CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1002, 11 September 1877, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, September 10. The final meeting of the outgoing Council was held at 4 p.tn. Present—His Worship the Mayor, Crs. Ick, Nathan, Turner, Hobbs, Jones, and Bird. The minutes of the previous meeting were read, and having been slightly amended were confirmed. PUBLIC MEETING. The Mayor said that, in compliance with a requisition presented to him, he had called a public meeting of ratepayers, to be held at the Oddfellows’ Hall on Wednesday evening, at half-past seven. FINANCIAL. The Town Clerk reported as follows Received for week ending Aug. 31st—General rate, 1877, <£l3s Is; Waimakariri do., £27 lbs 2d; rent of market place, 7s; carrier.-’ licenses, 15s; dog tax, £i IDs; fines from .Resident Magistrate’s Court, £5; Customs, £2 ; drainage rate, TUB 15s sd: total receipts for week, £270 18s 7d. Received for week ending September Bth—General rate, 1877, £24S 4s; Waimakariri do, <£ll 7s Id; rent of market place, 7s; account 11 or.it 10 street, £1; fire prevention refund, £i 5s ; account GressoiTs right of way, £0 17s (id; dog tax, £3; lines IVom Resident Magistrates Court, <£'• 5:- ; I 'minage Hoard rale,' 'T'CfP Id ; total • <;f. i|.f ; forwoid.. £,>uS Its 2d. t’-e'.'i.-ij>tc ioi , tnig!i | ., £679 1.2 s L'd Credit at lia ik. on general recount, £1733 19s 5(1; on dr image loan account, £lB9 15s 5d : on drainage rate account, £2385 Us sd; cr., on drain'go account iNo. 2, £l7b ids 9il; hills paid and to be paid by works committee for fortnight, £(305 I Us 9d. Cr Turner said before the accounts were passed lie wished to mention that an amount of £37 had been entered on (he sheet by the finance committee for expenses incurred by Cr Hobbs while acting as delegate to Wellington. That amount was merely the actual sum Cr Hobbs had been out of pocket, and vt us simply the bare proportion ol the excuses of tUu eeufuruuw. There were, ui

course, many incidental items that could not be entered in charges account, but it was his opinion that a cheque should be made out for a lump sum of £SO to cover these incidental expenses incurred. He -would move “ That a sum of £SO be paid for expenses incuri’ed at the recent conference of municipal delegates.” Cr Jones seconded the motion, and said that even in this amount loss of time would not be taken into consideration. Cr Hobbs said he had no desire to charge more than what he had actually been out of pocket, and had willingly devoted his time to the interests of the citizens. He would, however, leave the matter in the hands of the Council. On being put the resolution was agreed to unanimously. surveyor’s report. The surveyor reported— No. 1. The works committee last week handed me a letter from Mr Wilmer enclosing a report from Mr Jacobsen relative to the drainage of Dnrhn’" street south, and requested me to report upon it — I cannot alter the opinion which I expressed some time back on the same subject, which was that the channels ought not to be lowered but that the land should be drained into the open sewer. If Mr Jacobsen had asked me a few questions before making his report, I should have saved him from falling into the errors that he has in the matter in the endeavour to cany out the wishes of his client, and at the same time trying to prove that my work was carried on in an unsystematic manner. Mr Jacobsen assumes that the channels in Montreal and Durham streets are to be connected, which never was and is not my intention. Montreal street is an exceptional case, and the channels in that street have been necessarily kept down in order to obtain a sufficient fall for the water, and that fall is not to be continued to the Belt, as, if it were done, it would necessitate the lowering of the Belt at that place 30 inches. Mr Jacobsen also points out that there is a fall of one foot from Durham street to Colombo street, and that consequently Durham street channels could be lowered, but if that were done it would deprive the Bolt channel of the necessary fall. As the subject of channels not being low enough to drain all places about Christchurch has caused a great deal of dissatisfaction to be expressed by those persons owning low lying ground, perhaps a few remarks on the subject wall not be inopportune. Had I been dealing with the surface of the town as it existed twenty years ago I should have pursued a very different system to that which I have now been compelled to adopt. It must be borne in mind that when I commenced the channelling of the city, the levels of many of the streets were irrevocably fixed, and therefore I could only endeavor to bring my work in to suit that which was already done, instead of carrying out an independent system. The principle I laid down for myself to work upon was, to embrace the maximum amount of good to be derived from surface drainage combined with the minimum amount of expenditure in raising or lowering streets. In carrying out the channelling of the city I did not consider it so much my duty to study land requiring drainage as i was to drain the streets and make them as levc and convenient for traffic as possible, although I have endeavored as far as practicable to make the channels of use in draining land as well as streets, but owing to the city being so flat, and containing so many streets intersecting each other, it has often been a difficult matter to obtain the necessary fall to carry off the water. Ido not pretend to say that the work is faultless, but when it is remembered that upwards of fifty miles of channels have been laid down since I commenced the work I think the errors, if any, will be found to be very few indeed. No. 2. Mr Strouts’ map, which was submitted to the Council, I find to be correct, I have therefoi’e signed it as the official map of Christchurch. No. 3. Mr Merson’s letter, concerning an accident in Tuam street, said to be caused by the steam roller, was referred by the Council to report upon. The man who had charge of the roller at the time of the accident says that when the horse bolted the roller was standing perfectly still, and that he himself jumped off the roller and ran to the horse’s head, and he also says that only a boy, ten or twelve years of age, was in charge of the horse and cart. No. 4. The Armagh street channel, complained of by Messrs Ross and Barker, I find has a good fall, but the annoyance complained of is caused by a quantity of dirty water being turned into the channel without any clean water to flush it, and I find that to obtain a supply of clean water at the upper end of the channel would be rather difficult and expensive. Consideration of clause No. 1 was deferred. On the motion of Cr. Hobbs, Mr Strouts’ map was made the official map of Christchurch. Relative to clause No. 3, it was decided not to entertain Mr Merson’s claim. Clause No. 4 was referred to the works committee, with power to act. VOTE OF THANKS TO CR, HOBBS. Cr. Jones, after some eulogistic remarks, moved—“ That on behalf of the citizens of Christchurch this Council awards a cordial vote of thanks to Cr. Frederick Hobbs for the energy and ability with which lie has discharged his duties as city councillor for a period of seven years, and for the devotion to the interests of the ratepayers displayed during his term of office as Mayor of the city for the years 1875 and 1876 ; and that an illuminated copy of this resolution be presented to Cr. Hobbs, with the seal of the Council attached, and that his Worship be requested to present the same.” Cr. Bird seconded the motion with pleasure, and endorsed all that had fallen from the mover of it. Cr. Hobbs said he would thank the Council later on. The motion was agreed to unanimously. RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT, Cr. Hobbs moved-—“ That a respectful request be transmitted to Messrs Stevens, Richardson, and Moorhouse, members for the city, asking them to wait on the Government anil represent the urgent necessity that exists for more suitable provision being made for a Resident Magistrate’s Court in Christchurch.” He referred to the exceeding bad state of the present Court, which was quite unfit for the purpose, and in wet -weather was simply uninhabitable. Some action had been taken on a former occasion to secure the late Provincial Council Hall as a Magistrate’s Court, and he would suggest that this matter should be followed up. Cr. Ick seconded the motion, and compared (he present Magistrate’s Court to the Cal- • illla Mark hole. The resolution was agreed (o. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was read from the Local Board of Health, in reply, expressing inability to comply with the Council’s request to join in the expense of fencing the night soil reserve. The. telegram from the Attorney-General /■/; .Municipal Corporations Act., and which lias already been published, was read. A letter was read from the manager of the Bank of New Zealand, in reply, saying it was understood that the Council was to be allowed lo overdraw within the limits prescribed by law. The amount of such overdraft to be arranged from time to time—the Bank ta Iwvo notice wlfiiu Uic tamo w&t|re^uu:cd,

A second letter was read from same Bank, enclosing fixed deposit receipt at twelve months for £4SO IBs 9d in favor of Messrs. E. C. J. Stevens and D. Craig, Sinking Euud Commissioners.

A letter, acknowledging deposit receipt referred to, was also read from Mr D. Craig. A letter was read from J. Marslunan, Commissioner of Crown Bands, informing the Council that notice on the part of the Government has been given to the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association determining the tenancy of the land and premises now held from the Association as the Christchurch pound, after 31st March next. It had occurred to him that intimation of this intention should be conveyed to the Council, as the discontinuing of this would render it necessary for the City Council to make some other “ Pound ” arrangements. Referred to incoming Council. A letter was read from the town clerk, Thames Council, forwarding copy of resolution passed by that body with reference to the proposed District Railways Bill, and asking the co-operation of the Christchurch Council. A second letter from same official was read forwarding copy of petition to the House of Representatives, asking that a clause might be inserted in the Municipal Corporations Act “ preventing any other local authority but the Council of a borough exercising control or authority within the limits of such borough.” The letters and documents were ordered to be laid upon the table for reference. A letter was read from the Drainage Board in reply, suggesting that the Council should make an enlarged concrete channel as a means of surface drainage from Madras to Barbadoes streets, pending a permanent system of drainage. Referred to the incoming Council. A letter was read from Mr E. C. J. Stevens, Wellington, acknowledging with thanks receipt of letter, accompanying copy of resolution passed at a public meeting of artizans held in Christchurch on 16th August. The following letter on same subject, bearing date sth September, was rend from the Under Secretary for Public Works : —“ The lion, the Minister for Public Works directs me to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 31st August, forwarding a copy of sundry resolutions passed at a public meeting of artizans held in Christchurch on the 16th of same month. lam in’reply to state that the Government will give these resolutions due consideration, it being their desire, so far as is compatible with reasonable economy, to encourage the manufacture of railway and other plant within the colony.” The following letters had been received since last sitting of the Council, and attended to ; —From Mrs Worsley, T. Claude Napier, City Reserves, Petition for Public Meeting, Town Clerk, Wellington; Spreydon Road Board, Local Board of Health. Several letters were read asking for remission of rates through illness and indigent circumstances. i The Collector reported favorably, and on shc motion of Or. Ick, seconded by Cr. Hobbs, the rates of the applicants were remitted. CONTEACT TOE SHINGLE. Cr. Ick said he had to bring the question of Mr J. L. Wilson’s contract for shingle before the Council. The contract should have been completed in May last, and was only now finished, and under the terms Mr Wilson could be made to forfeit his deposit of £3O. Though it would be a bad precedent to establish to look over this, yet Mr Wilson had shown very great energy during his contract, and had been very much delayed during the grain season for want of trucks. The works committee, however, desired to leave the matter in the hands of the Council. Cr. Jones moved —“That the balance of Mr Wilson’s account be paid.” The motion was seconded. Cr. Turner, though not wishing to mulct Mr Wilson of the amount of his deposit, thought he should first show cause before it was returned to him. He would move as an amendment —“ That the works committee examine into Mr Wilson’s application for the settlement of his contract for shingle, and they be empowered to pay his claim or withhold the deposit as they may deem proper, the Mayor to act with the members of the works committee in this matter.” Cr. Nathan seconded the amendment, which was carried. INSPECTOIi’S EE voire. The ordinary fortnightly report of the Inspcctor was read and adopted. LICENSES. A number of licenses were granted. BUILDING ACT. In reply to Cr. Bird, Cr. Turner said that the bye-law relating to the Building Act was | sudiciently advanced to be completed in one I or two meetings. He had held the opinion that the Building Act should have been assimilated to the Dunedin and Timaru Acts, which had been framed on the Melbourne Act, His own belief had been that though the city to the belts should have been taken in on the building block, any person might have been allowed to build with w'ood or galvanised iron provided he did so 30ft. clear of any other building. Memoranda had been received from architects here showing that exceptional regulations would have to be made for Christchurch, and but for these the bye-law might now have been working. CITS’ BATHS. Cr. Hawkes, who here entered the Chamber, apologised for being delayed, and moved a list of regulations for the baths during the coming season, which were agreed to. The Council then adjourned.