CITY COUNCIL.

SPECIAL MEETING. A special meeting of fche uew City Council was held laat nighfc; present — Hia Worahip the Mayor, Councillors Gapea, King, Bishop, 0. B. Taylor, Vincent, Cherrill, Cuff, Hulbort, Wyatt, England, Lambert and Aycra. Tho new members having takon fche declaration and their seats, The Mayor said tho special meeting had been called to decide upon striking a rate for the watering of certain streets. It was a purely formal matter. On the mo! ion of Councillor Gapes, seconded by Councillor Ayers — " A rate of l|d in the £ for watering the streets was agreed to, and a special meeting called for Sepfc. 26 to confirm the resolution striking tho rate." ORDINARY MEETING. Ihe ordinary meeting waa then held, fche whole of the Council being preaent. FINANCIAL. The Town Clerk reported — Receipts (general rate) for the week to be £2351 105 ; Dr balance in tho Bank, £2126 la IOd ; billa to be paid, £152 12a 2d. The Cr balance on account drainago rate was atated to be £538 11b 6d. MAYOBAL. Tho Mayor said ifc was usual upon the election of a new Council to say a few words. He congratulated tho Councillors upon their election, and the ratepayers for putting in so good a Council. This was the first Council elected under tho Ward system. The presont time was an important one in municipal matters, and tho coming year would be pregnant with important questions. Thero wero two very important things to be brought beforo them at once : These were the questions of the Town Hall and water Bupply. The lato Council had, however, paved the way for tho new Council in these matters. Tho principal question to be considered that night was the appointment of Committees. No important work could be done till th.se Committees wero appointed. He had been asked by Mr Ogden if the Council would give their patronago at hia benefit on Friday nighfc afc the Theatre Royal. He had promised to bring tho request beforo the Council. He had no moro to say except to again congratulate the Councillors upon their return, and to express pleasure at the happy manner in which tho elections had gone off. COBEESPONDENCE. A letter waa received from tho Board of Health calling attention to the fact that numerous complainta have been made aboufc tho condition of the right-of-way owned by Mr Gosling. Deferred till next meeting, when Councillor Gapea would move in the matter aa a teat in connection with the whole of the private streets. The Surveyor in tho meantime to report as to cost of formation. A letter was received from Mr Arthur Appleby requealing that the City Surveyor bo inatructed to prepare an estimate of cost for a water supply to flush tho side channels in Armagh Btreet west. Tho writer waa of opinion fchat a wind pump with a 400-gtillon tank would bo eufficienfc. On behalf of tho reaidenta he thought he could promise that half of the cost would bo paid by them. The Surveyor said a wind pump would be useless at a time when flushing would be most required, as there would probably be insufficient wind to drive the pump. After some discussion, ifc was resolved that the matter be left in the handa of tho Surveyor and Works Committee, to report within fourteen dajß. A letter was received from Mr Wynn Williama, on behalf of Mr Deal, drawing the attention of the City Surveyor to the state of the drainage from tho back of the Rotherfield Hotel, aa ib waa now impoßsible to get the water through to Cashel street. The writer had also communicated with tho Drainago Board. Tho Surveyor pointed out that the property rehrred to wa3 private property, and had nothing to do with tho Council. | Referred to the Sanitary Committee to report on. Tho Secretary of the Canterbury Fire Insurance Association aonfc in an account for £90 3s Bd, being tho amount charged by tho Telegraph department ngainst the Council for connecting by telegraph the residence of the Superintendent of the Fire Brigade. The Secretary requested tho Council to return a voucher for tho amoui t. Agreed to. The Secretary of the Firo Insurance Association also wrote, stating that the Association would be unable to contribute towards tho coat of erecting the proposed new bell tower. Letter to bo acknowledged. Mr Lanauze wrote again calling attention to the condition of the Bide drains in New street, Madraa atreet north. Referred to the Worka Committeo to report. Peter Hill wrote, aaking permiaaion to atand in Cathedral Bquare with a hydraulic battery. Granted, subject to be rescinded at any moment. Thomas Cross, cab-driver, wrote asking for a renewal of his license recently suspended. Reforred to tho By-law Committee to inquire into. The Rev H. C. M. Watson, Chairman of the East Christchurch School Committee, wrote, stating that the Committee would be happy to undertake tho responsibility of the caro of the City Council's clock and tower, propoaed, to be erected on the main echool, Gloucester street. Letter roceived. SUBVEJOB'fI BBPOBT. The Surveyor reported : — "1. Mr Hale's contract for 2000 cubio yards of rubble ia now completed, conaequently I have been obliged to discharge moat of the stone-breakers. "2. Queen Btreet has been formed, shingled, and channelled, 'so that there only remainß now the iron culverts at each end to complete tho work. "3. Tho metalling and rolling of the What ely road, up to the North Belt, has thia week been completed. "4. Oxford terrace East has been chan-

lielled, and is now being shingled, and the paths asphalted. "5. During the month of Auguat the following building licenaea were granted : — Mr Robinson, Tuam atreefc; Oddfcllowa* hall, Montreal streefc, addition; Mr Sheath, Tuain street; Mr Potta, Lumh'a lane ; Mr Twentyman, Tuam Btreet; Mr Trent, Worcester street; Mr Aston, Peterborough streefc ; Mr Jl'Laren, Lichfield streetj Mr Hotdawortb, Durham street ; Mri England, Worcester street ; Mr Anderson, Salisbury atreet ; Mr Lloyd, Oxford terrace; Mr «io_s, Normal School ; Mr Haggcrty, Cheater atreet ; Mr Fergusson, North Belt; Mr Hampton, Peterborough street ; Mr Palmer, North Belt ; Mr Patten Salisbury street. "6. As I am frequently besefc with difficulties in carrjing oufc the worka of the City, I think it my duty to point oufc the cause of fchess difllcultiea, and howthey maybe remedied, or to a greafc extent obviated. The finaucial year enda on March 31, and ifc has hitherto been the custom at the commencement of the new financial year to mako an estimate of all the work and material required for the year, and from its being so late in the season it ia invariably the beginning of winter before I am supplied with shingle or broken stone; and if the wet season happens to commence rather earlier than usual, 1 find myaelf without the meana of repairing roada, and the contracta are almost always brokon in consequence of the contractors being unable to cart over the roads in a wet and bad state. I would, therefore, auggeat that the estimatea of broken stone and shingle for the year ahould be made early in the spring, so that it might be got; in in fche Bummer time, and consequently be delivered cheaper, and nofc damage the streets bo much as ifc does in the wet weather when thoy are eoffc and unfit to carry heavy traffic. Another reason why I bring this subject forward now, ia that there ia a great quantity of shingle required at the preaent time fco pufc on those atreets in the outskirts of the city, where there ia at present only a narrow width of shingle along the centre of tho road, and now that fche city is so much built on the aidca of tho roads in many Btreets are very much used, and the conaequence ia that each atreet is bordered on each aide by a line of soft mud, and if this mud is from timo to time removed there will remain only hollow places to be filled wifch water every time it rains, consequently I am obliged to let it remain, aa if it were forgotten or unnoticed, because I have no shingle to replace the mud if ib were taken out. In dealing with thia part of the subject, I muafc particularly mention fche Btreets in the South-east quarter and the North b<*lt as being in the worat condition. Another source of difficulty ia that I am called upon in the depth of winter to do work to privato slreeta and righta-of-way, which cannot be ao well done, and coats a great deal more to do in winter than they would in summer time, beaides taking the available force I have at command to do work out of season, instead of the men being employed to do more seasonable work. During tho months of May, June, and Juljall the men and horses should be employed in cleansing and repairing tho roada if a satisfactory result is to bo anticipated. If it wero generally known that tho Council would not undertake fche formation of private streets and works of thafc description in tho winter time, it might induce people fco bring forward their requests in tho summer time, when the work would be accomplished much cheaper, quicker, and bo of better quality ; the other slreeta of the town would also ba spared the penalty of having hoavy material carted over them in the wet weather. Another grievanco which is every winter greatly discussed, but which I am at fchafc time of year powerless to remedy, is the entrances to private property, private rights-of-way, and privato streets. These places are unquestionally an intolerable nuisance to pedestrians, but I do nofc see thafc anything can bo done to remedy the evil without special legislation of the Council. I thereforo mention the subject iv the hopo that a romedy may be found." The Mayor said, in regard to tho last clauso, their solicitor (Mr Garrick) was considering the question, and it was proposed to get legislation to deal with it this session. Tho report was approved. INSI'ECTOE'S BKrOET. The Inspector's report waa read, and referred to the Sanitary Committee. ME OGDEN'S BENEFIT. Tho Mayor said he would like to know if the Council would consent to givo their patrouage to Mr Ogden at his benefit at the Theatre Royal. Councillor Bishop opposed tho Council patronising tho.e companies whenever asked. He liked going to theatres, but objected to do so in his civic capacity. Ho did not know that tht) company had any claim on tho Council. The Mayor said he would put it this way : He intended to go himself, and would be happy to Bee all who desired to go with him. Councillor Hulbert thought it was a bad precedonb. Theae companies did not play for charities. The matter here dropped. TOWN IIALL DESIGNS. Council!;* Aycra moved— "That thia Council instruct the Town Clerk to have copied for the guidance of Councillor*, or sent to tho Pivss for insertion at the earliest possible date, tho numeroua reporta and rcaolutions of Committee', with notices of motion, kc, with a view to prompt sattlemonb of awarding premiums or returning designs." Councillor Gapea seconded fche motion, and suggested that the Councillors should make themselves acquainted with the designs before they were romoved in eaae of there being a necessity for making a selection. The motion was carried. KOTICB OF MOTION. Councillor Ayers gave notice of motion for next meeting aa follows :— " That aa none of the competitive designs for Town Hall and Municipal Buildinga comply with the advertised condiiiona, tho wholo of tho aame bo returned to their respective authors, and that no premium bo award- d j bufc that a Committee bo appointed to go through the more highly approvod designa with a viow to selecting therefrom the one nearest the conditions required, and report to the next meeting of tho Council. Such Committee to consist of Couwillors England, King, Bishop, Taylor, Cherill, and the mover." COMMITTEES. The following Committees wero appointed : — Works and Lighting Committee: Councillors Gapea, England, and King. Finance Committee .- Councillors Ayera, Vincent, and Taylor. Sanitary Committee: Councillora Lambert, England, and Hulborfc. Bylaws Committee: Councillors Bishop, Lambert and Cuff. Firo Brigado Committee: Councillora Tajlor, Cherrill, and Wyatt. Water Supply Committee : Councillora Gapes, Aycra, Wyatt, and Cherrill. Tho Council then adjourned.