CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2034, 31 August 1880, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

The usual weekly meeting of the Council was held at 7 p. m. yesterday. Present— His Worship the Mayor, Ors. Taylor, Ayers, Bishop, Gapes, Cuff, Vincent, Hulbert, Thomson, Oherrill, England, King, and Lambert. The receipts for the week were stated as being £B7l Os 61, and the credit balance £770 6s 7cl. Accounts to the amount of £563 3s 7d were passed, and ordered to bo paid. Cr. Gapes said that last week, when the question was before the Council as to the Mayor's Court, the Mayor had said that he (Or Gape«) had changed hia opinion on the subject. The matter came up in a previous Council, but he (Or. Gapes) was not a member at that time. He had thought it only fair that he should put himself right on the subject.

The Mayor said that he could only say that ho made the statement believing that Cr. Gapes was a member of the Council at the time.

A letter was read from the Drainagoßiard, stating that steps would be taken to fill up the south drain as speedily as possible. A letter was read from the Cabmen's Society, asking the Council to receive a deputation from them on matters connected with the cabmen, the deputation consisting of Messrs Brooker, Lamb, and Jackson.

Cr. England moved—" That the deputation be received."

Cr. Ayers seconded tho motion, which was oarried.

The surveyor's report was read as follows : 1. Tho work-3 committee have given me instructions to advertise for tenders for sinking another 3in. artesian well at the Victoria street tank. 2. The work on Latimer pqnare is now completed. 3. I have had an interview with the engineer to the Traktway Company about levelling the roadway in Papanni road, and hd has set men to do tho work.

Clause 1 was pißsed, Or. Lambert expressing a hope that if a contract were accepted the works committee would not interfere in the matter. The report was then approved and passed as a whole. The report of the rate collector was read and referred to the finance committee to report upon. Or. Hulbert drew attention to the bad state of High and Manchester streets, just outside the Tramway line. A letter was read from Mr Wm. Tatton, asking for on interview respecting] the suspension of his driver's license. It was resolved to deoline the request. A letter was read from Mr A. Ansley, asking for a reconsideration of his case. The Council decided to decline this also.

Or. King asked for an explanation from Or. Lambert as to the romark made by him as to the works committee and the Victoria street well. Or. Lambert Baid that the less said about the matter the better. He felt that there had boon a great deal of bungling about the last well, and he had said that it would be better if the works committee did not interfere this time.

Or. Gapos said that the works committee had had nothing to do with the sinking of the last well. It had been done by contract, and tho reason of the failure was the weakness of tho pipes, which had broken under the number of blowß given. The subject then dropped. Tho deputation from tho cabmen was then introduced, comprising Messrs Brooker, Lamb, Dalwood, and Jack3on. Mr Brooker acted as spokesman, and said that the first question was that of a reduction in the license fees. Last year this had been refused, but they trusted that the Council would consider the fact that they had a very powerful rival in the Tramway Company, which had taken away most of their trade. They would ask that the fee should be 103 for a driver and £1 for an owner. In O'lmnru, Timaru, Wellington, Auckland and Dunedin the rates wore very much below thoee in Ohristchurch. The next question was the very vexed question of the Tramway Company pulling their cars right in front of the station, thus preventing the cabmen getting a fare. He thought that, looking to the monopolies that the Tramway Company now hold, that the cabmen should in justice have the same opportunities of driving up to the kerb as the Tramway Company. Then there was the fact that the cars pulled up in the streets right in front of the cabstands and their conductors plying for hire, at the same time that the conductors were not licensed. The next subject was the blocking up of Cathedral fquare by the tram cars, no leas than six cars and two engines at a time being on the fquare. This had caused seveial collisions, and he himself had lost about £ls by damages to his cab by the tramcars. Again, they desired to point out that the rails of the Tramway Company were some throe incheß above tho surface of the road, making it dangerous for their vehicles to go along the streets. The cabmen thought the Tramway Company should be compelled to übo horses instead of steam, which would prevent many accidents occurring.

Mr Lamb Baid that he could endorse all that Mr Brooker had said. Mr Brown had said that ho would not go so close to the footpath near tho railway Btation, and he had alao promised that tho cars should not stand in Cathedral square so thick aB they had been. Ho trusted that he would keep his word.

The Moyor.said that the Council would consider the questions put before them. Mr Brooker said that they could not understand how it was that the Tramway Company should have had such a concession given to them as to draw in right alongside the footpath to tho obstruction of the general traffic. Some time ago the cabmen had applied to the Council to allow the cabs to staad alongside the footpath, but it waß refused, on tho ground that they would obstruot the traffic Now it seemed to him that the tramcars were a very much greater obstruction than tho cabs.

Mr Jackson said that they trusted something would be done to place the matter on a satisfactory footing. At present they only had Mr Brown's word, which was not a great deal to depend upon, and the arrangement epoken of would only exist for a week, the

cabmen promising not to interfere with the truffle.

Tne Mayor said that the Oounoil would doubtless rofer the matter to a committee, who would inquire into the mutters of law, &c, involved.

The members of the deputation called the attention of the Council to the faot that the metals of the Tramway Company wero above the road some inches, thus throwing the hansoms, &?,, on one side dangerously. The deputation having withdrawn, Or. Bishop said that the by-law ojmmittee would be prepared to recommend that the cabs bo allowed to draw in to the footpath near the bridge over the railway. This was a concession which he thought would meet the requirements of the cabmon, and also be a publio convenience, and might be at once granted as a temporary measure. He thought that the permanent settlement of the stauds, &0., properly came under the supervision of the acting tramway committee, as they called themselves, or the non-acting tramway committee, as he (Or. Bishop) called them. The Mayr quoted from the minutes of January, 1870, by which the by-law committee were directed to see that the cabstand at the station was not interfered with.

In reply to Cr. Gapes, Or. Bishop >aid that, as already stated, the by law committee were prepared with a bylaw as to the stands so soon as the works committee furnished them with a list of stands for the tramway. He thought it was a veTy great pity that they had not a tramway committee, and he trusted ihat when the committees were appointed for next year a tramway committee should be placed on the list. As it was now, matters referring to the tramway went from one committee to another. The fact wsb the matter was rather a disagreeable duty. Were it one from whioh any kudos oould be got, they would have every member seeking for it. If the Council put the matter in their hands as a by-law committee, they would do the work. Cr. Ayers endorsed what had fallen from Or. Bishop. Some little confusion occurred on Cr. Gapes rising to speak, Or. Hulbart pointing out that there was nothing before the Council. Cr. Gapes then moved —" That the matter be referred to the works and by-laws committees to report upon." He might say that the ac ing tramway commit'ee had written to the Tramway Company asking them where they would like to have their staeds put. Or. King seconded the motion. Or. Hulbert Baid that the works committee had entirely misunderstood their position. They had written to the Tramway Company asking them where they desired to have their stands, instead of fixing the stands themselves, as beat calculated to servo the public interests. Cr. Thomson thought it would be better to adhere o the throe membors of the works committt He was of opinion that the tramway cars should not be allowed to stand at the kerb, but Bimply to como up and put down and take up passengers. Or. Oherrill moved as an amendment—- " That the matters brought before the Counoil by the deputation bo referred to the by-law committee, to report next meeting." He did this because all the questions put bsfore thorn by the cabmen referred to matters within the provinoe of the by-law committee. Or. King seconded the amendment. Or. Gapes withdrew his motion, and the amendment having become a substantative motion was agreed to. Or. Ayers then moved—" That the Council grant permission to the cabmen temporarily to occupy a stand alongside the pavement west of Manchester street." Or. Lambert seconded the motion. After some discussion, Or. Ayers withdrew his motion. The question of granting a concession down Lower High Btreet for twenty-one years was declined to be re-opened as requested. Or. England moved—" That in order that the business done by tho acting tramway committee may be understood by the Council, tho town clerk be requested to read all letters and minutes connected with this matter." The Mayor pointed out that every member had had a copy of the whole of the minutes and letters bearing on the matter. The Council then adjourned.