PUBLIC MEETING.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1041, 26 October 1877, Page 3

PUBLIC MEETING.

LOCAL BOAKL OF HEALTH. A public meeting was hold in the Oddfellows' Hall last night, at eight o'clock. The meeting had been convened by the Mayor, in pursuance to a resolution passed by the City ■Council, for the purpose of publicly considering the desirableness of the Council's resuming the functions of Local Board of Health within the city, and opposing the granting by legislation of any additional rating power to be exercised by" the Drainage Board within the city. The meeting was called for seven o clock, but it was a quarter-past eight before the Mayor ascended tjt-- platform. He oaid the Council the matter of such importance as to wamiut the calling oi a public meeting. He was sorry there was such a poor attendance, and ho put it to the meeting whether the business should be gone on with or deferred. The meeting had been called for seven o'clock, but a local iu the " Lyttelton Times " had stated that it would take place at

eight o'clock. A similar mistake had occurred on a previous occasion. Mr Ollivier thought there was a sufficiently large attendance to justify them to express an opinion as to whether the proposed legislation onjjthe public health question should be gone on with this session. He commented in strong terms on the fact that a knowledge of the new Act was not placed within the reach of anyone concerned till after it had passed the third reading in the House. The whole system of legislation on the subject was premature, and ought not to be carried into effect without being first submitted to the conside ■ ration of the residents concerned. He would move —" That in the opinion of this meeting it is expedient that the Bill entitled the Public Health Amendment Act should not be proceeded with until such time as the districts concerned have had time duly to consider the same." The Mayor remarked that there were now about seventy people in the hall, and after Mr Ollivier's observations he thought it better to proceed with the business. He then went on to detail the circumstance of the City Council's past connection with the Local Board of Health. Even after the transference of the powers of the Board of Health to the Drainage Board the Council had had to pay for the work, and now the Public Health Amendment Act proposed to give the Drainage Board power to call upon the Town Council to levy a twopenny rate for local health purposes, and if the Council failed to comply each member would be liable to a fine of £SO. Mr Ollivier then brought forward his motion, which was seconded by a ratepayer present. At the instance of Mr Nathan the Town Clerk read the proposed Health Act. Mr. L. E. Nathan then spoke in opposition to the motion. He held it to be highly necessary that a General Board of Health should be established in order that epidemics might be averted with decisiveness and with economy. Mr Andrews and Mr H. E. Alport supported the resolution. Mr Ollivier having replied, the motion was put and carried, Mr Nathan alone dissenting. Mr Ick moved—" That this meeting protests against any additional rating powers for local purposes being given to any body outside of the City Council for the city of Christchurch." He remarked that he and the present Mayor had always opposed the Council's passing the powers of the Local Board of Health to the Drainage Board. The ratepayers were already paying, in one way and another, 2s lid in the £, still it was proposed to give the Drainage Board power to rate them still further ! It had been stated in one of the papers—but they must not take must not take much notice of what appeared in the papers, as some of them knew how the strings were pulled—that a few hundred pounds would be all (hat would be required. Mr Pratt had much pleasure in seconding the resolution The Bill actually referred to embodied a principle against which the public had passed resolutions at a late meeting. Regarding the utterances of the newspapers on the subjects under discussion, he thought they were at least disingenuous. The motion was carried unanimously. Professor Bickerton moved—" That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that the powers to be exercised under the Public Health Act should be vested in the Christchurch City Council within the city, leaving the remainder of the drainage district to be dealt with by the Drainage Board." He referred in cutting terms to the apathy of the ratepayers of Christchurch in such matters as those before the meeting. Mr Ruddenklau seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Mr Briggs moved—" That it is desirable that copies of all Bill3 introduced into Parliament affecting municipalities should be furnished by the Government to such bodies as soon as printed." This was seconded by Professor Bickerton, and cari'ied without dissent. Mr Bird moved, and Mr Ick and Mr Toomer seconded—" That his Worship the Mayor be requested to forward the above resolutions to the Colonial Secretary and city members, with a request that effect may be given to the same during the present session."

This resolution was carried, and the usual courtesy to the chairman brought the proceedings to a close. There were 120 persons present towards the end of the meeting.