CITY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 85, 8 September 1874, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

Monday, September 7. The usual weekly meeting was held in the Council Chambers. Present —His Worship the Mayor, and Crs Ick, Farr, Bishop, Calvert, Gapes, Jones, and Hobbs. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The town clerk reported receipts for the week to be as follows From rate collector, account general city rates, 1874, £lB5 9s ; Waimakariri do, £3O 18s 2d; fines from Resident Magistrate’s Court, £7 ; kerosene license, 7s. Total receipts for the week, £224 14s 2d. Drainage account—Dr, £BB9 16s lOd. Drainage rate acoount—Cr £921 2s Bd. Wages, &c, to be paid on general account, £220 13s lid. Wages, &c, on drainage account, £BS 12s lOd. Overdraft at Bank on general account, £917 10s 6d. The city surveyor reported as follows: 1. “ I have completed a plan of the North Town belt, which, with a report thereon, I beg to lay before you. 2. “I have to-day received twenty-six more men from the Government, and I have placed them to work on Park terrace; but as they are much too crowded there now to render their labor remunerative, I should be glad if the Council would decide upon what is to be done with the North belt, to enable me to place some of the men at that place. 3. “ I also beg to lay before you a plan for laying pipes in Lichfield street.” Surveyor’s report of part of the North and East Town belts, referred to in paragraph No 1: “ I have been informed that a great number of people in the neighborhood of the North belt would be glad to avail themselves of the opportunity of getting earth to fill up their sections, and I have consequently prepared a plan, on the supposition that they would carry it away themselves. “ On the plan which I now lay before you, the red line shows the crown of the proposed road, and the blue one shows the existing ditch on the north side of the belt. The dotted blue line shows the proposed ditch which would take in all the water now crossing the belt, and would run on the north side of the belt from Free’s creek, at eight chains, to the corner of the cemetery at thirty-six chains ; it would then be carried across to the south side by means of a 4ft brick culvert, and run along the side of the cemetery to where the creek crosses the corner of the cemetery- go in its natural course through the cemetery and then along the west side of the East belt to the river, where another brick culvert would be necessary under the road beside the river. The ditch along the two sides of the cemetery would be about 3 ft 6 in deep. “ By this arrangement there would only be an open ditch on the north side of the North belt 28 chains long, 4 ft deep at one end and 2ft deep at the other ; all the remainder could be filled in and converted into pathway. “ The ditch along the east side of the East belt could also be filled in, and converted into pathway, in accordance with the wish of the inhabitants. “.The pathway on the south side of the North belt could be made right through to the corner of the cemetery, and as the belts around the cemetery are but one chain wide, I should propose only to make a footway on the one side. “From sixteen chains to twenty-three chains it would be necessary to cut a small ditch on the south side of the belt, as the ground is very swampy, and full of large springs. It would then run down the Madras street drain. “ If this plan is carried out there would be about 29,000 cubic yards of material to be disposed of, and supposing this to be taken away by private individuals, the coat of forming the belt would be as follows ; £ s. d. Seventy-two chains of forming, including ditches and draining, at £9 648 0 0 Two brick culverts 200 0 0 £B4B 0 0 “ It is to be remarked that by this arrangement four timber bridges (three on the North belt and one on the East belt) would be done away with, most of the water running through the neighborhood of Kilmore street would be cut off, and the bulk of the water now running down Madras street would also go down the belt, and jthe ditch in Madras street could be very much reduced in size and depth. “ Supposing the public will not take the material away without expense to the Council, the road can be kept up eighteen inches above the red line, and thus do away with the necessity of carting material away, but the ditches will in that case be eighteen inches deeper than I have stated above. “ I should think it would be advisable to invite the public by advertisement to make application for material, and when it is ascertained how much material is likely to be taken away the height of the road could be determined on. “ C. Walkden, “ City Surveyor.” The report was read and considered. In reply to Cr Jones, Cr Bishop said that he did not think any portion of this work could be charged to drainage account, as the majority of the work would consist of the formation of a road. Cr Ick believed it was understood that this work was to be done with the money received from the Provincial Government, which would also be subsidized by them. The Mayor said that they had £4O in hand towards the work, received from the Avon Road Board, though that amount would be only a small proportion of the coat. Cr Farr endorsed Cr Jones’ remarks, that a portion of the work should be charged to drainage account. The soil on the belt was of a very superior kind, and he was certain that many persons would be only too glad to have it for the carting away. He would move —“ That the report be referred back to the works committee, for them to apportion what amounts —if any—should be charged to drainage and to general account, to report next Monday.” Cr Jones seconded the motion. Cr Gapes moved as an amendment—“ That the plan and report submitted by the surveyor, be received and adopted.’ Cr Calvert seconded the amendment, Cr Farr obtained leave to withdraw his resolution, and move it later in the evening, Cr Gapes’s amendment became a substantive motion, and on being put, was declared to be carried. Cr Farr’s motion was then put, and agreed to.

The following is the surveyor’s report on the Lichfield street water supply referred to in paragraph 3. “ I have had two trial holes sunk between the river and Colombo street, and I found good ground for a depth of 7 feet, and below that shingle, sand, and water ; and as at that place the pipes must be sunk 11 feet down, there would be 4 feet of excavation in shingle, &c. The expense of laying the pipes, depends upon the nature of the ground at the bottom, for if running sand, silt, or much water is found, the expense of timber and pumping would be considerable. Supposing that no timber should required, and not much water found, I believe the pipes can be laid in for about £9 per chain, the amount does not include the cost of the pipes. Each sump would cost about £G.” The report was read and considered. Cr Bishop said that as the expense would be so great, the works committee did not consider themselves justified in recommending that the work be carried out. Cr Hobbs would like to see an estimate of the cost. He considered that the residents in that neighborhood should be placed in a position to contend with fire, and it would be remembered that the great idea was to flush the outfall drain by the means of this work. By request of Cr Jones the town clerk read a resolution passed on 15th September, 1873, and moved at that time by him, to the effect that this work should be proceeded with as soon as convenient. Cr Jones moved and Cr Hobbs seconded a motion that the resolution passed by the Council on 15th September, 1873, be now given effect to, which was agreed to. Three tenders for bricks were opened, and one was accepted. A letter was read from the Assistant-Secre-tary for Public Works, stating that a voucher for the second instalment of £750, out of grant to municipalities, had been forwarded to the Provincial Treasury for payment. A letter was read, signed by Messrs T. and E. Pavitt, and other residents in Tuam street, calling attention to the very bad state of that street. Referred to the works committee. A letter was read from Mr J. G. Bridges, calling attention to the very great loss and inconvenience to which he was subjected by the continued nuisance caused by the overflow from a drain on the back of Mrßowyer’s premises on the South town belt. The town clerk was instructed to reply that the Council could not interfere in the matter. A letter was read from Mr V, Almao, Cathedral Square, asking permission to affix a notice board to the lamp post in Colombo street facing his premises, or to erect a post himself in that spot for the same purpose. The Council declined to grant the request. A letter was read from Mrs S. Betts, Peterboro’ street, saying that it would be impossible for her to pay the rates for her cottages within fourteen days as informed by the collector. Referred to the rate collector to report upon. The weekly report of the inspector of nuisances was read and approved. The town clerk was instructed to write to Messrs Morrow, Bassett, and Co, drawing attention to a shed belonging to them containing inflammable matter within the fire block. Carriers’ licenses were granted to J. Rowe, Madras street, and John Taplty, Kilmore street east. The Council then adjourned. NOTICE OP MOTION. Cr Hobbs gave notice of the following motion for Monday next: — “ That the city surveyor be instructed to report on the surface drainage of the south eastern portion of the city—1. “On the levels of Tuam and Lichfield streets, from the outfall drain to the Avon. 2. To report if a brick sewer will be necessary to be brought up Tuam street to receive the drainage from the cross streets.”