CITY COUNCIL.

Press, Volume XXII, Issue 2852, 29 September 1874, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, September 28.

The usual weekly meeting was held in, the Council Chambers. Present—His Worship the Mayor, and Crs Jones, Bishop, Farr, Ick, Raphael, Gapes, Hobbs, and Calvert.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read.

Cr Raphael said that previous to the minutes being confirmed, he protested against payments being passed by the works committee, as the finance committee were appointed to pass accounts to be paid by the Council.

Cr Bishop pointed out that why the works committee did so was merely as a matter of convenience. The works committee had no desire to sign cheques, but he dissented from the idea of the woiks committee having no voice in the matter.

Cr Farr took it that the minutes were

merely a truthful record of what had been passed at the previous meeting, of the Council, ahd he would move that they be confirmed.

, Cr Ick had never heard of such an objection being made in any council. The works were only carried out by the order of the Council, and it would be for the Council to approve of them or not. It struck him that Cr Raphael would stand alone in his opinion of this matter.

Cr Jones said the works committee had, merely carried out these works by the order of the Council, and he felt they would have no objection if the finance committee were to sign cheques.

Cr Hobbs said that if an order were given by the works committee, say for tools, the finance committee would know nothing about these accounts, or accounts for contracts. With banking accounts, loans, or anything of that sort, the finance committee would alone take cognizance of them.

His Worship said the practice had obtained to Bave the finance committee trouble, as the works committee met regularly. The Act provided that any three members of the Council might sign cheques.

Cr Raphael replied, minutes were confirmed,

After which the

The town clerk reported receipts for the week to be as follows :—From rate collector, account general city rate, 1874, £150 4s ; Waimakariri do, £25 Os 8d ; fines from Resident Magistrates' Court, £1 15s; rent of market place, 7s. Total, £177 6s Bd. Drainage account, Dr, £1181 19s 8d; drainage rate account, Cr, £1154 lis ; wages, ko, to be paid on general account, £143 18s 8d ; on drainage account, £2 ; interest due on debentures, and to be paid Ist October, £462 ; overdraft at bank on.general account, £278 6s 3d.

Qr Raphael objected to the accounts read being passed for payment. He would move that " They be referred to the finance committee before they were paid."

Cr Gapes seconded the motion.

Cr Bishop hardly saw the nece«lty for the motion, though personally he did not object to the trouble being taken off his hauls. Those accounts were for labor done during the past week, and the work committee had gone carefully through them with the surveyor. He would be rather glad to see the finance committee take a greater interest in the affairs of the Council than they had hitherto done.

Cr Ick contended that the payment of this money could not be stopped, as it was for labor done by the instruction s of the Council, fie was not fo much surprised at the action of Cr Raphael, as he was at a member of the works committee who seemed to have got into his usual state of fog Cr Raphael rose to a point of order ; such an expression should not be used.

Cr Ick—"Tbe expression is not unparliamentary, and I am not going to be put down by you, Cr Raphael, while I am in orJer."

Cr Farr considered the motion of Cr Raphael was most ill timed. He would move as an amendment—" That the accounts be passed for payment."

Cr Hobbs seconded the amendment, and did not think that any good purpose would be served by departing from the practice that hail obtained so long.

Cr Jones thought thac nothing would be gained by Cr Raphael's. motion. If he thought so, he would support it. His Worship thought that if the finance committee were to see the rates collected at the proper time they would be doing good service. [Hear, hear.J He would like to place the rate collector in the hands of the finance committee.

Cr Raphael having replied, asked permission to withdraw his motion.

Cr Ick—No.

His Worship put the question—That permission be given to withdraw the motion.

Four Crs voted for, and four against it ; his Worship gave his casting vote with the ayes, and the motion was withdrawn.

The accounts were then passed for payment.

His Worship said that there was one question which bad often been asked him, and which he would now publicly answer—The. Council Chamber was always open to ratepayers to be present while the public business of the Council was being discussed, but when the Council went into committee it was' then expected 'that they would Withdraw.

The city surveyor reported—

«' 1. At tho request of the works comraittco I have prepared a plan of tho Market ptaco showing the contemplated footpaths. It will be seen that the footpath ou the north side of the road will come where at present the fence stands. As I suppose at some futuro time, Oxford terrace will be continued from Victoria bridge in a north-easterly direction I have shown it on the plan; also the altera-' tion of tho river course. If this plan is earned out, it will be necessary to fill np tho present approach to the river, but if Oxford terrace is not continued, and tho approach to the river not filled in, it will bo necessary to build a rather expensive retaining wall to support the footpath. " 2. The works committee hare decided on decreasing the number of men by five hands after this week, as the Council's available I funds are not sufficient to meet tho expenses. "3. In consequence of tho objection of Messrs Bowron, Kent, aud others to have tho Biugsland water taken down the East belt, the timber bridge on the East belt which I thought to do away with, will have to re. main, and the water will not bo so well carried off from tho Avon Road Board district; as it would havo been had my plan been carried out. It will not make any difference to the belt except that there will bo a little more water in the ditches.

"4. I find that Colombo street bridge will cost £130 in addition to the timber on tho ground to put it in proper repair. If a bridge with concrete abutments ia substituted for it of the same width »s the present bridge, it will cost £460 in addition to tho timber on the ground, and for everj additional four feet in width £80 more."

While No 1 paragraph was under discns* sion, Cr Jones asked if any reply had been received from tho promoters oft the market place to tho Council's letter of tho Bth August.

His Worship said he had not received any.

The paragraph was adopted. Cr Jones objected to the approval of No 2 paragraph, as all the channels in the city required cleaning out, and he thought it would be impolitic for the sake of a few pounds to discharge tho men now, when this work required doing so much before the hot weather set in. Crs Farr and Calvort Supported Cr Jones' view.

Cr Hobbs moved—"That this paragraph stand over until next Monday." Cr Farr seconded the motion, which was carried. Paragraph No 3 was approved. On the motion of Cr Jones, consideration of No 4 paragraph was deferred until next sitting of the Council.

A letter was read from the Provincial Secretary's office, asking that tho collectors under the Education Ordinarioe, 1878, might be furnished with a copy of the rate roll of tho city, comprised within the limits of. the East and West Ohrißtchurch educational districts.

The town clerk was instructed to comply with tho request, • Or Jones asked what position the ! Council stood in with the promoters of tho market house. He did so as he wished to know whether the Council were to repair tho brigade station or to erect a new one?' He hoped that if the affair fell through, the market house idea would still be carried out, and by tbe Council, who should never allow such an undertaking out of their hands. Cr Ick would give it as his private opinion that there was a probability that the Market House Company would fall through, and if the promoters did not go on with the work, he trusted that Or Jones, and others who thought with him, would come forward and give the £2 per foot whicb he (Cr Jones) had stated on one occasion the land was vjorth. Cr Raphael said that as no notice had been taken of the letter from the Council, he should like to know why some action had not been taken before this time to annul the whole affair. Cr Jones would move—-" That the market

committee communicate with the promoters of the market house as to their intention in this undertaking.'!.... _ Cr Ick would like to reply to the remarks of Crs Raphael and Jones, as it showed that Or Gapes was not singular in getting into ft fog. There was no market committee, rb spoken of bj Cr Jones. Cr Raphael moved —"That a letter be written to the promoters, stating that not having received a letter in reply to those dated , the Council beg to intimate that unless a reply is received before next, Monday, they will consider that the scheme, of building a market house is abandoned." Cr Jones seconded the motion, which was carried. _ ; » Cr Ick said he desired to refer to the pre* sent disgraceful state of the river from weeds. If the contractors had taken the work too cheap, it was their own fault, and this accumulation of weeds must be detrimental to the health of the inhabitants. The Council had lately had an opportunity of seeing wbai a state the river was in just now, from thitf accumulation. He would raovef—" That it letter be Sent to the Provincial Government 1 calling attention to the state of the Rival Avon, from the Bast Town Belt to the estuary. - Cr Calvert seconded the resolution. ! - ' -Or Fair knew that the men were-working at the river every-day'early'and late. ' The resolution was put and carried. ! On the motion of Or Farr, the' Council agreed to have the branches of the willows lopped in front of the Supreme Court. = Or Ick referred to a very strong articlo which appeared in the Globe of that evening referring to the houses being overcrowded, iand to sanitary matters. The writer of-Was article could not have known the action Or Bishop had taken with reference to tbia imatter at the last pitting of the Council, fifl observed, that anything against the CoobcjTj would be reported in about a column and a half, but anything which the Council bad done was simply confined to the words of the motion. If public writers, would make foil enquiries before writing such articles, it would only be doing justice to the Council A letter was read from the secretary to tho Church of England Cemetery Board, stating that it was not within the power of the Board to alienate any portion of the -ctmo' tery lands, except for the purpose of inter* ment. Letter desired to be acknowledged. A petition was read from a numberoirate*, payers, asking that temporary accommoda.-, tion might be provided for foot passengers during the erection of Colombo street bridge, and that when the bridge is re-erected, per* manent accommodation exclusively for *00» passengers may be provided. The petition was received. Cr Jones moved—" That the petition bo acknowledged, and state that it is the inten-;> tioh of the Council to erect a, temporary footbridge for the accommodation of passeo*, gers during the re-construction of Colombo bridge; and with reference to widening ths same, it will depend on the amount supplemented by the public." Cr Ick seconded the motion, which was agreed to, ' .. _ A letter was read, signed by Sheath, as chairman of a meetiMtifi*** 0 * lies held in the Barbadoes street swiool.rooia* enclosing copy of a resolution passed "*• meeting, asking that the Councirwul fee pleaded to erect a gas lamp at, the cpmer <a Barbadoes street and South town belt, and have both sides of Barbadoes street Bwngla3»V from the Ferry road to the South town belt. Cr Hobbs said that a member of that body had spoken to him about this, and bad tow him that they would erect tbe lamp them* i selves if the Council would refund the money at the beginning of the next financial year. Ho would move—" That a reply be sentio f tbe chairman of the Catholic commHKB i stating that the Council have no more tanw , available for the erection of lamps thl9 yew, ; but if the committee think proper toerecc» ; lamp the Council will pay for the hgcUDgi , and will be prepared next year to cow?™ ; any application for a refund of the cost Pl*" \ erection, the site and description of , lft ; be subject to the approval of the ligM"»8 i committee." . ■. •. v-lgj I Cr Ick seconded the resolution, wwca w»f ag The second portion of thja letter referred to the works committee. __~i__ f A letter wm read from Mx J. ««»»f

calling attention to the state of the footpath in front of his premises corner of Colombo gad Lichfield streetß. Referred to the works committee to report JL letter was read from Mr Geo. Booth, egying that he understood the Council intended importing a perfect stone-breaking machinal and offering £100 for the stone breaker belonging to the Council. Consideration of this offer was deferred. A letter was read from Thomas Hicklaud, ggking permission to have a coffee stand daring week nights within the precincts of the city. The Council decided to reply that they had no power to entertain the application. A letter was read from Mr J. E. Anthony, enclosing copy of statement sent by him to the Central Board of Health affecting a drain fcamNew street to Salisbury street. The town clerk was instructed to acknow* teflee the receipt of the letter. K A sample of stone from the quarry of Mr Stace, Port hills, was submitted, accompanied by an offer from Mr Stace to lay down any quantity of the same stone broken to 2|in gauge at 10s 6d per yard in aay part of Christchurch. On the motion of Cr Jones, the matter was referred to the works committee. -An extension of one week was granted to Utt bye-law committee to bring np their

jibe usual weekly report of the inspector ok nuisances was read. , One portion was referred back to the sanitary committee, and tbe remainder approved. In reply to Cr Ick, Ot Calvert said that they had taken no further action with reference to the erection of urinals in the city. : His Worship the Mayor observed that he jfoould like the writer of the article in the evening paper previously referred to, to look through the inspector's book every Monday, did he would then see whether the Council do not take very great interest and considerable trouble in sanitary matters through-_ out the city. ■ Or Raphael moved—" That all papers relating to the discharge of ex-foreman Bur gees be laid on the table." * Crick seconded the motion. After a discussion, in which nearly all the members of the Council took part, Cr Raphael said that he had asked for the production of all: the papers relating to the discharge of Burgess, and having examined them, and heard the explanations, he perfectly endorsed the action that had been taken by the Council in this matter. The Council then adjourned. NOTICE OF MOTION.

Cr Jones, to' move at next sitting—" That the works committee, in conjunction with the city surveyor, examine the fire brigade Station in the market place, with the view to place the same in proper condition."