CITY COUNCIL.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 11877, 26 April 1904, Page 5

CITY COUNCIL.

The City Council met last night. Present—il'he'Maror (Mr C. M. Gray), Councillors W. H*. Cooper, H. J. Otley, H. Pearce, J. Forrester. A. F. Carey, W. J. Neate, H. H. Longhnaii, O. W. J. Parwins, and O. Payliug. Apologies were received from Councillors Soreusen, Hadficld, and Manhiie. Messrs W. G. Atack and W. K. Samuels, recently elected to represent the Central Ward."made the customary declaration and took their scat's. Tho financial statement showed that the total debit balance was £23,897 6s- 7d. Account;-, amounting to £18,663 19s 6d, were pas>'cd for payment. The Mayor said" he regretted to liave to inform tlie Council of the death of one of their employees by accident. The seal of the Council had betn affixed to the dedication of new street- in St. Albans laid out by the Hon. J. T. Peacock. The matter of tlie removal of the old weighbridge, in Victoria square should be dealt with as soon as possible as tlie building 1 was neither ornamental nor useful. He suggested that the Reserves Committee should make a suggestion on the matter. Later .the Mayor moved in this direction, and the motion waa agreed to. Mr George- Harper, on. behalf of Mr Clegg, asked ths Council to release his client from the performance of his contract for the removal of offal from * c abattoir and also from the bond in connection with contract. His client had experienced great difficulties in carrying out his contract owing to the interv*nt-on of the Health Department. His ilient wished to be releas-ed as from June 30th The letter was referred to tn_ Abattoir Committee. Mr George Harper wrote, under instructions from the Christchurch Meat Company, notifying the Council, as the controlling authority of the abattoir at Sockburn, that the Company desired to cease slaughtering stock iv the abattoir, and to resume the slaughtering of stock at its works at Islington in order that the meat from such stock might be sold and exhibited for wile in the district under the control of the Council. The Company was prepared to pay such fees as Council might be entitled to fix in pursuance of Section 27 of the Slaughtering and Inspection Act, 1900; and asked that the fe-L-s should be fixed within fourteen days from the date of tlie letter. Failing compliance-, or if the Council refused to fix the fees, Mr Harper stated that his instructions were to take steps in the Supreme Court by proceeding for mandamus to test the question of the liability of the Council to fix the same. Cr. Cooper said the matter was a serious one, and had been previously dealt with in Court, when the Council had won the case. It- would not do to forego the right they had then, obtained. The butchers, as an "Association, was thoroughly opposed to the request made by ..ie Company. He moved that tlie request be not complied with. Cr. Carey seconded the motion, and said that if they held strongly to theit* position, as already defined br the Court, he thought they would find that the higher Court, would support them. If they were not supported then it was absolutely necessary tliat the Government should alter the law. The Government had imposed on them the necessity for erecting the abattoir, and if they lost the present case they might as well shut up shop. Tlie motion was agreed to. Tlie Abattoir Committee reported tliat meat not killed at u-e abattoir was being sold in the abattoir district, and that the Town Clerk was making enquiries with a view to instituting proceedings. The Department was considering the advisableness of extending the boundaries of the abattoir district. Tha Master Butchers' Union requested the Committee to abandon the idea of erecting a chilling room on account of the heavy expense involved. Cr. Cooper, -Chairman of the Committer, explained that tlie Christchurch Meat . Company had been hawking meat about in the abattoir district,'the meat bearing the Christchurch brand, but not the abattoir brand. Regarding the alteration of the boundaries of the abattoir district, he said that at present, some old .slaughterhouses were in existence, and were being used in the vicinity of the city, and the alteration of the boundaries was intended to close these up. The master butchers had expected the Council to go to the expense of providing the cooling chamber, but they did not intend giving anything in return. [ When the Council put the case to them, j they took up the position that they were not particular wliether the chilling chamber was erected or not. Tlie report was agreed to. Tlie resolution passed on February 22nd, granting an extension of contract to Mr Clegg, was rescinded on the motion-of Cr. Cooper.' The Minister of Justice wrote, efating that the Avon Road Board had been appointed the local body to have authority throughout the Avon Licensing District in lieu of the Linwood Borough Council. Mr A. H. Cooper, on behalf of the Trades and Labour Councils' Conference, thanked the Council for the use of the Council Cliamber for the meetings "of the Conference. Tlie Department of Roads forwarded a copy of the Commissioner's findings with j regard to the maintenance of the Opawa road, from Wilson's road to its junction j with Hill's road, and from the north-west corner of R.S. 2600 to Chapman's road. The City of Cliristchurch is to bear 25 per cent, of the maintenance of tho road (ex-* elusive of tlie maintenance of footpaths and kerbing), provided that the City Council's contribution shall not exceed £100 per annum. The Heathcote Road Board is to bear 75 per cent, of the maintenance of the road (this includes any amount that the Board thinks fit to raise by licensing fees on heavy traffic). The cost of the commission is to be equally borne by each j body, which also have to paj- their own | costs. Mr R. J. Gillies, Inspector of Police, wrote with regard to the reckless driving of motor cars and bicycles through the streets, that the police were making.special exertions to prosecute persons found committing breaches of the law. The Council considered, in committee, letters from the city solicitors regarding Mr Maddison's claim in regard to the abattoir plans. On resuming, it was reported that the Council had agreed to pay Mr Maddison £470 in full settlement. The 'By-laws "Committee reported that they had the new by-laws under consideration, and no time Would be Tost in presenting tliem to the Council as soon as,they are fettled. After carefully considering Messrs Stringer and Cresswell's application to have the license for the Opera. House amended by striking out the reference to Good Friday and Christmas Day. the committee advised that tlie application be granted. Cr. Loughnan explained, with regard to the last-mentioned matter, tliat the conditions in the licence had no statutory authority. Cr. Samuels: "Does that mean tney can hold any entertainment they like on Christmas Day and Good Friday?" The Mayor: "Yes, on next Christmas Day and Good Friday. We have no statutory power except in regard to Sundays." On the motion of Cr. Carey, it was" decided to recommend the Municipal Conference, to meet in Wellington in v July, to have statutory power given municipalities to deal with entertainments on Christmas Day and Good Friday. I The report wa.s adopted. The Finance Committee reported that the whole of the Sydenham Ward loan debentures had been sold at an average of £85 13s 101 d ; or the whole £25,000 had been raised at an average of £89 fls 3d. The Committee recommended that the city solicitor be authorised to take steps to recover the amount due by the Rakaia Road Board as its share of the Infectious Diseases Hospital accounts. Cr. Pearce thought that, considering that the security offered was* undoubted, the price got for the Sydenham debentures was out of all reason. The Mayor said that considering that local bodies were offering 5 per cent., and the. Tramway Board 4J per cent., and tliat the price gilt for the' Sydenham debentures worked out at & little over 4J per cent., the iciult w-is fairly __tiif_et_ry. They

had nearly 11.000 worth of pipes lying idle, which were beginning to eat- their heads oil with interest, and the Council had been compelled-ip utilise them. Tlie report was agreed to. Cr. Forrester gave notice of motion regarding the stopping of a street in Sydenham. Tlie Works Committee recommended the acceptance of Mr J. Jamkson's tender f«r disinfectant'- at 3s 9d per gallon for fluid and 12s 9d per cwt. for powder. Tlie Government Analyst had reported that these possessed the greatest disinfecting power. Tlie Committee had decided that the wages of men employed at- the destructor should be increased a.s follows:—Wilkinson (engineer), from lis to 12s per day ; Stewart, _• to 9s ; Gray (lad), 2s 8d to 3s 4d : Murray and Gwatkins, 7s to 7s 6d. The tender of Mr J. Anderson for lamp posts, at £4 3s per post, and the tender of Mr J. W. Smith for painting the Sydenham. Park fence for £22 10s 6d were recommended for payment. The report was agreed to. Matters regarding the steps to be taken for the destruction of small birds were referred to tlie Reserves Committee to report on. 'Mr M. Murphy was appointed_ to the Domain Board in place of the "present Mayor. Cr. Atack was appointed to the Finance and By-laws Committees, and Cr. Samuels to the Reserves and Fire Brigade Committees. Cr. Otley was appointed Chairman of the Finance Committee. Cr. Neate was appointed Chairman of the Fire Brigade Committee.