SYDENHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Press, Volume XXXII, Issue 4408, 16 September 1879, Page 3

SYDENHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The regular fortnightly meeting of the Sydenham Borough Council was held last evening, the. Mayor presiding, Ors, White, Langdown, Andrew, Nicholl, Hall, Joyce, 1 Charters, Paviifc, and Brown were present. The newly-elected members took the usual form of oath. - - . A letter was read (from Mr Medding, requesting the Council to grant a piece of land as ft site for post and telegraph office. It was moved—"TL&t the letter from Mr

Meddings re post office and telegraph office be received, and that he be informed, in Te Plj> *&■* *&* Council lease the southern half of the section in Colombo street, for a term not exceeding seven years, at a peppercorn rent, subject to six months' notice. His Worship the Mayor and Che mover to arrange terms of lease and buildings."

An amendment was moved—"That the matter be referred to the works committee, to report at next meeting." A long discussion took place on the question whether the Mayor was obliged to vote, there being one more for the motion than the amendment.

It was moved by Or. Joyce and seconded by Or. Hall—" That this Council consider* the Mayor must vote on any question, and has a right of a casting vote." The Mayor,agreed to rote, and on the original motion being put again it was carried by 6 to 4. Messrs White, Andrew, Hall, and Pavitt were elected a works committee, Mr White chairman. Sanitary Committee — Meesra White (chairman), jPavitt, Hall, and Langdown. liightißg Committee—Meters White (chairman), Pavitfc, Hall, and Langdown. finance Committee—Messrs Charters (chair* man), Brown, Langdown, and White. Kre Prevention and Water S apply Committee— Messrs Charters (chairman), Pavitt s White, and Langdown. By-Laws Committee— Messrs ■ Brcwn (chairman), Nicholl, Hall, Joyce, and Langdown. A rote of thanks was unanimously accorded to ex-Councillor Jones for the efficient i manner in which, he had discharged . his ! dntifs during the two yean he was in the ConnciL By-laws 2,3, and 4 were ordered to be published, ac required by law, . and to come into force on the let of October. A number of matters were referred to the: works committee for consideration. The deputation re crossing of railway and footbridge reported:—The deputation, con- j ■isting of the Mayor, Crs. Charters, Pavitt, j and White, waited upon Mr Conyers and j were very warmly received. Mr Lowe, the Seaident Engineer, was called in, and it was stated that £400 had been asked for the work, but being short' of funds it could not be granted. It was agreed temporarily to make the east side crossing fit for foot passengers. The necessity for a footbridge in a line with Madras street was at ence admitted, and would be undertaken as soon as funds were obtainable, £745 being placed on the estimates for the work. The Commissioner could not recommend the crowing at Jlarper street, and the deputation did not press the matter. The deputation, commissioner and resident engineer then visited the Gasworks road, and as the fence put up by the Government was considerably above the level of the footpath, after considerable discussion it was agreed to recommend the Council to pay the Government the net cost of lowering the fence to its proper leveL The report was adopted. The works committee reported : —

Drainage.—'With reference to the letter from the Christchurch District Drainage Board of the 26th of August, notifying the. intention of the Board to lay three rows ox 15ik. pipes from the South towa belt to the railway on Gasworks road, as a temporary measure to allow of the road being formed, your committee beg to report as follows :— 1. That in entering upon a consideration of the matter, it appeared to the committee that the ptvposal of the Board to lay the pipes aa a temporary measure offered presumptive evidence that the question. of providing euificient drainage for the storm-water of the district had not yet been decided, and as the Board intimated to this committee on the 30th June last, that they had instructed their engineer to take immediate steps for carrying of the same, the committee considered that the Board waa not doing its duty to the district in proposing at this time to take further temporary measures which would probably have the effect of causing the main question to be shelved for an indefinite period. I 2. Aβ the Board have for the last four years drawn a considerable Bum from the district by way of rates, and have not, so far aa the committee are aware, carried oat any works in the district which would represent an adequate return for the same, and as the Board are bow seeking to obtain additional powers from Parliament, the committee considered it to be their duty as representatives of the ratepayers, to consider the whole question as affecting the district. They have, therefore, held a special meeting for the purpose, and have also discussed the matter at some length at two previous -meetings," '■-. . ■ ; ."•'■' ■ 3. From the enquiries your committee have made in the matter, it appears that the Drainage Board waa incorporated m consequence of long continued agitation by the local newspapers and the Cfcristchurch City Council, which represented that the high death rate and the great amount of sickness which formerly prevailed in Christchurch and the neighbourhood was due chiefly to the defective sanitary condition of the suburbs asd the want of ef&dent drainage, and as the local governing bodies had neither power nor money to deal with the question efficiently, a conference was held, consisting of representatives- from the City Council and the suburban Bead Boards, the result of which was the formation of the present drainage district.

4. Throughout the agitation which has taken plaoe on the inbjeet, the suburbs, which now constitute a large portion of the area of Sydenham, have been referred to as one of the principal reasons why the Board should be constituted, and during the dispute between the ratepayers and the Board members of the latter stated that the main object of the Board -was to drain the suburbs, and that the case of the suburbs was most pressing. Both the engineers employed by the Beard have also reported that at Waltham drainage works were more especially required and should be first attended to.

Iα consequence of the expressions of opinion above referred to the inhabitants of this district, believing that their wants would receive first at ention at the hands of the Board, and that the burden of the cost would be equitably apportioned, refrained from taking any steps either to prevent the drainage district being constituted, or to oppose either of the schemes adopted by the Board, the only meeting held in the district on the question having been called by Mr Ollivier to protest against the carryinf out of a sewage scheme, and even this meeting j was but poorly attended, aud one of the speakers ! thereat stated that he in common with many other ratepayers was inclined to refrain from placing obstacles in the way of carrying out the scheme proponed, on account of the benefit that would immediately result to the district from the same. Notwithstanding all that h&e taken place to induce the inhabitants of the suburbs to remain passive during the introduction of the drainage scheme, it has become painfully evident to your committee that frasa the very first the interests of Christchureh have been almost solely considered, both by the promoters of the formation of the district asd by the Board, and that up to the present time almost the only connection tie dietrict of Sydenham had with the drainage district baa been for the purpose of enabling the Board to raise a large loaa aad a ■ large amount of rates, which has been spent chiefly for the benefit of Christchurch, and unless active steps are at oooe taken to compel the Board to attend to our wants, it is probable that both the loan and the rates will be all spent without Sydenham having , received any adequate benefit therefrom.

5. Iα .support of the foregokiff, jonr committee fiesire to remark that ia constituting the power ni gives to the Board to pay toihe City of Christcbnreh Jβ 18,000 oat ef the eroaseds cf the first loan as the oost of the outfall drain; and that the taonej wan paid by means of an orerdraft at the Bask ail soon «s tfae Board was brought icte «M*tenoe, ■lihoagh the said drain ma never of auy nee except to the city, and had been prored to be jnmtSwmt vtm for tk*t pßTpote. The wot t&erefore at first unjust!; charged with (heir prcfortieaaf the interest of » large asm of nose? from tkey had received no benefit, and for a work that is aoi utilised ua part of the4raiaage«eheiße. 6. Use Board ha/t'-oow bees in erirfence abosi four yean, scd las eipeoded abost oae half the loan that it is empoWered to rave, and also large ssms eked by rates, and up to the present time none of the loaa and only a email proper&m of tb* rates hare been exnsndtd so Stobeofftnjbea^ttoSyd«ia«n;teeitreet9

and properties in the borough are still floodec after- Jtoevy raise.- -The Wterr roei eew»r whick waa built .ostensibly for relieving our d;« triet, shd was *bs& by tW engiatep fo ie capable of taking away, all the storm water of the Soutfa-eaat portibn of Christclrareh and Sydenham, hu been iiroved to be quite inadequate U take away the water which ia led into it at the present time, the large area of the city oi Christcburch into it filing ttiw sewer, damming back the water from tkia and alihoogb saoh is the ease, Cbrisfcchnrcb. is exempted from bearing any part of ifa cost, the drain being charged, by reiorntion of the Board; equally between the Sydenham an 3 Heathcota districts. ~ ,' 7. With re-'pect to the matner of apportioning the cost of works to the various dlstricta, your committee are of opinion that the principle adopted is most unfair, inasmuch as the coet is apportioned according to the rateable value ot the districts instead of according to the work done for their benefit, the Sydenham dietrict haa consequently had to pay one-sixth of the cost of management, expenses, and interest on -loan- already raised, although no permanent works have yet been carried out which have benefitted the district. . ; The presßing .nature of our necessities have been repeatedly brought under the notice of the Board by the ratepayers and the Council, aid the Board has made promises in reply, which as yet remain unfulfilled. The Board promised to lay pipes on the Waltham road as soon as the piece of land belonging to Mr Cunningham had >een bought, still no action has been taken. The Board slso promised (June 30th last) that the drainage of this part of the dietrict should be immediately attended to, and although an exhaustive report was made by their engineer on July 14th, it was postponed until July 20th, and again till August 11th. They have at last approved of the plan to take the storm water from this part of the borough through a sewer up Madras street, which is to drain part of chrittchurch, so that in case of a heavy flood the water from Christchurch will probably fill the sewer and dam back the flood water upon this borcngh. Your committee have therefore reluctantly been forced to the conclusion that this district Las not hitherto been fairly treated by the Drainage Board, and that it is probable that the injustice will be continued as long as the powers of the Board remain as at present. They therefore recommend to the Council that the road districts of Avon. Heatheote, and Riecarton, be communicated with, to ask that a conference of representatives of the said districts be held at SB eirly a date as possible, to take into consideration the amendments to the Drain*ge Bill proposed by the Drainage Board, and also to take into consideration drainage matters affecting the suburban districts. Bobert Beattie's Contract—Mr Beattie, having reported to this committee that he had complied with the committee's suggestions r* his contract for formation of streets in Sandridge, aud the foreman of works having also been over the ground with the contractor, aud passed the work, your committee would recommend the Council to reconsider the question of a fine. Angus Street—Wxtih respect to the petition rora the ratepayers of Angus street, your committee have enquired into the matter, and find that the game has teen properly dedicated to the Borough, aud formed under % mutual agree- \ ment of the ratepayers aud the Council. They therefore recommend that the street be shingled, with six yards to the chain, as soon as convenient, and that any other alterations be made that may be neceseary to put the same in fair condition. The report was received and adopted, the Mayor remarking that he did sot endorse all the recommendations oontained therein. On the motion of Cr. Joyce the fine which had been inflicted on Mr Beattie was remitted. Mr John Shiel appeared to urge an objection he had against a proposal of the Council to make a drain through his property, ' It beiDg ten o'clock, the hour at which, according to a resolution previously passed by the Council the business should be brought to a dose, the Mayer ruled that they could not proceed further in the face of that. Cγ. Andrew moved—" That the resolution of this Council with reference to closing of the business at ten o'clock be suspended for this night until the whole of the business shall have been attended to." " Mr Joyce seconded the motion, pointing out that there was a deal of important business yet to be done, and several persons were waiting to interview the Council. On being put to the meeting, Cr. White opposed the motion, which could, therefore, not be entertained. . . Cr. Andrew said he would bring the matter before the ratepayers. ■ The Mayor remarked that the ratepayers should know who were the real obstructives. The Council then adjourned, several reportshaving to be held over. The Mayor announced that he would call a special meeting for Monday evening next.