CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 536, 7 March 1876, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, March 6. The Council met at 4 p.m. Present —The Mayor, Cra Ick, Turner, Schmidt, Thomson, Jones, Bird, and Hawkes, Or Thomson moved—“ That the Mayor be requested to ask the citizens to observe a half holiday on Wednesday, on the occasion of the Heathcote Regatta.” Or Schmidt seconded the motion.

Or Ick opposed the motion, as he believed it would be extremely inconvenient to many tradesmen to close on Wednesday, He also complained that the matter had not been brought forward before. Cr Hawkes supported the motion, (as he was of opinion that it was their duty to encourage anything which tended to promote the physical development of their young men.

Cr Thomson pointed out that it would be left entirely to the tradesmen to close or keep open on the regatta day. Or Turner said that, if they gave the halfholiday, he certainly, in order to be consistent, should vote that the men in the employ of the Corporation should receive a full day’s pay. If they wanted to give a holiday, let them take the first move.

Or Jones said that he thought it would be well if it were left to the citizens to do as they pleased in the matter. Or Bird was in favor of the motion being passed, The motion was agreed to. Cr Turner moved—“ That in consequence of the previous resolution, the City Council give half-holiday to their employees, paying them a full day’s pay.” Cr Thomson seconded the motion, which was agreed to. The Mayor said that he had appointed Messrs E. B, Bishop and John Anderson as assessors. He had received that morning a cheque from the General Government for £IOBS 15s 4d for the year 1875-6, which he had paid into the Bank. On reading a letter which accompanied it, he was of opinion that the payment was final. If that were the case, he believed that the calculation on which it had been made had been made on a wrong basis, and he would suggest that the letter be handed to the finance committee to represent the matter to the General Government, as he was of opinion that the amount they ought to receive would be over £2OOO.

Cr Turner believed that the matter would be found to come all right when further returns were sent in.

The matter then drbpped. The town clerk reported the receipts of the week as follows: —General city rate, 1875, £IOB 6s; Waimakariri rate, £lB Is; fines from Resident Magistrate’s Court, £3 10s ; rent of Market place, 7s ; kerosene licenses, £2 ; overdraft at the bank, £2971 16s lid; overdraft on drainage loan account, £9IBB 17s 6d. Drainage, rate account, Or, £2058 2s lid. Bills to the amount of £739 18s 4d were ordered to be paid on general account and on drainage account to the amount of £93 6s. The city surveyor reported—“ The suspension bridge at the hospital was repaired about fifteen months back, when I reported thot it would only continue a few months longer in a safe condition, and as I now find that it is very unsafe, I have had a notice to that effect placed at each end of the bridge warning pedestrians that they cross it at their own risk. Madras bridge is now finished with the exception of painting. The picking up and repairing with broken metal of Colombo street is now finished.”

Or Ick moved—“ That the surveyor be instructed to erect a footbridge over the river at Antigua street, at a cost not to exceed £100.” Or Hawkes seconded the motion.

After a slight discussion the motion was withdrawn, Or Ick stating that he would bring forward the motion in another shape in a fortnight. The motion he would then move was as follows :—“ That the surveyor prepare a plan for a footbridge over the Avon in place of the suspension bridge near the hospital, which is in an extremely dangerous state.” A letter was read from certain citizens, asking the Council to cut down the willows on the banks of the river, from Victoria bridge to Colombo bridge. The consideration was deferred for one week.

A letter was read from the Health Officer, Dr Deamer, stating that he had directed the isolation of one case (a child) for scarlet fever, and forbidden the children of the same family to attend school, so that the contagion might not spread. The consideration of the plans for a new fire brigade station was deferred for a week.

Or Jones moved—“ That a resolution bearing date 14th February, 1876, minute No 2, passed by this Council as a revote of £lO to the Fire Police, be rescinded.” The motion was agreed to.

Or Hawkes moved—“ That it is desirable to acquire a site for the erection of municipal offices for the city, such site to be in a central position.” He pointed out that he intended this as preliminary at some future time to building a town hall, for which it was desirable to secure a site. He only wished the motion to pass in order to affirm the principle, Cr Ick seconded the motion, which was supported by Or Turner. Cr Jones opposed the motion, as they had got a very good site at present. The Mayor said he should heartily support the motion. He had been informed by the Hon E, Richardson that it was the intention of the General Government to put the erection of public offices in hand as soon as he got back to Wellington. They would be built in Cathedral square, and-would cost about £14,000. He thought it very desirable that the Council should procure a site in close proximity to the public buildings. Or Ick supported the motion. It was a disgrace to Christchurch that they had not had a town hall long ago. The motion was agreed to. A driver’s license was granted to George Patterson. An application from William Dunn was deferred.