CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, 21st September.

Present; All the members except Mr. Luck, The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. The following letters and papers were praduceel and read.

Letter from tho Provincial Secretary, (18th' September) forwarding a copy of a letter from Assistant Provincial Engineer with reference to the proposed alteration in the course of the Biver Avon, through the Market-place; and stating that the additional expense would be so great, tbat the Government cannot alter tbe position of the bridge. (The Assistaut Provincial Engineer estimates tbe cost Would near Jg&QOo, inclusive of tbe cost of removing the Public Works' and the probable cost of facing the new embankment with stone or fascines.) Also, another letter of tbe foregoing date from the Provincial Secretary requesting that public notice should be at once given, in accordance with the 80th clause of the City Council ordinance, that the Papanui Bridge be at once closed for cart traffic, in consequence of its insecure state; the Govenunent undertaking to provide lights, and a temporary fuot-hridge, until tbe new bridge is erected,

Letter from the Commissioner of Police, (17th September) enclosing a report from SerjeantMajor Pender on the subject of cattle wandering at large on the Town Belt and other parts of the City. The report went ou to poiut out the difficulty the police bad in this matter, for if a Police Constable goes to drive any to Pound, some little boy or other jterson comes up at once and states he has chargo of the cattle, and should there be a summons, aud the case dismissed, the Police are liable to pay the cost In reference to the damage done, particularly mentioned in Mr. Gortloa's letter, the Police believe they knqw the owner pf the ca.tfcie, and a watch will be kept at the place in order, if possible, to put a stoj) to the nuisance complained, of. letter from Messrs. Miles and Co., of Lyttelton, acknowledging the receipt of the case containing the *' Royal Addresses" from the City Council; stating they would be at once forwarded to Melbourne to their agents for trans* mission tq England,

Letter from Messrs. Brown and Co., of the Brewery in Cashel-street, in reference to the cesspool which the Council granted them permission to construct.

Letter from Mr. Sheridan, City Candle Works, stating be bad two years more of bis lease to ran out, when he would remove the manufac-

torv; also, forwarding a certificate signed by his immediate neighbors, stating that in their opinion there was no nuisance arising from the candle manufactory. The report" of the Surveyor wa3 read ; accompanying it wasa plan and section of the drainage levels of*the North Town Belt, from the Slaughter House Creek to tbe East Belt; he points out in this plan that no less than eight different drains from outside the Belt dram through the city, which he conceived the Council bad a right to be recompensed for, in accordance with "the 63rd clause of the City Council ordinance ; be suggested that tbe owners of property should drain away from the city, which they could do by. a creek which crames tbe H-rse Shoe Lake roael near the Sand Hills, in a North East direction from tbe Town, thereby relieving the City from an unnecessary quantity of water. If the drainage is to come into the City, he wonld suggest tbe deepening of the present drain, on the north side of the North Belt, this would take the largest supply of water into Free's Creek, and so relieve the present drains in times of heavy rain. The report of the Inspector of Nuisances was read ; he reported he served many notices in the course of tbe week. Two anonymous letters reflecting on the Insjiector of Nuisances were ordered to be destroyed. j The Town Clerk reported he received £10 13s during the week, which he had lodged in tbe bank. Bills to the amount of £146 3s were ordered to be paid. The City Surveyor attended and enteral into an explanation of the drainage improvements which he suggested for the north Town Belt. Ho pointed out that by deepening the drain on tbe north side of tbe Belt, it would be a great means of relieving Salisbury-street Creek, which waa ad falling in from the quantity of water coming down it. Mr. Hall said that the natural fall of the land outside the North Belt was towards the city, at least for some chains, and he considered tbe owners of property had therefore a right to make use of tbe drain as it now exists. The Chairman remarked that before anything was done in the formation of this part of the Belt, it was most desirable to have it well drained, in order that the peat, of which the land consists, should get consolidated. After which discussion It was moved by Mr. Tribe, seconded by Mr. Alport,—"That the drain along the North side of the North Town Belt be deepened in accordance with tbe plan of the City Surveyor."— Carried. In reference to the closing of the Papanui Bridge, Mr. Alport said the lights were placed on the barricade across tbe bridge, and not on the footbridge which really required them, and where an accident was very likely to occur. Mr. Hall said that the Council wero in duty bound to see that the public were sufficiently protected against tlauger, as well as not to be put to more inconvenience than was absolutely necessary. Mr. Barnard said there was nothing but three planks on boats, which, in his opinion, was anything but safe.

The Chairman considered the Council had done what the Government required—notice hail been given to the public. If the bridge was unsafe, it was for the Government to guard, against any accidents ; he considered the Council shoidd address a letter to them on the subject. It was moved by Mr. Hall, seconded by Mr. Bishop,— "That the Piovincial Secretary be informed with reference to his letter, No. 370, 18th September, that the temporary foot-bridge across the Avon, in the Market-place, appears to the Council to be unsafe for passengers, owing to the absence of any hand rails, and, also, that the planks of which the bridge .consist, wero in the course of this day removed 'altogether, without anvnptice to tbat'effect. The Council are apprehensive that without more; efficient arrangements for lighting and otherwise protecting the passenger traffic across the bridge, some serious accident will occur. '.' The Surveyor's suggestion in reference to Colombo-street aide drain, was ordered to be carried out. Tbe Council then adjourned.