CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 848, 13 March 1877, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, March 12,

The ordinary meeting of the Council vfgs held at 4 p.m. Present—His Worship the Mayor, and Ora Jones, Ick, Nathan, Turner, Bird, and Hawkes. The town clerk reported the receipts to be for the fortnight, £623 14s lOd. The Mayor said that the scavenging contract concluded within the next few days, and it would be as well for the Council to consider the matter. He might say that Mr Brightling would continue the contract at the present rate until something definite had been arranged. Or Turner moved—“ That Mr Brightling be requested to carry on the contract until some definite arrangements arc made.” The motion was agreed to. The Mayor said he might state that the amount “at drainage account was exhausted. It would therefore be for the Council to consider what was to be done with regard to channelling. Cr Turner urged upon the Council the necessity of doing the side channelling before any other work was taken in hand. After some discussion it was resolved that the works committee be instructed to con tinne the work out of general funds. The surveyor’s report was read as follows :

“ 1. I have caused an account to be taken of the vehicles passing the Bank of New

Zealand during four days of last week, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day, by which it will be seen that during the four days 7018 vehicles and 828 equestrians passed along that part of Colombo street.

“2. Two small brick sewers have been built, one reaching from Goss’s corner. Durham street, and running into the Kilmore street sewer, and the other from Ward’s brewery to the river, which I hope will facilitate the escape of water from the side channels during heavy rains. “3. Ihe concrete channelling on the East belt is now completed, and the formation of the belt will, 1 hope, be finished this week. “ 4. A plan for the formation otad shingling of Salisbury street east will be laid before the Council. The cost of forming and shingling that portion of Salisbury street 27 chains in length would be .£258 3a 9d.

“ 5. My report on private streets will be laid before the Council at its next sitting. “ 0. Walkdeh, “ City Surveyor.”

It was decided to proceed with the work in Salisbury street, as proposed by the surveyor.

Or Turner said he hoped that means would be taken to prevent any touting at the meeting on the following evening, but that the ratepayers would dispassionately consider the matter. The drainage meeting, held some short time since, was to his mind a disgrace to Christchurch, and he trusted that the meeting on Tuesday would not be a similar exhibition.

The Mayor thought the drainage meeting referred to was a very orderly one. The following letter was read from the Commissioner of Audit: —

“Audit office, March Ist, 1877.

“ Sir, —In reply to your letter of the 26th February, I have the honour to state that the Commissioners of Audit have no power to comply with your request in the shape in which it is made.

“If the Council has by a special order made a special rate to continue for a fixed number of years, in order to provide interest and sinking fund on a loan, such rate is a legal charge on the ratepayers The power of the Commissioners of Audit extend only to sanctioning an alteration in such a rate, as for example from 6dto 3d in the £, in which case the latter would be legal charge on the ratepayers. The commissioners have no power to sanction the non-collection of a special rate, nor does it seem that such sanction is necessary; so long as tne Council pays the interest and sinking fund there seems no power to enforce the rate, or reason for enforcing it, “ Will you be so good as to reply to the following questions : “ 1, Has a special rate been made by special order ? “ 2. For what duration of time 1 “ 3. On what date ? “4. Was any part of the rata allocated to sinking fund in such order ? If no such special order was made or any such step taken by which the Council contracted with the bondholders to levy a particular rate for interest or sinking fund, there is no reason why the Council should not make such order now as it likes in the matter. “ If such rate was fixed by special order commissioners will sanction such decrease as, may be found to leave sufficient rate leviable to cover interest and sinking fund on the debt for its term of currency. “ I have, &c, “ J. E. Fitz Gerald, “ Commissioner of Audit. “ The Town Clerk, Christchurch.” A letter was read f r om the Local Board of Health, suggesting that a conference between the two bodies should take place on sanitary matters and the question of the removal of night soil. Crs Ick, Bird, and the Mayor were appointed as a committee to meet the Board of Health as requested, A second letter from the same Board was read, forwarding a resolution requesting permission to use the reserve vested in the Council for the purpose of depositing night soil, as required by the Local Board of Health. The letter was referred to the committee above mentioned. A letter was read from the Christchurch Football Club asking for the use of Cranmer Square for the club. The request was granted,

A letter was read from Messrs Harman and Stevens, as agents for Mr A. E. Creyke, asking that Marton street might be taken over as a public street. The letter was referred to the surveyor to report upon, A letter was read from the Spreydon Road Board, calling the attention or the Council to the necessity which existed for clearing the side channel «n the south side of the belt, betwesu Colombo and Montreal streets, the same being choked with watercress and weeds. It was resolved that the work be done on the usual terms,

A letter was read from Lorenzo Zouch, asking for a reconsideration of the action taken by the Council in refusing him his license as a driver. The Council decided not to reconsider the case again, as all had receiyeA careful consideration at the hands, of the Council.

A letter wae read from H. Clark, asking for an interview with the Council aa to the cause of the refusal of his license as a driver.

A similar answer was returned to this letter as to the one previously mentioned.

A letter was read from Mr Axmishaw relative to the disposal of sewage, which was laid on the table.

The borough inspector's report was read, stating that ho had made a house to house visitation, and served a large number of notices to remove cesspools. In various parts of the city there were a number of houses without pans. The various matters referred to in the report were passed on to the works committee.

On the motion of Cr Nathan it was resolved that the sanitary committee be requested to report upon the best sites for three public closets and urinals in the city: It was resolved that a notice be published stating that the Council would summon persons who swept out the dust and rubbish on main thoroughfares and into the side channels. NOTICE OF MOTION. Cr Nathan—“ That all resolutions binding this Council to contribute one half the cost of forming, shingling, and making the roadways on the rural side of the belt be rescinded.” The Council then adjourned,