BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 615, 8 June 1876, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

DTTTELTON. Monday, Junk 5. Present—Crs Hawkins, McDonald, W. Holmes, W. Graham, H. Allwright, P. Cunningham, T. A. W. Parsons. In the absence of bis Worship the Mayor, Cr Hawkins took the chair on the motion of Cr Cunningbam. The clerk stated he had received daring the week £202. His Worship the Mayor here entered and took his seat. Correspondence was read:— From Mr Haskins, town clerk of Christchurch, running as follows :—" I have the honor, by direction of his Worship the Mayor, to send you herewith, for the information of the Borough Council, a copy of the correspondence which has taken place relative to the provincial grant to the municipalities, the result of which he trusts will be acceptable to the municipalities of this province." The correspondence was read, from which it appeared (he Provincial Government had resolved, in view of the increasing land sales, to recommend the Colonial Government to sanction the same grant as last year. From Mr H. N. Nalder, borough solicitor, regarding interpretation of a certain clause in the Building Regulitions. From Mr Thomas Ockford, stating he ha 1 received no answer to his application for a reduction of rates. From Mr A. Joyce, saying he had been assessed for rates for s°ciion 70, but was nos yet in possession. He would pay rates

directly he was, but requested the Council not to proceed against him in the meantime The Mayor said he had sent the following telegram to his Honor the Superintendent on receipt of Mr Haskin's letter—" Does your Honor's reply re Municipal Grants include Lyttelton aa last year ; if so, will you recommend money to be handed to Council." He had received the following reply—- •• Grant includes Lyttelton as before; when General Government has approved of appropriation, your last question will be decided in Executive." With reference to Mr Ockford s letter, it was resolved—" That the valuator should be written to asking him whether he had forgotten to answer the Council's communica tion re Mr Ockford's rates, and that Mr Ockford be written to informing him that his application had not been forgotten." It was argued by Crs Cunningham, Hawkins, and Parsons that these applications for reduction in rates should not be entertained, as ample notice had been given of the proper time of appealing, and that had long passed. Mr Joyce's application was ordered to stand over for the present. Mr Bedpath attended and stated that he bad been rated for eight houses whereas he only possessed six. The matter he complained of was remedied. The report of the foreman of works wa<? then read, it ran as follows :—" I have the honor to report that I have inspected the bridges in Salt's Gully, and consider tin m safe for all dray traffic that will be likely to go over them for sometime. I have had them both temporarily repaired, and done all that I think necessary to make them safe for the present. The lamp that is now placed above the upper bridge I would recommend should be placed high np the gully on the opposite ■ide, and a new lamp De placed between the two bridges. The lamp that was erected in Winchester street opposite the Wesleyan church, if the Council means to discontinue lighting it, could be removed there. I have heard it is the Government's intention to open the new road to Governor's Bay tomorrow, if so it will be necesary to repair the road in front of the Orphanage, as it is in a bad and dangerous state. I consider £5 in labour would do all that is necessary for the present. John -Sownmr, Foreman of Works." <_■' * « 1 . With reference to the foreman of works report, Or Cunningham moved its adoption with the exception of the clause relating to the removal of the lamp in Winchester street. This waß seconded by Cr W. Graham and carried. The foreman of works was instructed not expend more money than absolutely necessary on the road opposite the Orphanage, as the Government were about to put down a brick culvert there. Cr Hawkins called the attention of the foreman of works to the filthy state of the south side of London street. The foreman said he could do nothing in matter, as the inhabitants of the street in question had no other place on which to throw their slops. His Worship the Mayor said the place was, and had been, in a filthy condition and a hot bed of disease for years. Now that there was a prospect of their getting another Government grant of £2500, he hoped that some of the money would be spent in putting places of this description in order, instead of being all expended on the main drainage works.

Cr Cunningham said £IOOO could be well spent in side channels alone. Accounts were passed for payment amounting to £93 16s 4d. Cr All wright called attention to the small lights from the gas in the street lamps. Many people had complained to him that they were not half so brilliant as the lamps at the railway, He spoke on the subject to let the public know they were looking carefully after their interests in this matter. Cr Hawkins said that the burners in the street lamps were quite as large as the present glasses could stand, if the burners were as large as those in the railway lamps, the glasses would be all burst to pieces. A long discussion took place as to the time of extinguishing the lamps. Several Crs arguing they were extinguished too soon. The matter was left to the discretion of the foreman of works.

Or Allwrighteaid he had visited Mr Malcolmsoa's property that day, and that a great deal of water that came through his section was from the cemetery above him. He thought it hardly fair this drainage should go through Mr Malcolmson's section. He moved—" That the foreman of works report as to the possibility and cost of diverting the water down the Cemetery road into 8t David street."

Seconded by Cr Hawkins and carried. Cr Parsons ask*d if there was any intelligence in reference to Mr Fitzgerald's lease. The Mayor said the matter was left in the hands of the borough solicitor. Cr Allwright asked if anything further bad been done in the matter of the water ■apply. Hiß Worship the Mayor said he believed not. Cr W. Graham asked if all proper diligence had been made to collect the rates from the tenants before the freeholders had been applied to. He thought not, as he had been applied to for a rate due by Mr Burnip. He might say, as he would probably not be much longer in the Council, that in London the landlords compounded for the rates, paving for all their tenants in one sum, and then collecting it themselves. This system might, he thought, be adopted with advantage hers.