CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2106, 23 November 1880, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

The City Council met last evening at sevon o'clock. Present—His Worship the Mayor, Org. Gapes, King, Bishop, Yincent, Oherrill, England, Lambert, Gcff, Hulbert and Taylor. The Mayor reported the credit balance at the Bank to be £l6l 8s Id. The statement of finances for two weeks ending 20th November, 1880, showed—Beceipts on general aocount, £352 Os lid ; bills to be paid, £1196 Os 8d; Drainage Board account, No. 2, £l4O 18s 9d. The accounts were ordered to be paid. The oity surveyor's report was read as follows : November 22nd, 1880. 1. Some time back an application was made to the Council to channel and form the right-of-way rnuni-ig from Manchester to Colombo street at the back of the Oddfellows' Hall, and as a necessary preliminary step I gave Mr Green notice on the Bth September last to remove his buildings, which stand on the right-of-way, but he has taken no notice of my letter. The land was first leased to him for twenty-one years, but I am informed that he has since bought it, subject to the right-of-way, and consequently his lease is no longer in existence. 2. Orders have been given to men to mow the grass in Cranmer square. 3. Last week the artesian pipe driven in Yictoria street reached the waterbearing stratum at 172 ft, and I tested the quantity of water to be derived from the well, and found it to be equal to the quantity given by the old well, and, I believe, as much as can be obtained from a pipe of that size. The work has been done in a very careful and efficient manner, the pipes being quite straight to the bottom, and the water rising 6ft above ground. 4. In consequence of the artesian water falling off so much 1 have been obliged to fix a pump at the underground tank in Tuam street to supply the water carts. 5. The following building licenses were issued during the month of October last:— Mr Henwood, Windmill road; Mr Bitchie, Armagh street; Mr Brown, Armagh street,- Messrs Cook and Boss, Armagh street; Bobertson and McDongall, North belt; Mr Izard, Richmond terrace; Mr Colder, Tuam street; Mr Croft, Manchester street; Mr Walker, Peterborough street; Mr Frazer, Queen street; Mr Parker, Armagh street; Mr Seelen, Colombo street; Mr Swindell, Colombo street; Mr Ailaway, Bast belt; Mr King, Cashel street; JPr Tait, Gloucester street. 6. A tender for dogoollars for the year 1881 was this morning acoepted by the works' committee. In referenoe to the first clause of the report, Or. Lambert moved—" That the oity solicitors be asked to advise as to the Council's power to enforce removal of the property in question." Tno motion was carried, and the town olerk instructed to take the necessary action. The other clauses were passed without any considerable comment, and the surveyor's report was approved. The report of the tramway committee was read as follows :

Council's offices, November 22nd, 1880. Your' committee, having carefully considered the question of the tramway lines on the South belt, in conjunction with the suggested alterations to the present lines made by the Tramway Company, as shown on their plan, dated November Ist instant, and the surveyor's plan, dated the 25th September last, and his report of 19th inst., beg to recommend — 1. That the suggested alterations by the company, as shown in their plan of November Ist, be accepted, with following amendments. 2. That no buffers be allowed, as suggested by Mr Turner, on lines A and b. 3. That line b be shortened by ninety feet, and that the said line so shortened be used only for shunting the engine, and on no account to be used as a standing place. 4. That the line c be not allowed, as if granted it would interfere with the public 5. That one standing place be allowed at the point indicated on the surveyor's plan, and marked A; or 6. That the existing line opposite the railway station remain as it is, and that two standing plftceß be appointed as shown on the surveyor's plan A and b. Your committee intend, with the approval of the Council, to at once draft a by-law to regulate the speed to be observed in travelling upon the tramway, licensing the cars and servants of the company, and other regulations which the Council is empowered to make under the Tramway Act for the convenience and safety of the public. Attaohed to the above was a report by the City Surveyor to the Tramway sommittee, dealing with, precisely the same matter as that to which the committee's report referred. Cr. Bishop, chairman of the committee, offered a few remarks in support of the report, explaining the position proposed to be taken up, and submitting generally that the plan suggested was the most appropriate and best calculated to meet the difficulty. In reply to his Worship, Cr. Bishop said the committee submitted the alternative schemes in order that the Council might accept one or other. His Worship suggested that it would perhaps be the better course to adopt the report as a whole and decide on the plan after consulting the Tramway Company. Or. Bishop moved—" That the report be adopted, and that a copy of it be sent to the Tramway Company for their views on the subject." Or. Lambert informed the Council that a test of Oxford cement had been made, end he asked that the surveyor might be authorised to certify to the test. The authority asked for was at once conceded. Cr. JEulbert asked whether in licensing houses of public amusement it was contemplated that they should be opened and a charge made for admission on Sundays. The Mayor said so far as he understood the Council had no power of control in the matter, their jurisdiction was rather in the direction of seeing proper provision made for ingress and egress. Or. Taylor said he would, for one, protest against the profanation of the Sabbath. He had seen the evil results of this thing elsewhere, and he hoped the Council would take the matter up in a manly spirit. He protested against strangers coming here and abusing the feelings of the citizens. Cr. Lambert said the matter had not been altogether overlooked, and inquiries had been made as to the power of the Oity Council. It was found that they had no power, and hence the subject had been allowed to drop, seeing that to make any stir would, under the oiroumstanoes, only be to advertise the entertainment. Councillor King referred to the futile attempts made in San Francisco to suppress Sunday evening entertainments of the kind. Cr. Lambert believed, at the same time, that an expression of opinion from this Oounoil disapproving of public plaoes_ of amusement being opened on Sunday might be passed. A motion v in conformity with the suggestion of the last speaker was then put and carried. , , . Or. Bishop moved—" That the resolution altering the Council day of meeting from fortnightly to weekly (of February 24th. 1879), minute No. 4 and 24 be rescinded, and that for the future the meetings be held fortnightly." In proposing this, he pointed out that there was no urgent necessity for the Council meeting every week, so far as their exeoutive action was concerned, and they could do all the work in one night that was likely to accumulate for a fortnight. Or. Lambert seconded the motion. Or. Hulbert supported the resolution m a brief addreßS, wherein he made a mirthprovoking allusion to the " ooming man." The motion appeared to meet with general support, and was carried on the voices. Tenders for making the annual city valuation were opened, and that of Mr Cornelius Oufi was accepted. The Oounoil having dealt with some applications for licenses, went into committee in 1 reference to departmental work, and on resuming adjourned.