CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1920, 20 April 1880, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

The usual weekly meeting of tho City Council took place last evening, at seven o’clock. Present—His Worship the Mayor, and Crs. Gapes, Ring, Bishop, Taylor, Oherrill, Cuff, Hulbert, Wyatt, England, and Ayers. The Mayor said ho had nothing further to report than that he had received two letters from Messrs Gairick and Oowlisbav? and Mr Smart, which would be considered in committee. Ha had also, as they would see hy advertisement, given notice of a meeting of ratepayers to consider the question of loan for water supply and municipal buildings for next Wednesday evening. The accounts wero passed amounting to £583 15s 4d. Cr. Hulbert asked if Mr Husband had complied with the notice of tho Council, The Mayor answered in the negative. The Town Clerk said Mr Husband had taken no notice of the notices sent to him. Cr. Taylor referred to the resolution which had been parsed some time back about the work that was to bo gone on with on the South town belt. Ho wished to know why so little had been done. The resolution being read, Cr. King said he did not know what Cr, Taylor had to complain of, as the terms of the resolution had been complied with. Or. Hulbert asked if the water supply reports of Mr Blackwell, which the Council had ordered to ho printed, had been distributed amongst tho general public ? The Mayor raid the town clerk told him a great many of them had been distributed, but not all. Cr. Wyatt, referring to a paragraph ho had read in one of the evening papers, wished to knew if permission had been given for tho passage of Victoria street to be blocked by the Tramway Company. Cr. Gapes paid permission had been given for four days to block Victoria street from the Junction to Peterborough street. Tho works committee had power to give such permission. In reply to Cr. Hulbert, The Mayor said the power really rested with the Council, but that the usual practice, which has been followed in this instance, had been to delegate the power alluded to to the works committee. Cr. Wyatt wished for a definition of the Tramway Company’s powers. - Tho Mayor reminded him that the Tramway Act was open for Cr. Wyatt’s inspection, where he would find their powers clearly laid down. Further discussion took place on tho sub ject, and Or. Hulbert pointed out that no Councillor interested in the Tramway Company had any right to take part in the discussion without incurring a penalty cf £SO, The Mayor who under the impression that shareholders in companies should not speak or vote on questions in which they as shareholders were interested, and read the clause of tho Municipal Corporations Act 1876 bearing upon the question. The matter then dropped. The Mayor reported he had received a telegram from Cr Lambert, stating that he should not return from the Kaikouras before midnight, and, therefore, apologised for his continued absence.

The question of whether it was the prerogative of the Council or the Tramway Company to put in looplines was revived by Or. "Wyatt, and the Mayor said it was hia impression from a cursory perusal of the Act that the company had the power to put in looplines where they thought proper. It was also the opinion of the surveyor and the works committee. Cr. Hulhert said the question had arisen from an article in one of the evening papers, where it was assumed that the Council had a controlling power in the matter of the formation of loop lines. An application was received from C. Benot, asking permission to bo allowed to keep the bach door of fcis coffee house on the Market reserve open on Sunday evenings. The request was declined. The Mayor said there was still the question of whether the Council had power to grant permission for more than 100 yards of the road to bo opened up by the Tramway Company at one time. It was ultimately decided to let the matter rest until such an application should revive it. A communication, with accompanying plan, was received from Professor Eiokerton and Rev. 0. Fraser, offering to give the Council the necessary land from off their sections to make the junction between Henry street and Stewart street. The offer was received with thanks. Mr Bell waited on the Council with reference to its acknowledging a right of way on a private section marked on a lease, which ho could not get registered until the matter was settled. The matter was referred to the works committee to report on. Relative to the cessation of the Government subsidy, the Wellington Council forwarded a copy of the following resolution —“Resolved, that in consequence of intimation having been received from Government that the municipal subsidy of £ for £ will cease after June 3Cth next, notion be given forthwith to Government that after that date tho Corporation will bo unable to undertake any share of the maintenance of the Hospital and Charitable Aid.” A le'ter was read from Mr Jackson, informing the Council that he was forming a pack of beagles, consisting of ton couples, and asking for a concession'on the usual registration fee. The Council agreed unanimously that they had not tho power to grant the request, tho registration tea being fixed by the Government.

iTho purveyor’s report’was read as follows : 1. The works committee this morning arranged with the works committee of the Drainage Board that the damage done to the streets np to the present time by the Drainage Board work would be paid for on some streets at the rate of £3 per chain, and the remainder at .£1 per chain. 2. A building has lately been erected at the side of the Council’s section of land in Lichfield street with a number of windows at tho side, so that if the Council desire to build out to the street frontage the light would bo cut off from that building. 3. Tho contract for erecting the urinals was given to Mr Martin. 4. Tho contract for forming and shingling Creyke street was given to Mr 5, To asphalt the paths and lay tho remainder down in grass in Latimer square, in accordance with the pbn brought up last meeting by Councillor Hulbert, would cost £370. With reference to Clause 2, it was resolved to refer the matter to the by-law committee, with power to obtain legal advice, and act accordingly. The other clauses wore considered satisfactory, and the report as u whole was approved. The inspector’s report was read and approved. Or, Bishop handed into the Mayor the draft of the building by laws, which had been drawn up by the by-law committee. In tho compilation of the draft he was, in addition to his coadjutors, C■•(?•. Ayers and Lambert, indebted largely to Or. England for his proffered services, as well as to Messrs. Cane and Stocks, who bad also rendered very valuable assistance. He would suggest that it should be set up and printed in slips, for the use of tho members of the Council. Tho Mayor said he would give directions to have tho slips printed as soon as pos-ible, and he would then call a special meeting to consider tho whole matter. It was resolved on the motion of Cr. Oherrill, after some discussion —“ That of the remainder of tho reports not circulated fifty be retained for the use of tho office, and tho balance sent out by a special messenger to-morrow and one loft at each place of business in the city at which a copy has not already been left.” Cr. King brought before tho Council the advisability of converting Latimer square into a recreation ground instead of leaving it an eyesore, in the winter dangerous for traffic, and wholly given up to football players and cricketers. He moved—“ That this Council vote the sum of £3OO for improvement to Latimer square, including tho erection of the clock-tower presented to tho city of Christchurch by tho Q-oneral Government, provided that the sum of £l5O bo subscribed locally for the above object.” Cr. Hulbert agreed with Cr. King that tho square was not the proper place for athletic sports to bo indulged in, to the disadvantage of the rest of the public. He wculd second the resolution. Cr. Gapes disagreed with the motion on financial grounds. Tho work was a purely ornamental one, and double the sum at tho disposal of the works committee cculd bo absorbed by works of sheer necessity. Ors. Cuff and England voted against tho motion on the same grounds. Or. Wyatt spoke in favor of it, ae ho considered that, if the work was to be done at all, now was tho proper time to do it. There were no costly works that required to be done, and ho considered the Cou. cil could very well afford this small demand upon its resources.

Or. Oherrill thought the Council could afford to lay out the square at a cost of £IOO, and let the question of the clock stand over until a future time. Ho would move, as an amendment—“ That the sum of £IOO be laid out on the square, and the question of the erection of the clock be postponed for the present.” The amendment was not seconded. The Mayor twitted the Council with parsimony, and said he should certainly not give the sum he had promised unless the work in question was commenced during his term of office. Christchurch was well provided with reserves for cricket and football, end neither Latimer nor Cranmer squares was large enough or otherwise fit for the sports he had named. With regard to money, the financial condition of the Council was not nearly so bad as bad been represented. He should certainly vote for the resolution, and if necessary give his casting vote, but he hoped and believed that would be unnecessary, and that the resolution would be carried unanimously. Or. Taylor thought the question of layi-g out the square was a dodge to get the clock put up there. He should like to see the question divided, and then ho would be glad to vote for a sufficient sum of money to put the square in order. When the question of the site for the clock-tower was decided on he would also vote for its erection. Cr. Ayers would like to see the square improved, but also recognised the claim of the eastern portion of the city to a recreation ground. At present he should vote .gainst the resolution. Cr. Bishop opposed the resolution, and approved of Or. Chorrill’s suggestion, subject to modification. He thought that the erection of the clock-tower should be relegated until they had an estimate of its exact cost. He deprecated the remarks of the Mayor on the members of the Council, whom ho pitied for their smallmindodneas in being afraid of voting a sum of £3OO. The Mayor regretted that ho should have made any remarks offensive to a member of the Council. Ho had not intended them aj such. Cr. Taylor moved as an amendment —“ That public discussion on this subject bo postponed for one week, to enable Cr. Lambert to bo present with his sketch and estimate of cost of erection of the clock tower.” Cr. Gapes seconded the amendment. The amendment was then put end carried unanimously. Cr. Taylor then gave notice of motion—- " That tho sum of £IOO be by this Council for the purpose of improving Latimer square, by making paths and grass plots, and repairing tho fence.” Tho Council then went into committee, and subsequently adjourned.