CITY COUNCIL.

Press, Volume XLVII, Issue 7525, 15 April 1890, Page 6

CITY COUNCIL.

MONDAT, APRIL 14.

The Council met at the usual hour. Present—The Mayor (presiding), Crs. Prudtioe, Gray, Patrick, Thomson, Wood, Bonuington, Cooper, Reese, Crooks, Goss. The receipts for the fortnight were stated as being—Geueral account, £69 3s ; cemetery account, £2 14s Od; suspense account, £4 16s 9d; interest account, £1 10s Sd. The debit balance was stated as being £7253 lis 7d. Accouuts to the amount of £4»l 19s on geueral account were passed for payment. An apology was received from Cr. Rowe for nou-attendance. Correspondence was read as under :— From Messrs Harman and Stevens, as agents for Mr Minchin, stating that he was willing to pay the cost of the work prescri*3ed, on condition of the Council taking over the streets on his land, corner of St. Asaph street and Lincoln road. The matter was referred to the Works Committee, with power to act. From Messrs Loughrey and Lane, on behalf of Mr B. Ballin, asking for permission to use a right-of-way from Cashel street East. The letter was referred to the Works Committee, with power to act. From the Garrison Band, asking the patronage of tbe Council at a concert on April 18th, at the Oddfellows' Hall. It was agreed to grant the request. The following report ot the Finance Committee was read:—" Your Committee beg to report that it has rearranged the statement of receipts aud expenditure for 1890-1, but cannot see its way to propose any alteration in the combined Committee's report, presented last meeting, with regard to increased rating." The report of the combined Works and Finance Committees on the estimates brought up ac last meeting of the Council was read, recommending an increased rate for charitable aid and hospital purposes, and also for the purpose of meeting the interest and sinking fund on the loans In addition to the Is in the £ general rate.

Cr. Prudhoe thought the Council should go through all the estimates brought up by the Committee' before agreeing to strike the rate of Is in the £. He would move—" That the estimates be gone into seriatim before the rate was struck."

Cr. Scott explained that the position of the Finance Committee was simply that they had taken the figures as given them by the combined Committee and put the estimates into more tangible shape. The Mayor pointed out that Cr. Prudhoe and the majority of the Councillors were on the various Committees, aud therefore to go over the items seriatim was waste of time.

Cr. (jRAY agreed with the proposal of Cr. Prudhoe. He thought they should go through the items seriatim, and then see after this whether any special rate was required, and if so, how much. Cr. Rekse said he was prepared to move the reduction of the rate as proposed from Is 2d in the £ to Is Id in the £.

Cr. Scott moved the adoption of the report. Cr. Wood seconded the motion pro forma. ! Cr. Gray seconded the amendment of Cr. Prudhoe.

Cr. Goss said they had gone into the matter and did not see how they could reduce the proposed estimates. What they should do now was to decide whether therate should be Is _d in the £ or Is od, that was the general aud two special rates. If they agreed to Is 4d then they would have to go through the estimates item by item to see what could be cut out so as to bring the expenditure within the Is 4d in the £.

Cr. Frudhob's amendment was then put and carried and the Council proceeded to discuss the estimates seriatim.

The total estimated receipts were put down as £6115 2s.

On the items in the estimated expenditure, " Rate Collector, £150." Cr. Revs-! moved "That the salary be increased by £10 per annum," to show the appreciation by the Council ot his services in the past. The resolution was not seconded.

On the item " £1422 63 Bd, broken metal," after a lengthy discussion , : Cr. Reese moved—"That the item be reduced by £361, the amount paid for stone, &c, up to the 31st March."

Cr. BonniN-TO-T seconded the motion, which was carried.

On the items "Plant and repairs, £300," Cr. Reese moved the reduction of the item by £_00. Cr.' Goss moved as an amendment— "That the rate to be struck be Is -d in the £, divided as,follows:—General rate, lid in the £; charitable aid, 2d in the £; special loan rate, Sd in the £." Cr. Scott seconded the amendment, but it was ultimately agreed, after a desultory and conversational discussion, to go on with the items seriatim.

Cr. ReE-e's . motion was- not seconded. He then moved—" That all the items below ' plant and repairs, and horse feed, Sec.,' be reduced by £448." Cr. Bonnington seconded the motion, which was carried.

Cr. Rebse then moved — "That the estimates as altered be adopted, and that the rate for the present year be Is Id in the £, being lid in the £ for general purposes, and 2d in the £ for Hospital and charitable aid."

Cr. Goss seconded the motion, which was carried.

Cr. Reese then moved-—" That a special rate of 3d in the £ for loan sinking fund purposes be strUck." Cr. Thomson seconded the motion, which was carried.

The special orders for levying the South, Waimakariri river rate and the Drainage Board rate were read, and the usual resolutions carried thereon.

After, granting some licenses the Council adjourned.