CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1361, 25 June 1878, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, June 24. A special meeting of the Council was held at 7 p.m. Present —His Worship the Mayor, Crs. Pratt, Bickerton, Jameson, Euddenklau, Toomer, Briggs, Ick, and Bird. The Mayor said this was a special meeting called to take into consideration any suggestions which might be made of subjects for the consideration of the Municipal conference. A deputation was also present from the Tramway Company, who wished to see the Council on matters connected with the agreement between the Council and the company- As the deputation from the company was present, it would perhaps bo as well to take the business connected with the Tramway Company first. The deputation from the Tramway Company I comprised Hon. J. T. Peacock, Messrs J. E. Brown, Birch, Allan, G. Coleman, and J. G. Hawkes. His Worship said that he understood from tho town clerk that Dr. Foster was not present. He (the Mayor) had been under the impression that Dr. Poster would be present with the deed, which might be signed. Probably, however. Dr. Foster had misunderstood the meeting night, and had fixed his attendance for the regular meeting of the Council on Monday next, not thinking that the business would be brought forward at the special meeting on that evening. THE CHAIUTABLE AID QUESTION. The Mayor said that, while waiting for Dr. Foster, he might lay before the Council the objects of the conference. As regarded the charitable aid, the Government hid stated that they would cease to have anything to do with charitable aid after the 30th of June. On the 19th of June he telegraphed to the Colonial Secretary as follows : Christchurch, June 19th, IS7S. Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Great anxiety felt here re stopping distribution Charitable Aid end of mouth. Is Government prepared to undertake responsibility of throwing six hundred destitute persons ou the chance of private charity. Why not continue present system until local bodies are empowered by legislation to take control? IT. Thomson, Mayor. Ho waited some days for an answer, and if- he had not received one he should have been prepared to call a public mcetiug. Well,he received an answer telling him to wait until he received a letter. The letter was now before them. He might say that the letter was not address d to him, but to Mr March, and he was obliged to pick out what he could from it. The letter was as follows ! Colonial Secretary’s Office, Wellington, .Tune 19th. Sir,—Mr Marsh having asked the Government for definite instructions as to the administration of charitable aid offer the 90th iust., the CoLuial Secretary directed the letter of which I am to

enclose a copy for your Worship’s information to be sent as a reply. I have, &c., G. S. Cooper. His Worship the Mayor, Christchurch. Colonial Secretary’s Office, Wellington, 18th June, 18<8. Sir,—ln reply to your letter of the 15th inst., I have the honor, by direction of Colonel Whitmore, to state that, as yon were informed on the sth April last, the Government does not after tho 30th instant, propose to continue the system of distributing charitable aid directly from this office, being of opinion that such funds ns Parliament is prepared to devote to thfe purpose would bo more economically and more satisfactorily disbursed by local bodies |or local committees. On the 26th March last his Worship the Mayor of Christchurch was informed by direction of the Hon. Mr Ballance, in a letter of which a copy is enclosed, that Government was quite willing to accept the principle of Mr Hall’s resolution at tho Christchurch conference, dissenting only from the principle that it should bo represented on the Board. Prior to the dispatch of this letter the Government had placed itself in communication with the various local bodies, and explained the mode in which it was considered most desirable that Hospital and Benevolent establishments should be managed, requesting the co-operation of the localities in giving effect to their views. Consequently there has been ample time to organize local Boards or committees, especially in provincial districts where, as in Canterbury, the principle of the Government policy was accepted from the first. Colonel Whitmore will, therefore, hope to he informed before the 30th instant that local Boards have been elected for defined districts, and that a list of the paid-up subscriptions for each will be forwarded to Wellington in support of a claim to the subsidy of 20s per 20s which the Government proposes to ask Parliament to provide. As an example of how unequally and unsatisfactorily the present system works, I may mention that while at Dunedin, the most populous of our cities, charitable aid is distributed at no cost whatever to tho colony, and at .Auckland, the second in Eoint of population, the expenditure for the nancial year has amounted, up to the present date, to £5391; Christchurch, with less population, and at a time of great prosperity, has absorbed £9307 during the same period. The Government does not intend to expend less than it has hitherto done upon this item, but it is desirous of decentralising tho administration of what can only be done effectively and with discrimination by persons on the spot. M oreover the Government, agreeing in this with the Christchurch conference, considers that tho inhabitants themselves, either by subscriptions or by their local bodies, should fix the amount that is really required to relieve misfortune, without creating a trade of pauperism. I have the honor, &c., (Signed) G. S. Cooper. J. E March, Esq., Christchurch. Now they would agree with him that this was no answer to his telegram. But the letter was evidently written before Ministers went North, as on Sunday he got a telegram through the Hon. John Hall. That was the Mayor of Christchurch had to receive an answer to his telegram through the Hon. John Hall. That telegram was as follows: — Wellington, June 22.

His Worship the Mayor, Christchurch. I append copy of a telegram I have sent to the Hon. John Hall. In relation to charitable aid, has yonr county taken any action in the direction of the resolutions proposed and carried by yon at tho Christchurch conference, the principle of which was accepted by the Government, if either by benevolent association or the machinery of the local bodies, the provincial district is prepared to undertake distribution of charitable aid. I shall be ready after Ist July to give every facility, and will hand over monthly till organisation completed and subsidies can be accurately computed one-twelfth of the gross sum expended within the provincial district this year in charitable aid. The distribution among the localities should be made by themselves, and I will therefore pay the gross sum to the Mayor of Christchurch, or such person or body as they may select. I send copy of this to the Mayor of Christchurch. G. S. Whitmore. On receiving this, he immediately determined on summoning the conference at once, and the notices had been sent out for Thursday. There was one point about this which was very extraordinary. The Government said they did not want to save money; indeed they were going to pay more than ever. But they in Christchurch, though only a portion of the population, were to bo called upon to take the whole cost upon themselves without any chance of recouping. The country districts, of course, would say to their poor and sick ‘ ‘ Oh, you had better go to Christchurch, and get relief from the charitable aid.” The centres of population, as a matter of course, would draw all the poor to them, and they were asked, irrespective of the fact that the population of Christchurch bore only a small proportion to that of the districts, to carry on this organisation. The Government did not tell them how this was to be done. They simply threw the whole burden of organisation upon the city, "What they wanted —and this was tho direction he should take as a delegate to the conference —was that the districts should be charged in accordance with the proportion of patients and charitable aid recipients. He had thought it right to bring the matter before the Council, not that they had yet a voice in the matter, because the conference had to decide the matter first, and then the resolutions of the conference would come up for confirmation by the different bodies who were represented at the conference. The general opinion of the councillors was that the pre-ent state of the question was most unsatisfactory.

T3JE TRAMWAY COMPANY. The Mayor then said that the deputation from the Tramway Company were present that evening to lay certain matters before them. He would now ask them to state what they required Mr J. E. Brown, chairman of the Board of directors, said they had come there that evening to try and make an arrangement with the Council, as they had been unable to do so with the sub-committee. Some alterations in the original deed suggested by the City Solicitor had been acceded to by the company, but in a later interview with the tramway committee certain clauses were proposed to be inserted which were felt to be so inimical to the interests of the company that they seriously thought of abandoning the whole project if the clauses objected to were retained in the original deed. They had that day received a note from their solicitors stating that they had received an engrossed copy of the agreement, without their h iving had an opportunity of perusing the draft after the alterations had been inserted. There was this to be said, that if the clause he had referred to was retained, it became matter for consideration •whether they could proceed with the undertaking The company had no objection tp the Council imposing any penalties under the Tramways Act, but he would desire to point out that if the hundred and ore provisions made by the municipal authorities for the government of the city were enforced, it might mean ruin if the authorities were at any time inimical to the company. Furthermore, they were advised that the deed as drawn by Hr. Foster was inimical to the company. Cr. Briggs wished to know whether his Worship would teli him if the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act would apply as regarded councillors who were shareholders voting. It was clearly laid down in the Act that no councillor should vote on a matter in which he was personally interested. He, as a small shareholder in the Tramway Company, would like to know -whether this was the case or not. His Worship said that the clause of the Act applied in this case. Cr. Briggs said in that case he would retire and not vote on the matter. Dr. Foster gave a lengthy explanation of the matter connected with the engrossing of the Mr J. E. Brown said the whole question between the sub-committee and the company was simply the introduction of words which which would enable the Council to re-enter on the ground of breach of Municipal Corporations Act as well as breach of the Tramway Act. They had no objection to come under the Tramway Jameson, as one of the sub-committee, wished to state that the snb-committee were of opinion that the Council should meet the company in the matter. . . , After some further discussion it was resolved for a breach of the Municipal Corporations Act, be expunged.” , ~ ~ ~ , . Crs. Briggs, Pratt, and Euddenklau, being shareholders in the company, did not vote. A clause as to the reference of matters in dispute to the Governor was referred to the city solicitor and Mr Cowlishaw. The deputation then retired. THE MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE. The Council then proceeded to consider the matter to be referred to the proposed Municipal Cr. Bickerton brought before the Council the idea of the sanitary committee that the width ot a chain for new private streets was too much for them and tint they should return to the old width of forty feet for now private streets. Cr. Ick was surprised to hear a councillor oi of Cr. Bickerton’s professional ability make such a proposal as to establish these narrow lanes. If there was a great curse to Christchurch it was those narrow lanes and streets, aud as the city would in a years become very thickly populated, tuo iuea of narrow streets would mean simply hbtbeas of epidemics and disease. Only recently a request had come down from the Government, calling attention to the fact that the regulations as to the width ot private street! wore being contravened. He should resist to the utmost any attempt to allow the owners of private lauds to make small Bt Cr! PratfSght r that by making the regulation as to a chain wide private streets they had driven owners of property who could not gne chain wide to make alleys. He was ‘juito in

favor of wide streets, but he thought that these alleys had been the result of the by-law making it incumbent for private to he a chain wide. He thought forty feet wide was a very good width for a by street, Cr. Jame.-on agreed with Cr. Pratt, and thought that forty feet would bo wide enough for by streets. Cr. Euddenklau said he thought the Council should make it known that any street less than thirty feet would be blocked from wheel traffic. Cr. Briggs said that in Melbourne it w s found to bo of great convenience to have narrower streets Little Bourke and Little Collins streets were certainly not more than thirty-three feet wide, and they had this advantage, that they afforded a means of access to the ware houses, so as to relievo the main thoroughfares of the stoppage which would ensue. At present the main streets of Christchurch were stopped up with the receiving and delivering of goods, which in Melbourne was carried on in the back streets. . . , The Mayor said that their city differed from Melbourne inasmuch as all their streets were laid out. The streets now to bo made would only be from block to block, so that these streets would not be very lengthy. After some further discussion, it was resolved That it be a recommendation that for every private street the width shall not be less than 40ft.” , „ Cr. Jameson said that he thought they were hardly satisfied with tbe present system of Mayoral election. He would like to see an amendment in the Act to the effect that plurality of votes should be used at the election of Mayor. Cr. Bickerton would like to see a still further amendment on the proposition of Cr. Jame-on. He felt that it was only right that the chairman of the Council, which the Mayor undoubtedly was, should be elected by tho members of the Council themselves. [Hear, hear.] It certainly woul I be very much better both for the Mayor and the Council that the former should be elected by tbe latter. , _ Cr. Ick thought that it would be hardly worth while to stir up the ratepayers on this matter. They were opposed to it, and it would net be very much use attempting to carry it. Cr. Pratt, whether the ratepayers wore opposed to it or not, would state his opinion that tho Mayor should be elected by the Council. _ The Mayor also supported the election of a Mayor by the Council. The members of the Council were very much better able to judge of the fitness of a man for the office than the burgesses. Cr. Briggs had been of opinion that the Mayor should be elected by the burgesses, but his last three years’ experience of the working of the Act had convinced him that this w_as_ wrong, and he was now very strongly of opinion that the Mayor should be elected by the Council. After some discussion it was resolved that the Council recommend that the Mayor be elected by the Council, or failing this, by cumulative voting. Cr. Briggs brought up the question as to what were the limits within which an auctioneer could exercise the power of selling under his license. . Dr. Poster said this was a point which he would consider before giving a decisive answer. Cr. Briggs said that he wished to put a point of some importance before the Council. Under the 59th clause of the Municipal Corporations Act it was provided that each ward should, in a borough divided into warns, bo represented by three members. Now if Christchurch was divided into wards they might have a very large number of members. Cr Jameson pointed out that they could keep down the number of members by limiting the number of wards into which the city should be divided. 1 . , Cr. Ick said he thought the most import mt matter was the getting the city reserves handed over to tbe city. There were several of them in the city which were now not only useless but unsightly. He trusted that Hr. Poster would draw a statement so as to ask the Government to hand over these reserves to the Council. Cr. Briggs suggested that it would be as well if the Council tried to have the clause in the Act amended which limited tho amount of endowment to the paltry 2000 acres, so as to enable the Government to give them more. The Mayor said what they wished the Government to do was to hand over the reserves in the market place, &c.; handed over to them for general municipal purposes. It was resolved that it be a recommendation that an effort should be made to get all the municipal reserves made for special purposes handed over to the municipal authorities. Ihe Mayor said he desired to bring under the notice of the Council the fact that under the Act any person committing a nuisance instead of being summoned at once and being dealt with, had to be given notice, and then the matter was remedied. The next week, however, the same nuisance would be again committed, and then the same process was gone through. Cr. Briggs enquired whether they had any power to deal with this matter until they had taken over the powers of the Board of Health. Cr. Bickerton was very much surprised that the Mayor had brought this matter forward. He certainly should have taken it to the Drainage Board. , . , , , . Cr. Euddenklau said he desired to bring up the question of the conference held recently with the Hoad Boards, &c. The Mayor had, he believed, proposed the following resolution : —“ That there has been nothing shown to the members of this conference which would induce them to alter tho constitution of the present Local Board of Health,” Christchurch differed from every other town in New Zealand in bang situated on a perfect plain. Now tho joint committees had decided on a certain course. The Mayor —I really don’t see where we arc going to stop. If this has anything to do with the Conference we can discuss it. Cr. Euddenklau—l say this, that not being a member of the committee, your presence there was an unwarrantable one. You, as Mayor, should act constitutionally, and not go in contradiction to the wishes of the Council. Therefore, I say that your presence and acting at the Conference, not being a member, was uuwarrantThe Mayor—l must call you to order, Cr. Euddenklau. Wo are here to discuss the questions to be submitted to the Conference. If you have any reflections to cast upon me for my conduct in another capacity, you must do it at some other time. If you wish your delegate to carry up to the Conference attacks upon me, you must get some one else to do it. Cr. Euddenklau—Well, I will move some proposed amendments in the Public Health Act. The Mayor —You can move anything you like for consideration by the Conference. Cr. Euddenklau would then move—” That the Health Act be amended, so as to return to the old system of having a central Board of Health, and that municipalities and Eoad Boards should be local Boards of Health.” Cr. Jameson said that it was felt to be so inconvenient to have the powers or the city in Sanitary matters "overriden by the Local Board of Health. What they wanted was that the City Council should be appointed as the Local Board of Health, and this was agreed upon with the Drainage Board. A resolution to that effect had been passed by the D-ainage Board, but unless the powers now exercised by the Local Board of Health were restricted, tho city could not carry on the sanitary work of the city. Cr. Bickerton said that what the City Council

required was that their locus slr.mh in reference to the public health should bo the same as that possessed by them before the pas-sing of the proviso which it was now sought to repeal. They also proposed that they should establish a District Board of Health, having jointly with the City Council the appointment of a medic .1 officer and chief inspector. It was also proposed that the Road Board should be represented on the District Board of Health, and that the Mayor should be chairman. Such was their proposals for a Bill, ami lie must say that he was very much surprised to find the Mayor coming to a mce ing of delegates, to which he had not been elected, to oppose the expressed wish of the whole Council, and propose a resolution opposed to the understanding arrived at by tiro city Council and Board of Health. The Mayor might be aide to explain bis conduct in the matter. So far as he was concerned ho might say that nothing had occurred since he had been a member of the City Council at which he bad been more surprised. Tho resolution was not curried The Mayor —You might as well say that the reason my resolution was not carried was because it was withdrawn by me. Cr. Bickcrtou would point out that there was no certainty about that. However, there was this, that their Mayor bad come to a conference elected by the whole Council, and of which he was not a member: and not only this, which was very questionable taste, but bad moved a resolution quite opposed to the agreement entered into by the Board of Health and the City Council. Ho should not have gone into this matter on this occasiofi had it not been brought up. The obiect to put before.the conference was that both the Drainage Board as the Local Board of Health and the C.ty Ooivncff -ere agreed that the proviso should bo rcpea.ee , .mi the City Council again reinstated ns a Loo A Board of Health. The present Bv.l .L Health had passed a resolution winch would have the effect of handing over the local Board of Health as Chris’t church to the , City Council. If the Local Board of Health , would agree to the rescinding ot the Lltli clause 1 as regarded Chriatcl\urchj only leaving 1

in their own hands, tho whole difficulty would be got over. It would therefore be as well if the City Council were to ask the Board of Health if they would do this. Cr. Briggs thought that tho City Council should bring under tho notice of tho conference that, with the exception of the Mayor, the members of the City Council were unanimous on the subject. They had heard a great deal about tho Local Board of Health having said that if they did not have tho whole of tho control as to sanitary matters they would throw up the entire arrangement. The Mayor—Cr. Briggs will you bo good enough not to deal in insinuations. I was the person who said, on the official authority of a member of the Drainage Board, that such was tho case.

Cr. Briggs—l make no insinuations sir. I state a broad fact. Wo have nothing official from tho Drainage Board except your statement sir, which we cannot consider as official. Sir, I think the Mayor of Sydenham hit the matter very happily when he said that tho Council was divided against itself. I think it was a very great pity that such a thing should have occurred, and seeing that the Mayor is opposed to the whole of his Council on this subject—a subject of very great importance, I do not see how he can represent us as a delegate at the conference at Wellington. [H ar, hear.] Ido not see how, holding the views tho Mayor does, he can go as delegate. The Mayor—l have no wish whatever, Cr. Briggs, to go as delegate to Wellington. I do not seek after such honors as that. If my services are not appreciated do not send me, that is all.

Cr. Ick said he had no desire to import anything personal into the discussion. A hat he desired to say was that ho thought it probable from what had been told to him that if the matter was brought up again before the Drainage Board they would give the City Council the assistance they required in obtaining the repeal of the proviso. As to the presence of the Mayor at the conference, ho did not know whether the Mayor held that he was ex officio a member of all committees.—[The Mayor : “ Not at all.”] He (Cr. Ick) had been the proposer of the committee to meet the other members of the conference, and he had purposely left the names of the Mayor and himself off. He was, therefore, very much astonished to find that not only had the Mayor attended, but had moved a resolution in direct opposition to the wishes of the Council, and also of the agreement entered into between the City Council and the Drainage Board. The Mayor said he had allowed several Councillors and Cr. Ick also to speak on a subject utterly unconnected with this conference. Tho resolution he had moved at the conference was withdrawn, and there was an end of it. Now, the question had not been fairly stated to the Council. The resolution as to the agreement of the City Council and Board of Health was proposed when tho Council wished to have all the powers handed over to the City Council. This was his suggestion, and beyond this the Drainage Board did not agree with them altogether. What they said was, “The City Council desire to have a certain thing done and we will not oppose their getting it, but we will not aid them by any act of ours ” This could hardly be construed as it had been that evening by some of the speakers into an agreement between the two bodies upon a certain point. 1 f their delegate went up to the conference and stated this he would be saying what was not a fact at all. As to the question of the conference ho was asked to be there and had received a circular.

Cr. Ick—l may say that I have asked the town clerk whether he sent out any circulars for the conference, and he stated that no circulars had boon issued to any of the members. The iviayor—Well, I received a circular, and I burnt it only the other day. Cr. Ick—Well, all I can say is, that one or the other is tolling an untruth. r l hhe Mayor went on to say that when he came into the room the Mayor of .Sydenham and the Chairman of the Spreydon koad Board were speak ing strongly in favor of tho line taken by the resolution he had proposed. It was only when he heard that the Eoad Board members wore not having the case put to them correctly that he got on his feet. Ho then proposed the resolution, and after some time he withdrew it on the ground that it might be misunderstood, but he was told by the Mayor of Sydenham that he should have voted for the resolution proposed by himself (the Mayor) had it not been withdrawn. Now the real fset was that the Drainage Board so far from being, as had been incorrectly stated, with them, had declined to join them at all. They said, “we will not oppose your application, but we will not help you.” As regarded the remark made about the Mayor of Sydenham, it was very strange that he should have commended the resolution, and said that lm should have felt bound to vote for it if it had not been withdrawn. Cr. Bickerton suggested that tho following resolution might be put—' ‘That the confer mce be requested to assist in rescinding proviso of clause 14 of tho Public Health Act, amended so far as affected Christchurch.” Cr Jameson seconded tho motion, which was carried 3 The meeting then adjourned,