CITY COUNCIL.

An ordinary meeting of the City Council was held laßt night, when tho following members were present : — His Worship the Mayor, Councillors Bishop, Vincent, England, Ayers, Louisson, Thor-ason, Treleaven, Hiorns, and Bowman. APOLOGY. The Mayor read an apology from Councillor Lambert. FINANCE. The Clerk reported the expenditure and receipts for tho past fortnight to be —expenditure, £623 9s 7d ; receipts, £397 Os 6d, leaving a oredit balance of £2151 3s Bd. cobbespondencb. Correspondence from the Colonial Secretary and Department of Justice was read, acknowledging the election of Mr Ruddenklau as Mayor, and appointing him a Justice of the Peace. bubvbyob's bepobt. The following was read : — " In compliance with the Council's wieh, I have examined several of the public buildings in Ohristchurch in order to ascertain what damage they have sustained by the late earthquake, and am surprised to find that so little injury has occurred to them. "Normal Sohool. — The only damage bus-' tamed by this building is the severe shaking of one chimney stack at the junction of the old building and the addition whioh was last made to it. And I have been informed by the Chairman of the Education Board that tho chimney will be repaired when the school breaks up for the Christmas holidays. Several of the ceilings have been damaged by the plaster oracking and falling, which appears to have been caused by tho vibration of the ceiling joists. In all other respects the building" seems to be uninjured. " Supreme Oourt. — This building does not appear to have sustained any injury. "Wesleyan Chapel and School, Durham street. — One stone on the exterior of this building has been thrown down, whioh in my opinion arose from its being improperly bedded. This is the only indication of any damage having been inflicted on the building. It iB supposed that some of the cracks whioh were caused by the settlement of the building shortly after its erection have, to a very j slight extent, widened, bub there is no positive evidence to lead to suoh a conclusion. " Saint "Paul's Church.— l _ have carefully examined this building both inside and out, j and it does not appear to have sustained any damage whatever ; in fact, the only indication of there having been any movement whatever is shown in some very slight cracks in the interior plasterwork. " Cathedral.— l find that Mr Mountfort, the superintending architect, has made a thorough and oareful examination of 'this building, and from his report thereon (which is very exhaustive), I gather that there is no damage whioh oan be at all thought to endanger the safety of the building, except whafc may have happened to the spire. But as the aotual damage to this portion of the building oannot be positively determined untu an outside scaffolding is erected, he has recommended that a scaffold should be constructed and the necessary lopaira effected, although he does not consider the spire to be by any means in a dangerous Btate, bufc he thinks it advisable to repair it, and by that means enable it to stand the shook of another earthquake should it ocour. " I have also examined a numbor of private' buildings, e.g., Messrs Hobday's new building, Oolombo street. I selected this building for examination because a short time back a rumour was current that the building was unsafe, but lam happy to say that there is not the slightest indication of any ill- effeots having arisen from the earthquake. Mr E. Beece's building, Colombo street; Messrs Mason and Struthers' building, Oolombo Btreet; Messrs Montgomery's building, Colombo street. I selected these buildings for examination beoauso they were all threestorey buildings, and that it was the custom of the owners to store heavy goods on the upper stories, but notwithstanding these drawbacks to the stability of tbe buildings, there is no indication whatever of their having sustained any injury. "I also made enquiries of the different tenants occupying the buildings known aB Mr Green's and Mr Widdowson's, in Manchester street, but they all assured me that nothing in the interior of the buildings indicated any damage whatever ; and vay own examination of the exteriors was equally reassuring. With regard to Widdowson's buildings, the crocks consequent on the settlement of the work may have slightly opened, but thero is no positive indication that they have. One chimney of a two-storied house in New street I found to be severely shaken, and I have given tho owner notice to have ifc taken down. " The Works Committee recommend that the Mayor elect and the Fire Inspectors should visit the theatre and other publio placos of amusement, and report fco the Council whether they think and can recommend fchat any alterations or improvements ought to be mado to the means of exit from such places, and stato whafc such improvements should be. They also recommend that the police authorities should be requested to give the constables in attendance at such placeß instructions to see that all doors and means of exit are free and unencumbered during the hours of performance, or other occasions when a number of people are assembled in the buildings. "The Works Committee desire to point out to the Counoil that Latimer square is being so much used now by boys playing cricket in it that great damage is arising from their so doing, and to request the Oouncil to express an opinion as to whether it is advisable to allow it to continue after spending so muoh money to have tho square put in propor condition. "Tenders for cement and timber have been oalled for to channel some private streetß, and the tenders accepted were from R. H. Wood for cement and J. Smith for timber. The tender of J. Anderson and Son for lamp-posts was accepted. The asphalt crossing on the South belt has been laid." The first clause was approved. On the second clause being read, Councillor Louisson called attention to the filling up with chairs of the gangways in the dress circle of tho Theatro Royal when the house happens to be crowded ; a very dangerous praotice, to which tho attention ot the police should be drawn. Councillor Ayers aaid that the report further recommended the police being communicated with ou tho matter of keeping tho gangways clear. Councillor Hiorns said that Mr Beatty had asked him to montion that that gentleman wished to make every provision possiblo. It would not be sufficient to throw the wholo responsibility on Mr Beatty, who lefc the theatre to others. He (Councillor Hiorns) thought) that with the communication with • fche hotel now available upßtairs thero was sufficient means of egress from the dress circle ; downstairs too, was well supplied with doors. Councillor England recommended that the Surveyor should go with the Fire Inspectors and Mayor eloet. The suggestion was adopted, and the clause as amended was approved. With regard to clause 3, Councillors England, LouiseoD, and Ayers thought tho boys did no harm. The Mayor was of the same opinion. Tho Council decided to tako no action in the matter. Tho other clauses were oonsidered satisfactory, and the report as a whole was upproved. JIAKKET HOLDINGS. Councillor Bishop moved, in accordance with notice — "That the resolution of tho Oouncil, making tho rent of the temporary holdings in the Market 20s a foot, be rescinded." Ho thought the old system might be retained for another twelvemonth. Councillor Louisson suggested the postponement of tho matter till a larger meeting of the Council. Councillor Bishop would not postpone his motion, as all tho Councilors had received notice of it. Councillor Hiorns seconded tho motion. Councillor Ayers supported it. The motion was lost by tho caoting voto of : His Worship the Mayor. j OFFICIAL PAPEB. Councillor Bishop movod, aud Councill r ; Hiorns secondod— "Thafc tho Press bo the '. official papor tor the year 1882." j The motion was agreed to unanimously. i holidays. ! Tl c Oounoil agreed to givo their em- j plojtoß Boxing Diy and Jun. 2 as holidays. licenses. I A number of lioonßes wero granted. I The Council went into Oommittee, and om , resuming, adjourned till Jan. 9, 1882.