CITY COUNCIL

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1030, 13 October 1877, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL

SPECIAL MEETING. There was a special meeting of the City Council last evening, the object being to consider the advisableness of the Council’s resuming the functions of the Local Board of Health. Present—The Mayor and all the Councillors. The Mayor stated that the meeting had been called for the purpose of considering the resumption by the Council of the powers of the Local Board of Health, and a letter from Mr E. C. J. Stevens, M.H.R., in reference to the Provincial Council Chamber. THE MINUTES. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. TOTE OF THANKS. Mr Stevens’s letter having been considered, it was resolved, on the motion of Cr. Ick, that Mr Stevens should receive the thanks of the Council for his attendance that night, in connection with matters of interest to the city. Mr Stevens said he would always be glad to do what he could to advance the interests of the city. LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH. The Mayor stated that he had opened the question last meeting, and had been requested to call a special meeting, which he had done. He considered it necessary for the Council to resume the powers of the Local Board of Health. It was the city’s duty to lock after the cleanliness of the town, and that was a matter intimately connected with the health of the citizens. Besides the business of the Local Board of Health could be more economically conducted by the Council than by the Drainage Board, as it was connected with the regular work of the Council. It was a mistake in the first case to transfer the powers to the Drainage Board, which, had not had them long before it came down on the Council with a request for £IOOO. The work could have been done by the Council for £IOO. There was another objection to the Drainage Board retaining the powers, for it was now asking for authority to levy a rate in the city as elsewhere to carry out work in connection with the Local Board of Health. It would therefore be much better for the citizens if the powers were restored to the Council. The town would derive no benefit fi’om the Drainage Board retaining the powers of the Local Board of Health, and he thought it right for the Council to consider the advisability of requesting the Government to convey back the powers in question to the Council.

Cr. Bickerton then moved —“ That this Council desires to be constituted the Local Board of Health for the city of Christchurch.” Cr. Toomer seconded the motion.

Cr. Thomson was one of those who objected to the course advocated. He had expected Cr. Bickerton to give reasons for his motion, but not a single argument had been adduced, nothing but assertion. Ho difficulty had arisen in connection with the Drainage Board’s discharging the duties of the Board of Health. As a matter of fact, one Inspector of Huisances did all the work within the city, and no matter who paid him, the object was to carry out the Act so as to conserve the health of the citizens. Since the Drainage Board had undertaken the work it had at least not been done less efliciently than it was formerly done by the Council. The Drainage Board, too, had jurisdiction over the whole district, and it could not fail of being beneficial that the work of the town and suburbs should be executed under the control of the body ■ with the most extended authority. The Mayor had said that the Drainage Board had asked the Council for £IOOO. They had asked for some money, because the Act gave them no power to spend money except on drainage. The Board paid its own doctor who attended to the general work under its jurisdiction, and if the Council resumed the powers of the Local Board of Health a difficulty would arise in connection with the payment of that officer. At present the Council’s inspector did all the work within the city, the Board’s officer the work in the outside district. There was no fear of the Drainage Board abusing its powers, as it was an elective body and could be called to account like the Council. The Drainage Board had not the slightest objection to give up the powers in question, but as citizens they knew that these powers could be better exercised by them as a Drainage Board than by the City Council. The step proposed to be taken was retrogressive, as the Board’s jurisdiction was more extensive in the matters of health than that of the Council, and their management of these matters would therefore be more effectual. For these reasons he opposed the motion. Cr. Ick said that was the first time he had heard of the Drainage Board being an economical body. It was patent that it had not shown much economy in the payment of its officers. The Local Board of Health possessed powers which it was desirable the Council should have. As a matter of fact the Council | had made a drain through a certain part j of the town, and the owner of the section j through which the drain had to pass brought ! a case against the Council in the Magistrate’s ! Court, and judgment was given against the Council, because not being the Local Board of Health it had not power to make the drain in question. The Local Board of Health had also power to inspect lodging houses, and he thought it very desirable that the Council should possess that, as disease often spread from such places. Every other City Council in the colony acted as Local Board of Health, and he objected to any power passing from the Council. He did so at the time that it was allowed to pass to the Drainage Board, and he was fully persuaded that it should be restored to the Council. Cr. Bird supported the resolution for the reasons advanced by those who had spoken in its favor. The question of rating the city for the payment of the officers of the Local Board of Health was involved, and therefore that Board’s powers should vest in the Council, which should be very chary of its powers. It was only by a fiukc that the Drainage Board had got the powers of the Local Board of Health, and without due consideration being given the matter, which was a pity. The work of the Local Board of Health would be better looked after by the Council’s servants than by those of the Drainage Board. Cr, Ruddenklau would support the resolution. The Council had to attend to the sanitary matters of the town, and he was satisfied that its authority would clash sooner or later with that of the Drainage Board if the latter body were to retain the powers of the Local Board of Health. Ho had expected that the Drainage Board when it became Local Board of Health -would have attended to all sanitary matters within the town, but the responsibility and expense was still allowed to rest on the Council, while the Drainage Board got all

the credit. He did not believe in having two authorities within the town. Cr. Pratt thought it desirable that the Drainage Board should still act as Board of Health outside the city, but the Council should certainly exercise the powers inside (lie town, more particularly as in any case it had to do most of the work and to pay for it. The proposed change need not diminish tin powers of the Drainage Board one iota, neither need there be a iy clashing of powers Cr. Briggs felt it to be his duty to support, the resolution. The principal difficulty which seemed to stand in the way of the Council’s resumption of these powers was the question of the medical officer, but they had examples of two Hoad Boards employing one surveyor in common, and surely the Council as Local Board of Health within the city, and the Drainage Board as exercising similar powers outside the town, could agree as to what proportion each should pay towards the salary of one medical officer. If there were no possibility of this being done, all he could say was that he would very much deprecate the powers of the Local Board of Health being relagated to Road Boards; but he thought an arrangement in the manner indicated could be easily affected. Cr. Thomson explained that the case referred to as having been decided against the Council in the Magistrate’s Court, had been so decided solely because the action had been lodged under the wrong clause of the Act. The resolution was then put and carried. It was resolved that the Mayor should forward copy of the resolution to the Colonial Secretary, with a request that the increase of rating power in the City of Christchurch askeef for by the Drainage Board should not be granted. The Council then adjourned.