CITY COUNCIL.

Press, Volume XLI, Issue 6054, 10 February 1885, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

MONDAT, FeBBUABT 9.

The ordinary meeting of the Council was held at 7 p.m. Present—The Mayor (in the chair), Crs. Vincent, Brice, Hosking, Beese, Pradhoe, Crooks, Andrews, Elver, Ayers, Bowman, Lambert. The receipts daring the fortnight were stated as being £371 3s lid, and the debtor balance at the Bank .£Bl3 10s 2d. Accounts Ito the amount of £1175 11s Id were passed for payment. - An apology was received from Cr. Louisson for his absence on the ground of ill-health. The following correspondence was readi— From several residents in Lumb's lane, Asking that the name of the street might mc changed to Surrey street. It was resolved that until the whole of the amounts due on tho Btreet were paid and the street paly handed over no change in the name trotudbemade. '

From Mr Williams, a3 agent for Dr Eughes, asking the permission of the Council to deliver a series of Sunday evening lectures at the Theatre BoyaL It was resolved that permission be given to Mr Hughes, under the usual conditions. Cra. Lambert, Prudhoe, and Beese dissenting. From Lieut.-Coloriel Lean, aa Chairman of the Drill Shed Commissioners, pointing out the hardship entailed by the rating of the Drill Shed, which was almost exclusively used for the volunteers residing within lie city. The Commissioners had expanded some .£4OO in the repair and naintenance of the building, and some of ihe corps had erected buildings at their own xpense oa the ground. The income of he Commission was not equal to provide >r repairs to the building, or even to pay lie interest on the money lent. The rates, t pressed, would therefore have to be paid >y the volunteers, and the writer hoped he Council would remit them, aa it could tever be the wish of the Council to levy ates on those who assembled to make themselves efficient to defend their tountrv.

I The Mayor explained the position of the [matter, and pointed out that what was required from the city of Christchurch was that they should aid the cause of volunteering by not pressing this rate, and he must say that this request had his heartiest sympathy. Cr. Atxbs moved—"That the Council do not press for the city rate levied on the Drill Shed."

Cr. Laxbbbt seconded the motion, which was pat and carried, Cr. Pradhoe diseenting. From the Government, announcing that the result of the polling for the loan had been gazetted. From the Inapeotor of Police, stating that the police would do all in their power jto prevent the nuisance complained of in the right-of-way adjoining the " Lyttelton rimes" office. <± s The Matoe said that the propriefcresa of v he Theatre Boyal was making efforts to tfford more convenience to the public frequenting that building than had hitherto ieen the case. He still believed that the inly remedy would be the establishment «f , public urinal in the neighborhood of the Fheatre. f The report of the City Surveyor was tread as follows :— '. The laying of the concrete', kerb is commenced in Tuam street west. Tenders have been invited for 5000 cubio yards of broken metal. Tenders have been invited for 2000 barrels of cement. The drawings of Worcester bridge are now finished, and tenders have been invited for the building, j During the month of January last seven building permits were issued, and. the anseunt taken in fees was £5 15e. On the clause with respect to calling for tenders for cement, Cr. Ansbbws suggested that the Council should procure a testing machine, or obtain the loan of the one used by the Lyttelton Harbor Board. The Matob thought that the experience) of tin body just referred to, which wad ▼cry large, might be found to be as useful: to the Council in the matter as the testing: of the cement themselves. ( Cγ. Laxbxbt, in view of a large cumber ot brands being on the market, would urge .theneceesity of great care being taken xa testing the cement. Some cements were manfactured for the colonies, and therefore they should be carefuL *->**•* Cγ. Bras* denied that any manufacturer! made for the colonies. Taere could be noj tampering with cement, and as the manuJ facture was so large there was no such] special manufacture as stated by Cr! Juambert. ■ WJ

Cγ. Vzhcsbt said he was quite unable Ixr understand some of the arguments, nartieularly those of Cr. BeeseT If cenSnt mannfactarera did not make for the colonies, they were the only manufacturers wh» did not—[Hear, hear]—aa it was Tery Commoß to hear it said, " Oh, that will do for tb* coldUM," and there was also a largequantity of manufactures which would never sell in England. The report as a whole was adopted- ■ ■ The following report of the Finance! iConmittee was read: —** Tour Committee I ta? to report toCpewfltheresalfcof tke

neijfctiation *~ bstween his""^Worship the Mwor and the manager of the Bank of Nfiw Zealand re the raising of the loan. Tjfc Bank offers to float the Council's loan off £25,000 at par, bearing 5 per cent, merest, and free of any charge or expense Aatever with regard to floating the loan, toe proceeds to be payable in ChristJJlurch." JtCr. Vracanrr moved—"That the report Jpe approved, and the offer of the Bank of tpTew Zealand accepted." He thought they Mught to congratulate themselves on having gfifeen able to float the loan on such favorjjPble terms. It would hare been almost mnpDssible to have floated so small a loan Bn the London market, and to have got it Kaken up privately, except through the wank, would have caused a great deal of and expense. i Cr. Kjtbb seconded the motion, which [was agreed to. I The Beserves Committee reported as tfollows: —"Tour Committee has con- • sidered the letter of the Benevolent Aid I Association, and ie cannot recommend the ' Council to forego the rent paid by the Association for the rooms in their nee, but that reasonable repairs be effected by tht> Council to make them more habitable. Your Committee has considered the question of a site for the erection of rotunda before the Council at its last meeting,' and cannot make any recommendation, therefore the whole question, with a letter sent to. the Committee by Mr Bussell, is referred back to the Councu for its decision. Your Committee has received a memo, from Mr Weston and petition from the site-holders on the market-place, asking for a re-consideration of {the question of the increase of rent for the sites, but recommends the Council not to depart from the decision arrived at thereon. Xfenr Committee visited the New Brighton Beach Beserve, 'and found that the plantation wae in a highly satisfactory condit-on." With regard to the question of th&band rotunda,

Cγ. Hoskxnq stated that one of the residents near the old Post-office had offered to give the sum of £20 towards the erection of the rotunda there, and others had guaranteed certain smaller sums. He : would move—" That the request contained in the letter of Hγ Kuflsell asking for permission to proceed with the erection of a band rotunda in the market square, near »the old Post-office, be acceded to. f Cr. Pbudhob seconded the motion. - His Wobshxp the Mayob thought that, sLatimer square would be a far better placed [than the one referred to. ,As the site now! Was in the market square it certainly wast Snot fit for the erection of the rotunda, aeitf [required fencing, laying out, &o. He wasl mot opposed to the project, but wanted thej to consider fully all the points. "> £ Cr. Athks was strongly in favour' of; ihe rotunda being erected in La timer; iquare. ■; Cr. BowKAir pointed out that if the. Council refused the site in the Market] iquare it would put an end to the project] utogether, as no one in Latimer square! irould contribute anything towards the! rotunda. I

After Cr. Andrews had spoken, it was? resolved—" That permission be granted tcfe >rect a band rotunda on the Town Hals site on conditions to be approved, and je3t to removal by the Council at any timeS should it ccc fit." The Council resolved! not to reconsider its decision as to the in-2

Jwease of rent for the sites on the Market square. On the recommendation of Cr. Crooks it was resolved to stake a portion oJ the trees in the Plantation Eeserve.

In reply to Cr. Crooks, the Mayob stated' that between £20 and £30 of last year's' rates were outstanding. This included £14 remitted from the Drill-shed.

Cr. Hoskings moved, pursuant to notice —" That the use of traction engines in the streets of the city be prohibited except between sunset and sunrise."

In connection with the motion, a letter J was read from a number of agents for the! sale of traction engines, calling attentions to Cr. Hosking's notice of motion thatS traction engines should be prohibited! going through the city during the day. Is! was stated that the engines had been run-S ning through the city for five years with-} out accident. The fact that traction en-|r gines were allowed to run at any hour; through the streets in Dunedin and fin.» several large cities in England was pointed, out, as also that there was no more risk-inS the passage of traction engines throught the city than that of the tramway The .'writers, therefore, asked the ConiusE

not to agree to the proposed resolution. ; ] The mover of the resolution emphaticallj protested that traction engines careering about their streete on Saturday afternooni was dangerous to life and limb.

Cr. Bkbsh seconded the motion pro formJai and stated that if the Council passed suck a resolution they would bring themselveMJ into ridicule, as they were the owners.ole one themselves, and to carry the resolu# tion would hamper the Works Committeet, very much. | Alter Cra. Brice and Vincent had spoken,! an amendment to the effect that the matter] be referred to the Works Committee to take into consideration and to report to the Council was carried, hie Worship the Matob asserting that the butcher boys qtChrintchurch were far more dangerous wlife and limb than traction engines. Tm Some discussion took place as to the plans for the Worcester street bridge, anls ultimately 51 Cr. Eeesb moved— ,. That the width oT the Worcester street bridge be increased from 40ft to 66ft wide." I

Cr. Pbudhob seconded the motion, wbicb| was agreed to unanimously. " Certain formal resolutions providing forv, the levying of a special rate of l£d in the, Jβ to meet the interest and sinking fund on the loan were agreed to, and a special meet-* ing of the Council fixed for February 23r* to confirm the same. * *M The Council went into Committee Hi consider the report of the Departmental; Committee, and to ballot amongst the caaj' didates for the office of Inspector. W On resuming, hk Matob announced, that Mr J. H. Stringer had been appointed as Inspector to the Council. There wer§S forty applicants. % After granting several licenses, the Council adjourned.