CITY COUNCIL.

Press, Volume XII, Issue 1485, 13 August 1867, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

The weekly meeting of tho City Council was held last evening at tho usual hour. Present Messrs W." Wilson- (chairman), Duncan, Ruddenklau, Jameson, Anderson, Tomb-, Thomson, Hislop,' unci Calvert. The minutes of..the last meeting were read and confirmed. The Town Clerk announced that the balance to the credit of the Council at the Bank was £58 16s. The receipts during the week had been :—-From general city rates, 1865, £4 12s 6d-? from drainage rate, £2 6s 3d; from city rates, 1866, £3. 10s; from city rates, 1867, £50 6b. ; for ecavengering, £28 ls'6d ; for sale of drain pipes, £1 17s ; and for rents in the Market-place, £2 10s ; total, £93 3s 3d. The Chairman announced that he had formally taken over the Godley statue on behalf of the city. The weekly pay-sheet and several other accounts were passed, and ordered;. to be paid. The report of the City Surveyor was then read. It specified the works that had been carried out during the past week. A letter was read from certain inhabitants on the South "Town Belt, calling the attention of the Council to the impassable state of a portion of the belt. It was stated that many of the memorialists were not resident within the city boundary. The matter was referred to the City Surveyor. A letter was read from Mr Henry Crooks, calling the attention of the Council to the dangerous state of Salisbury street, between Barbadoes and Mane ester streets. The letter was ordered to be laid upon the table. The following letter was.read from the Superintendent of the Fire Brigade. " To the Chairman of the City Council. '.'Sir,—l beg respectfully'to report .that, in pursuance of instructions received from the City Council, I have received all the plant, <fee, of the retiring Fire Brigade, from Mr. Thomas Anderson, as per list handed to mc by the Town Clerk, with the exception of the money, flags, and books of the library (which Lwas informed were the private property of the members of the retiring Fire Brigade. "I have enrolled thirty-one members, including the engineer and his assistant, my deputy pro. tern, and secretary, as at foot, upon the following agreement, dated the 7th August, viz, that :— " We, the undersigned, hereby agree that we will attend all roll-calls, practices; and fires within the City of Christehurch, and also obey, all lawful commands of the ' superintendent and his officers for the period, of twelve calendar months from thiß date. "I have stationed the above, and will practice them in such. "I beg to hand in a reply to my letter, written to the Dean and Churchwardens of St. Michael's; also, a communication from Dr. Turnbull, resigning his office as medical officer to the. Brigade, and I am happy to inform-the-Council Dr» Prinshasvolunteered his services, which I have thankfully accepted.

" I have to request information as to the supply of uniform for the Brigade, also as to the manner in which the Council require tho accounts to be rendered for fuel, &0., and -engineer's requisites. " I would also respectfully request the Council will direct the yard at the engine station to be cleaned, and a tew loads of gravel put down, it will then afford ample room for drying the hose and repairing damages after fire.

" As I am desirous of forming a permanent library for the Brigade, I will thankfully receive from the public any donations of books, &c, for that purpose.

" I have the honour to remain, Sir, " Your obedient servant, " G. H. Wilson, Superintendent. "Acting Deputy-Superintendent, E. Brocker, "Secretary, Robert H. Wood."

Mr Tombs said that he could not understand how it was that the books, &c, were the property of the retiring Fire Brigade. Mr Hislop said that he was one of the donors of books. He had given them with the idea that they were to be for the use of any Brigade which might Jbe in office. Mr Jameson moved —"That the first clauses of the Superintendent's letter should be left in the hands of the Chairman, to make all necessary inquiries, and to report at the next meeting of the Council." The motion was seconded by Mr Thomson, and carried.

Mr Jameson thought it advisable that tbe number of paid men should be limited. He moved—" That the number of men Bhouldbo restricted to twenty-five, independent of the paid officers." Mr Calvert seconded the motion. He understood that the number of paid men should be limited, or otherwise the number might rapidly be increased to forty or fifty. Mr Anderson said that when the report of the committee was presented there was a considerable discussion as to the number of members to be paid. Mr Ruddenklau thought that many of the men who had enrolled themselves never expected to be paid. He thought that Mr Wilson should be at-ked how many men he , proposed to pay before passing the resolution. The matter then dropped. Mr Duncan mov d—"That the thanks of the Council be accorded to Dr Turn bull for his services as medical officer to the Brigade." Mr Calvert seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr Thomson said that it was necessary that some sort of uniform should be provided for the Brigade. He would move—"That a uniform be at once provided, and that Captain Wilson be requested to forward a list of the requirements." , Mr Calvert seconded the resolution, which was carried. The Town Clerk was requested to inform the Superintendent that the Council would pay all accounts for fuel, oil, <&c, quarterly. Mr Calvert hoped* that come law would be iqade by which any" "library which might be collected would be secured, not to the present Brigade only, but to any other brigade which might be formed. ' A letter was read from several members of the late Fire Brigade, stating that they had /given- a certificate -to Messrs- Newton sndBjarnes, the contractors for the. nretgongj that the gong had been completed according to contract, and that at the.late trial it could be distinctly heard at the four quarters of the Town. Belt. Mr.Duncan considered that the Council had; been very hardly dealt with by the late Fire Brigade. He did not think that the City Council would be justified in paying any money on account of the gong. Mr Thomson considered that the alarm was not a gong at all. Any one taking the trouble to go up into the look-out would at once perceive that the plate had already become seriously • damaged, although it had done scarcely any work. Ho thought that the charge of £2 10s per foot for the nineteen feet pole at the top of the look-out was a price that could not be for a minute considered.

Mr Anderson said that if the Council paid for the gong in its present state they would be very justly censured by the ratepayers. Mr Calvert considered that the Council would not be justified in paying any of the

money. Mr Duncan moved — "That the erection put up by Messrs Newton and Barnes in the Market-place, purporting to be a fire-gong, is not in accordance with the resolution of the City Council on that subject." ' Mr Thomson seconded the motion. ; Mr"i3"(tmeeon considered that .thearpri had bfcen carried oat according to the plan.

After somo discussion Mr Duncan's resolution was withdrawn

Mr RudionkUa moved—" That in conformity with a iciolutiou passed by tho Ciiy Council on September 3, 1866, the Surveyor bo instructed to report upon the gong and frame work erected in the Market-place"

Mr Culvert seconded tho resolution, which was passed. T'>e thanks of tlie Council were thou passed to (he Ve,-y Rev. the Dean and the Churohw:irdens oi' Bt. .Michael's-i for tiie use of the bell of St. Mieh.-iei's church as a lire alarm.

A memorial was v:a! from certain inhibitants in Mich street, prayi: l ;; th it tlie foofp-Uhs in lliijh stivi-t, between the C-.iversham hotel and Gourlav's .-tee, should be at once formed.

It was decided th-it the work should bo at once proceeded with by the labour gong. Tho reports of tho hue Collector aud Inspector were read and considered. Tho Town Cierk reported that Mr Davey had called upon him, and stated that tho Council could have 1000 yards of gravel from the Domain provided they at once cart it away. Mr Duncan proposed — " That tenders should be at once called for carting the gravel, and that it should be laid down on the footpaths of the city." Mr Anderson seoonded the resolution, which was carried. The Council then adjourned.