BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 914, 30 May 1877, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

LYTTELTON,

Monday, May 28.

Present —His Worship the Mayor, Crs. Hawkins, Holmes, Allwright, Cunningham. Macdonald, and Willcox. The clerk stated that £B7 5s had been received since las! meeting. Correspondence was read from Town Clerk, Christchurch, acknowledging receipt of Council’s letter of 23rd April relative to the reduction from the Government subsidy, &c., and stating that the matter had been referred to the finance committee. From the same, running as follows : I have the honor by direction of the Christchurch City Council to address you on the subject of the deduction made by the General Government for charitable institutions from the subsidies payable to municipal bodies. The question has been considered, and this Council is not satisfied with the way in which the Government manage those institutions, nor the Rule of Three method it has adopted in arriving at the proportions of their costs chargeable against municipal bodies. The Government has been applied to by the Council, but from the replies received there appears to be no hope of redress from that quarter ; therefore it is proposed that a conference of delegates from each municipality in New Zealand should meet in Wellington, as being the most central spot for the purpose, to discuss and decide upon combined action being taken at the next meeting of the General Assembly to have the injustice remedied, and suggest a better means of managing those institutions, so that the burden of the cost shall fall equally upon both town and country districts. As Parliament will be in session at an early date, it is desirable tint no time should be lost in a reply being sent hereto. From the Under Secretary for the department of Justice re waste land required at Lyttelton for gaol purposes, requesting Council to have the land valued, on the understanding that if the price fixed were thought excessive the land woidd be put up for sale by public auction. From Mr G. Giles, Crown Lands Office, Wellington, enclosing gazette marginally noted, containing an Order in Council under the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876, reserving certain lands in the Ashburton district, with the purpose of granting them to the Corporation of the Borough of Lyttelton, From Mr John L. Carrell, Secretary of the City of Norwich Lodge of Oddfellows, asking that Winchester street and the approaches to the hall should be repaired. From Mr H. N. Naldor, Borough Solicitor, containing opinion regarding auctioneers’ licenses, to the effect that an auctioneer’s license granted in Christchurch was available in the whole provincial district of Canterbury. The Mayor said the first letter for their consideration was that from the Town Clerk, Christchurch, regarding the proposed conference in Wellington. He should be happy to hear an opinion on the subject, and was willing to go himself if necessary. Cr Wilcox thought that delegates from the various Municipalities in Canterbury might meet in Canterbury, the Otago delegates in Otago, and so on in each of the provincial districts, lie saw no necessity whatever for delegates meeting in Wellington. They had their special representatives in Wellington to look after their interests. Crs, Allwright and Macdonald agreed with Cr. Willcox. The Mayor said he supposed the object of the meeting of delegates in Wellington woidd be to arrange a certain course of action to recommend to the Government. Cr. Cunningham thought the best course would be to have a meeting in Christchurch. He thought the Mayor should see the Mayor of Christchurch and try to arrange this. He moved- —“ That this Council is of opinion that a meeting in Christchurch should first be held to discuss the matter, and that the Mayor act as delegate ; the Mayor of Christchurch to bo written to suggesting the holding of such a meeting.” Seconded by Cr. Macdonald, and carried. Regarding the communication from the Department for Justice in reference to purchasing the land at the back of Lyttelton Gaol, it was resolved — “ That the head gaoler, Mr Phillips, be applied to for a correct plan of the land required, and when sent in that the plan should be considered by the estates committee, and a valuator appointed by them.” Respecting the request from the secretary of the Oddfellows, asking that Winchester street be repaired, it was resolved that the Oddfellows be written to informing them that the matter was already in the hands of the works committee, and the repairs to the street had been commenced. A letter was read from Cr. F. Graham applying forleave of absence. The request was granted. Cr. Willcox, as chairman of the committee appointed to confer with the Gas Company, said nothing definite had yet been done, but lie should be able to bring up a report next meeting. A report of the foreman of works was then read, It ran aa follows

I beg to report on th,e work that lias been done in the town duping the past fortnight. Newton has delivered about 11G yards of metal from his quarry in Dampicr’s Bay, which has been put on Brittain terrace from the Orphanage to the well. It will take ton to twelve yards more to complete that road, the balance will bo put on Dublin street. I would recommend that another 100 yards bo ordered from him when he has completed his contract, as the stone is a good sample. The stone from Graham’s quarry is being broken as fast as possible and put on in various parts of the town where most required. There is still about 100 yards of this metal to break, as Norwich Quay requires metalling from Oxford street to Canterbury street. I would recommend the 100 yards be placed there, and more ordered for Oxford street, from Canterbury Hotel to London street. The whole of the 400 yards is, as nearly as I can judge, delivered, but the last lot has not yet been stacked for measurement. Higgs has commenced to get out the metal ordered from him for Selwyn terrace, and I believe will deliver most of it during the ensuing fortnight. Tenders have been called for 200 yards of metal from Sticking Point for the upper part of Canterbury street, tenders for which will be laid to-night before the Council. Kilburn has not completed his contract for culvert in St David street; there are still two or three days’ more work, and the iron covers for manholes to put in. Stinson has completed the culvert in Exeter street, and is now engaged in filling up the roadway over it, which will be completed this week. About 150 yards of metal have been taken from the back of the Time Ball Tower and put on Oxford street and St David street. There is some fine stone from the same place which I intend to have screened for the footpath in Winchester street, and it will be put on this week as far as it will go. Cr. Hawkins called attention to the state of the wall on the Sumner road, past Sticking Point. The foreman of works stated that ho had arranged for having the wall referred to repaired. Accounts amounting to LI 00 2s XOd were passed for payment. The Mayor reported that he had visited the waterworks on Friday last. The engine was workin;; well, the stroke being 24 per minute, which, at seven gallons per stroke, was equal to 168 gallons per minute. The indicator

then shewed 2ft. bin. of water in the reservoir, and the water seemed very clear. There was a small deposit of sand, but one could plainly see the bottom of the reservoir, lie had since heard, however, that a pipe had burst, and he noticed that, day that the indicator was still in the same place, showing no increase of water in the reservoir. There had been no communication from the Government on the matter. Tenders for supply of broken metal for Canterbury street were opened, and Mr Graham’s at six shillings and sixpence per yard accepted. Or Holmes moved his regular motion that £2O be expended on a footpath round Dampicr’s Buy road ; there being no seconder the motion lapsed. The old Estates Committee having resigned, a new one, consisting of his Worship the Mayor and Crs Hawkins and Parsons, was appointed, his Worship the Mayor to be chairman. Cr Allwright spoke at length on the advisableness of appointing licensed porters. There were a number of people who frequented the wharf who were in the habit of charging exorbitantly for carrying luggage. He found on enquiry that these people were not licensed watermen but generally strangers. By appointing licensed porters and making them wear a badge, they would he thought be conferring a public benefit. He at first thought he should meet with opposition from the watermen, but found they were willing to accede to the following byc-laws, which he would road to them: —Ist. The fee payable for a porter’s license shall be 10s per annum. 2nd. The fares to be taken by licensed porters within the borough of Lyttelton, shall be, for a load of one or more parcels or packages of such form and nature as may reasonably be carried by one man, and not in tire whole exceeding a weight of 561bs avoirdupois, for any distance not exceeding half a mile, one way, the sum of one shilling, and for every additional 561bs or part thereof an additional sum of Is, and for every additional half mile or part thereof one way an additional full fare. He would move—“ That in the opinion of this Council it is advisable to bring bye-laws into force for the regulation of porters.” Seconded by Cr Cunningham and carried. It was further resolved—“ That the solicitor be instructed to draft such bye-laws as he thinks necessary, and that they be published forthwith. It was determined that a special meeting for the purpose of considering the byelaws regarding licensed porters be held at 7 p.m. on June 11th. The Mayor said he had received a telegram from the Governor’s secretary stating that His Excellency would be in Lyttelton on the 4th of June. The Council then adjourned.