City Council.

The City Council held an ordinary meeting last night ; present — His Worship the Mayor and Councillors Vincent, Louisson, Bowman, Tait, Gray, Crook 9, Hosking, Prudhoe, Kiver, Manning, Andrews. An apology was made for Councillor Grinsted. FINANCE. ■ Since the last meeting tho receipts had been : — On general account, £3(54 13s sd ; Cemetery account, i 513 17s Gd; drainage rate, £55 8a sd ; special drainage, «£G3 3s. Tho payments were : — On general account, .£2303 7a 9d ; loan account, .£IOB3 9s 9d ; Board of Conservators, &c, .£573 18s 2d. The credit balance at the bank was J81413 0a 6d. THURSDAY HALF-HOLIDAY. A monster petition from the opcrafciven in the boot and shoe trade was read begging the Council not to alter the halfholiday from Saturday to Thursday. It was signed by 280 odd names, chiefly of women and girls. A letter from Messrs H. E. May and Co. was read, asking permission to give their half-holiday on Thursday instead of Saturday. A letter was read from Mr E. C. Brown, asking if the decision of the Council, already announced, was final. • Another letter was read from Mr A. P. Carey, Secretary of the Early Closing Association, enclosing Mr Holmes' opinion, to tho effect that the Council could make Thursday the half-holiday. His Worship said he had received the opinion of the City Solicitor. Mr Garrick's opinion was read by tho Town Clerk. It was to the effect that the Council could not make as holidays different days by special order for different classes of workpeople. Councillor Louisson thought it very inadvisable for the Council to uaako any alteration. No doubt both legal gentlemen could prove themselves right. He suggested that an answer should be sent to Mr Brown, saying that the Council^ decision was final as regarded the present Act. Those who liked to have Thursday had it, and nobody interfered with them. It would be very hard to compel those who did uot want a. change, to have one. He moved a resolution in accordance with his suggestion. The motion was seconded, and carried unanimously. NIGHT BOIL. A letter from Mr Thomas E. Burt, of Dunedin, was read, offering to convert the night soil, &c, of Christchurch, into a patent manure for seven years, at a lower rate than had hitherto been paid. The matter was referred to tho Sanitary Committee to report upen at their earliest convenience. SACRED CONCERT. Mr Gr. 11. Fleming wrote, requesting permission to give a sacred concert on Christmas night at the Theatre Royal. Tho Council gave the necessary permission. packer's right op way. Messrs Harper and Co. again wrote with reference to the application for a right-of-way on Mr Packer's land. Councillor Bowman moved — " That the request be granted." Councillor Louisson seconded the motion, which was agreed to, with a proviso saving all the rights of the City Council. CITY BURVEYOR. The City Surveyor reported verbally that the Martin street well was down 130 ft, and everything going oil favourably. INSPECTORS. The Inspectors' reports were read and approved. PIRR BRIG ADR. The following was read : — " Your Committee has the honour to submit tho following report for your consideration : — The question of amalgamation of the Fire Brigade plant has occupied the attention of your Committee for some time past. It has, after visiting the stations, and giving the matter due consideration, unanimously decided to recommend the abolition- of the Lichfield street station, and enlarging and improving the Chester street station. Plans of such improvement are laid on the table. The cost is estimated at about .£7OO. Your Committee considers that the valuable freehold site in Lichfield street can be loased on favourable terms, and would considerably lessen the cost of keeping the Brigade in an efficient state. Tlio Council will be recouped of its expenditure by the sale of the Dreadnought hand engine, by balance from insurance of Old Post-office Building, by sale of old building in Lichfield street, by rents from lease of site 55ft frontage on Lichfield street by a depth of 105 ft, with frontage to right-of-way, when leased will add considerably to the revenue and rateable value of the city. Mr Superintendent Turton favourably reports on the above, and the report is laid on the table. Your Committee therefore asks for authority to carry out the suggested alterations. Tubes. — In consequence of the unsatisfactory working of the steel tubes in the Extinguisher, your Committee asks for authority to ozder one set of composition tubes, which are being used in fire engines, as a trial." Superintendent Turton's report was read. It was strongly in favour of Chester street Station being the only one for the Brigade. Councillor Hocking, in moving the adoption of the report, said the matter had "been under the Committee's consideration for some months. It was proposed to have two married men's residences built at the Chester street station. The estimate of JJ7OO was, he thought, over the mark. The Lichfield street station could be mortgaged, and let at £5 a foot, aa the position was an extremely good one for soft goods warehouses and the like. Councillor Hosking explained the arrangements that were proposed to be made in the present premises in Chester street. The revenue from the Lichfield street land would be a considerable one. Councillor Prudhoe seconded the adoption of the report. Councillor Vincent suggested that the matter should be referred to the Finance Committee. Councillor Gray doubted the expedience of lessening tho number of stations, iv view of tho growth of the city. The south end of the city bhould not be placed at a disadvantage. Councillor Hosking reminded Councilloi Gray that tho Railway Brigade would be available for the south portion of the city. Councillor Andrews would like to hay€ i the opinion of the late Superintendent, Mi ! Harris. Ho moved — "That the furthei consideration of the matter be postponed i for a fortnight." Councillor Kiver seconded this. Councillor Vincent opposed the adjourn- ' ment. j Councillor Louisson supported the adop- : j tion of the report. The amendment postponing the mattei . ' was lost, only two Councillors voting oi , \L ! j The Council eventually adopted the re- > port, and gave tho Finance and Work;

Committees authority to have- the proposals carried out. i:ksbkvßß committee. The following was read : — " Your Committee visited the Town Fall site, and recommends to the favourable consideration of tho Council the desirability of further improving the above reserve by utilising the artesian well in the erection of a fountain, the basin to bo 15ft in diameter, to be plain and inexpensive. There is apparently a good flow of water. Also, by planting a few round the Bhrubs reserve, total cost not to exceed ,£25." Councillor Hosking moved the adoption of the report. Councillor Crooks seconded tho motion. Councillor Bowman opposed tho motion, as he feared the well would soon ceaae to have any good flow. Tho report was adopted. QUESTIONS. Councillor Andrews asked if the new road at Mr Kiver's property had been completed to the satisfaction of the Surveyor. His Worship said the approaches had been put in order. Nothing more had been done to the street. Councillor Vincent thought enough had been done for the present. The usual practice was to shingle the streets in the first instance. Tho City Surveyor explained that all the private streets had been shingled before being taken over. Councillor Tait asked if anything had been done as to getting water from tho dams at Lane's Mill. His Worship said the Surveyor would report on the subject at the next meeting. Councillor Tait did not think the cost would bo more than JB4, and this would save the wages of a couple of men pumping. Councillor Eoaking saw objections to tho plan. His Worship ruled the discussion out of order. NEW BUSINESS. Councillor Gray had brought before tho Sanitary ' Committee the diainage of the city at the corner of Durham and Kilmore streets. He moved — " That the Surveyor be instructed Lo take steps to prevent tho storm-water from Victoria street from flowing over on to tho corner of Durham and Kilmore streets, on the west side." His Worship said the question had been before the Works Committee, who were considering the thing, and the Surveyor was to report upon it. Councillor Andrews believed all that was wanted was a larger grating. He seconded the motion. Councillor Prudhoe thought the motion quite uncalled for. After some further discussion, the motion was withdrawn. Councillor Tait called attention to the shaky condition of the Antigua street bridge. The Surveyor was directed to see to this. VALEDICTORY. Councillor Vincent thought it only right for the Council to record the feeling of satisfaction at the manner in which the Mayor had carried out his executive duties. Mr Hulbert's energy and system had prevented the work from getting behind. He (Councillor Vincent) hoped the new Mayor would be as energetic. He moved — " That this Council expresses its high satisfaction at, and appreciation of, the services rendered by his Worship tho Mayor to the City during his two years of office, and that the same be recorded in its minutes." Councillor Louisson seconded the motion. He had boon asked to come forward for the Mayoralty, but had been deterred from doing so by the thought that he would be unable to devote so much of his time, and give such care to the work of the city. He was glad to see that the citizens were taking steps to show their appreciation of his Worship's value. He hoped to have the pleasure at some future time of again working under the pi'esidency of hia Worship. Councillor River supported the motion, as did Councillors Hosking, Bowman, Prudhoe, aud Crooks ; all agreeing in testifying to the pluck, energy, and punctuality displayed by his Worship. Councillor Vincent put the . resolution, and it was carried unanimously. His Worship, in acknowledging the vote, expressed his great pleasure at the kind words that Imd been used, Though the work had been hard, it had been pleasurable. Any differences of opinion he had never carried into private life. There was one thing that he would have liked to have seen completed, and that was the formation of a United Board of Health. This was a most necessary thing, as was shown by the recent ne>vs as to the proximity of cholera. The thing was now ripe, and he hoped would soon be an accomplished fact. ' As to being once more a member of the Council, lie hoped that this might soon fee the case. The Council adjourned at 8,45 p.m.