CITY COUNCIL

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1268, 11 April 1878, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL

The City Council last night, at half-past six, resumed the business of the ordinarymeeting adjourned from Monday. The following members were present:—His Worship the Mayor, and Crs. Ick, Ruddenklau, Jameson, Bickerton, Bird, and Briggs. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. MUNICIPAL LEAGUE. The letter (already published) from the Thames Council, re the formation of a municipal league, was taken into consideration. Cr. Ick thought the proposition an excellent one. As the Mayor was about to visit Auckland, he (Or. Ic;k) would suggest that the Mayor interview the Thames Council. He moved that a letter expressing cordial agreement with the proposition should in the meantime be sent to the Thames. Cr, Bickerton seconded the motion. Nothing more advantageous for municipalities could be devised. Cr. Bird quite concurred in what had been said. He referred to the power wielded by the Financial Reform League, the Anti-Corn-law League, &c. Cr. Jameson thought that one great drawback had been the apathy of our members in Parliament; one of them entirely neglected his duties, and should be replaced at next election. The motion of Cr, Ick, altered to the following—“ That this Council heartily cooperates in the formation of such a league,” was agreed to unanimously. CENTBAL CEMETEST. The Mayor stated what had been done in the matter of the conference re the central cemetery, and said that another meeting on the same subject would be held on the 26th instant. Cr. Bickerton moved—“ That the action of the Mayor in meeting the Selwyn Council be approved.” • The motion was duly seconded and agreed to. HOSPITALS AND CHAEITABLE AID. The following letters from the Colonial Secretary’s office were read : Colonial Secretary’s Office, Wellington, 26th March, 1878. To his Worship the Mayor of Christchurch. Sir,—l have the honor, by the direction of the Minister, acting for the Colonial Secretary, to inform you that the Government have read with much interest a report published in the “Lyttelton Times” of the 22nd inst. of the proceedings at a conference of the mayors of boroughs and chairmen of County Councils on the subject of the management of hospitals and charitable aid, held at the Christchurch City Council Chambers, on the 21st inst. The Government assume that that report is an accurate account of what took place at the meeting. ■ From it they gather that on the motion of his Worship the Mayor of Lyttelton, seconded by the Chairman of the County Council of Selwyn, the conference resolved that in their opinion the proposals made by the Government for the management and support of hospitals and charitable institutions are not calculated to pi ice such management upon a fair and satisfactory footing. ... It also appears that on the motion of the County Chairman of Selwyn, seconded by hjs Wor-hip the Mayoi) of Sydenham, the following ' resolution carried“ That in the opinion of this conference the proper management and support of hospitals and charitable institutions, and of charitable aid, would be best provided for by districts being defined, comprising counties or groups of counties, with contiguous or included municipalities which are likely to avail themselves of the same charitable institutions. That within such districts public charitable institutions should be administered and charitable aid distributed by a Board representing the Government and the several municipal bodies and County Councils included therein. That such portion of the cost of these institutions and of charitable aid as is required to bo provided by local bodies should bo contributed by the several municipalities and counties interested, in proportion to their population.” The Government are far from dissenting from the principles enunciated in these resolutions, their main object being to endeavor, as far as in them lies, in remodelling the institutions of the colony in ihe spirit of recent legislation, to do this in the manner and . on the principles best calculated ,to cai ry out the wishes of Parliament and to place the institutions which are the special subject of this correspondence upon a permanent, satisfactory, and economical footing. Adverting then to the resolution-of the Hon. Mr Hall, lam instructed to say that <he!ejovertime ht will gladly accept'its principles, merely adding I'liftf they ha'vo hd desire to be represented upon any Board that may be selected by the municipalities and County Councils for the adminjstyijiion of hospitals and charitable aid ; but would prefer that the administration of such institutions should be undertaken by those who po-sess a direct interest in seeing that their management is conducted In such a way as to ensure economy and efficiency. So long as matters remain in the condition in which they have existed for at least the past eighteen mouths, it is impossible that the Government can be sure that real economy is practised: that the best means me adopted for recovering from. Hospital patieutk such amounts as it may‘l)6 within fho : means of themselves or their relatives to contribute towards the expense* of tl,eir maintenance am] treatment, or that none but cases which should properly be admitted are so admitted; and in the matter of charitable aid, that none but really deserving and necessit ms cases are relieved. It needs no argument to show that local supervision at the hards of f ho a e who La.vo, a direct interest in fo tuq elficieiicy amt economy v;f the ■ina-u'agmpent of smjli institutions can i alone effectively ensure th<) attainment of these finds. It is Impossible that the present system can go on sati-factorily. The Government are now paying the whole expenditure of institutions which, it cannot be denied, arc pou- - ducted at an exceptionally heavy o„st, <jiti, the whole of tV,at pest as aeduetedHrom stihsidfes i ..inch would otherwise- l;e paid iq aid of tj,o funds rinsed by taxation 'from the. ra-ep yers borojlghs, poiU'.t’Os, and Road Boards. It \ appears, therefore, to the Government, that it : cannot but be to the advantage of those bodies i

to take the management of these local institutions into their own hands, be it on the principle proposed by the Government, or be it on that enunciated in Mr Hall’s resolution, to which, as I have said, the Government make no objection ; receiving from the consolidated fund an equivalent for all moneys collected, as in other parts of the colony, from private charity, or contributed by the local bodies, from whose subsidies all deductions on this account would in that case cease to be made. The Government will take into their careful consideration the question of reserves for endowments mooted in the resolution which was carried on the motion of Dr. Turnbull. In conclusion, I am directed to express to yon, and through you to convey to the other gentlemen who attended the Conference, the thanks of the Go vernment for the spirit of fairness and moderation, and the evident desire to aid the Government in their endeavours to place these institutio's on an improved and permanent basis which are discernible from the tone of the proceedings under review. I have. &c., G. S. Cooper. Colonial Secretary’s Office, Wellington, sth April, 1878. Sir, —I have the honor, by direction of tin Minister acting for the Colonial Secretary, to inform you that after the 30th June next the Government,will discontinue the present mode of distributing charitable aid. It is proposed to hand over to local institutions the administration and control of expenditure on account of charitable aid, the Government undertaking to contribute an equivalent to any sums raised by voluntary subscriptions or contributions which local bodies may make out of their funds, and will make no deductions from the mbsidios payable under the Financial Arrangements Act, 1876, to municipalities, &c. I have the honor to ho, sir, Your most obedient servant, G. S. Cooper, After some little discussion, Cr. Bickerton moved, “ That the receipt of the letters be acknowledged, and the Government bo informed that the letters would be submitted to the Conference.” The motion having boon seconded was agreed to. The Mayor stated that the resolutions carried at the Conference had been sent to the various public bodies interested, and replies would be received from them. The same resolutions he would now formally submit to the City Council. He then read them, as already published. Cr. Ick thought the resolutions as fair as could be, under all the circumstances. Cr. Jameson also approved of them. The proposed system would be economical. He moved —“ That this Council agrees with the principles embodied in the resolutions passed at the conference of mayors and chairmen of County Councils at its meeting on the 21st March last on the management of hospitals and charitable institutions.” Cr. Briggs sconded the motion. The Mayor reminded the Council that it was at his suggestion that the basis of the census population had been adopted. The proposal was to make one general Board for the whole district round Christchurch. If Timaru was going to take the southern portion of the district it could have a Board of its own. There would probably be branches in such places as Akaroa and Ashburton, where there would be Local Boards working under the general Board. Cr. Ruddenklau did not see why each county should not have a separate Board. A Central Board would not in his opinion, work at all. The Mayor said that it was a matter of no moment, because the contributions would be pro rata, Cr. Jameson’s motion was then agreed to. ASHBURTON COUNCIL. The Mayor read a letter from tho Ashburton County Council, agreeing to tho proposals of the Conference, for one year. SCATENOEEING. The sanitary committee reported that the tender of Mr John Brightling for scavengering was the lowest, and recommended its acceptance, the Council collecting the charges. It was as follows: —Closet pans, if collected by City Council, one pan 4d, two pans 3Jd each, three pans 3d each. If collected by contractor Id per pan to be added to the above charges. Rubbish, Id per foot, Is per half-yard, Is 6d per yard. Fitting and delivering, without material, Is each pan. Carting pans to sandhills (new system), one pan 7d, two pans 6£d each, three or more pans Gd each. The other tenderers were Mr T. Mason, Messrs Beard and Lake, W. Mayne and Co., and Mr James Fleming. Cr. Ick doubted the wisdom of the Council collecting the fees. Cr. Bickerton said tho committee had taken tho matter into serious consideration. The allowance thus gained would amount to £213 per annum, and the committee proposed that the inspector of nuisances should collect, and at the same time make his inspection. The committee intended to charge 6d per pan in order to cover the expense of trying experiments. The Mayor thought it would be unfair to charge that expenditure only to those who had pans. Cr. Jameson and Cr. Bickerton said that all the citizens would have pans immediately, as all cesspits would be at once closed, The Mayor reminded the Council that they were travelling beyond the record. Cr. Bird moved that the tender of John Brightling be accepted for three years. Cr. Ick seconded the motion, and it was agreed to. At this stage of the proceedings the Mayor vacated the chair, and Cr. Ick was moved into it. SWEEPING CHANNELS. The city surveyor read the specifications for cleansing the street channels, the contract for which is to commence on the Ist June. Cr. Bjrd moyed—Tiiat the sanitary committee have power to calj for tenders.” Or. Briggs seconded the motion, which was agreed to, The remainder of the business of the ordinary meeting was then postponed till after the special meeting, which was then proceeded with. SPECIAL MEETING. THE BUILDING BYLAW. The Chairman stated that tho special meeting had been adjourned for tho obtaining of an opinion from Dr. Foster as to the necessity or otherwise of advertising amendments to by-laws. The opinion was that unless such amendments made the by-law totally different from the original proposition, there was no necessity for advertising amendments. After furthur discussion, Cr. Bird moved the adoption of the by-law as amended. Cr. Jameson seconded the motion, which was agreed to ; and a further motion—“ That the seal of the Council bo affixed to the bylaw,” was also agreed to. The minutes of the special meeting were read and confirmed, and the Council then resumed the ordinary meeting. BREADS OST CONTRACT, Tho Ohairinah reported ' that the works committee wished to refer to the Council a difficulty whiop had occurred with a contractor for the supply of shingle, who was behind time to the extent of eight weeks. The penalty in the contract was 10a per day. It was resolved —“That the pcnalty.be enforced, and the contract be determined,” WATER SUPPLY. Mr Clark’s report on tho water schemes w n as read. Or. Jameson moved —“ That the Mayo? ho requested to commurJcato w.th tho owners of the various cchomeg 'With a request that they ■ will allsw'them to remain in the possession of the Council,” Cr. Bird seconded the motion pro forma, and suggested that such schemes as were likely to"be of use should ho published. Cr. Ruddenklau thought that Mr Clark had exceeded his duty by proposing that £IOO should be divided, arvong ali the cdmpO’ titovs, Ali yuu uuheiqW should Iho handed 1 ovefito g’ cbmmittee ; Vjh.O should the ! moat sudahlOj qnd udojlt means for having it , 1 curried out.

Gr, Briggs proposed the addition to Or. Jameson's motion of the words— 1 “ C,n the understanding that in fcbu event of any sphoxae being adopted, the projector thereof shall receive £IOG, and that the Council decline to accept Mr Clark’s suggestion to divide the BluO among all the competitors.” Cr. Jameson adopted the addition.

Or. Ick could not see that the Council could take the matter out of Mr Clark’s hands. He could not agree with the resolution.

The motion was then put from the chair, and carried. inspector's report. The Inspector’s report was read. It referred to the great nuisance caused by factory chimneys, especially by one, to the clipping of hedges, to cabmen, to kerosene licenses, to the sandhills, to breweries, to cabs, and to nuisances which had been, for the most part, abated on his giving not ice. The Inspector also stated that he was about to commence a house to house inspection. It was resolved that the inspector give notice to the owners of factory chimneys that they must abate Iho nuisance, and report the result. O. Biiggs called attention to the extreme youth of some cab drivers, and recommended that the Inspector enquire into the particulars. NEXT MEETING. Or. Briggs proposed —“ That the next meeting of the Council be held on Easter Wednesday,” The proposal was agreed to nem. con., and the Council then adjourned.