BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 543, 15 March 1876, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

LYTTELTON. The usual' weekly meeting was held on Monday night. Present—His Worship the Mayor, Crs Chalmers, Hawkins, Buist, W. Graham, and 8.. Allwright. The clerk stated that he had received £3 14s duiing the week. Correspondence was read from the Secretary for Public Works, running as follows—--111 have the honor, by direction of his Honor the Superintendent, to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 3rd and 6th instaot, re the distribution of water in Lyttelton, and in reply to state that I am advised by Mr Higgeuson that the whole of the pipes and machinery have been designed in terms of his repot t to the Government, and cannot possibly now be altered. To pump water an extra 100 ft much more powerful engines will be required. In his report to you on the proposed distribution, dated the 14th of April, 1875', he stated that 150 ft above the sea level is the level to which the water is to be delivered, and which comprises all that is a town or likely to become so. The sluice ft r the town supply was shown correctly on the distribution plan near the station, and a little above the sea level. With regard to the revenue accruing from the water in Lyttelton, I have to state that it is proposed that the Borough Council should have the entire revenue arising from the disposal of the water (except that required for Government uses), for the purpose pf defraying the expenses of the maintenance of the whole service at Heathcote and in Lyttelton. The Government have decided that it is inadvisable to allow the services of Mr Donkin to supervise the distribution of the water in Lyttelton." " From the secretary of the borough school committee as follows:—"I have the honor, by direction of the Lyttelton Borough school committee, to ask if the Lyttelton Borough Council would be willing to alienate for educational purposes that part of town reserve having frontage on Sumner road, and extending from St David street to a line produced from near boundary of Colonists' Society's ground to Sumner road. lam also directed to inform you that a deputation of members of the Lyttelton Borough school committee will wait on the Council on Monday evening next in reference to the above Object." The Mayor stated he had received a telegram from Mr Higgenson, to the effect that the whole of the cast-iron pipes running to the wharves had been ordered, but that the wrought iron ones for running along the wharves had yet to be procured. From Mr W. G. Brittain, as agent for the College, asking permission to re-let the eastern half of section 125, and stating that he should be glad to have the matter of the amendment of the lease from Christ's College to the Lyttelton Bor mgh Council settled at once.

Left in the hands of the Mayor. From Messrs P. Cunningham and Co, as follows : —" We beg to own receipt of your letter of guarantee, dated Bth inst, wherein you indemnify us against loss through the importation of water pipes, &c, for the use of the borough, as per your specifications. We may mention that the order for goods in question was sent by the San Francisco mail, which left here on the s)th instant, and we urged the necessity of quick despatch in the execution of the order. Will you kindly excuse our senior for his inability to attend your meeting to night " A deputation from the Lyttelton Borough School committee, consisting of Mr H. R. Webb (chairman), Dr Donald, Captain B. Wood, and Mr H. N. Nalder, were admitted. Mr Webb, the chairman, said no doubt the Council had read their letter asking for a piece of ground for the erection of an infant school ; the present site they had to build upon was a very prescribed one, and pa t of the new building would encroach on the girls' playground. If the Council granted their request, a handsome building (of which the produced papers were design and ground plan) would be erected facing Sumner road ; whereas, if it were not granted, they should have to erect it with its face to the playground, and a blank wall towards the Sumner road. As they would see by the plans, it was rather a sightly building, and if erected fronting the street would be au ornament to the town. The large room would be 60 x 25, with class room 20 x 22. If the Council did not accede to their request, they would put up a plainer building. Extra ground was urgently required, not merely for the building, but as a playground for the infants, as if the playground was divided, it would make it very small, The Council had dealt very liberally with them in the past, and lhey were glad to acknowledge it on this occasion.

Dr Donald said the matter depended mu:h on the question as to whether the Borough Council had any plan for making a better use of the section for any other object. It waa necessary that the site for the new Bchool should be vested in the Superintendent for the time being—they now paid £4O per annum for the use of a separate schoolroom, and that was insufficient ; 497 children had been present at the school that day, 130 odd of which were in the lower class room under Mr Phillips' supervision. This was more than anyone could properly attend to, and they required another classroom and building properly arranged. In the proposed new school there would be accommodation for 216, and ifc would necessarily cover a large area, fie hoped the Council were prepared to make the further concession in the cause of education. Cr Hawkins asked if the Government would grant five times the value of the land to the school committee if the land were given.

Mr Webb said that if they could get tenders out before March 31st, this would be case, but if after that date they should ouly get a sum equal to the value of the land. The Mayor said it was a matter to be decided by the whole Council, and as three members were absent, it had better be deferred.

M r Webb said they wanted an answer if possible to-morrow, and hoped the Council would decide speedily, as they had not any too much time to get out the tenders. The deputation then withdrew. After discussion, it was resolved that no resolution could be arrived at till a meeting of the whole Council had been convened.

After some discussion, Cr-Hawkins moved —" That a special meeting to consider the question be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday. Seconded by Cr Allwright, and carried.

The committee appointed brought up a

plan of the culvert running through the ' Albion property. The report was adopted. Accounts amounting to £7 were passed for payment. Cr Allwright asked if the foreman of works had commenced the concrete gutter at the Bridlepath. After discussion, during which it wa3 stated that the culvert at St David street required as early attention, it was determined that both works should be at once proceeded with, and extra labor put on for the purpose The Council then resolved itself into a Board of Health, and Dr Rouse reported three fresh cases of scarletina and one of low fever, the latter in Monkey town, where the drains were in a very bad state. A report from Dr McDonald, stating that he was attending onesevere caae of scarletina and three of low fever, was read. It was resolved that all possible precautionary measures should be taken, and the Board of Health having again resolved itself into the Borough Council, Cr Hawkins said it would be wise to throw a few loads of gravel on the road at Dampier's Bay, as it would else be impassable in bad weather. The foreman having been told to see to the matter, the Council adjourned. The special meeting to consider whether the Council should accede to the request of borough school committee to make over to the Superintendent the section of land on the Sumner road for educational purposes, was held at 2 p.m. yesterday. Present—His Worship the Mayor, Cr Chalmers, Hawkins, Buist, W. Graham, Allwright, and F. Graham. The Mayor introduced the subject, reading correspondence on the matter. After considerable discussion, Cr Hawkinß proposed—" That the request of the school committee be acceded to, and the ground handed over to them." This was seconded by Cr W. Graham. Cr Allwright said that in the event of the resolution being carried he thought there should be some proviso binding the committee to put up a building of some architectural pretensions on the site given, similar to that in the plans before them. The mover and seconder agreed to this being added to the resolution. The motion on being put was lost, fbur Toting against and three for the resolu ion. The Council then adjourned.