CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1897, 23 March 1880, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, Maech 22.

The usual meeting of the City Council was held at 7 pm. Present—His Worship the Mayor, Ors. Taylor, Oherrill, Ayers, Wyatt, Gapes, England, Hulbert, King, Lambert, Bishop, Cuff, Tincent. The Town Clerk reported the receipts for the week as being £242 7a sd. The debit balance at the Bank was stated as being £3164 Os 10d. Accounts to the amount of £746 Is were passed for payment. A letter was read from the Dunedin City Council, stating that the matter of Sunday trading was one for police supervision. A protest was read, signed by fifteen residents of Tuam and High streets, against the erection of a urinal at the junction of Tuam and High streets. A similar protest, signed by twenty-three citizens, was read against the urinal proposed to be erected in front of the City Hotel. The latter contained the names of Messrs Alport, Clark and others in Hereford street.

Cr. Gapes moved—“ That the question of erecting the three urinals in front of Cobb and Sawtell’s, at the City i'otel, and near Goss's yard be referred back to the sanitary committee.” After a rather warm and somewhat recriminatory discussion, Cr. Gapes' motion was not seconded, and fell through. It was resolved to reply that the Council regrets it cannot see its way to alter its decision.

I A, letter was read from several cab owners and drivers, complaining of the monopoly of the railway station by the tram oars perventing the cabmen from taking up or setting down passengers. The surveyor said that the ’bus stand came just where the tramway had been granted their stand in front of the railway station. Mr Brown, the chairman of the directors of tt# Tramway Company, stated that every facility was given to cabmen to take up and set down passengers. After some discussion it was agreed that the matter should be left to the by-law committee to arrange. A letter was read from the chairman of the Tramway Company, asking for permission to cany the trar rails one chain further into Cathedral Square, The permission was granted. The following letter was read from Messrs Dobson and Son : Christchurch, March 18th. Chairman Water Supply Committee. Sir,—Five months ago the water supply committee did ns the honor of asking us to undertake the management of the gravitation scheme proposed by Mr White for the water supply of Christchurch. We declined to undertake the work on the ground that it was unnecessary to bring water from a distance, the supply from the artesian springs being unexceptionable in quality and abundant for all purposes, and that if it was desired to dispense with the fire engines pow in use the requisite pressure could be obtained more efficiently and at less cost by pumping into the mains from a pumping station than by tba proposed gravitation scheme. We have oeen at once gratified and surprised at finding that the Council have unanimously agreed to recommend to the ratepayers for their adoption the alternative scheme prepared by ocr late assistant, Mr Blackwell, which is simply a repetition of the advice we then freely gave the committee, as detailed in onr letter of October 11th, which was published at the time in the daily papers. Our reason for now referring to the matter is that we think it due to ourselves and the public to put officially on record the fact that after a delay of five months, and the expenditure of_ several hundred pounds in professional advice, the Council have simply adopted in its entirety our original plan which the water supply committee declined to entertain, but which onr professional experience and local knowledge had long ago led ns to consider the best adapted to meet the requirements of the city. Yours, &c., Dobson & Son. Cr. Oherrill moved—“ That the letter be forwarded to Mr Blackwell for his information, and that he be requested to take notice of the same. Cr. Cuff seconded the motion. Cr. Hulbert pointed out that Messrs Dobson and Son had stated in their letter that thty had been asked to take the management of the Waimakariri scheme. All that they had been asked to do was to report on the scheme. Again they said that the Council had unanimously resolved to recommend the alternative scheme to the ratepayers. How this was not true, as the Council had agreed to place both schemes before the ratepayers. The minutes of the water supply committee were referred to, and it was found that Mr Dobson had been asked to act as advising engineer on the Waimakariri scheme. Cr. Hulbert moved as an amendment — “ That the letter be forwarded to the water supply committee, with a request that they would answer it, thanking Mr Dobson, and pointing out the little inaccuracies in it; also that a copy of the letter bo sent to Mr Blackwell.” Cr. Taylor seconded the amendment. After some further discussion, Cr. Oherrill withdrew his motion, and the amendment was then put and carried. The surveyor’s report was read as follows : Permission to put down gratings to light a cellar, at the Queen’s Hotel has been applied for. 'I he gratings will only encroach a few inches on the footpath. The nrinal at the market square, and the stand for fish salesmen will he completed to-morrow. The pipes of the artesian that is being driven in Victoria street broke about 30ft. from the surface, and rendered it impossible to drive any deeper, therefore the men are now engaged trying to drive out the plug as a preliminary to further steps being taken.

It was resolved to give the surveyor power to grant permission in those cases where th* openings did not come within eighteen inches of the footpath. On the application of Or. Hulbert, permit* sion was given to the reserves committee to

-extend the asphalte on the market reserve in the event of applications being received from fishermen for increased space. A report was read from the inspector of nuisances reporting that nearly all the hotels had arranged for supply of water to the urinals attached to them. Attention was also called to a nuisance alleged to bo caused by accumulation of skins, hides, &0., at the auction rooms of Messrs. Ford and Co., B. Wilkin, and Matson and Co. It was agreed to bring the latter matter under the notice of the Board of Health. Or, Taylor moved—“ That the works committee be instructed to call for tenders for the performance of all works where possible, instead of by day labor as at present.” Cr. Vincent seconded the motion. Or. King opposed the motion, and Crs. Cuff, England, and the Mayor spoke in favor of it. On being put it was carried, Cr. King dissenting. The advertisement respecting the loans for water supply, town hall and municipal buildings, side channelling, and payment of the Drainage Loan was read by the tQjfn clerk. On the motion of Or. Vincent, it was resolved that the advertisement bo inserted according to the Act. The Council then adjourned for a fortnight over the Easter holidays.