BOROUGH COUNCILS.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1261, 3 April 1878, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCILS.

LYTTELTON. Monday, Apeil 1. Present—His Worship the Mayor, Crs. Mticpherson, McClatehie, Parsons, Weyburne, Chalmers, H. Hawkins, and Macdonald. The clerk stated that £l3B 14s 3d had been received sinco last meeting. The following correspondence was read : —From 0. T. Batkin, Secretary to the Treasury, respecting deductions from subsidy for maintenance of hospitals. From C. N. Mackie, offering to rent Borough Council reserve at Rukaia for pastoral purposes. From railway department, stating that amount of money paid for labor involved in taking up Council's pipes from tunnel and reclaimed land had been £l6 16s, and requesting payment for same. From Mr Conyers, respecting telegraphic communication with Heathcote Valley Waterworks, stating that the railway department had no authority in the matter, and referring the Council to Dr. Lemon. From Mr Sheath, asking Council to give Malvern Hills coal a trial in their furnace at the waterworks at the Heathcote Valley. They could be supplied at Ids Gel per ton, and were used by Royao, Stead and Co., 2s.Z.P. and P. Co., J. L. Wilson, Addington Flour Mills, &c. From the secretary to the treasurer enclosing returns for Government grant to Council for half-year ending 30th June, 1878, as follows :—Limit of Is in the £ on the value of the rateable property, £1227 ; subsidy of 10s in the £ payable thereon, £613 10s, loss borough contribution towards the maintenance of hospitals, &0., for some period, £574 8s lOd ; amount due to borough forwarded by cheque, £39 Is 2d. From Mr Earnshaw, stating he had Inspector Broham's receipt for dog collars for Lyttelton Borough Council. From Messrs J. and P. Robinson, asking Council to put weightier metal opposite their new buildings and right-of-way in Oxford street, to allow of drays crossing. From Mr H. X. Nul.der, Btajbjng Mr Wijlinm Ravage wished to sell his interest in the lease of the British Hotel and premises by public auction, but before doing so wished to obtain consent of Council so that it might be stated at the time of sale that the Council will coDsont to hia assigning the lease should he be able to sell the same. From Henry Hewstone applying for porter's license. It was agreed that a cheque for £l6 16s should be forwarded to engineer office ae requeued for work in connectionwith raising pipes in t unneland onreolaimed land. Regarding JMr Mackie'srequest respecting renting Rakaia reserve, it was resolved that he be written to informing him that the Council were not in a position to rent the reserve, but that it would shortly be put up by public auction. Tho clerk was instructed to communicate with Dr. Lemon re telegraphic communication with Heathcote Valley waterworks, as suggested by Mr Conyers. It wus resolved to give tho Malvern Hills coal a trial, as suggested in Mr' Sheath's letter. Cr. McClatehie spoko strongly jn favor of the coals, as he thought a great saying mighc bo effected by using them, It was determined a truck of these goals should be ordered as a test. A long discussion took place regarding tho communication from the G-overament re subsidy. Crs. Chalmers, Macpherson, and hia Worship tho Mayor spoke at some length, tho latter relating " what had been done at the late conference. He said at that meeting it had been mooted that there was a probability of the Government subsidies ceasing entirely very shortly, and that being rumored the conclave refused to take any steps towards burdening themsejye's with oo*e management of hospitals and charitable institutions: Xb wae resolved that Mr Earnshaw 'b account should ba passed for payment, as the dog collars were understood to be in Sergeant-Major O'Grady's hands. Respecting the letter from Messrs John and Isaac Robinson, it was determined to inform them that their request could not be'acceded to. unless they paid the extra cost involved,'as tho path wan cqmpleted in front of their premises.' The application of Mr HewstOiie for a' porter's license was granted. Mr Sayago's application was granted,- subject to the' borough' apprpyal. A report o£ the foreman of works w£s res d. It stated that since lagfc meeting of the Council a water service had been jiaid qn at the Orphan Asylum, Royse, Stead and po.'s ghed at Heathcote Valley, and several private properties. The main oir in the Valley had been thoroughly cleansed out, and the work of refilling it was proceeding rapidly. Ih the event of a fire, there was no doubt that, with a full reservoir, four branches could be worked for twenty hours, independent of what could be pumped up in that time. It further recommended that a small house on the old bathing "shea »li>oj Damnier's Bay, should be sold. Tho foreman ojfvovfy V£§ authorised to dispone of the building mentioned in hi' import to tho best advantage. The Mayor stated that it had taken 24 hours to empty the reservoir at the Heathcote Valley. Drs. Rouse, Macdonald, and himsejf hud viVlted it at the time, and found comparatively little vegetable matter adhering to the sides and bottom. He thought the time taken by the , water in running out was ample proof that the supply W? sufficient for the purpose of extinguishing firen. Qt. Macdonald spoke strongly in favour of procuring-fi:*h ■ and placing them in the reservoir to feed upon ihg anhnalcuhe, which the Council would see by samples pf the water from the reservoir placed before tftem, ezjsted in considerable j numbers. As no perch ware pyoyur&bje. he though;; trout might'be got for the purpose. A number "of of the water were examined by the Qrf mu f ?h interest, the g2nprjy4 opinion appearing to be jchac pare H\f> "* 7 £#r ffijjght be ree from animal matter. Cv. Chalmers thought it would be a great advantage to havjfa &n alternative gervic» for sending water direct to Lyttelton without passing through the reservoir. He moved —" That it be ft recommendation to the water supply committee to make a .yi rc "t connection from the pumping station to Lyttelton." The work could be easily accomplished by fwoflpspting the pipes leading in and out of the rra°rvoir near entrance and exit of sfinie, and would not bo much expense. Cr. Weyburne spoke B'rongly in favor of tho motion, which was "seconded by Or. McClatehie, and carried. It

was pointed out that after the late flushing of the sewers, during the emptying of the reservoir, there had been more stench from tho gratings than before. His Worship the Mayor, Crs. Macpherson, Weyburne and others spoke strongly in favor of having the drains flushed with a larger body of water, as at present, when the mains were opened, the stream only ran in a small body through the culverts, disturbing tho refuse without carrying it clean away. Cr. Weyburne thought that by means of tanks placed at upper entrance of sewers a body of 700 or 800 gallons of water might bo emptied simultaneously down the drains, and would carry everything boforo it. All the councillors expressed themselves in favor of a scheme of this sort being curried out, and Cr. Macpherson moved —" That the works committee take into consideration some more efficient means of flushing the sewers." Seconded by Cr. Parsons, and carried. The question of placing fish in the reservoir was again discussed, and it was agreed to place gratings over the outlet pipe. Cr. Parsons moved, Cr. Macdonald seconded, and it was carried—" That the wator supply committee be requested to procure suitable fish to be placed in the reservoir at the Heathcoto." Cr. Macpherson moved—" That a rate of Is in the £ be struck on all the rateable property in the borough, to be paid on or before April 30th." The Mayor was authorised to make arrangements for the distribution of rate notices. Accounts amounting to £229 15s 5d woro passed for payment. An application from the railway for £4 3s 6d for storage of lamp-posts was considered, and, after discussion, left in the hands of the Mayor. Cr. Chalmers called attention to the number of cattle straying in the town. He moved — " That his Worship the Mayor be requested to employ a man for a few days to impound stray cattle, as an experiment." This was seconded by Cr. Macpherson and carried. The Council then adjourned.