CITY COUNCIL.

4 Tho usual weekly meeting of the City Council was held last cvoning at tho City Council Chamber at 7 o'clock ; present — Tho Mayor, Councillors Gap: b, Ay ers, Cass, Tremayne, Jenkinß, Bihstead, and Wilson. PINANCE. The receipts from tho past week amounted to £-182 9s lOd ; debtor to tho Bank on general account, £3515 18s 9d ; bills amounting to £891 13s 3d wero passed and ordered to be paid. THE MAYOR'S STATEMENT. The Mayor said that ho had received a telegram from tbe Premier, stating that the half-yearly subsidy to the Municipality amounting to about £5000 had been ordered to be paid that day. This was in reply to a telegram which he (tho Mayor) had sent to tho Government. He might also state that the Government wore preparod to hand over the clock in tho Government building to the City Council, to bo placed where they thought proper. Ho (tho Mayor) would suggest that it should bo erected at the Gloucester street school, as a public clock was much wanted in the eastern portion of tho city.

"WATERING THE STBEETS. A letter was read from certain inhabitants of Oxford Terrace, requesting that that portion of the terrace from Worcester street to Cashel street might be watered. As it appeared that not a single resident in that portion of the terrace had signed the letter, it was decided that it was beyond the power of the Council to comply with the request. THE CLOCK IN THB GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS. A letter was read from Mr J. Curnow, Head Master of the Gloucester street School, requesting that the clock in the Government buildings might be erected at this school, as it would be a great convenience to the inhabitants of the eastern portion of the city. Councillor Cass moved — " That the handsome clock and superstructure presented by the Government to the city of Christchurch be erected in connection with the East Chriatchurch district school at the expense of the city." Councillor Jenkins seconded the motion, which was agreed to unanimously. CITY SUBYEYOB'S B.BPOET. The Surveyor reported as follows : — "1. With regard to the letters from Mr Thornton, Engineer to the Tramway Company, which were referred to me last week, I beg to say that I do not see any objection to the loop line of tramway proposed by the Company on the South belt, provided that it is laid south of the cab stand. I have had an interview with Mr Thornton relative to laying tho tramway across the South belt in Colombo street, and the manner in which he intends laying it will not ia any manner interfere with the future formation of the belt. "2. Some of the inhabitants of Christchurch have requested that tho shrub 3 on the North belt may be removed, as they are now old and unsightly. "3. Last weok I had occasion to write to the Gas Company, pointing out how badly the excavations were filled in where the gas pipes were laid, and the same day there was an accident in Hereford street, in consequence of a waggon wheel sinking up to tho axle where the earth had not been rammed after laying a new main." The report was approved, and the shrubs on the North belt were directed to be removed. The Mayor said that complaints had been made of the state of the streets, when really the Council wore not to blame. The streets were cut up by the Drainage Board, tho Gas Company, and soon the Tramway Company would interfere with streets. He thought that the public really ought to know that it was not the fault of tho Council that the streets were in such a state. Councillor Jenkins said that the attention of tho Drainage Board and the Gas Company should be called to the matter. The City Surveyor was requested to call tho attention of the Drainage Board to the necessity of providing proper gangways over excavations they made in the streets. officers' heports. The reports of the Bate Collector and Inspector of Nuisance 3 were read and considered. The Ranger's report on tho caso of Thomas Cross, a cab-driver, was read. It set forth that Cross had that day been convicted of a savage a=sault on a passenger, ani recommended the Council to take further action in the matter. WATEB SUPPLY COMMITTEE. The following report was read : — " 1. Tho Water Supply Committee having completed the experiment they havo had in bund for the past six month 3, take the earliest opportunity of presenting their final report. It is a source of regret to tho Committee that they have not had it ia their power, at an earlier date, to recommend to tho Council the adoption of a definite scheme, details in connection with the recent experiment, over which they had no control, absolutely prohibiting their reporting progress at an ea.-h'er date. "2. Sinco thfl appointment of your Committee to the charge of tho question of water supply, on October 28 last, they have hold twenty (20) meetings, and their year of office may be pretty equally divided into two terms— the first of which was occupied with the cons'deration of the various competitive schemes sent into the previous Council, and to tho detailed information on the subject, obtained from different towns and cities in and beyond Now Zealand ; the whole of wluch matter, together with other valuablo correspondence, is carefully preserved for tho information of this and any future Council ; and the second term may bo considered as having been devoted almost exclusively to experimenting relative to the scheme herein recommended for adoption. "3. Tho question of water supply seems to have arisen from a desire, rather to furnish the City with ample means of extinguishing fires,, than to the supplying of water for domestic uses, though tho subsequent, action of ■ the • Council, in calling for competitive schemes^ laid down as a condition that a million gallons daily should bo provided for. But your Committee have, from the commence--ment of their duties, considered themsolros. authorised to take a more comprehensive view of this important question, and, if possiblo,, to recommend a scheme which shall: not bo limited to the supply of one, or even two million gal'ons daily, notwithstanding- so.considerable a quantity of water is accessible in the existing artesian supply, and in tho- river Avon, surrounding and beautifying the cidy. "4. The question of making o< selection from amongst so many well considered schemes was a very onerous task,, and roceived tho very best attention of the Committee. The various sources of supply recommended by competitors are the- Avon at the Springs, and within the the- city,, the Heathcote, the Waimakafiri, the Hawkins, and the Okuku, and the Sifferen't method* of supplying the water comprise the use- of turbines, dams, towers, steam pumps, with and without reservoirs and filter beds; gravitation, with reservoirs, and filter .beds; and gravitation without reservoirs and filter beds. The last uamed is that which your Committee have selected as, in their j -.dgment, tho best j and it has not been without considerable opposition, and impalient efforts from without to alter their decision that they have been enabled to hold on their way to the consummation of their designs. "5. The Bcherao selected is that known as Mr W. White's Waimakariri scheme— tho aamo Mr While, who a number of years ago, successfully competed in a plan of drainage and fire prevention for tho City ; an uuprofessional gentleman, but one extensively acquainted with the rivers and watercourses of the Province, and whoso cxporionco in bridging our rivers ia unequalled. The Committee think it proper to ruako mention of thc?o facts that the scheme submitted may bear its duo weight with tlio Council. The ciiief merits of this scheme lio in the unpolluted character of tho source, and the natural and free filtration of tho water, characteristic of priceless worth. .Add to these conditions tho fact that tho source is inexhaustible and the outflow by gravitation,, and you havo tho most perfect schema that scicnt.fic ingenuity can possibly device— a scheme, in llie opinion of tho CommiLieo, absolutely faultless. '6. The first experiment your Commit too thought proper to try in connection with Mr White's scheme, and which was nece.«a-y to satisfy public opinion, was to test the exist once or otherwise of an under- carr.-nt of water below tho visible stream, and with this view they drove a number of 1\ inch pipes through the bed and along the margin of the river at various distances extending over Bomo ton miles or more, tho water at evory point tapped rising freely and being aoparently very pure. One of theso tubes, No. 6, ia situated at a distance of about (17) seventeen miles from town, closo to a well defined bank, thereby lessening tho risk arising from a posaibb shifting of tho river, and being, moreover, under tho immediate cover of the most effective works of tho Board of Conservators. At this point tho Committee obtained a sample of tho water from the pipe for scientific analysis, and Professor Bickorton's report thereon, showing it to be ono of the purest waters in tho world, is in the possession of tho Council. This position also furniahes upwards of 400 feet of head, which is believed to bo ample for tho suppression of fires in the city, with simultaneous delivery for domestic purpoaei. "7. At this »tago of the proceedings the pressure of public opinion rendered it necessary that the Committee should obtain professional opinions as to pressura and friction of water through (17) seventeen milo of 18-inoh main. Accordingly three local engineering firms wore consulted, and all substantially agreed on points whereon they could not well differ ; but on the essential matter of tho required head a wide difference of opinion existed, two declaring a head of 400 feet to be sufficient for all requirements, and tho third insisting on a necessary head of SSB feet, being about 180 feet in oxces3 of that provided for. "8. Your Committee, nothing daunted,

ordered a trial iron cylinder, with a fiej.tli' of 25 feet, and diameter varying from 2 feet 6 inches at the top to 3 feet 6 inuhes at the bottom; and after repealed and vexatious delays in securing tho necessary in-ichinery and matorials, succeeded, under the able management of Mr B. Stocks, of this city,- in* sinking tho same to the bed o*f the under current, leaving about two foot -'of ' .the cylinder above tho surface of the river, and on. Auguet 28, everything being in readiness, your Committee (with other councillors ancla' fow interested friends, including 0. N. ."8011, Esq., Engineer to tho Drainage Board, whovery kindly lent a powerful pump for the trial, visited the scene of operations on the river for tho special purpose of thoroughly testing tho supply of water through, tho cylinder ; and it is with the>utmost- satisfaction that they have to report the complete success of so important an experiment, beyond even the most sanguino-. expectations.In the course of sinking, a false- bottom^, or layer of hard-set shingle with an intermixture of clay, was passed through, which happily forms a band midway round the cylinder; thereby securing it against- the. possibility of . shifting ; and between this . layer and tho bottom on which the cylinder rest-sis a water-, bearing stratum of sixteen (16) ;.feet in- thickness. This is the immediate source of atipply, and being itself apparently supplied a few miles further up the river from the surfaco . water, it is evident ifc can never fail until tha river itself ceases to flow. During -tho trial pumping a 400-gallon tank was filled in 50, seconds, which lowered the head of .'water only 4ft. 2in. j and subsequently, with a further reduction of seven inches of head and working at full speed, and without the ; -hose,.the pump disgorged, through, a 3^-inch mouth-pi "cc, a magnificent stream of deli: ( cious water, that, to have- witnersed^ would have taken away tho last breath of .oppo-> sition. "9. Of the existenco of this. under curcent whence the cylinder is supplied, W. Clark, Esq., the Hydraulic Engineer, • to . whosa matured judgment tho whole of -the eclremes were submitted last year, has. remarked : 'The stream as represented by what, is visible, is buta Bmall part of the entire quantity, a large portion passing through the Bhingle and sand, not only ia the bed of the river,, but. more or less on tho plums through which it flows,' and this view is well known to bo held by. local engineers and others. " Of Mr White's scheme, Mr Clark , spoke very favourably, characterising it. as 'an ingenious proposal,' his only objection to it being the mistaken' one of ■ supposing tho filtration to be limited to th-i sectional area of the cylinder, whereai the wholo ground round about is a vast natural filterbed. . Of the required head Mr Clark declared a site only eleven miles up the river ■ wonld-: afford sufficient for all purposes, , giving. 196 ft, whereas your Committeo, .having selected a site 17 miles away, havo scoured a head of 400 ft. On the matter of. comparative cost of schemes from various sources, Mr Clark in his report shows results, baaed on common data, to be enormously in favour of a scheme taking its supply from tho Waimakariri. Thus — Avon springs, £<50,000 ; artesian, £64,000 ; Heathcote, £84,000 5 and Waimakariri, 11 miles distant, £44,000, and ho very consistently concludes with this remark — ' The schemes which propose to draw their supplies from tho Waimakariri are tho most worthy of, commendation.' It ia true your Committee , propose an additional j six miles, of main i: but that would not add materially to the cost, though it would acjcl materially to the advantages, and the entiro cost would still compare favourably with the total cost of an efficient Heathcote schemo, while tho difference in the quality of the two wators is bo marked as to bo almost beyond comparison in favour of the Waima-.. kariri. Tho ono is not capable of pollution, while the other is essentially of an impure, quality, being tho drainage, in partj of; a. swamp, and subject to vegetable aud organic • matter highly prejudicial to healthy as evidenced by Dr Symes' recent letter to the Council. . 10. "-Your Committee feol confident therefore that in tho selection they have made for recommendation to the Council they are supported by the opinions of competent.authorities ai to tho following matters, viz of supply, purity of water, and economy of; delivery; and that they are • presenting a echeme which, if not immediately accepted, muet ultimately be adopted by the community as tho beßt possible for a permanent supply for Christchurch and the Borough. of Sydenhain, if not also for Lyttelton, and other localities. Sydenham is already anxious to join with tho city in the undertaki-ig, and has generously voted the sum of £50 towards a further test of permanency of supply, from tho cylinder — an experiment which your Committee strongly urge upon their immediate successors to carry out, viz :—To insert an; Bin orlOin discharge pipo in the- cylinder, about six feet below the standing water-level, carrying off the outflow by about a quarter of a mile of piping, which outflow could be allowed to continue until such time as tho citizens may seetheir way clear to adopt this or any otherechame. Mr White, tho author of tho scheme, who has superintended the whole of the experimenting thus far, ha-i expressed his. readiness to bo ol any further assistance that may bo deemed desirable. " 11. Your Committeo beg to state, in com elusion, that thoy have speai altogether, fcho sum of £480, a Bmall sum for so important an issue, while fcho works remain as part o£ : tho permanent plant should the scheme overbo carried out as deviscdJ by its author. "12. Finally. In a city like ClmstchuTch, containing consumablo- property to the vuluoof £4,000,000 sterlings with only ono-third! covered by insurance, • a scheme of water supply, costing probably not more than £100,000, may bo regarded in tho light of a safe investment, guaranteeing immunity from destructive fires, one of which might represent the irrecoverablo loss of nearly the cost of the entire works ; whilst tho schemo once in operation, would so considerably reduce tho cost 01 insurance as, in itself, to return a fair interest on tho-iavestment. '• B. Cass, Chairman. "A. Ayers, ") " Jas. Gapks, [ Member*. " Wm. Wilson.) " City Council Office, Sept. 8, 1879." Councillor Jenkins asked what had been tho longest pumping spells ? ' It wm statod in reply that ifc had been continued for two days consecutively, and that thoro had been no reduction in tho head of water. Councillor Jenkins asked whether the Committee hud calculated what tho cylindor woi^d deliver in 24 hours. Councillor Caes said ono million gallons. Tho Mayor said that ho thought the Coram:ttoe deserved tho thanks of the Council for that; very able report. Councillor Tretnamo moved — "That (ho thanks of tho Council bo given to tho Water Supply Committee for tho really able report they have printed to tho Council." Councillor Binsfcead seconded the resolution, which wa& agreed to unanimously. Councillor Cass moved—" That tho report of the Wa^or Supply Committee be adopted." As tho Council wero about to retiro by eflluxion of timo, it might bo said that they ought not to accopt any such Bchomo ; but he differed from such a statement. The Water Supply Committee hid been appointed when they had bofore them a numbor of schemes, whioh had been carefully considered by it. Ho would be sorry to see the Council rotiro without having settled tho great question of water supply. Supposing that tho Council adopted the Rchemo recommended by tho Committee, etill it could not be carried into effoct without being sanctioned by tho ratepayers. As to tho capabilities of the cylindor, no would reiterate a statement ho had pjevidusly mado in reply to Councillor Jenkins. It was thought by tho promoters of the scheme that it wou'.d require nine cylindors for tho supply of a million gallons a day, but it had been found by tho experiments of the Committee that one cylinder was amply sufficient. Councillor Wilson seconded tho motion, and eulog'sed the able manner in whioh tho repoit had been drawn up. Councillor (Japes thought tho adoption of the report by the Council would bind tho incoming Council to go at onco to tho ratepayers. Councillor Jenkins inquired whether the rosultß of tho experiments had been submitted to hydraulic engineers. Councillor Cass replied in tho negative. Councillor Binstead supported the motion, and objected to this Council handing over to their successors anything that they had initiated. Such a courso would bo an indication of weakness. Councillor Avers concurred in tho report, and mentioned that the Enginoer of tho Drainage Board was astonished at tho result or the experiment,

Councillor Casa briefly replied, and the motion- was agreed to unanimously. . STORAGE OF KERQSESB.K. • Councillor- W/laon moved a. resolution. to tlw&ffect — " That tho. Banger ■b^ directed to see; that no undue proportion of kerosene be Sto?ed -within tho city." ' Gounci'lor Ayers seconded the . Councillor Jenkin* asked where., the.- large am«unfc of kerosene- wa3, stored '. within thacitj.?? 1 Councillor Wilson said ithafc ho- founded hiß motion on a statement, mado in a lrftter in thoigaper. . The- Mayor said that anonymous-letters in the papers were n&fc-to'be relied-'upon. If tha i -statement had been made by the paper itself j it would be a very different matter. Councillor Jenkins suggested that the Dabgeroua Goods. Act should apply to euch a case. , CouDci'.lor Gapes • doubted ; wlißther the Ranger could be authorised . to take proceedings in such a matter. 1 The Inspector, oft Nuisaneos was -called in and said lh-*fc he- had given notice to removekeroseno where there wa& an ex-cess of the quantity allowed by law. H« would,' if the Council wishpd itj mako.-a careful inspection, throughout the City. . Councillor Wilson hoped that the Kanger would also be directed to. laseie^ and upon, that understanding he would, t withdraw, the motion. . BY-LiAVS.s Councillor Ayers expressed -frii regret that he was unable to bring up tho report of the By-law Committee.--rßUfxim. It was resolvod that 500 "copies off thereport;of the Water SupplyiCommitteo.be printed and circulated. The Council then adjourned/.