SYDENHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL.

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

SYDENHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The regular fortnightly meeting of the Sydenham Borough Council was hold last evening, the Mayor presiding. Crs. White, Langdown, Andrew, Nicholl, Hall, Joyce, Charters, Pavitt, and Brown were present. The newly-elected members took the usual form of oath.

A letter was read [from Mr Medding, requesting the Council to grant a piece of land as a site for post and telegraph office. It was moved—“ That the letter from Mr Meddings re post office and telegraph office be received, and that he be informed, in reply, that this Council lease the southern half of the section in Colombo street, for a term not exceeding seven years, at a peppercorn rent, subject to six months’ notice. His Worship the Mayor and the mover to arrange terms of lease and buildings.” An amendment was moved—“ That the matter be referred to the works committee, to report at next meeting.” A long discussion took place on the question whether the Mayor was obliged to vote, there being one more for the motion than the amendment.

It was moved by Cr. Joyce and seconded by Or. Hall —“ That this Council considers the Mayor must vote on any question, and has a right of a casting vote.” The Mayor agreed to vote, and on the original motion being put again it was carried by 6 to 4. Messrs White, Andrew, Hall, and Pavitt were elected a works committee, Mr White chairman. Sanitary Committee Messrs White (chairman), Pavitt, Hall, and Langdown. Lighting Committee—Messrs White (chairman), Pavitt, Hall, and Langdown. Finance Committee—Messrs Charters (chairman), Brown, Langdown, and White. Fire Prevention and Water Supply Committee— Messrs Charters (chairman), Pavitt, White, and Langdown. By-Laws Committee—Messrs Brown (chairman), Nicholl, Hall, Joyce, and Langdown. A vote of thanks was unanimously accorded to ex-Oouncillor Jones for the efficient manner in which he had discharged his duties during the two years he was in the Council.

By-laws 2,3, and 4 were ordered to be published, as required by law, and to come into force on the Ist of October. A number of matters were referred to the works committee for consideration.

The deputation re crossing of railway and footbridge reported : —The deputation, consisting of the Mayor, Crs. Charters, Pavitt, and White, waited upon Mr Conyers and were very warmly received. Mr Lowe, the Resident Engineer, was called in, and it was stated that £4OO had been asked for the work, but being short of funds it could not be granted. It was agreed temporarily to make the east side crossing fit for foot passengers. The necessity for a footbridge in a line with Madras street was at once admitted, and would be undertaken as soon as funds were obtainable, £745 being placed on the estimates for the work. The Commissioner could not recommend the crossing at Harper street, and the deputation did not press the matter. The deputation, commissioner and resident engineer then visited the Gasworks road, and as the fence put up by the Government was considerably above the level of the footpath, after considerable discussion it was agreed to recommend the Council to pay the Government the net cost of lowering the fence to its proper level. The report was adopted. The works committee reported : Drainage.—With reference to the letter from the Christchurch District Drainage Board of the 26th of August, notifying the intention of the Board to lay three rows of 15in. pipes from the South town belt to the railway on Gasworks road, as a temporary measure to allow of the road being formed, your committee beg to report as follows : 1. That in entering upon a consideration of the matter, it appeared to the committee that the proposal of the Board to lay the pipes as a temporary measure offered presumptive evidence that the question of providing sufficient drainage for the storm water of the district had not yet been decided, and as the Board intimated to this committee on the 30th June last, that they had instructed their engineer to take immediate steps for carrying of the same, the committee considered that the Board was not doing its duty to the district in proposing at this time to take further temporary measures which would probably have the effect of causing the main question to ho shelved for an indefinite period. 2. As the Board have for the last four years drawn a considerable sum from the district by way of rates, and have not, so far as the committee are aware, carried out any works in the district which would represent an adequate return for the same, and as the Board are now seeking to obtain additional powers from Parliament, the committee considered it to bo their duty as representatives of the ratepayers, to consider the whole question as affecting the district. They have, therefore, held a special meeting for the purpose, and have also discussed the matter at some length at two previous meetings. 3. From the enquiries your committee have made in the matter, it appears that the Drainage Board was incorporated in consequence of long continued agitation by the local newspapers and the Christchurch City Council, which represented that the high death rate and the great amount of sickness which formerly prevailed in Christchurch and the neighbourhood was due chiefly to the defective sanitary condition of the suburbs and the want of efficient drainage, and as the local governing bodies had neither power nor money to deal with the question efficiently, a conference was held, consisting of representatives from the City Council and the suburban Road Boards, the result of which was the formation of the present drainage district. 4. Throughout the agitation which has taken place on the subject, the suburbs, which now constitute a large portion of the area of Sydenham, have been referred to as ono of the principal reasons why the Board shonld be constituted, and during the dispute between the ratepayers and the Board members of the latter stated that the main object of the Board was to drain the suburbs, and that the case of the suburbs was most pressing. Both the ongineers employed by the Board have also reported that at Waltham drainage works were more especially required and should bo first attended to.

In consequence of the expressions of opinion above referred to the inhabitants of this district, believing that their wants would receive first at ention at the hands of the Board, and that the burden of the cost would be equitably apportioned, refrained from taking any steps either to prevent the drainage district being constituted, or to oppose either of the schemes adopted by the Board, the only meeting held in the district on the question having been called

by Mr OUivicr to protest against the carrying out of a sewage scheme, and even this meeting was but poorly attended, and one of the speakers thereat stated that ho in common with many other ratepayers was inclined to refrain from placing obstacles in the way of carrying out the scheme proposed, on account of the benefit that would immediately result to the district from the same.

Notwithstanding all that has taken place to induce the inhabitants of the suburbs to remain passive during the introduction of the drainage scheme, it has become painfully evident to your committee that from the very first the interests of Christchurch have been almost solely considered, both by the promoters of the formation of the district and by the Board, and that up to the present time almost the only connection the district of Sydenham bad with the drainage district has been for the purpose of enabling the Board to raise a large loan and a large amount of rates, which has been spent chiefly for the benefit of Christchurch, and unless active steps are at once taken to compel the Board to attend to our wants, it is probable that both the loan and the rates will be all spent without Sydenham having received any adequate benefit therefrom.

5. In support of the foregoing, your committee desire to remark that in constituting the drainage district, power was given to the Board to pay to the City of Christchurch .£IB,OOO out of the proceeds of the first loan as the cost of the outfall drain ; and that the money was paid by means of an overdraft at the Bank as soon as the Board was brought into existence, although the said drain was never of any use except to the city, and had been proved to be insufficient even for that purpose. The suburbs were therefore at first unjustly charged with their proportion of the interest of a large sum of money from which they had received no benefit, and for a work that is not utilised as a part of the drainage scheme. 6. The Board has now been in existence about four years, and has expended about one half the loan that it is empowered to raise, and also large sums raised by rates, and up to the present time none of the loan and only a small proportion of the rates have been expended so as to be of any benefit to Sydenham ; the streets and properties in the borough are still flooded after heavy rains. The Ferry road sewer, which was built ostensibly for relieving our district, and was said by the engineer to be capable of taking away all the storm water of the South-east portion of Christchurch and Sydenham, has been proved to be quite inadequate to take away the water which is led into it at the present time, the largo area of the city of Christchurch drained into it filling the sewer, damming back the water from this borough, and although such is the case, Christchurch is exempted from bearing any part of its cost, the drain being charged, by resolution of the Board, equally between the Sydenham and Heathcote districts.

7. With respect to the manner of apportioning the cost of works to the various districts, yonr committee are of opinion that the principle adopted is most unfair, inasmuch as the cost is apportioned according to the rateable value ot the districts instead of according to the work done for their benefit, the Sydenham district has consequently had to pay one-sixth of the cost of management, expenses, and interest on loan already raised, although no permanent works have yet been carried out which have benefitted the district.

The pressing nature of our necessities have been repeatedly brought under the notice of the Board by the ratepayers and the Council, and the Board has made promises in reply, which as yet remain unfulfilled. The Board promised to lay pipes on the Waltham road as soon as the piece of land belonging to Mr Cunningham had been bought, still no action has been taken. The Board also promised (June 30th last) that the drainage of this part of the district should be immediately attended to, and although an exhaustive report was made by their engineer on July 14th, it was postponed until July 20th, and again till August 11th. They have at last approved of the plan to take the storm water from this part of the borough through a sewer up Madras street, which is to drain part of Christchurch, so that in case of a heavy flood the water from Christchurch will probably fill the sewer and dam back the flood water upon this borough. Your committee have therefore reluctantly been forced to the conclusion that this district Las not hitherto been fairly treated by the Drainage Board, and that it is probable that the injustice will be continued as long as the powers of the Board remain as at present. They therefore recommend to the Council that the road districts of Avon. Heathcote, and Eiccarton, bo communicated with, to ask that a conference of representatives of the said districts be held at as early a date as possible, to take into consideration the amendments to the Drainage Bill proposed by the Drainage Board, and also to take into consideration drainage matters affect-, ing the suburban districts. Robert Beattie’s Contract—Mr Beattie, having reported to this committee that he had complied with the committee’s suggestions re his contract for formation of streets in Sandridge, and the foreman of works having also been over the ground with the contractor, and passed the work, your committee would recommend the Council to reconsider the question of a fine.

Angus Street —With respect to the petition from the ratepayer of Angus street, your committee have enquired into the matter, and find that the same has teen properly dedicated to the Borough, and formed under a mutual agreement of the ratepayers aud the Council. _ They therefore recommend that the street be shingled, with six yards to the chain, as soon as convenient, and that any other alterations be made that may be necessary to put the same in fair condition.

The report was received and adopted, the Mayor remarking that he did not endorse all the recommendations contained therein.

On the motion of Cr. Joyce the fine which had been indicted on Mr Beattie was remitted.

Mr John Shiel appeared to urge an objection he had against a proposal of the Council to make a drain through his property, It being ten o’clock, the hour at which, according to a resolution previously passed by the Council the business should be brought to a close, the Mayor ruled that they could not proceed further in the face of that. Or. Andrew moved—“ That the resolution of this Council with reference to closing of the business at ten o’clock be suspended for this night until the whole of the business shall have been attended to.”

Mr Joyce seconded the motion, pointing out that there was a deal of important business yet to be done, and several persons were waiting to interview the Council. On being put to the meeting, Or. White opposed the motion, which could, therefore, not be entertained.

Or. Andrew said he would bring the matter before the ratepayers. The Mayor remarked that the ratepayers should know who were the real obstructives.

The Council then adjourned, several reports having to be held over. The Mayor announced that ho would call a special meeting for Monday evening next.