CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, Jan. 30. The Council met at 7 p.m. The following members were present Messrs. Ollivier, E. B. Bishop Luck, C. W. Bishop, Barnard, Farr, Burnell, and Bailey. ■ . ' , , The first business before the Council was to appoint a. Chairman pro tem. Mr. Luck having been Voted to the chair, the minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Council proceeded to the election of a chairman in the room of Mr. J. Ollivier, who had resigned that office. A discussion arose as to the manner in which the election should be conducted, Mr. C. Bishop suggesting that it should be by ballot: Mr. Ollivier, on the other hand, contended that a certain number of persons should be nominated, previous to a ballot being taken. This was the course prescribed by clause 27 of the by-laws of the Council. Ultimately it was decided that the Chairman should be elected by resolution of the Council. Mr. Ollivier, after passing a high eulogium upon Mr. Luck, mentioning his capabilities for business, and the energetic manner in which he had discharged the duties of City Councillor, proposed him as Chairman. Mr. C. W. Bishop seconded the nomination. Mr. Barnard proposed, and Mr. Burnell seconded, the appointment of Mr. E. B. Bishop. Mr.E. B. Bishop, after expressing his sense of the compliment, begged to decline accepting the office. Mr. Luck was thereupon elected, and returned thanks for the honour done him. He felt some diffidence in taking the office, which had hitherto been so ably filled. He relied upon the support of his fellow-councillors, and especially upon that of the late chairman. He could promise them that he would endeavour to act faithfully, impartially, and honestly, and he hoped that at the expiration of his tenure of office nothing would be found to have occurred which could tend in the smallest degree to reflect any discredit upon the Council. Hitherto they had all worked together harmoniously, and he earnestly hoped that the same feeling would continue to exist.

It having been resolved that the appointment of assessors should take precedence of any formal business, the applications of the candidates were read. Some of the-" candidates were called in, and answered the questions addressed to them by the members of the Council relative to their ideas of the work to be performed. The following are the names of the applicants:— Messrs. Wood, G. H. Tribe, C. Cuff, Young, Haskins, Furby, Bear, YV. Joynt, and Riedy. A ballot was taken, when the majority of suffrages was found to be iu favour of Mr. G. 11. Tribe, who was declared duly elected. The ordinary business of the Council was proceeded with. The weekly pay-sheet, amounting to £37, was ordered to be paid. On the proposition that some other accounts should be paid, Mr. C. W. Bishop observed that he thought it would be better to defer the payment of these until the Provincial Government should hand over to the Council the money necessary to enable them to pay for the works in hand, and to which they were fairly entitled. Mr. Ollivier thought that the Council had been very hardly dealt with by the Government. The Council had a right to the money, and they ought to insist upon having it. The impecuniosity of the Council was the fault of the Government, and not the fault of the Council. Mr. C. W. Bishop proposed that the payment of Mr. Marshall's bill should be deferred for the present, and the watering of the streets and the employment of the horses should be discontinued. Mr. Bailey seconded the motion, which was ultimately negatived. Mr. Burnell would like some further information on the subject. The Council had been informed by the Town Clerk that the Government had refused to let them have any money. Now, he (Mr. B.) wanted to know the reason why ? If the Government had not the money in the chest, there was an end of the matter. Mr. C. W. Bishop thought that the Government had acted very unfairly in withholding, funds to which the Council was justly entitled. Mr. Ollivier moved—" That the further consideration of the payment of the accounts be deferred, and that his Honor the Superintendent be requested to receive a deputation consisting of Messrs. Luck, Ollivier, E. B. Bishop, and C. W. Bishop, in order to confer with him on the subject of the city funds, so .as to. enable the City Council to carry on their operations." Mr. E. B. Bishop seconded the motion, which was carried.

A letter was read from the Clerk of the Kaiapoi Municipal Council, requesting the co-operation of the City Council with them with reference to the prevalent custom of hawking goods. It was decided that the Town Clerk be directed to reply that the City Council saw uo reason to interfere in the matter. A letter was read from the Town Clerk of Melbourne, informing the Council that he wonld forward by book-post the by-laws of that city. A letter was read from Messrs. Brown and Co.. inclosing an analysis of the water of the well on their premises, in the Lincoln road, as made by Mr. Johnson, the analytical chemist, of Melbourne. A letter was received from Mr. Ayers, requesting permission to Jform a communication with the artesian well near his premises. The Council declined to grant the application. Tenders for the removal of the night soil, and for deodorising it were opened and read. Mr. C. W. Bishop should maintain his old position that Messrs Hadfield Brothers were the most proper persons to have the contract. They had worked well, and had had a very up-hill task to perform. Besides, in some respects, their tender was the lowest offered. He should move that their tender be accepted, as he thought that they deserved the confidence of the Council.

Mr. Bailey seconded the motion.—Carried. The Chairman remarked that a large number of soil-pans had been brought to the yard of the Council, Now the question was — what was to be done with them? Were they to bo disposed of to the public at prime cost, viz., £1 Is 6d each ? It was decided that tliey should be supplied to such persons as may be desirous of obtaining them, upon payment of the cost price to the Town Clerk. The report of the City Surveyor was read. It mentioned that he had taken steps to adapt one of the rooms at the Immigration Barracks for the reception of the steam fire engine. The "cost of the alteration, including an asphalte pavement, &c., would be about £50. With regard to the boring, he reported that the well in front of Mrs. O'Hara's house had reached the depth of eighty-one feet; the water had begun to flow when the top pipe burst. He recommended that for the futnre boring works should be done by contract, especially the work of digging the well in front of Mrs. Butler's, in High street. He furnished some details with regard to the relative expense of the two systems of drainage. It was decided that the consideration of this subject should be deferred, on account of the lateness of the hour, until A\ ednesday evening next, at seven p.m. The report of the Inspector of Nuisances was read. It drew attention to some existing nuisances, which he had taken steps to have abated. It was decided that the temporary arrangement for housing the Fire Engine should be effected. Some other recommendations in the Surveyor's report were ordered to be carried out. The Council adjourned until Wednesday.