CITY COUNCIL.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13101, 28 April 1908, Page 5

CITY COUNCIL.

The Council met last night, when J there were present—Tho Mayor (presiding), Crs. W. H. Cooper, T. Gapes, Chas. Allison, G. W. J. Parsons, C. Taylor, T. X. Horsley, J. D. Ball, A. Williams, H. B. Sorensen, and'HVH. Loughnan. 'FINANCIAL. The receipts sine© last meeting were announced to be £9401 lis 4d. Temporary loans amounted to £33.212 2s 4d, and the debit balance at the bank was £2(i70 10* lil. Accounts amounting to £t>yS9 7 s 9d were passed for payment. *• PETITION. A petition, signed by twelve residents, received asking for a lampin St. Asaph street, near Nursery and Matheson's roads. The petition was referred to tho Works and Lighting Committee. » RAILWAY LAND. Ihe general manager of railways wrote with reference to the Department removing* and re-erecting a house in Park road. Addington, stating that railway land was not subject to by-laws under "the Municipal Corporation Act. and that it had never been the practice to obtain permits. Cr. Sorensen thought the letter was most unsatisfactory. The Government should not, ho thought, bo able to override municipal by-laws, particularly in the matter of removing old house*. He the matter be referred to tho Municipal Conference." • Cr. Allison seconded the motion, and referred to the high-handed action of tho Railway Department, notably in connection with the Lincoln road cros*The motion was carried. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.

The Abattoir Committee reported that tho tender of F. H. Opie, at £318, for a house at Sockburn had been accepted. . The Works Committee reported that . the Chairman of the Committee wns j about to visit Rotorua. and that it had ! been decided to authorise him to see Mr i l>irks and make tho best arrangements ho could with him to report on Mr Scotte proposals regarding extensions and alterations to the electrical plant, 'as submitted to the Council, and suggest any alterations ho might deem desirable. The report was adopted. The Cab Owners' Union wrote drawing attention to tho bad .stato of the cab stands near tho railway station and Warner's Hotel, and the committee re'.xumnended that they ho put in order at once. The letter from the City and dub-urban Burgesses' Association with reference to lighting the city bridges from sunset to sunrise had been carefully considered, and tho committee decided that in its opinion it was not necessary to so light the bridges. The committee resolved to recommend the Council to put Hereford plaoe in order at an estimated cost of £109. The report was adopted. HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID. I Cr. Cooper moved:—"That the Council strongly opposes the new- Hospital and Charitable Aid. Board Bill, as proposed by the Government, on the ground that tho Government in reducing their subsidy to local bodies by one-half, will bo unduly, taxing the rate-payers of the Dominion; that a remit to this effect bo forwarded to tho Municipal Conference." He pointed out that by tho Bill they in Christchurch would have to pay £1620 per annum more for Hospital and Charitable Aid- than they* did now. .He failed to understand why the Government had selected tho Hospital and Charitable i\id Boards for withdrawing their subsidy. Ho hoped that the matter would ho put strongly to the Government, as it was the most dastardly thing that he (had heard of. Cr. Allison seconded tho motion. Ho did-not think that tho Government had any serious intention .of. bringing atxmt the withdrawal of tho subsidies. If they did so, they would find that both the town and* th© oountry would be "agin tjio Government." There were some .points 'about th© Bill, notably the amalgamation of the. Boards; whioh wer© very good indeed, but there wore a number of very bad clauses.

The Mayor said that the Council had representatives on "the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board who were taking steps to deal with the matter. They were sending delegates to Wellington, and ho understood that the Boards throughout the Dominion were also taking action. Tho motion was agreed to.. ASPHALTING THE STREETS:

Cr. Hall called attention to tho fact tbat the "Works- . Committee,. in connection witfli tho offer of tho Neiiohatel Asphalt Company to construct . a trial pieoo in Cashel street, had based their estimate of cost on the statement of the representative of the company as to the cost in Auckland. It was not imperative that the cost hero should be the same. Besides, tho company offered to keep the" portion laid down in repair for five years, which ho thought had not been quite understood by tho Works Committee. Ho therefore moved:—"That the matter be referred to the Works ' Committee for reconsideration."

. Or. Horsley seconded the motion, which was ageed to. ..;.