CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 34, 11 February 1881, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the City Council was held last night. Present — His Worahip the Mayor, Councillors Danks, Allan, Logan, Fisher, Thompson, and Miller. A deputation, consisting of Messrs. J. Kitchen, G. H. Bayliss, F. Routh, G Sage, W. Barnard, A. Wilson, Townsend, Box, Martin, Kitchen, Jan., Orr, and Willesby, waited on the Council with reference to the question of fire protection at Newtown. Mr. Kitchen, sen., said very few words were required to support the request of the deputation in the face of the recent calamity. He thought if a volunteer fire brigade wore formed to take charge of the station and appliances, great good would be done. But the great grievance was the want of means of giving an alarm in the district, and what was wanted was another station and hosereel near the Newtown Hotel and a volunteer brigade to take charge of the district. If tho Fire Brigade Committee of the Conncil would visit the district, several of the residents would give them all the information required. He had the names of 32 persons in the locality who would be willing to join the brigade without any remuneration. — The Mayor said the communication between the Newfcown and the Mannors-streot Station was in perfect order, and lie would take care to see that directions were posted up as to how the telephone bell should be used. — The Fir« Brigade Committee wero deputed to interview the residents of Newtown on the subject. Three o'clock the following afternoon was fixed for the interview. The Town Clerk explained the nature of the permit given to Mr. Stace that morning to burn gorse. The order was given, he said, to burn gorse on an unoccupied acre at the back of the Catholic Cemetery, and not in the centre of tbe town. He understood the police intended to issue an information against Mr. Stace, and they would be asked to press for full costs ; if they did not take steps, the Inspector of Nuisances would. In answer to Councillor Fisher, the Town Clerk stated that no settlement had been come to with the Hutb County Council in regard to the amount due on account of the Hospital. There appeared to be no way of getting out of tho difficulty except by refusing admission to the institution of persons from beyond the city. Some discussion enßued, but the matter eventually dropped without anything being done. The Public Works Committee's report (the items of which appeared in yesterday's Post) was read. — Tho clause relating to the licensing of public halls for Sunday lectures or entertainments when a charge is made for admission, was warmly discussed. — Councillor Thompson favored the adoption of a rule similar to that recently adopted in Christchurch.— The Mayor thought there were more difficulties in this matter than would at first sight appear. He had as strong a regard for the Sunday as anyone— it was a very grand institution ; but these halls were let for religious meetings on tho Sabbath, and it was not for them to sit in judgment upon the creeds of any portion of the people. It occurred to him that the difficulty might be solved by granting a license and reserving power to stop any meetings on Sunday if considered to ba opposed to morality or offensive to the rules of decency. — Councillor Miller wantvd to know who was to be the judge of the morality or otherwise of an entertainment, and asked whether Councillors would be first required to sit it out — After some further discussion it was resolved to grant a license to the Princess Theatre (the application for which had brought tho question up) subject to the reservation alluded to by the Mayor, and to postpone the full consideration of the whole subject till another time. The clause, " that there are no funds available at present for repairs to the Kilbirnie road," wa3 struck out. 'ihe other clauses were agreed to. — Three weeks extension of time was allowed the contractor for the completion of the Wainuiomata reservoir.— The following accounts were passed for payment :— General, .£1790 153 8d; Hospital, £123 9s ; and wharf, .£52 12s 4d. The Council then adjourned.