CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1473, 5 November 1878, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, November 4. A special meeting of the City Council was held at a quarter to seven for the purpose of confirming a resolution in re the watering rate. There were present—His Worship the Mayor, and Crs. Ick, Gapes, Cass, Tremayne, Clifford, Binstead, Jenkins, Wilson, and Ayers. On the motion of Cr. Gapes, the resolution was confirmed. A meeting of the Council was convened for the 9th December, to give the resolution final confirmation. The rate book was then signed in accordance with the Act. FINANCES. The Town Clerk reported the receipts for the fortnight, £IBSB 6s lOd ; Drainage Board rate, £653 8s 2d. Drainage Kfcte account — Cr. balance, £549 13s ltd ; receipts, £967 3s 6.'.d ; bills paid, £139 7s 4d; bills to pay, £2179 10s Bd. employes’ picnic. The sum of £lO was granted as in former years as a contribution in pid of the employes picnic. THE MAYOR’S REMAKES. The Mayor explained what action had been taken in the matter of Parker v the City Council. The total coat to the City Council had been £25, the case having gone against the Council. There was a letter from the solicitor on the subject, A letter would also be read from the Attorney-General re the Reserves Bill. Ho was sorry to say the Legislative Council had stuck to their original determinatiou, and had almost thrown the Bill out. The” conditions attached to the sandhills was that they were to bo for sanitary purposes, so that those bills would be almost useless for the next twenty years. What they had from the Bill was the reserve of 800 acres of the sandhills, Ho was glad to say that the Opposition did not come from any of the Canterbury members. They would find from “Hansard” who had opposed it. Sir Dillon Bell had been the chief obstacle. His Worship explained what had taken place at the conference between the City Council and the Sydenham Council regarding the forming of the South town belt, particulars of which have already been published, A deputation bad waded upon the works committee, asking that the road to the Agricultural ground on I ho cuiy or the show be watered. There would be no objection to this if the expense gone to were defrayed by the Agricultural Association, (he Council Lending the watering carls and holies. PRiUIO.v. Cr. Ayers presented ,a petition signed by a number of the residents of th.e Ferry road, requesting the Council to make the side channels Irpm Barrett’s Hotel to the drain*

The Mayor said a motion might be brought forward on the subject later in the evening. THE ASPHALTING. Cr, Gapes drew attention to the very large sum of money which had to bo paid to Mr Smart. Would it not have been better to have paid for the work mile by mile ? The Mayor replied that it was, he thought, a good thing that Mr Smart had allowed such a sum of money to remain in their hands so long. That gentleman had only just sent his account in for the present season. THE RACES. Cr. Ick moved—" That the offices of the Council be closed at noon on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, in order to give the employes, who had been very much overworked, a holiday.” Cr. Clifford seconded the motion. Or. Ayers moved, as an amendment—" That the offices be closed at eleven o’clock instead of noon. Seconded by Cr. Gapes. Ultimately it was resolved that the offices should close at half-past eleven. THE RESERVES. Correspondence was read on the subject of the reserves, but threw no new light on the matter. SWEEPING THE SIDE CHANNELS. An application from the late contractor for sweeping the side channels, to be paid for certain work alleged to be done by him was read. 1 Application declined. PARKER V THE COUNCIL. A letter from the legal adviser of the Council was read on this subject, saying that, though he disagreed with the verdict, he would not advise an appeal against the magistrate’s decision. THE BUILDING BY-LAW. Another letter was read from the law officer on the subject of the late decision of the Magistrate in the by-law case. The Mayor said he considered the fine in this case had been quite inadequate. Cr. Cass said it appeared to him that the solicitor of the Council gave anything but satisfaction. Ho was not prepared to move a resolution on the subject, but he would urge upon the Council to very carefully consider the worthiness of Dr. Foster’s advice before it was acted on. SIB JULIUS VOGEL. A letter was read from Sir Julius Vogel on the subject of the opening of the railway between Christchurch and Dunedin. The letter has already been published. HOARDINGS. Some applications for the erection of hoardings were referred to the surveyor, A TENT WANTED. An application was made by Mr Butcher for leave to erect a tent next the Criterion Hotel, for the purpose of exhibiting some " curious animals.” Aftejr some discussion, the Majror said that it was a matter of fact that in America circuses had to pay £3O a day to the city authorities, while here they only had £1 to pay altogether as a license-fee. There would have to be a change in the by-law on the subject. Cr. Tremayne moved —“ That the application be granted, subject to the approval of owners of adjoining properties and the surveyor.” THE DOMAIN. Cr. Ayers moved —“ That immediate steps be taken to have the Park and Domain with all its interests handed over to the Corporation of Christchurch as recreation reserves, and as such to bo held in trust for ever.” There had been some objections to the motion, but he did not think they would hold water. Unless by a special Act of the General Assembly they could not deal with it other than at the present time. The only thing they could do would be to give a lease for seven years, and at the end of that time it was to be returned to the Corporation sown down by grass. Then again it was said that it belonged to the county as well as to the town, but he thought they would find that county people would not contribute a penny piece towards its expense. In a very short time he believed they would have wards surrounding the park. Ways and means might bo devised by which the park reserve might bo increased. Whoever had it would have to put their shoulder to the wheel to pay the expenses of keeping it in order. Cr. Ick seconded the motion pro forma. On such a motion as this ho should like to have seen a conference between the Selwyn County Council, the Domain Board, the Sydenham Borough Council, and the City Council. He did not think that the people of Canterbury would over consent to the ground in question being entirely vested in the City Council. As an amendment he would move that the town clerk bo instructed to write to the chairmen of those bodies for the purpose of a conference being held on the subject, Cr, Clifford seconded the amendment. Cr, Ick said the Domain Board had a rental of £320 a year for the park. This was all they got, and paid all expenses of keeping the ground in order, paying gardeners, &c. The Domain Board had given away an immense number of young trees to various public bodies. Cr. Gapes supported the motion, Cr. Wilson was disappointed at the meagreness of the remarks made by Cr, Ayers in bringing forward this motion. Cr. Cass thought the matter had been brought forward prematurely, and that Cr. Ayers had been far too meagre in his details. Cr. Tremayne hoped the matter would be deferred, and thought if there was a conference the chairmen of the Sprcydon, Heathcote, and Avon Road Boards should bo present. He bolievedthe proper thing to do would bo to lease a portion of the reserve, in order to provide a revenue to keep it in order. He was in favor of the amendment, though he would like to have seen an addition to Or. Ayers’ motion, to the effect that such portions of the Domain should be appropriated from time to time as would be sufficient to keep the reserve in order. Cr. Ick added the words "The chairmen of the four immediate surrounding Road Boards.” The Mayor said the sooner the reserve was vested in some body the better, for os soon os the shoe pinched, the Government, they might depend upon it, would take possession of any reserve they could lay their bands upon. He believed, instead of going to a conference as suggested, they should get all the information they could Irom the Domain Board, and ask that body to join with them in making secure this reserve. In replying, Cr. Ajmrs said the reason ho had not gone into fuller details was because the matter had been so often postponed that he had almost lost all int erest in it. Ultimately both motion and amendment were withdrawn. The Council then appointed a committee, consisting of his Worship the Mayor, Crs. Ick, and Ayers, to obtain information in connection with the trust. subveyob’s report. No. 1. The Works Committee bavo given me instructions to build the culvert at the junction of Oxford terrace and Lichfield street with permanent material that the rats cannot injure. No 2. the steam roller has last week been at work with spikes, tearing up the road in High street, find the result was highly satisfaetoiy ■ and bears no comparison to the great cost baud labor would involve. No. 3. The contractor Las commenced laying the asphalt crossings in Cathedral square. No. 4. 'J be following building licenses have been granted since the last meeting of the Council —Allen and Sou, Hereford street: J. Anderson, South belt; Mr Hallam, Aldrcd street; Mr Tait, Colombo street: Messrs Buckley and Marshall, Maimhester street; Mr J. Wood, Hereford street; Mr Wadcy, Lichfield street; Mr England, Cashel street; Mr England, Oxford terrace ; Mr Dowle, A hired street; Mr Fergus son, Barbadoes street; Mr Hamilton, Conference street; Mr Lambert, Hereford street; Mr Brown, Durham street. No, 5. A plan and estimate of abridge tor B.irbadoes street will he laid before the Council. No. C>. Next Saturday is the anniversary of the men’s holiday. 1 suppose the usual allowance of money will bo made them. C. Walk den, City Surveyor. November lib, 1878. The report was adopted. INSPECTOR 3 Bl'.rORT. This report was read and adopted. THE KOAD ROLLER. Attention was called to the danger of causing accidents by horses shying at the steam ! i-’piJor.

Cr. Gapes (railed attention to a resolution which had been passed by the Council ordering that the engine should according to certain precautions. These seemed to have been quite ignored of late. The Surveyor stated that the public would not submit to the precautions referred to. The matter then dropped. REPORT OF THE BY-LAW COMMITTEE. Your committee have considered the cabmen’s petition presented to the Council at its last meeting, and which was referred to them to consider and report. Your committeco have received a deputation from the cabmen, and have ascertained what what alterations they consider necessary to the present by-law. Your committee have considered the Hackney Carriages and Borough Stage Carriages By-law drawn by Dr Foster for the Council some time ago, and propose the accompanying draft, as altered, for the Council’s consideration. H. Thomson, Chairman. The by-laws were read at length by the Mayor. The report of the committee was received and it was resolved to hold a special meeting on the 18bh instant for the consideration of the same. It was also resolved that the draft by-law should be printed, after it had been submitted to Dr. Foster. SANITARY COMMITTEE’S REPORT. Your committee beg to report that they have made an inspection of a large part of the city, and find the bridges crossing the channels to private properties in many instances in a very bad condition. As there is no doubt the Council will be held liable for any accident that might occur, they recommend that the surveyor be instructed to remove all bridges over the channels which he considers in a dangerous state, W. Wilson, Chairman. Cr. Gapes moved that the report bo received. After some remarks from the surveyor tlie report was adopted. ASSISTANT INSPECTOR OF NUISANCES. There were thirty-one applicants for the position of assistant inspector of nuisances. After carefully considering the whole of the applications, the Council appointed Mr J. W. H. Gordon. LICENSES. Several drivers’ licenses were granted, and the Council adjourned at twenty-five minutes past eleven.