CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1585, 19 March 1879, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

The usual weekly meeting of the City Council took place last evening. Present —His Worship the Mayor and Crs. Gapes, Ayers, Lezard, Clifford, Jenkins, Tremayne, Binstead, Wilson, and Cass. DEBIT AT THE BANK. The Mayor said he was sorry to say that the debit at the Bank was ,£967 3s. FINANCES. The Town Clerk reported the stato of the finances as follows : —Receipts for the week ending March 15th, £424 18s; Drainage Board Rate, £3 12s sd; balance, £l4Ol Is ; bills to be paid, £303 3s 9d; drainage rate account, Cr. balance, £1289 15s 7id ; receipts, rate 1878, £2 Cs lid. THE MAYOR'S STATEMENT. The Mayor stated that since the last meeting he had received a number of letters, among them being one from Mr Harman, complaining of the state of Lyttelton street, which he had handed over to the sanitary committee. He had also received a letter from Mr George Gould on the subject of people riding on tho preserved part of the North town belt. He hoped the Council would either have barriers put across or else a by-law passed ou the subject. Ho bad

likewise recoiled a letter from Mr Harris, the Supt. of the Fire Brigade,, asking the Council to be present at the trial of the telephone between his house and the fire brigade stations. H« had received a letter from the Mayor of Dunedin, showing that out of a taxing power of .£15,000 or ,£lfl,ooo only .£2l was lost in the year. A letter had been received from Messrs Garrick and Cowlishaw on tha subject of Allen street, which he hoped the Council would carefully study. It was laid upon the table ftr their perusal. A letter had been received from the resident engineer, asking the Council to supply the Government with three gas lamps, which would be replaced by gas lamps now being made for the railway department by Messrs Scott Bros. Some other communications had also been received of a forfaa? character. At the last meeting of the Council they had accepted some rules of the Fire Police. Mr Sujurintendent Harris wished to have one of the clauses of those rule 3 struck out, on the ground that it created a division of authority. Mr Harris felt very strongly on the subject. The Mayor here read over the rules of the Fire Police, and it was resolved to refer the matter to the Superintendent of the Fire Brigade and the Captain of the Fire Police, with a request that they would settle the matter amicably. RATES. The Mayor stated that the amount of rates now out-standing was £&8 9s, and the amount collected during the year ,£BlBl. QUESTIONS. Cr. Lczard asked what steps had been taken in the matter of the obstruction opposite the Oddfellows' Hall. Cr. Jenkins stated that the matter was now in the hands of the Court. THE RESERVES. Cr. Gapes stated that the report on the subject of the reserves was not yet ready, but would be so by the next meeting. THE KAITANOATA RELIEF FUND. The Mayor stated that he.had received a letter from the Secretary of the Kaitangata Belief Fund in Dunedin, acknowledging the receipt of .£IOO from the City Council. He would also forward another ,£IOO on the following day. This was independent of Messrs Bird and Paul's subscription list, and of course the receipts from the fete. He and Mr Pratt had been busy that day for several hours counting over .£6OO in notes, gold, silver, and copper, including farthings—money taken at the fete and the concert and theatre. A COMPLAINT. A letter was read from Mr Gregg on the subject of the drain in Kilmore street, and asking tor an inquiry. Crs. Clifford and Tremayne stated that the drain in question was in a good state of preservation, and that the local which had appeared in the " Times" on the subject was quite incorrect. After some discussion, The Council agreed to a resolution to the effect that the local in question was unjust and untruthful. HORATIO STREET. A letter was read in reference to the filthy state of the channels in this street. The matter was referred to the sanitary committee. Cr. Gapes called attention to the very bad state of the channels all over the city. The matter was also referred to the sanitary committee, and the question of certain culverts was referred to the surveyor. surveyor's report. 1. Mr Gledhill wishes to obtain from the Council ono month's extension of time on his contract for the pedostals in Cathedral square, owing to the difficulty of obtaining the stone. 2. The contractor for the East belt bridge informs me that he has now obtained the necessary timber for the foot-bridge, and he is proceeding with the work.

3. I have had the steam roller at work in Durham street and in the Market square, and I shall again put it to work as soon as we get some more rain. 4. The following building licenses have been granted :Mr Nicholls, Worcester street; Mr Webber, Armagh street; Mr Stafford, Chapel street; Mr Williams, Hereford street; Mr Norman, Colombo street; Mr Hamard, Madras street; Mr Muir, Montreal street; Mr Stenuing, Whately road; Mr Mather, Chapel street; Mr Hatchard, Bath street; Mr Glacken, William street; Mr Paul, Madras street; Mr Rastrick, St. Asaph street; Mr Steward, Chapel street; Mr Heaton, Eaton place; Mr Parker, Barbadoes street; Mr Clarke, Bath street; Mr Marshall, Liohfield street; Mr Goss, Colombo street; Mrs Calo, Eaton place; Mr Fleming, Madras street j Mr Fleming, Walker street; Mr Dawson, Madras street; Mr Drinkwell, Lyttelton street; Mr Trent, Worcester street. C. Walkdek, City Surveyor. The month's extension of time asked for by Mr Gledhill was granted. After some discussion, the report was adopted. THE TOWN HALL. Cr. Jenkins moved —" That competitive designs be immediately called for for the Town Hall and municipal offices, to be erected on the newly acquired reserve in the Market place, and that the premiums be .£IOO for the best design and £SO for the second ; the total cost of such building not to exceed .£20,000, and that the designs first and second become the property of the Council." Cr. Jenkins, in moving his resolution, spoke strongly as to the great want of municipal accommodation and a town hall. The motion was seconded by Cr. Wilson, and after some discussion, was carried unanimously. Cr. Binstead moved—" That there be laid on the table, at the next sitting of this Council, all papers relating to contractors within the last eighteen months." The motion was seconded by Cr. Wilson and agreed to. MUD CARTS. Cr. Lezard moved—" That the iron mud carts be employed in carrying water for flashing such of the side channels as require cleansing, each channel to be flushed at least once a week, in order to improve the present sanitary condition of some parts of the city." The motion was seconded by Cr. Clifford, but on being put to the Council, was lost. SWEEPING THE CHANNELS. Cr. Lezard moved that steps be taken to keep the channels of the city well swept, prior to the coming on of the wet season. After some discussion, the motion was withdrawn. STONEBREAKING. Cr. Gapes moved—" That stonebreaking be discontinued on the Market square." The motion was seconded by Cr. Wilson, but was lost on being put to the vote. THE TOWN HALL. It was moved by Cr. Wilson, seconded by Cr. Jenkins, and agreed to—" That in the opinion of this Council, and with a view to carry out the proper construction of a town hall and City Council offices, a committee be appointed to draw up conditions as to the character of the material to be used in the construction of the building, the number and dimensions of the rooms, and other necessary details, with a view to aid the architects who may desire to send in designs, such committee to consist of his Worship the Mayor, and Crs. Jenkins, Cass, Lezard, and the mover, and to report to this Council." NAMES OF STREETS. Cr. Clifford gave notice that he would move at the next meeting—" That the names of the different streets be painted on wood, tin, or other material, and fixed on to the lamp posts standing at the corner of their respective streets. The Council then went into committee to consider the question of cabmen's licenses, after which it adjourned.