CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2613, 22 August 1882, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, August 21. The usual meeting of the City Council was held at 7 p.m. Present —His Worship the Mayor, Ors. Vincent, Lambert, Hiorns, England, Ayers, Louiason, Treloaven, River, Bishop, Bowman, Hulbert. The receipts for the fortnight were stated as being £1579 53 3d, the credit balance at the Bank being £6033 5i 6d. Accounts to the amount of £543 18s lid were passed for payment. , , The following correspondence was read. : Prom the Domain Beard, pointing out that persons were in the habit of proceeding up the river in boats and landing In the Domain for immoral purposes, The Board, therefore, asked the City Uouncil, as having the control of persona letting but boats, to assist the Board in repressing this evil by mafcin j it a condition on tb'o lessees of tbo boatzheds not to let boats after a certain hour. Or. Vincent thought that the remedy would be for tho Domain Board to appoint a objected to the publio being restricted in tho use of the river on fine summer -oveaiaga because eomo few people misbehaved themselves. The Mayor and several -Councillors expressed themselves in favor of the course proposed by Or. Vincent. It was resolved that the Board be informed that the Council consider the best method of meeting tho difficulty -would be for tho Domain Board to appoint a ranger. On the motion of Cr. Ayers, permission was granted to the -Domain Board to out vistas through the willows on the banks of tho river on Park Terrace corresponding with the streets. Tho work to be performed under the superintendence of tho city surletter was read from Canon Ootterill relative to the fence* between the Cathedral and the two tank raseives north and south of tho Cathedral. On tho motion of Or, Ayers it was resolved that the works committee, with the Mayor, wait on the committee appointed by the Cathedral Chapter to discuss the matter, and to report to the Council. A fetter was read from Mr B. M. Morten stating that ha would much rather the Council would acquire the land under offer according to the provisions of the Public Works Act, at the same time he had no objection to keep his offer open till that meeting. Or. Ayers said that he ivould move — 1 That the report of the committee be not adopted.’ He was opposed altogether to the purchase as proposed for various reasons, the more so as he thought the best part to widen the street would be from the other side. If the necessity arose for the widening of tho street, which ho did not see at present, he could see that at no distant date the present Bank of New Zealand would require to build a more imposing building, when it was probable they might acquire the proper piece of land. Or. Treleaven seconded the motion. The ratepayers’ money would he wasted, and. besides, there was no necessity for the widening of the street. Or. Hiorns supported the motion. Or. Hulbert said if the mover of the motion had waited for a few moments ho would have heard the committee ask leave to withdraw their report. It had come to the knowledge of the committee that in a few years it was probable a portion of the Bank of New Zealand site would be available for the purpose of widening the street, which the committee were still of opinion was a necessity. Under these circumstances he would ask tho Council

to allow the report to bo withdrawn. Or. Ayer* explained that the Mayor had told him that the report could not be with* drawn. . . ... .. Ihe Mayor said hia opinion wag tnat tne report onoe having been put before the Council it could not bo withdrawn. Or*. England, Hulbert and Sliver announced , their intention o£ voting for the report if the Mayor ruled that it could not be withdrawn. Or. Hulbert moved, as an amendment—<i That the report be withdrawn.” Or. England seconded this. Or. Bishop said he thought that the Council would find that all their streets would require widening, and ho was of opinion that not only ten feet on one side, but-feufeet on the other would require to be acquired. Besides this ho should like to see the queition of widening Colombo street from Brice’s corner to Cashel street considered. ... Alter some discussion on a point of order as to whether the report could be withdrawn, Or. Hulbert withdrew his amendment in favor of the following, moved by Or. Louisa on : “That the principles of the report be approved, but that, in view of the information recently received, no "immediate action be taken in the matter.” Or. Hulbert seconded the amendment. The amendment was then put and agreed to, Ora. Ayers, Hiorns, Xreleaven and Bowman Toting against it. The report of the City Surveyor was read, u follows: Another letter from the Sydenham Borough Council concerning the crossings over the South bels has been received and taken into consideration by the works committee, and_ they recommend, as before, that if anything is done to the crossings it should be a layer of broken stone blinded with screenings. A lamp has been erected at the steps alongside the Supreme Coart, which, I think, will obviate the difficulty hitherto experienced from the steps being there. I fursiahed a report to the works committee ■‘•••'(which is annexed hereto) on the state of the roads, and the works committee recommend that 10,000 yards of broken metal should be provided each Summer for the roads in future. In order that they may bo got into a better state than they are at present. Owing to the bad weather, we have made very little progress with Qreen’e right-of-way, but it is being proceeded with as quickly as circumstances will admit of. Contracts have been entered into for the materials for Manchester street bridge as follows: —Masonry, Mr Qledhill; shingle and Band, Mr Brightling; stone, Mr Cooksley; cement, Mr B. Clarkson. As soon as sufficient material ia on the ground 1 will have the work of building the bridge commenced. C. Walkdbn, City Surveyor. “ The report of the city surveyor on the State of the streets was read. He suggested that so many miles cf streets should bo macadamised and rolled the full width of the road in the most frequented thoroughfare, and also that a stone yard should be provided in as central a position as possible. The report as a whole was approved, that referring to the macadamising of the streets unanimously. The following report of the joint committee on the Bating Bill and Electric Lighting Bill was read, Tpcr committee have considered the proposed Bating Act introduced by the Government, and now before the House, and ia of opinion that for municipal bodies the Act nnder which they are working is preferable. There are some of the proposed sections in the Bill that it would be desirable should be added to the present law. Your committee considers the Bill, like many others, tends to the centralisation of functions that should be wholly left to local bodies. Centralisation of legislation on local questions is directly opposed to the spirit of the times, and is contrary to the wishes and wants of the colony. Local bodies require much larger powers to deal with purely local matters. Tour committee is of opinion that it ia the duty of a Government to confine its energies to the preparation and conduct of large and important questions for the benefit of the whole colony. Tour committee considers it detrimental to the prosperity of the colony that the Government! and General Assembly should waste so much time on merely local questions. V Electric Lighting Bill.—Yotir committee have '‘•considered this BiU, but as it does not confer on maqioipal bodies that amount of control which it colsaidera Corporations should possess, it cannot recommend the Council to approve of the Bill in its present form. Tour committee would direct the attention of the authorities and those interested to the report of the select hybrid committee of the House ef Commons upon the Board of Trade andother Electric Lighting Bills (vide ‘‘Engineering;” June 2nd, 1682; ppge 663). Or. Ayers spoke in high terms of commendation of the report, which was unanimously' adopted. A recommendation from the fire brigade committee, that Mr Fuller be appointed as . engineer to the steam fire engine Deluge. The Council appointed Mr Fuller sc recommended. Gr, Louisson called attention to the report of Sergeant Pratt as to the Theatre Boys], and pointed out that great danger existed to the public, ft was reported that the precautions which should exist at the theatre did not exist. He would like to • know what had been done with regard to the report of Sergeant Pratt. The Surveyor stated that he had seen Superintendent Broham on the subject. He had bad the bolts taken off the pit and stall doors, and also impressed on Superintendent Eroham tie nepejaity of having the door at

the foot of the staircase leading from the dress circle to Cathedral square kept open during the performance. Mr Superintendent Broham assured him that this had boon attended to, and that a constable had been detailed to see that the door in Cathedral square was kept open [Hear, hear.] In reply to Cr. Hulbert, the Mayor said no information had been received by the Council with regard to electric lighting. Or. Louisson moved —“ That at the aspiration of the current year the Council decline to collect any rates except the city and Waimakariri rate, and that the Drainage Board be notified of this.” Ho wished %o point out that ratepayers thought that they had to pay 23 6d in the £ to the Council, whereas the fact was all they received wm Is 3d in the £ Christchurch was always held up as a heavily rated city, but the fact Was, it was amongst the lighter rated cities of the colony. Dunedin and Wellington paid the same as Christchurch ; Napier, 2a Sd ; Gisborne, la 6d 5 Auckland, 2s and $d library rate ; Wanganui, 2s; Timaru, 2s; Oatnaru, 3s 9i ; Invercargill, 2s ; Port Chalmers, Is 6d. There were only two towns in New Zealand which paid less than Christchurch, viz , Rangiora 9d and Onehunga 6d. fLaughter.j In the matter of municipal loans, Christchurch actually owed £30,000, as much as Nelson ; Oamorn, £160,000 ; Timaru, £60,000 5 Auckland, £250,000; Wellington, £430,000; Dunedin, £600,000. They knew that when the Christoharoh ratepayers were asked to consent to a small loan of £60,000 they had refused. He thought the Council would pass the motion, as when the rate paper went _ to the citizens, with the actual rate received, viz, Is 3d, they might be able to carry out the works projected for the good of the city. Or. Hiorns seconded the motion.

Or. Ayers pointed out that the carrying of thi» motion meant the loss of £590 per annum received last year from the Drainage Board alone, whilst their office expenses •would not be reduced. Cr. Hulbert believed that the loss to the Council and the city by the collection of this rate had been a water eupply. Or. Louisson said, though not regretting that he had brought the motion forward, he would now withdraw it.

The motion was then withdrawn. Or. Kiver morad—“ That alamp be erected at a point in Lower High street half-way between Barbadoea street and Bast Town Belt.” . , Or. Hulbert seconded the motion, which was carried. . .

His Worship said he had received a requisition asking him to call a public meeting to consider the proposed extension of tho Northern railway, now before the Assembly. He was fully persuaded that a railway to" the West Coast would be far more productive than this one, and it gave him a great deal of pleasure to accede to the request. With respect to the question of electric lighting, Or, Hiorns gave an account of an inspection made by him of Mr Binuie’s process of making gas from fat, which he stated would cost 2d per thousand feet. A series of complaints were made by Councillors as to the disgraceful state of the tramway Hues in Colombo street, the rail* standing some Sin or 9in above the street. Or, England moved—" That twenty-four hours’ notice bo given to the Tramway Company.to put tho lino near Messrs Montgomery and Co.’s in Colombo street, and three days’ notice to put the whole line within the city, in repair, failing which the City Surveyor to do the work at the cost of the company.” Or. Hiorns seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. On tho motion of Or. Bishop it was resolved —“ That the works committee be requested to have a conference with the holders of property in Carter’s lane, -with a view to settling the amount to be paid by them prior to having the lane handed over to the Council.” Or. SCiver seconded the motion, which was carried. _ After granting several licenses, the Council adjourned.