CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, August 3, 18S3. Present—all the members except Mr. Luck. The Chairman in the chair. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. The following letters and papers were produced and read. A petition from the architects of Christchurch, July 31, on the subject of a resolution passed by the Council on the 25th ultimo, in reference to the erection of boardings, stating that the curtailment of space will materially enhance the cost of erecting stone buildings, and suggesting that if it is necessary to draw a line beyond which no boarding should bo erected, that space should be certainly not loss than one-third of the street, as well as the footpath. The petition protested strongly against the resolution, it being contrary to the practice in England and else where. Mr. Tribe said he considered the petition rather unreasonable, and, in tho absence of Mr. Luck, ho should wish tho whole subject to be deferred until next meeting, to which the Council agreed. A petition was road from many of the leading inhabiUmts of the city, on the subject of sanitary regulations in the city, and requesting an interview with the Council, upon which Mr.Tribo moved, and Mr. Barnard seconded, that the potition from Messrs. Torlesse and others be acknowledged, and that those gentlemen bo informed that the Council will be happy to receive a deputation on the subject of sanitary regulation, on Tuesday evening, the 11th instant, at 5 o'clock, at the City Council office. —Carried. The Surveyor's weekly report was read. He mentioned that he had an application from J. C. Brooke and Co., for stone curbing to be put instead of wood. He stated that the fencing around tho pumps within the city was completed, and planted with weeping willows ; and that the additional willows he required were kindly given by the Venerable tho Archdeacon of Akaroa. The works in the hands of the Contractors were going on very satisfactorily. The Surveyor also furnished the Council with a statement and an estimate of the cost of the works which he recommended the Council to undertoko in the ensuing year. The report from the Inspector of Nuisances was read. He stated that Mr. Money had complied with his orders to fill the hollow at the back of his stables. That he liad served several notices during tho week for nuisances to be removed. The Town Clerk reported that he received during the week from different sources £12 10s., which he had lodged in the bank. Bills to the amount of £367 were ordered to be paid. The following tenders were then opened and considered for forming and metalling Manchesterstreet, from the Ferry-road to Tuam-street, a distance of five chains:— From J. Parsons for £50 0 0 „ Thomas Brown 47 0 0 „ Wm. Heaton . 47 0 0 „ Jackman & Sandry 42 10 0 „ R. A. Hayter . 41 5 0 „ J. O'Neill . . 34 0 3 Upon which it was moved by the Hon. J. P all, seconded by Mr. Bishop, that Haytcr's tender be accepted.—Carried. ; Tenders for forming a portion of the Town Belt, from the South side of the Ferry-road to the North side of the South Town Belt, a distance to 7i chains, were then considered. From Wm. Holt for £52 10 0 „ Askew & Lonnan 51 0 0 ~ £. Jackmau . . 50 0 0 „ W. Robinson . 50 0 0 ~ R. A. Hayter . 39 7 6 » J. Carston . . 30 0 0 Mr. Alport said he would move that Carston's tender be accepted; he knew him to be a man who understood his work, and although so much below tho others, he had no fear but that the contract would be well carried out. Mr. Bishop seconded the resolution, which was carried. Tenders for gravelling Gloucester-street, from Oxford-terrace to Colombo-street, a distance of t i\ chains, with 30 yards cube per chain, and from Latimer-square to Manchester-street, a distance of %\ chains, with 20 yards to the chain, were then opened:— From J O'Xeill for the job . £103 13 9 „ J. Parsons „ . . 98 15 0 M R. A. Hayter „ . . 87 5 0 ~ Thomas Brown ... 87 4 7 „ G. Sandry „ . . 79 0 0 Mr. Tribe said the securities to Sandry's tender were so satisfactory, that he would move tho acceptance of bis tender. Seconded by Mr. Hall, and curried.

Three tenders were received for supplying 100 yards cube of broken stone for the streets, of a size to pass through a 3| inch ring. J. Marshall, including spreading, ICs. per yard. T. Fisher, not including spreading, 15s. „ J. Marshall, delivered only in yard, 13s. „ Mr. Hall said if a trial was made, say in Cashelstreet, it would be a very useful experiment; but he thought the Council could not go into the matter largely for the present, we should wait until the railway brought it to us. The Chairman said ho should be very glad to sec broken metal used, as ho behoved it would prove cheapest in the end. He agreed with Mr. Hall, that the means of the Council would not permit the heavy outlay; he considered the subject had better be postponed, in order to have the Surveyor's opinion on the least quantity which he would recommend to be placed upon Cashel-street, from Oxford-terrace, the crowu of which is fast wearing down. The acceptance of the tenders was postponed until the next meeting. Tenders for clearing the Avon from all obstructions were received from J. Johnston at 30s. per chain, and Win. Robinson, same price. Mi*. Hall said he considered that the clearing waa a most desirable and necessary work, but that before the Council should do the portion under their control, the Government ought to clear all above the city. He (Mr. Hall) moved, seconded by Mr. Tribe —" That the further consideration of the tenders for clearing the Avon be deferred for the present." Carried. In reference to the subject of the gift of the willows, by the Venerable the Archdeacon <f Akaroa, Mr. Alport moved, Mr. Bishop seconded —" That tho thanks of the Council be given to him for his present." Carried. It was moved by Mr. Hall, seconded by Mr. Tribe—" That Mr. Brooke's application to be allowed to have stone curbing laid down in front of his premises in Colombo-street, in lieu of the present wood curbing, be complied with on payment of the entire cost for the same, that being the rule laid down on the occasion of a similar application from Mr. Gould." Carried. On the changing tho course of the river running through the Market-place, the City Surveyor was requested to furnish the Council with an estimate of the cost of the proposed work. Mr. Hall moved and Mr. Tribe seconded — " That a Committee be appointed to confer with the Provincial Government upon the construction of the Market-place bridge, and upon the desirability of altering the present course of the river. Such Committee to consist of the Chairman, Mr. Alport, and Mr. Luck." Curried. In pursuance of notice given by Mr. Alport at the last meeting, the subject of lighting the bridges was considered. Mr. Alport said the advantages were so great that the cost of lighting the bridges was, in his mind, only a secondary consideration. Hβ had heard of people trying on their knees to find the bridge they wished to cross over, and such a state of inconvenience should if possible be remedied. The Chairman said it was most desirable to light the bridges. The light shown now before the Council was a very good light, and if not sufficient, our own lamps could be altered to suit the new arrangement. Mr. Hall thought the Council should try one for a short time at the Market Place Bridge, and if found to answer, shoidd have the lamps put near all tho bridges. Mr. Alport moved, and Mr. Barnard eeconded, " That the Surveyor be authorised to have lamps placed near the bridge crossing the River Avon, in the City of Christchurch, with the least possible delay j using, in the first instance, the two lamps already in the possession of the Council, on the Colombo-street and Market Place Bridge." Carried. The following resolution was moved by Mr. Hall:—" That in the opinion of the Council it is expedient, with a, view of enabling the formation and planting of the Town Belt to be effected during the ensuing twelvemonths that application be made to the Provincial Council for the payment during the ensuing year of the sum of £3,000, which, under the vote of last session, would bo payable to the City Council in the years 1864-5. Such sum of £3,000 to be expended exclusively on the Town Belt." Mr. Hall said, in tho matter of planting, time waa everything, and if we defer the forming and planting of the Belts until 1864-5, we lose the intermediate time for the trees growing. He considered that instead of borrowing the money, the resolution which he proposed would be better. Mr. Alport said he had much pleasure in seconding it. He considered the sooner the whole of the Belts were planted the greater the benefit to all. Mr. Barnard said he was afraid that the Government would want discount, but he deemed it a most desirable tiling to get the improvements of planting the Town Belts done at once. Mr. Bishop said ho thought tho resolution proposed was a very suitable one. Ho did not like the Council to borrow money for such a purpose, us its borrowing powers may be required before long for some large and desirable work. The Chairman said there could be no use in deferring the matter from year to year. Ho agreed with the resolution, and hoped the Government would meet the wishes of the Council. Resolution carried. The Council then adjourned to Tuesday, the 11th inst, at 5 o'clock.

THE FAPAXEI BBEDGE. Wo are glad to see, from the report of the proceedinge of tho City Council, that steps are really about to be taken to light the Papanui bridge. Of the urgent necessity for thi3 there can be no doubt, and we will only add that last night again there was nearly being a repetition of the late fatal accident. About 11-30 last night Police Constable Lewis found a man lying at the edge of the river by Papanui bridge, at the very spot where the late accident is supposed to have happened. He had mistaken the way, and, being intoxicated, had luckily fitflen on dry ground, though at the yery water's edge, BEU,-BDfGEBS. Our readers will, no doubt, be glad to learn that tliU popular company intend giving one of their

J inimitable performances ia the Town llall, Lyttclton, tills evening (Wednesday) previous to their departure for the South. From what we have seen of them since their arrival among us we can safely predict to our Lyttelton friends au amusement worthy of their patronage.