CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 637, 4 July 1876, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, July 3. The usual fortnightly meeting was held in the Council Chamber. Present—His Worship the Mayor and Crs Ick, Schmidt, Thompson, Gapes, Jones, Bird, Hawkes, and Turner. ' At the desire of Cr Gapeß, the Mayor promised to see that the necessary time was given under the Act before any action was taken in altering the levels of Horatio street. The Mayor said that he had waited upon the Provincial Government with reference to the shingle reserve at the Rakaia. He and the town clerk had looked up all the particulars, and though it would be remembered that the Council went down and inspected the place, accompanied by Mr Cuff, the surveyor at the time, who took the boundaries, still he could not learn that the particulars had been s,ent in to the Government. He learnt, however, that the land had not been sold, and if the boundaries and necessary particulars were sent in, the Government would grant the Council the required right, [Hear, hear. ] The General had approved of the supplementary estimates, and the Council would receive half of the grant duriog next week. [Applause.] He had telegraphed to Mr Mogrhouse relative to the Municipal and Mr Rallance's Bills, and had received the following reply:—"Municipal Bill not yet distributed; shall wait; will persevere with Ballande's Bill, failing similar provisions in Government Bill." The Drainage Board had wished him to ask the Council to reconsider the matter of collecting their rate. Tbey would undertake to have the notices printed and delivered. One Road Board had agreed to collect the rates for 10 per cent. They (the Board) did not think it advisable to at present appoint permanent officers for the work, and it was considered that the amount that would be paid by the Board would pay the salary of an assistant, who could work in with the Council's staff. Personally, he thought it would be much better to have oue collector than three or four people engaged at this work. He should mention, in conclusion, that it would be necessary for the Council to appoint an official paper for the next six months.

The action of the Mayor, regarding the Bakaia reserve, was approved. The Lyttelton Times was appointed the official paper for the ensuing six months. After a discussion on the collection of the Drainage Board's rate, during which it was Btated that the Council had already summoned between sixty and seventy ratepayers this year for £4OO outstanding of the 1875 rate, it was decided that the Council see no reason to alter their decision arrived at at the last Bitting. The town clerk reported as follows : Beceived for week' ending Jane 24th, account general rates, 1875, £BB lis ; Waimakariri do, £l4 15s 2d ; general rate, 1876. £69 12s ; Waimakariri do, £U 12s Od ; fines from B.M. Court, £l7 15s ; rent of Market Place, 7s ; Udenses, £3 10s; old cement casks, 2s 6d; building fees, £8 12s ; totfl, for week, £214 16s 6d. Beceived for week ending July Ist, account of general rate, 1875, £l9l 16s; Waimakariri do, £3l 19a 4'd ; account'of general rate 1876, £2OB 18s ; Waimakariri' do, £34 16s 4d ; fines from B.M. Court, £l2 ss; rent of Market Place, 7s ; tent of B. M.' Court, £3l, ss; rent of Post Office, £75 ; deposit on contract, £3— total for week, £589 6s 8d ; grand total, £BO4 3s 2d." Overdraft'on"general acconit, £56 0 lis 8d; drainage loan accou. %, Cr, £13,899 7s 9d; drainage j;ate accourt, Cr, £2258 8a 6d ; wages and bills, to JC paid on general' account, £839, 16s 8d ; on drainage loan account,' £BB 0b 7d ; and to Bank of New Zealand on drainage rate account, £597 8s 4d. The surveyor reported : "1. In consequence of the very dirty state of the footpaths I have put on some extra carts to fetch shingle. There are now seventeen carts employed at that work. "2.1 last week received riptice that the building of'the new hotel opposite the Bank of New Zealand is about to be cbmmenc'e'd. "3. The contract for forming ja portion of Jibe East "belt was last week "given by the works committee to Vaughan and Mears. "i, I have been obliged to shut up Manchester Bridge, in order to \ repair it. It will require new planking, and some of the bearers will have to be renewed,

I «• 5. The four small timber bridges in the north-eastquarter, which I reported some time back as unfit to carry the traffic, are now being replaced by totara box culverts, as a temporary measure until the Drainage Board's scheme is announced. " 0. Walkdbn, " City Surveyor." The clauses of the report were considered seriatim, and approved. Crick, as chairman of the works committee, asked permission to remove some of the shrubs from the north town belt, to plant the reserve on the west side of the river, near the Hereford street bridge. After councillors had addressed them* selves to this subject, it was resolved —"that the Major, and Crs Hawkes and Ick be a committee to superintend the planting of re erves,' A letter was read from Mr G. D. Lockhart, referring to a correspondence in 1872 poiating out the advantages of city tramways, which had not been favorably received at the time by the Council. Since then, however, a Tramway Bill had been passed, and he desired to state that an influential body of capitalists were prepared to forward the establishment of such an undertaking in Christchurch, if it met with the sanction of the Council.

The scheme was warmly supported by the Mayor, Crs Bird, Turner, Hawkes, and Ick, the latter saying that since he opposed the establishment of tramways four years ago, he had read of their utility in England, America, and elsewhere, Cr Turner moved the following motion : " That this Council is of opinion that facilities should be afforded for the establishment of tramways within the city, and that it will be prepared to consider any proposal which may be submitted upon this subject," Cr Bird seconded the motion, which was carried, Cr Gapes dissenting. A letter was read from the Commissioner of Police, acknowledging receipt of letter of 2lHt June, having reference to the " Cheap Johns" in Cathedral square, and also to obstructions caused by persons encroaching upon or exhibiting goods on the footpaths, and saying that steps should be taken to abate the nuisances referred to.

Or Thomson said that if he objected to these people before, he did so more strongly now, as he had heard that since the resolution was passed by the Council, the name of one councillor had been associated in most filthy language with the business of one of these vendors ; and why this councillor had been picked out he did not know, as he (Or Thomson) had supported the motion for their removal as strongly as this councillor. After Cr Gapes had expressed his opinion tbat the Cheap Johns should be permitted to follow their avocation on payment of a license fee, it was resolved on the motion of Or Turner, seconded by Or Thomson, that the works committee be authorized to have the tank reserves on either side of the Cathedral site fenced in.

A letter was read from Thomas McFedries, engineer in the Fire Brigade, regretting that circumstances urged him to resign his office at the end of the present quarter. . Referred to the Fire Brigade committee.

A letter was read from Mr J. W. Tread well saying, that in consideration of his having drained 8 acres of the city, and removed nuisances to other properties at no cost to the Council, besides also forming and shingling two roads, at a personal cost of £SO, he would kindly be allowed £5 off his rates for 1875, more especially as by the valuation of his property made, he had been rated at double the actual received rentals

Cr Gapes spoke of the good effect of the work performed by Mr Tread well, so far as the drainage of the streets was concerned. The surveyor, by permission, told the Council, that one reason of the surface water being removed from those streets, was that a drain was now opened which would not bo allowed before. The accumulation of water had been somewhat cured, but in his opinion, if the present wet weather continued, the result would in another month prove very differently. The town clerk was instructed to write to Mr Treadwell, stating that the Council cannot entertain his application. A letter waß read, signed by Drs Coward, Nedwill and others, complaining of the nuisance in Oxford Terrace of stones being accumulated along the bank of the river, and men breaking them at an early hour in the morning. Cis Hawkes and* Jones spoke of the nuisance to the inhabitant?, aud the letter was referred to the works committee. Cr Ick—on behalf of the committee—saying that very little more stone had to be receive 1, and that the nuisance should be removed from that quarter as quickly as possible. Cr Gapes desired to refer to the verj narrow exit from the gallery in the Music Hall, and said the result might be serious, should a fire unfortunately break out. The surveyor was instructed to see into this matter.

The following letters, received since the last sitting of the Council, had been attended to by the works committee: —Town clerk (ILaiapoi;, Avon Road Board, Drainage Board (2), town clerk (Auckland), J. P. Jameson, Bank of New Zealand (2), \V\ Wright, F. C. Hawley, W. K. Wilson, 0. R. Blakiston, W- Gavin, Maples Bros, W. Palmer, "Q. L. Caro, M. Anthony, W. Andrew, Tillman and POnsford, H. Sharpies, P. Howard, C. P. Hulbert. The usual report of the inspector of nuisances was read, and, after consideration, was approved. Two letters from medical men, stating they were in attendance on Bcarlet fever, Were read.

The s.tate. of the gas was referred to, several councillors wishing the chairman 91 the lighting committee to bring this matter under the notice of Gas Company. The necessity of the sanitary committee inspecting the urinal accommodations provided by the different hotel keepers, and reporting same to the Licensing Bench, was brought under the notice of the Council by Cr Thomson, and approved. A number of drivers', owners', and conductors' licenses were granted, after which the Council adjourned.