BOROUGH COUNCILS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1777, 31 October 1879, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCILS.

LYTTELTON. The usual meeting of this Council was held on Monday night. There were present—Ore. McOlatchie, Wood, Grubb, Seed, Weyburn, Macpherson, Macdonald, Smith, Hawkins. On motion Or. Macpherson took the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Receipts since the last meeting were stated to be £IOB 16s Id. A letter was read from the Resident Engineer of New Zealand railways, stating that the work of putting down the Sin. pipe at the pumping station was being performed by the Railway Department. The Engineer farther stated that instructions hod been given for rebuilding the culvert from Norwich quay, and that a copy of the drawing of the culvert proposed to be built would be forwarded shortly. Or. Reed said he had visited the waterworks, that day and they had about 10ft 6in to drive. The Sin pipe would be down by about Wednesday, it was thought. Or. Weyburn said, with reference to the culvert across Norwich Quay, the one the Council proposed to build would fit in with the one referred to by Mr Lowe, the railway engineer. He said the request was made to the Government three months ago to furnish a plan for the culvert, but it was not supplied. The thing was put off from time to time, and the works committee were then authorised to have the borough’s work done, and the plan submitted showed that undertaking. The culvert, which has a diameter of 3ft, is now in process of being laid, Mr C. F. Barker informed Council that he had an offer from a client to lease reserve No. 2180, one of Council’s rural sections, and asked Council to have same offered for sals at auction. The piece of ground in question contains 400 acres. The communication was left with the estates committee, with power to act. Messrs Whitby and Forbes asked that a road be formed to their properties on the Governor’s Bay road. The matter was left with the foreman of works to report upon. The General Manager of Railways informed the Council that a yearly pass had been issued to Mr Rent, engineer to the Lyttelton water works, and asking for a cheque for the same, £7 ss. Cr. McOlatchie thought that considering the engineer of the water works was travelling partly in connection with the railway department, he thought the department should have supplied the engineer with a free ticket, or, at all events, one at half-price. Crs. Hawkins and Reed said Mr Back had explained that he could not of his own motion grant a free pass. The matter would have to be referred to the Government. On motion of Or. Reed, the amount was ordered to be paid. On motion of Or. McOlatchie, the clerk was instructed to refer the question of getting a refund of the amount from the Government to the member for Lyttelton. Accounts were passed for payment amounting to £231 2s lid. The foreman of works reported as follows: — “During the past fortnight I have had the drain put in from the Council’s reserve to St. David street. I have also had three stink traps put in in different parts. I have compelled one individual to connect with the main drain in Dublin street, and I have taken out a summons against a party for depositing night soil in one of the main sewers. I have also had several of the side drains in different parts of the town cleaned out. The bricklayers commenced work in Salt’s Gully this afternoon. It will be necessary to procure two trucks of gravel for asphalting the footpaths where necessary, as some of them are beginning to break ■ up. It was moved and carried —“ That the two truck loads of gravel asked for bo obtained,’* The foreman of works further reported, “ That the walls of the reservoir are complete, except the plastering, and they are now putting in the buttresses. The floor will be partly laid this week, and the arch fortnight from now I hope to have it completed. I find there has been about 939,000 gallons of water consumed by meter during the past year, which is considerably in excess of the previous year. (Signed.) J. Sowdbn.” In reply to Cr, Smith, it was stated that the water metres were supplied by the Council at Is per month. Or. Smith said that some of the shopkeepers in London street had been in the habit of using the water lor sprinkling in front of their shops. Since th© advertisement cautioning persons from using the water for anything but domestic purposes had appeared these people were in some doubt whether by so doing they were infringing the by-law. Cr. Hawkins said the by-law explicitly stated that the water should not be used excepting for domestic purposes. Other councillors spoke to the same effect. The foreman said that the street watering, when done by private persons with a small nozzle, was beneficial. As soon as the water cart was set to work, however, the streets would be watered thoroughly. The chairman said Mr H. R. Webb had taken some exception" to the erection of an engine house near to his property. Cr. Weyburn thought that the alteration made in the road there was an improvement to Mr Webb’s property, rather than a detriment. Cr. Smith said Mr Webb had spoken to him about it. Mr Webb thought the house was so situated as to deteriorate the value of his property. Cr. Wood asked if the noise would be a nuisance. Cr. Weyburn thought it was almost noiseless. The foundation of the building had been laid, and it was rather late to make objections now. The subject was then dropped. Or. Reed stating that he would not object to the house being erected in front of his property. The chairman suggested that the water supply committee or the works committee consider means to effectually flush the sewers of the town during the ensuing summer months. Considerable discussion ensued as to the best method for purifying the drains. Or. Wood moved—“ That the clerk write to the police about certain shops which made a practice of opening for business on Sundays.” Carried. Or. Hawkins asked that the footpath at the west end of London street be cut down to its proper level, so that the drains from the adjacent property might bo put in. A distance of about 40ft. required to be excavated, the width being about 6ft., and running from nothing to about 6ft. high. Or. Reed moved, and Or. Smith seconded—“ That the work be undertaken ;by the works committee at once,’’ The Council then adjourned.