CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1590, 25 March 1879, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, March 24. The usual weekly meeting was hold at the Council Chamber at seven o’clock. Present— His Worship the Mayor, and Crs. Gapes, Ayers, Lczard, Jenkins, Tremayne, Binstead, Wilson, Clifford, and Cass. FINANCE. The Town Clerk reported the receipts since last meeting to bo <£(>44 12s ; balance, <£1279 6s 9d; bills to bo paid, £454 18s. Drainage Rate Account - Cr. : Balance, £1292 Is 9d; receipts, £lO 10s !OH, THE mayor’s REMARKS. The Mayor said he wished to bring before the notice of the council a matter which ho considered to be of very great importance _ and to which he would ask them to give their most serious consideration. ' bey would remember that at the last se sion of the eneral Assembly it was agreed that the next session of Parka went should be held in Cnrist Lurch. He might in form the Council that, during the week, he had been waited upon by a most dis tinguished member of the General Assembly, who had stated to him that he had every reason to believe that a largo majority of the riou. e would be in favor t f the resolution passed by the House being carried into effect. And further, he believed that the members tf the Government won d not be adverse to holding the next session in Chri tchurch. When this ques!ion was first mooted he (the Mayor) took the view in common with many poop e that the removal of the paraphernalia in connection with the Government would be a cause of gre t expense and inconvenience. He was assured, however, that this was not so, and that the removal referred to would be attended with really very little expense. For the last twent five years at least the ?eat of Government hid been in the North Island, causing a large expo; d ture of money in that island. F-r many years it had been in. Auckland which members from the South had to visit every session at very great inconvenience. It was then removed to Wellington, whore, of cour.-e, a considerable expend! tare followed. He remembered the time when Wellington was a very small place indeed, but since the scat of Government had been there it had from expenditure of moi ey and other re asons risen to very great importance If thev took the populations of the two islands it most be allowed that the South had very great claims upon the consideration of the Government. In the first place, they had a magnificent building in which the Parliament could be he'd, second to none in the colony, then they had a large number of very fine hotels for the accommodation of members and visitors, and lastly, they were in a most central position. A hen they took into consideration the large population of that part of the island, very greatly in excess of the North Island, it could not be denied that they had a very good claim to a fair share of the good things going. Ho had made it his business to look into a few facts as regarded the number of members of the House of Representatives, and he found that the South had fifty as against thirty-seven of the North. Consequently if they went on the principle of consulting the convenience of the greatest number, then tiny mud recognise the claims of bo South. In asking that the resolution of the General Aacembly should be carried out, they were only' asking for what me -hers themseiv- s hid agreed to by ro olution. He believed that if tiny made strong •> epresentati >ns on the subject that the net session of Parliament would be laid in Christchurch He wood adduce no selfish argument, for all that bo wanted was fair consideration to be shown to Chris:church in the way of the good things going. A here could bo 2io doubt th it the hel ling of the ses-ion in Christchurch would cause a good deal of money to be spent here, and would give an impetus to trade, which was ve y desirable just now. ft would very much benefit this portion of the c louy generally. He believed that if they were to urge the matter upon the Government they would carry out the resolution. Me hoped the C< undl wo Id fail in with his views, and would authorise him to communicate with other public bodies, and ask their co-operation. He trusted that some councillor would move in the matter. Cr. Gapes said he had a resolution on the subject, which he would move at a lator period k of the evening.

Tho Mayor stated that ho had received two letters, one from Mr Feredav and the other from Mr Denham, suggesting that in any building that miqrhfc ho crecitd for a town hall tho idea of a tower .and a peal of bells should not bo lost sight of. fid thought the suggestion was a very oxce'leiit odg, cr-i Hie Council would take it into consideration. SCAVENGERING RATES. ■ Tt was stated that a considerable amount o. rates were in arrear. and the matter was roitr.red to the sanitary and finance committees. THE R IffANGATA FUND. j(nuediu, 21bt .March, IS/0. Town Cleric, Christolmrch, ~,,,, Dear Sir—Yours or' 10th to hand enclosing draft £IOO, further instalment in aid of the Kaitangata Relief ihiad, for which accop; thanks. Y'ou are doing nobly. TT „ John L. Git.lies, Hon. Sec. FoO t'BALL A letter was read from the Secretary of the Christchurch Footba 1 Club asking lor the use of Cranraer square for the ensuing football season The application was grant d on the n -ual terms. ASPHALTING. A letter was read from Mr Smart, asking for payment of certain accounts re the asphalting contract . . , After some discussion tho Jotter was referred to the works committed surveyor’s report. March 24th, 18711. No. 1, The contract for this year’s horse provender for the Council’s horses has been given to No. 2. The sound pivot rooms to work the telephone in at the lire brigade stations are now com--1 No. 3. I have prepared a statement (which is annexed hereto) showing all contracts which have ’ been carried ont during tho last eighteen months, by which it will bo seen which were earned out and which were behind time. C. Waledef, City Surveyor. Or. Wilson moved, and Ur. Kiistead seconded —“That the report referred to in the thud paragraph he read out. ” After a good deal of discussion the motion was The report was laid upon the table, and the surveyor’s report adopted. inspector’s retort. _ The report of The nrsaeff.w of nuisances was read and adopted . RANGER’S report . This report was also road and adopted. report oe reserve committee, Yonr committee have to repor: that they visited tho Geraldine reserve, which is about seven miles from the Grind railway station, tud there is a good road from the said station to and through tne reserve on which yonr commifcee drove a tmggy and pair easily. On inspecting the map of the reserve, as surveyed by the Government, we fine that about threefourths of the land consists of downs and (Lit* suitable for agricultural purposes, the balance is hilly, and admirably suited for grazing. Your committee are of opinion that in consideration of the cost of surveying the laud into sections, and other necessary espemos in connection therewith, the whole should he l“t iu one block for a term of years, with .he proviso that tho whole of tho boundary should have i sufficient legal fence, and where practicable the lank to be of sods, and planted with gorse or quick, and to be all in good growing condition within tie first five years. he lessee to have tho use of nil bush upon the reserve ; also that not less than acres In planted with English forest trees, the conditions of such plantation to he hereafter decidid upon ; also that clauses be inserted in the leusi for the proper working and bringing into cnltivction of the whole of tho available portion of the reserve, which shall be laid down in English grass years previous to the expiration of tho lease. After some discussion the report was unanimously adopted, and the conmittee was r - questt d to draw up the details (f the condition, the same to be submitted to tie Council at its next meeting. the governor’s residence, Cr. Wil-on moved Christchurch is the most convenient centre of the South Island the Governn nt be respect fully requested to place a sun of money upon the estimates for providing a aiitablo residence for the Governor of New Zealand at or near this city, and that a committee be appointed, consisting of his Worship the Mayor and Crs. Ayers, Gapes, Jenkins, and tie mover to see what sites are available for stch a purpose, the result of their inquiry to bo ’orwar ed to the Government.” Cr. Wilson spole at some length in fa l or of his mo*ion, and dwlt upon the advantages which would result fiom the Governor having a residence in C mterbury. The motion was seconded ly Cr. Ayers and carried unanimously. NAMING THE STREETS. Cr. Clifford moved—“ That the works committee bo empowered to ordir street names fimilnr to those «t present in ise, and to have them affixed in such places as they deem necessary ” , Seconded by Cr. Jenkins and agreed to. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. Cr. Gapes moved—“ That, ii the opinion of this Council, it is desirable tha the next sitting of the General Assembly should be held in ■ hastchur h in accordance with resolution passed by the ■'ssembly at its last session. And that tha Mayor he requested to write t* the Municipal and County ouucils of the Hiddie island of New Zealand, asking their opinion upon the subject.” Seconded by Cr. Cass, and agreed to unanimously. SALARY OF THE MiYOE. Cr. Cass moved—“ That tin salary of^ the Mayor for tho current year he £3OO a year.” Seconded by Cr. -vihou and igrecd to. FIRE LAMP. Cr. Gapes mov d —“ ihat t lamp ho affixed on the telephone post in front of Mr Superintendent Harris’ house.” Seconded by Cr. Jenkins and agreed to. THE BARBADOES STREET BRIDGE. In answer to a quests n from the Mayor, Cr. Wilson said if some more active steps in the collection of the money fer the erect on of this bridge were not soon taken, the matter would fall through. He world ask that the question si and over for a fortiight, and if the money was not then forthcoming he should be one of the firM to move that tie bridge he not erected. SPORTS ON EASTER MONDAY. Application was made by the Oddfellows for the u e of ropes, Ac , fir forming tho course on Taster 1 orula - Mr Walk den said they did not belong to the Council, but to the sports eomnitteo. LICENSES. The Council then wait into committee to consider the qnes ion of drivers’ licenses, after which it adjourned.