and sluice gates must be removed and new ones built above the new bridge. The work of building the bridge, &c, can be done without stopping the mill, but it would facilitate operations if the river could be lowered for four or five weeks during the construction. The cost of the entire work will be £2200; the chief reason of the cost being so apparently large, is that the foundations must be so deep, which will necessitate a good, cofferdam being constructed.

"3. About three weeks back I was applied to, to know if there was any objection to Mr Alport's sale rooms being carried higher and further back without brickwork, and I replied that I thought not, but as I have since heard that the same application was made some years ago and refused, I should likp an opportunity of explaining to the Council how the new intended to be erected." The plans for the bridge accompanied the report. On consideration of clause No 1 of the report, it was determined, on the amendment of Cr Gapes, that notices be served on the occupiers of land fronting and adjoining Ealkett street. On clause No 2 being considered, Cr Ick, as chairman of the works committee, explained that though the amount appeared to be large, the cost to the ratepayers would only amount to about £lB5. The Mayor hardly saw the advisableness of expending so large an amount on one bridge, as the residents in Barbadoes street and the East town belt were very anxious to have a bridge, and would even be satisfied with a foot bridge. After some further remarks from Councillors the consideration of this clause was adjourned for a week On paragraph No 3 being read, it was resolved—" That the Council will not consent to any infringement of the bye-law." Cr Ick mentioned an additional expense in connection with the construe! ion of the South town belt sewer through silt, which would have to be now incurred by the works committee. He desired to have the authority of the Council for this expenditure. After an explanation from the surveyor, ia which he gave the contractors some slight blame for the difficulties which had arisen, added to the silty nature of the ground, the works committee were authorised to expend the amount required to place the work in a satisfactory condition. Three tenders for the iron work for Madras street bridge were opened, and on the motion of Cr Ick, seconded by Cr Jones, that of Messrs J. Anderson and Sons, for £315, was accepted. Four tenders for 3000 yards of metal as required by the Council were opened, and that of Mr J. Newton's for 8s 6d per cubic yard was accepted; a condition also attaching that Mr Newton should supply any further quantity that might be required during the year at the same charge. A letter was Tead from Mr S. Goodwin, Windmill road, calling attention to a stench arising from Lumb's lane. The town clerk was instructed to reply that this matter was now under consideration. At the request of Cr Thomson, the sanitary committee promised to consider and report on the necessity of channelling a portion of land fronting Manchester street. In reply to Cr Ick, the town clerk said he had received no communication from the '.Resident Magistrate relative to a cabman. Some remarks were made as to several convictions lately obtained in the Resident Magistrate's Court through hansom drivers carrying three passengers. Cr Gapes said that when the byelaw was discussed, it was understood that though under certain circumstances three passengers might be carried, only two fares could be charged. The Mayor said that this was not always done by the cabmen, and the fact was they were having a row among themselves, the four-wheelers informing against the hansoms. However, copies of the Amended Act would be down during the week, and the bye-law committee would be called together to consider this and other matters. The three applications for remissions of rates referred to the rate collector last week were reported on by that officer. In two of the cases the collector reported favorably, and in the other the applicant possessed two cottages, one being let at 16s a week. The report was adopted in two cases, and in the third the town clerk was instructed to write the applicant that the rates would have to be paid, but the Council were willing to receive payment by instalments. The weekly report of the inspector of nuisances was read and approved. A carrier's license was granted to W. R. Parker. The Council then adjourned.