CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1956, 1 June 1880, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

The usual weekly meeting of tho City Council took place yesterday evening. Pre sent—His Worship the Mayor, Crs. King, Hulbert, Cuff, Taylor, Bishop, Vincent, Ayers, Oherrill, England, Lambert, and Gapes. Tho Mayor stated that the dobit balance at the Bank was £4599 3s 3d.

The usual weekly statement of. accounts gave the following totals :—Receipts on general account, £715 17a 7d ; drainage rate account, £44 5s 4d; Drainage Board rate, 1880, £154, Is 8d ; bills to be paid. £1633 19 > Id ; drainage acconnt, No. 2, £732 6s Id. The accounts were ordered to be paid. Or. Oherrill gave notice of motion re the question of the sanitary condition of the city. It was determined to consider it later on at tho present meeting. Or. Taylor drew attention to the fact that the arrangemont between the Council and the Bank—the three years' contract —would terminate in July of the present year, and i' was necessary, perhaps, to come to some arrangement for the future. After a brief discussion, during which the expediency of consulting all the Banks was touched upon, The Council resolved tbat all the B*nks in the city be waited upon re the Council's account, and that the finanoe cammittee report on the matte' to the Council at next meeting. Or. King aeied by whose Authority vl'ancheater street had boen closed ? Or. Huloert said it bad been done by authority of the tramway committee. Or. England was of opinion that the committee had exoeeded their power. Letters received since last meeting were

I then read and considered. Among them were the following:— From the Drainage Board, indicating what had been done at a recent meeting re the sanitary control of the city, and forwarding resolutions passed thereat. (The resolutions have been already published.) The Mayor said another letter had been received, which might be read in connection with the above. The letter referred to, from Mr William Faddy, was then read as follows: —" I hereby giro yon (the Mayor and Council) notice that. I intend emptying my niaht-soil pan myself, on my premises, situated in Montreal street. south, as I have a large garden, and require some for my own use, and also as many others are doing the same. I beg to further state that anyone found trespassing on my premise* after 11 p.m., will be prosecuted according to the law, and that I will advertise to that effect. (Signed), Wm. Paddy." Or. Hulbert proposed—" That a copy of the letter just read be sent to the Board of Health."

The motion was agreed to. The Mayor remarked, with regard to the communication from the Drainage Board, that Or. Cherrill had a motion bearing on the subject.

A letter was received from the Town Clerk of Sydenham, in reply to a letter of the 29 h inst., stating that the Sydenham Borough Council had considered the Bill on the question of the South Town belt" and approved of the same as altered in red ink. The Bill was enclosed. Some discussion arose on the amendments ?nade ;: in the Bill 'by the Sydenham Council, and several members expressed disapproval, seeing that a conference of the two bodies had already come to an understanding.

The Mayor said he should never attend another conference between that Council and the Sydenham Borough Oouncil on the South belt question, aB there seemed to be no finality about the proceedings. No sooner, for instance, did they seem to be agreed upon a point than the Sydenham Council discovered half a dozen other objections. Or. Ouff moved—" That the Bill be approved of, as passed by the general conference of the Sydenham and Ohristchurch representatives."

The motion was seconded by Or. Cherrill and carried.

The City Surveyor reported as follows : 1. The air-lock pumps, &c, have been fetched from the Waimakariri and returned to the Government. 2. Fife street and North street have been channelled, and tenders will be called for forming and shingling them this week. 3. The urinals were completed on Saturday last, so far as the contractor is conceraed, so that I cau now make proper approaches to them 4. Three cases of breach of the Building by-Uw were decided in the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning in favor of the Council. The report was approved. The report of the reserves committse was read as followe : Your committee have had under considerat'on the conditions for letting the Geraldine reserve, and recommend that advertisements be inserted in tb.9 local papers there that it is open for leasing, and that the term 3 originally drawn by Cr. Jameson as a basis for a lease be-sent with the advertisement for the information of intending applicants. C. P. Hulbeet, Chairman. The Mayor was of opinion that it would be necessary to rescind a former resolution of the Council as to the terms of leasing these reserves before they could adopt the recommendations of the committee.

A disoussion ensued, and the resolutions as to the leasing of the Geraldine reserve, and the draft deed of agreement based thereon, were read.

Cr. Hulbert gave notice of a motion to reßoind the resolutions previously passed by the Council. The further consideration of the reserves committee's report was postponed till next meeting. The Council then proceeded to the consideration of the Local Board of Health question.

Cr. Oherrili moved—" That tho sanitary committee be" instructed to obtain an interview with the Local Board of Health, and to point out to the Board that if the Board cannot see its way to allow the Council to resume its position of Board of Health to the city, the Council will find it necessary to hand over to the Board the entire of all works connected with the sanitary condition of the city." In moving tho resolution, ho remarked upon an article which had appeared in the Phess, and said that he had been quite unable to discover that there was much dignity attaching to tho office of councillor just now, though they were charged with assuming an extra amount; as a matter of fact, however, unless they had the complete control of the city, they could not give proper effect to their responsibilities. They did all the work the Local Board could do, with the exception of receiving the medical officer's report, and paying his salary. At the Bame time, they had not the power to enforce compliance with sanitary measures, and were placed thereby in a most unsatisfactory and humiliating position. Cr. Hulbert seconded the motion, and said that what the Council sought was to get the power referred to by the mover for the purpose of carrying out effectually the sanitary measures necessary to the health of the city, and he was surprised that extreme ignorance Bhould bo exhibited by thoßO who ought to be better informed, and who wrote on the subjeot in condemnation of the Council.

Cr. Gapes thought no good would result from such action as that proposed, as the Local Board were evidently determined not to give up their powers, and he moved the following amendment—" That this Council do relinquish oil sanitary matters and works in connection therewith to the Local Board of Health on and after the 30th of June, 1880." ■ Or. King seconded the amendment. Cr. Ayers said he must give the amendment hio hearty support, and he hoped the Local Board would relish their work. Personally, whatever might be said by persons in criticising their action, he was so jealous of his dignity, that he objected to act as scavenger ftr the local Board of Health. Cr. Bishop thought the course suggested by the amendment was the only one the Council could adopt, as it was necessary that somebody who had the full power should carry out tho work. Cr. Chorriil at this stage, by leave of the Council, withdrew his resolution. Cr. Taylor said the Local Board of Health were not the right body to deal with tho money of the ratepayers of the city. He thought the Council were placing themselves in a very humiliating position, and he should protest against it. Cr. Cuff pointed out that the Council did not wish to hand over their trust, but they I were taking the only course open to them to bring the matter to a head.

Or. Gapes' amendment, which now beoatne the substantive motion, was then put and carried, Ors. L»mbert and Taylor being fcLe only disßentients. Or. Oherrill asked a question relativo to tho cases brought by the Oounoil in the K.M. Oourt, the coste, &c, inourred therein. It was understood that the information

would be forthcoming at next meeting.

At this stage Or. Hulbert again drew attention to the question raised as to the power of the tramway committee, remarking that if all the small matters that came before them were to be referred to tho Council their office as a committee would be gone. The Mayor remarked that tho question seemtd to turn upon what significance was to be attached to tho term "small matters," and whether the stopping of a street could be so looked upon.

Or. Hulbert admitted that a committee would exoed its power by otopping up a thoroughfare like High street, but their notion in the oase referred to was of a different k.nd.

Or. Lambert agreed with what had fallen from his colleague, Or Hulbert. He was yery muoh surprised to bear this question raised, and should like to be instructed as to what latitude should be allowed the committee. Or. Ayers admitted that all committee? ahould be allowed a certain executive power >»s noting for the Oounoil, but pointed out tbat similar power had been denied to the works committee. After Bome further discussion the matter was allowed to drop. Or. Gapes then said the duty devolved upon him as representing the works committee to state that the committee had determined to resign their office as a body. They took thi« course because it had appeared that thoy did not er.joy that amount of confidence and respect they could wish. This was remarkable in an instance quoted during the discussion just concluded, and the gentleman who had claimed so much power for the tramway committee was the loudest in condemning the action of the works committee regarding the stoppage of a few •hains of a street. For such reasons as these tho committee had resolved to resign. Or. King said tho powers of tho workn committee had been taken away piocomeal, and he, believing that they did not enjoy tho confidence of the Council, begged to resign us a member of that committee.

Or. England, as a member of the works committee, spoke to the same effect, adding that he was glad to have been a member of the committee, seeing what had been done for private streets during his term of office on the committee, and he was glad to bo able to bear testimony to the faot that the officers of the Council had had to do a great deal of extra work in connection with operations io. ! he direction named.

Or. Taylor thought the works committee were under a totally wrong impression, and hoped they would see their way to alter their decision.

Or. Cuff was not surprised at the action of the works committee, aB they had not well treated, particularly in the matter of the tramway. He felt it would be very difficult to replace them, and he hoped they would not resign Or King said he would only consent to continue in office on the restoration of all the powers taken from the works committee. Or. Gapes expressed similar views. After some further discussion of a desultory character, The members of the tramway committee expressed themselves willing to resign on the understanding that the works committee would undertake their duties.

Or. Bishop then moved—" That the consideration of the whole matter be postponed for a week."

A discussion ensued, during whioh members of the works committee urged that the question be carried to an issue at once.

The tramway committee were then formally discharged, and the works committee withdrew their resignation. The only other business on the order paper was the consideration of an application for a cab license, which was refused.

The Council then went into committee t? consider the building by-law, and on resuming, adjourned.