CITY COUNCIL.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10638, 24 April 1900, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, April 23. The Council met at tlte usual hour. Present—The Mayor (presiding), Crs. Gray, Samuels, Clarke, Sorensen, Prudhoe, Payling, Appleby, Sandsteki, Green, Andrews. Kincaid, Loughnan, and Morris. The receipts since last meeting were stated as under: —General account, #210 10s 10d; cemetery account, £10 0s 6d; suspense account, £27 8s 6d; interest accouat, £7 0s 2d. Accounts were passed for payment as under:—General account, £684 lls; suspense account, £5. The overdraft at the bank was stated as being £14,851. A deputation from the carriers of Christchurch, waited on the Council with reference to the telephone box on the east side of the Square, and Mr Ritchie pointed out that one of the rules of the Association for the use of the bos was that no one having a private office with a telephone should join. Messrs OSwood and Henley had pledged themselves, to give up their office but had not done so after promising to do so. The deputation having with&£.wn, after answering several questions', it was resolved that the Council adhere to the letter sent tc the Carriers' Association, formerly, viz., that the box was erected for the convenience of tlie wliole of the carriers on the east side of the Square, and. that the Council could not interfere to prevent anyone joining. A deputation consisting of Messrs T. W. Maude, J. M. Heywood, and others, waited on the Council with, reference to a drain on the Lincoln road near tihe Hospital comer emptying into the river. The deputation stated that the storm water of a large number of streets round Addlngton and down tihe Lincoln road came into this drain. A good deal of the district drained was outside the city, and the houses along the line drained ell their household water. All this refuse was poured into the ditch they had been referring to, Boated into the ground and created a great nuisance, which was what they wished to draw tihe attention of the Council to. What they wanted was that the ditch ehould be covered in, and the Drainage Board had agreed to do half the work if the Council would do the other half. The ditch was moat insanitary alike to the inhabitants. t<he large number of people I passing up and down the Lincoln road, and i also the children attending the West Christ- ! church School. Mr Maude and Mr Heywood read letters from Mr M'Clea, chairman of the West Chrisrtehureh School, and Mr T. S, Foster, headmaster of the school, with reference to the danger of the ditch to the school children, and also a resolution from the annual meeting of householders of West Christchurch, to tie effect that it was imperative that the drain should be covered. A letter was read from the Drainage Board stating that the cost of the work i wotrld be £1000, and asking if the Council would pay half flic cost. Cr. Gray pointed out that it was clearly j and unmistakably the duty of the Drainage Board to do this work, and the City Coun- ; cil. as the local Board of Health, could compel them to do so. He would move, "That this Council inform the Drainage Board that it considers it the duty of the Drainage Board to carry out the work at once." Cr. Andrews seconded the motion. Cγ. Soreosen moved as an amendment, "That the Council give £200 if the drain is filled in by the Drainage Board." Cγ. Payling seconded the amendment. After some discussion, in which Oβ. Morris, Sandstein, Samuels, Andrews, Gray, Appleby, and Loughnan took part, the amendment waa put and carried. Cr. Gray presented a report from twenty- j five perame applying to be enrolled as a fire police for the city of Curistchurch, and moved, "Tfoat the request be agreed to." Cr. Prudhoe seconded the motion, which j was agreed to. ~«„.! A letter w*a read from Mr R. Beetham, j coroner, forwarding a presentment of ft iury, to tha effect that overflow tanks from artesian wells should be covered over. Tne ; matter was referred to the By-Law Com- ! onittee, with power to act. • j A letter was read from Mr Beetham, for- j warding n presentment regarding the neoes- ; a:tv for the establishment of a city morgue. The letter was received, the Mayor stating that the reason why the city had not a morgue wae well known. The letter was received. . A letter was read from the Dramage Board, forwarding a copy of the proposal for new sewers, and a recommendatioa by the Works Committee of the Board, that for the purpose a-new loan of £60,000 should be raised. The city sewers to be-construct-ed in the city would be 12 miles 68 chains. The tetter was received, and the Council expreseed eatiaftctfon at the action of the Board. Mr S. Manning wrote, forwarding nis resignation as a Sinking Fund Commissioner for the city. The resignation was accepted with regret, and the Departmental Committee requested to nominate his successor. In answer to Cr. Saodstein, Cr. Soreosen said it was not-true, as stated in the report in tlie "Lytteiton Times," that the old couple in Colomba itreet, living in tJje insanitary house, had-AppUed to the lAantable Aid Board for assistance and bad been refused. The man had applied for rations, which were supplied, and he, witli the Oily Surveyor, had paid a visic to the house. Orders were given for the removal of the rubbish, etc.. and the owner of the house informed that it must not be let for the purpo*> of human habitation. The old couple wer* told to obtain better quarters, and the Charitable Aid Board would provide part of the rent. Tb# Council then adjourned.