CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1240, 26 February 1878, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

The City Council held an ordinary meeting last night. Present—The Mayor (in the chair), Crs. Ick, Euddenklau, Briggs, Toomer, Eadcliffe, Jameson, and Pratt. The minutes of the special meeting held on Saturday were read and confirmed. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Another month's leave of absence was granted to Cr. Bird. FINANCE. The Town Clerk reported that the amount received during the fortnight last passed was £IOO4. 8s lid. Drainage Board rate, £257 Is 3d. Drainage loan account. —Cr. balance, £l6O 14b 6d; Dr. balance, £379 9s 2d. Bills to be paid—Drainage rate account—Credit in Bank, £1392 6s lOd. Drainage accountBills to be paid, Drainage Board, £428 19s 7d. Accounts passed by works committee, £192 8s Id ; bills to bo paid, £223 lis lid. The accounts as read were passed. surveyor's eeport. The following was read : 1. A petition to this Council to take over certain streets in;,the south-east quarter* pre-" sented by Mr TV'! Wilson and others, was referred to ine to report upon. The above mentioned streets are not in a condition to be taken over by the Council, inasmuch ao they fire not properly formed and shingled, not channelled, and not asphalted. 2. The contractors for the Barbadoes street work have abandoned their contract, and the works committee have given me instructions to carry out this work in accordance with the plan and specification by day labor. The work was commenced last Wednesday, and will be pushed forward with all possible expedition in order to have it o;mpleted beforo the wet weather set* in. C. Walxden, City Surveyor. Cr Ick moved—" That the Town Clerk be directed to inform the petitioners that Mr Wilson had not conformed with the resolution passed some time since by the Council." It would be unjust that the ratepayers should be taxed to improve the property of persons who were already making enormous profits by the sale of their land. Cr. Jameson seconded the motion. Cr. Euddenklau thought it bard that the owners of property should be compelled to asphalt the foo l paths. Cr. Briggs called the last speaker's attention to clause 103 of the Act. The Mayor said the necessity of the making of the street in accordance with the resolution of the Council had been fully advertised. The motion was agreed to, and the surveyor's report as a whole was passed. WILLOWS. Cr Ick suggested the thinning out. of willows which have overgrown the river between Manchester street and the East bi.lt, and proposed that the works committee have power to thin the willows where required. The motion was agreed to. BUILDINGS BY-LAW. Cr. Pratt reported that the works committee had considered the regulations necessary for buildings within the city, and had framed a by-law dealing with them. The bylaw, which was very voluminous, was read by the Town Clerk. Cr. Pratt desired to acknowledge, on the part of the committee, their obligation to Mr Strouts for the trouble lie had taken in furnishing the committee with every information connected with the by-law. He moved—" That, in terms of the Municipal Corporations Act, a special meeting of this Council ba held on Thursday, the 7th Mnrch next, to adopt the by-law." Cr. Jameson seconded the motion, which was unanimously agreed to. BOBOUGH RESERVE. A letter from the Akaroa Council was read, asking under what conditions it was proposed by the Christchurch City Council to lease their reserve of 2000 acres. The town clerk WW directed to acknowledge receipt of the

letter, and to inform the Akaroa Council that the arrangements are not yet completed, but when they are due notice of the same will be given. PERMISSION TO ERECT SCAFFOLDING. A letter was read from Mr R. Parker, asking permission to erect scaffolding in front of a now building which ho is nutting up in Cashel street. He was referred to the city surveyor. counsel's opinion be assessment. The following opinion from Dr. Foster, in re Mr Cuff's nssossment, was read : I understand the facts to be that Mr Cuff was appointed valuer b/ the City Council under the 4th a: ction of the Rating Act; that he made his valuation and transmitted it to the Council by the 15th January, as required by the 6th section ; that the Council caused tin valuation to be publicly notified, and gave notice to the ratepayers individually, as required by tho 12th section ; and that after giving this notice, but not later than the 15th January, the Council objected to some of the valuations, as proided by sections 14 and 16. Th'3 question for my consideration is whether th-3 Council are precluded by hiving sent out the notices above referred to, from afterwards objecting to particular valuations, I am of opinion that the Council are not precluded. Charles J. Foster. February 25th, 1878. POST OFFICE PILLARS. A letter from the Poet oifice, declining to accede to the request of the Council that it should be notified on the pillar boxes that newspapers might bo posted, was read. The letter stated that it would be impossible to allow the pillar boxes to be used for newspapers. Cr. Ick considered this a case of " how not to do it." The allowing of newspapers to be posted in the pillars would be a great convenience to the public, and would be a means of disseminating information about New Zealand by means of newspapers which otherwise would never reach home. He moved —" That his Worship tho Mayor wait upon the Hon. the Postmaster-General and represent the matter to him." The motion was duly seconded and agreed to. FOOTPATH AT THE POST OFFICE. Cr. Jameson called attention to the miserable condition of the path near the Post oifice, and moved thai: the Council kerb and asphalte the path on the east side. Cr. Briggs fully approved of the motion. The matter was referred to the public works committee, with a recommendation that it be carried out at once. LYTTELTON STEEET SOUTH. A letter was read from the Local Board of Health calling attention to tho bad drainage of Lyttelton street South. The matter was referred to the Inspector of Nuisances. M3DICAL OFFICER'S REPORT. The report of the medical officer of the Local Board of Health was read. Its substance has already appeared in the report of the proceedings of the Board of Health at their last meeting. Cr. Ick regretted that the services of the public analyst had been dispensed with by the Government, apparently to save a paltry £IOO a year. He thought the Council should join the Board of Health in strong representation'to the Government of the mistake that had been made. If Sir George Grey visited Christchurch it would be most desirable to bring the matter before him. Cr. Jameson did not think the analyst would be able to help in the matter. The Board of Health, he thought, should take action at once, and if necessary, the Coiancil should assist the Board. Cr. Ick reminded Cr. Jameson that the Council were taking upon themselves the duties of the Board of Health. The Mayor suggested that a committee should bo formed to arrange what should bo laid before the Premier on his visit to Christchurch. Some discussion followed, in the course of which the questions of inspection of dairie,s and the abolition of cesspits were dealt with. The whole matter was referred to the sanitary committee. AVON STREET. A petition was read from the inhabitants of Oxford Terrace, asking the Council to form a portion of that terrcce from Avon street to its junction with Xiluaoro street at tho E.;et belt.

It was referred to the city surveyor to report upon. hospital and charitable institutions. A letter from the Colonial Secretary was read referring to the taking over by the CityCouncil of the hospital and charitable institutions. The letter has already been published. The Mayo? remarked upon the difficulty experienced in extracting from Government any information as to the manner in which the deductions from tlio subsidy had been made on account of the hospital, &c. Cr. Ruddenklau was in favor of the institutions named being managed by a Board. Cr. Jameson thought the Government assumed that the hospital should be cared for by the Christchurch Council. It was an institution for the whole district. The Mayor thought there should he some discussion as to whether a Board should be appointed to take over these institutions. The Government would certainly wash their hands of them. He thought that as the census was about to be taken there would be data to go upon by which contributions should be levied. Cr. Briggs suggested that a committee of management might be formed, consisting of the Mayors of Christchurch., Sydenham, Lyttelton, and Akaroa, with the chairmen of the various Counties interested. Cr. Jameson was in favor of the Mayors and chairmen of the County Councils having a conference relative to the matter. The district would certainly have to take it in hand.

The Mayor thought there should be more than one representative from each public body. The members of the Assembly for the district should also be asked to attend the conference.

Cr. Jameson moved that the Mayor be requested to invite to a conference the Mayor of each Municipality and the chairman of each County Council in the Provincial district of Canterbury, to consider the subject of the management of the Hospital and Charitable Aid.

Cr. Briggs seconded the motion, which was unanimously agreed to. COFFEE STALL. A petition was road from Mr Hiorns, askng for tho removal of a coffee stall which is stationed at night in front of his premises. Tho town clerk was directed to arrange the matter. OBSTRUCTIONS TO TIIE FOOTPATHS. The Mayor called attention to tho obstructions caused on the footpaths by the crowds bunging about tho theatre at night, and by dr.iys loaded with timber, which, backing up against the kerb, allow tho timber to prevent all traffic. The police appeared to take no notice of the nuisance. collector's report. The report of tho collector was read. inspector's report. Tho report of the inspector was read. After hearing it read, the Council, on tho motion of Cr. Briggs, resolved to request the Local Board of Health to appoint the City Inspector to be an officer under the Public Health Act. It was also resolved that, the Council should put in force tho clauses of the Act in reference to a nuisance in Durham street. THE WATER SUPPLY. Cr. Ick suggested that a special meeting of the Council should be called for the purpose of inspecting tho plans for tho proposed water supply, previous to submitting them to Mr Clark. He moved a resolution to that effect. Cr. Pratt seconded the motion, which was agreed to. JUDGE of assessment coukt. Cr. Briggs moved --" That in consequence of the time of the Eesident Magistrate being so fully occupied, it is desirable that the Government be requested to appoint a Judge of the Assessment Court." He thought that Mr Clark would be a mo3t fitting person .for tho position. Cr. Ick seconded the motion pro forma. He was strongly opposed to any one being substituted for Mr Melltsh, who was fully competent to act, and had now plenty of time for the purpose. Or, Euddenklau opposed the motion,

Cr. Pratt was in favor of tho motion, but if the Council were not unanimous he thought it would be well to withdraw the proposition. The Mayor reminded the Council that last year Mr Mellish refused to be Judge of the Assessment Court, but was compelled by Government. He (the Mayor) had spoken to Mr Mellish about the matter, and that gentleman sdd he would not object this year, seeing that his protest last year had not been attended to. The Act contemplated the appointment of some other "fit person" in certain cases. Cr. Briggs, with the permission of the Council, withdrew his resolution. Tho Council then adjourned till the following (this) evening, at 4 o'clock.