CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1739, 16 September 1879, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, Septbmbeb 15. A special meeting of the City Council was held to consider the watering rate. Prior to the meeting the newly elected councillors took the usual declarations. Present—His Worship the Mayor, Ors. Gapes, King, Bishop, Vincent, Oherrill, Taylor, Ayers, Hulbert, Lambert, England, Wyatt, and Cuff. On the motion of Cr. Gapes, seconded by Or. Ayers, it was resolved—“ That a special rate of lid in the £ be made for defraying the cost of watering certain streets.” It was also resolved to hold a special meeting on October 20th to confirm this resolution. This closed the business of the special meeting.

The ordinary meeting was then held. Present —The Mayor and all the councillors. The receipts for the week were announced as being £2351 10s. The general account was stated to be in debit £2126 Is lOd, and the drainage rate account £SSB lls 6d in credit. Bills to the amount of £152 12s 3d were passed and ordered to be paid. The Mayor said he had to congratulate the members on being returned to the honorable position of City Councillors, and also the ratepayers on having returned such efficient representatives. They met for the first time under the ward system, and ho felt that, looking at the gentlemen returned, the ward system started with every good augury for the future. The present was a most important time in Municipal matters, as they would have to deal with the most important subjects, that of water supply and the erection of a town hall, &c. With regard to the former, the preliminary difficulties had been cleared away by the former Council, and it would be for the present Council to consider how best in the interests of the citizens this important question might be decided. He did not intend to place before the Council much business that evening beyond the appointment of the several executive committees for the year, which was a most important matter to he decided. He would ask the Council to award their patronage on Friday evening to Miss Beatrice and Mr Ogden, who took their benefit at the theatre. He again begged to congratulate the members on their return, and also to express his satisfaction that the elections had terminated so happily. A letter was read from the Drainage Board, calling attention to complaints being made about the condition of a right-of-way owned by Mr Gosling. The matter was, on the motion of Or. Gapes, deferred until next meeting, the surveyor being requested to furnish an estimate of the cost of formation.

A letter was read from Mr A. Appleby, asking that the surveyor should bo instructed to prepare an estimate of the cost of water supply for flushing the side channels in Armagh street west. Provided an efficient supply could be obtained, the writer thought that the residents might guarantee half the cost.

The surveyor, in answer to a question, said that ho was not in favor of a wind pump, as at the very time when water was most needed —viz., in the summer—there was little or no wind.

The letter was referred to the works committee to make enquiry and report. A letter was read from Messrs Wynn Williams and Deacon, as solicitors for Mr Deal, of the Rotherfield Hotel, calling the attention of the city surveyor to the state of the drainage from section 854 at the back of the hotel. The matter was referred to the sanitary committee to report upon on the motion of Cr. Gapes. A letter was read from the Fire Insurance Association, remitting cheque for £9O 3s Bd, being amount charged to the Council by the Telegraph Department for connecting by telegraph the residence of the superintendent of the fire brigade and the fire brigade stations. A letter was read from the same association stating that they were unable to contribute towards the cost of erecting the proposed new bell tower.

It was resolved to acknowledge the two letters.

A letter was read from Mr H. O. Lanauze, calling attention to the bad state of the side channels in New street.

On the motion of Or. King, the matter was referred to the works committee to report upon. A letter was read from Mr Hill, asking permission to stand in Cathedral square with a galvanic battery, and promising to stand well back, so as not to cause any obstruction in Colombo street.

On the motion of Cr. Gapes, the permission was given, provided no obstruction took place, and subject to rescinding on notice from town clerk.

A letter was received from Thomas Cross, licensed driver, asking that the license which had been withdrawn from him for having been convicted of assault might be restored to him.

The matter was referred to the by-law committee to enquire into. The surveyor’s report was read as follows :

No. 1. Mr Hales’ contract for 2000 cubic yards of rubble is now completed, consequently I have been obliged to discharge most of the stone-breakers. No. 2. Queen street has been formed, shingled, and channelled, so that there only remains now the iron culverts at each end to complete the work. No. 3. The metalling and rolling of the Whately road up to the North belt has this week been completed. No. 4. Oxford terrace east has been channelled, and is now being shingled and the paths asphalted. No. 5. During the month of August the following building licenses were granted : —Mr Robinson, Tnam street; Oddfellows’ Hall, Montreal street, additions; Mr Sheath, Tnam street; Mr Potts, Lamb’s Lane ;Mr Twentyman, Tnam street; Mr Trent, Worcester street; Mr Aston, Peterborough street; Mr McLaren, Lichfield street; Mr Holdsworth, Durham street; Mr England, Worcester street; Mr Anderson, Salisbury street; Mr Loyd, Oxford terrace; Mr Goss, Normal school; Mr Haggerty, Chester street; Mr Fergusaon, North belt; Mr Hampton, Peterborough street. No. 6. As I am frequently beset by difficulties in carrying out the works of the city, I think it my duty to point out the cause of those difficulties, and how they may be remedied, or to a great extent obviated. The financial year ends on the 31st of March, and it has hitherto been the custom at the commencement of the now financial year to make an estimate of all the work and material required for the year; and from its being so late in the season it is invariably the beginning of winter before I am supplied with shingle or broken stone, and if the wet season happens to commence rather earlier than usual, I find myself without the means of repairing roads, and the contracts are almost always broken in consequence of the contractors being unable to cart over the roads in a wet and bad state. I would therefore suggest that the estimates of broken stone and shingle for the year shonld be made early in the spring, so that it might be got in in the summer time, and consequently be delivered cheaper and not damage the streets so much as it does in the wot weather, when they are soft and unfit to carry heavy traffic. Another reason why I bring this subject forward now is that there is a great quantity of shingle required at the present time to put on those streets in the [outskirts of the city where there is at present only a narrow width of shingle along the ceutie of the road, and now that the city is so much built on, the sides of roads in many streets are very much used, and the consequence is that each is bordered on each side by a line of soft mnd, and if this mud is from time to time removed, there will remain hollow places to be filled with water every time it rains, consequently I am obliged to let it remain as if it were forgotten or unnoticed, because I have no shingle to replace the mnd if it were taken out.

In dealing with this part of the subject, I must particularly mention the streets in the south-east quarter and the North belt, as being in the worst condition. Another source of difficulty is that I am called upon in the depth of winter to do work to private streets and rights-of-way, which cannot be so well done and cost a groat deal more to do in winter than they would in summer time, besides taking the available force I have at command to do work out of season instead of the men being employed to do more seasonable work.

During the months of May, Juno, and July all the men and horses should bo employed in cleansing and repairing the roads if a satisfactory result is to be anticipated. If it were generally known that tho Council would not undertake the formation of private streets and work of that description in the winter time it might induce people.to bring forward their requests in the summer time, when the work would be accomplished much cheaper, quicker, and be of better quality ; tho other streets of the town would also bo spared the penalty of having heavy material carted over them in the wet weather.

Another grievance which is every winter folly discussed, but which I am at that time of year powerless to remedy, is the entrances to private

property, private rights of way, and private streets. These places are unquestionably an intolerable nuisance to pedestrians, but I do not see that anything can be done to remedy the evil without special legislation of the Council. I therefore mention the subject in the hope that a remedy may be found. C. Walkdbn, City Surveyor. The report was received and adopted. The report of the inspector of nuisances was read, and referred to the sanitary committee.

Some discussion ensued as to the Council giving its patronage as such to Mr Ogden’s benefit on Friday next, several councillors expressing it as their opinion that the Council should not give their patronage wherever asked by companies. The matter then dropped. Or. Ayers moved—“ That this Council instruct the town clerk to have copied for the guidance of councillors or sent to the Press for [publication at the earliest possible date, the surveyor’s report, resolution of committee, both Council and combined, with notices of motion, &c., with view to prompt settlement of awarding premiums or returning designs for municipal buildings.” Cr. Gapes seconded the motion, which was agreed to. The Council then proceeded to appoint the committees as follows :

Works and lighting committee—Crs. Gapes (chairman), England, and King. Finance committee—Crs. Ayers (chairman), Vincent, and Taylor. Sanitary committee—Crs. Lambert (chairman), England, and Hulbert. By-law committee—Crs. Bishop (chairman), Lambert, and Cuff, Fire Brigade committee—Crs. Taylor (chairman), Cherrill and Wyatt. Water supply committee—Cr. Gapes (chairman), Ayers, Wyatt, and Cherrill. The Council then adjourned. NOTICK OF MOTION. Cr. Ayers to move —“ That as none of the competitive designs for town hall and municipal buildings comply with the advertised conditions, the whole of the same be returned to their authors, and that no premium be awarded, but that a committee bo appointed to go through the more highly approved designs, with a view of selecting therefrom the one nearest the conditions required, and report to the next meeting of the Council. Such committee to consist of Crs, England, King, Bishop, Hulbert, Taylor, Cherrill, and the mover.”