CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2335, 27 September 1881, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

The City Council met last evening. Present— Hifl Worship the Mayor, Cm. Hiorns, Vincent, Ayers, Louisson, Bowman. Treleaven, Cuff, and Thomson. Or. Treleaven apologised for Cr. Hulbert'e unavoidable absence. The credit balance at the Bank was stated to be £2308 3s 2d ; the receipts for the fortnight were £BBll2s 9i. The aco aunts to be paid amounted to £539 14s. Several petition! were referred to the surveyor to report upon. A petition from some licensed carriers, asking the Council to provide extra stands, were referred to the by-law committee.

A request from Mr Alfred Innes, for permission to retain a building in Victoria street was postponed for further consideration. The following letter was read from Messrs Joubert and Twopenny:— "We have the honour to inform your Worship and the Council of the City of Chrißtohuroh that at the instigation of a number of representatives of British, French, German, Austrian, Italian, Swiss, Belgian, American, Victorian, and South Australian manufacturers, it is our intention to hold an International Exhibition in Christchurch, on the same basis as that which has recentlyproved so successful in Adelaide. We beg to enolose you herewith a oopy of the preliminary notice of the Exhibition, and to ask you to allow the .Exhibition to be held under your auspices, as it has been held here under the avspices of the Adelaide Corporation, and to give us your support and co-operation, so that the inhabitants of New Zealand may themselves take part in the undertaking. We do not ask for pecuniary aid of any kind. Trusting that we may rely upon your valuable aid in making the Exhibition successful, and worthy of your colony and city."—The Council agreed to give their sanction and cooperation. The city surveyor reported as follows : A new lamp has been erected at the corner of Oashel street bridge, and the one knocked down in Manchester street has been renewed. The lamp in Oashel street east, in the town reserves, has been shifted a little further east, so astolightClarkson's right-of-way. One lamp at the Hospital, and one at the junction of Worcester street and Antigua street, have been removed, and bracket lamps attached to the telegraph poles hare been substituted for them. 2. In many parts of the town, where the asphalte was laid fourteen or fifteen years ago, the paths are in a very delapidated state, and will require extensive repairs. Ihis necessity has arisen, in my opinion, in consequence of the asphalt not being attended to periodically, to prevent its decay. I think all asphalt footpaths should be dressed over with tar every four years, in order to keep up the adhesive nature of the material, and prevent its breaking up in consequence of the material becoming too dry and perishing. I have made the above remarks in order to direct the Council's attention, not only to the old asphalt, but also to that which has been laid under the present oontract, as it is more than four years since the first asphalt was laid under the present contract, and consequently that portion ought now to be top dressed, to prevent its becoming too dry. The asphalt which I have alluded to above as having been laid fourteen or fifteen years, ought now to be top dressed in a similar manner to that part which has been repaired in front of the Cathedral, which was done last summer, but where the paths are of an unsightly and inconvenient shape, it would be very advisable to take the old asphalt up and relay it. 3. I have had the swimming bath thoroughly cleaned out, and all the weeds dredged from the bottom, so that it is now ready for use. A house has been ereoted on Cambridge terrace, the windows of which overlook the bath, and in the event of the bath being used, it will be necessary to raise the iron fence round it; and as doing that will present such a large surface to wind, that in the event o! a very strong wind, the fence will be very likely to be damaged, it will be a rather expensive proceeding to render the feces strong enough to withstand any wind that may occur. When the bath was built, it was not supposed that anything higher than seven or eight feet would be necessary, and consequently the piles used were only strong enough to carry that height of fenoe with safety. The expense of raising the fence would be about £ll. Tenders have been called for the bath, but they are not yet opened. 4. In the month of May, 1880, Mr Goss took out a license to build five cottages in Salisbury street, of which he has only built one, and as he does not intend building the other four he has applied to have the building fees refunded to him. 5. The chairman of the works committee accompanied me on a visit to Fike street, and we came to the conclusion that if it were properly formed and channelled it would improve its sanitary condition and drainage; the works committee, therefore, recommend that it should be done. 6. The piece of asphalte kerb and channel which the works committee ordered to be laid in Oashel street is now completed, but it was an understood thing that the work would not be paid for until it was seen to be as good as it was represented to be. 7. The work and material required for lowering the piece of road opposite the Hospital would cost about £6O, but although this would be the value of the work and material, it would n -t causa this sum to be expended, as I believe I can get rid of the earth by private enterprise, which is reckoned as about half the amount, and the stone would come from what I have in stock at Addington. 8. The portion of Queen street north, which is one chain wide, is beiag channelled with concrete ohanneL 9. I have had a large culvert built of concrete and iron in place of the stone one at the junction of Tiiam and Manchester streets. 10. The following building licenses were issued during the month of August .--Messrs R W. England, Town street jG. Roberts, Bedford Row; Treleaven, Armagh street; Atkicßon, Montreal street ; Stenning, Montreal street ; Ayers, High street ; Harris, Hereford street ; F. A. Bishop (7 shops), Colombo a-id Armaph streets ; Williams, Tuam street ; P. Hyndham, Colombo street ; Djllan, North Belt ; Dollan, North street ; Papprill, Worcester street ; Wiloox, Chapel street ; Metealf, Lower High street; Christie, Armagh etree;:; Ballinger, Lichfield street; Graham, Gloucester Btreet ; George, Hereford street ; McLean, Avon street ; Hofmister, Chester street ; Pirie, Cash si street ; Bickerton, Antigua street. With reference to the asphalt, it was resolved to ask the works commi : tee and surveyor to prepare a schedule of work urge-iiy needing attention, &c. The clause referring to fencing the bath was held over. The request of Mr Goes, in clause 4, was refused. The remainder of the report was approved The departmental committee reported &s follows :—" Your committee has conferred with the town clerk on the subject of the length of notice required by him to terminate his engagements with the Council. The town clerk considers that if he agreed to fix the date of such notice, hs would be virtually consenting to his own dismissal, und voluntarily foregoing all the privilea-s accruing him for length of service. Tour committee therefore is not prepared to make any recommendation on the subject." The report was approved. — Cr. Hiorns mov* d —"That consideration of the action to be taken on Mr Harper's opinion re the length of notice to be given to tho Council's staff be deferred till the next meeting." Cr Treleaven seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.—An application from the men from the railway workshops, for an interview" with the Council, was refused.—A tender of 25s a week, for the Swimming Baths, vras accepted. —After transacting some further busineu cf a routine character the Council adjourned.