CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1092, 29 April 1863, Page 4

CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL.

The Council met on Monday, at 7 p.m. ; present, all the members except Mr. Barrett. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The following letters were read : — 1. A letter from the Provincial Secretary, dated 23rd April, informing the Council, in reply to a request of theirs, that the Government do not at present contemplate opening a road in continuation of Armagh street, through the Park; but if the Council want access to the Park for the purpose of conveying gravel thence, they may throw a bridge across the river at that point, provided that a gate be put upon it and kept locked, so as to protect the interest of the lessee of that portion of the Park. 2. Another letter, by the Provincial Secretary, the same date, with reference to the drainage of the west side of the Windmill road being taken straight into the Avon, and intimating that the Government accede to the proposal of the Council, subject to arrangements to be agreed to betwixt the parties at an Executive meeting, for erecting a culvert or bridge on the road by the Hospital. 3. A letter from the Provincial Executive, accompanied by a copy of minutes of an arrangement made by a deputation from the City Council and the Executive, relative to the repairing of the main thoroughfares in the city. The minutes show that the following points were agreed to:— " The City Council undertakes the entire charge of the main thoroughfares. " The Government pays to the City Council the sum of £278 ss. for immediate repairs, including the re-metalling the Ferry road ; the sum of £110 for current repairs until the 30th June; the sum of £72 for the culvert on Oxford terrace; and a monthly subsidy of ss. per chain after the Ist July, until further notice; subject to the decision of the Provincial Council."

4. A letter from the Provincial Secretary, complaining of the manner in which the servants of the Council are now partially clearing the Avon banks of cresses and weeds, the refuse being allowed to float down the river, instead of being hauled out, thas rendering abortive the efforts being made by the Government to clear the lower parts of the river, as the floating weeds lodge and take root there. The letter concludes thus;—" The efficient clearing of the Avon would be of great advantage to the town in the point of drainage, besides rendering it, if not serviceable, at least an ornamental piece of water; and when once cleared, the Government apprehend there would be very little difficulty in keeping it so."

5. A letter from the Provincial Secretary, transmitting from the Commissioner of Police a few suggestions which the Government is desirous of seeing embodied in the Council's proposed bye-laws. The " suggestions" refer to regulations for the government of carters, porters and drivers within the city: To prevent the mischief arising from suffering cattle to be at large, or tethered in the streets or other unenclosed places: To provide for the removal of the bodies of animals drowned in the river: To prohibit the ringing of auctioneers' bells, the sounding of gongs, the displaying of flags, the exhibition of animals or any other property in the public streets at any sale by auction: To regulate the driving of cattle through the streets: To protect the water and banks of the Avon within the city, and to preserve the same from obstructions: To prevent the keeping of pigs within the city boundary: To fence round buildings in course of erection and building materials in public thoroughfares: To prevent the throwing of any offensive matter into the streets: To authorise and regulate the hawking of marketable commodities and to regulate the government of markets: To keep lights burning in any public thoroughfare whilst alterations are being made or where any danger to the public may be anticipated: To prevent the driving of dogs and goats in harness, or any other unsightly exhibition, or anything whatever that may be deemed a nuisance.

6. A letter from Mr. Dobson, Provincial Engineer, as to the proper mode of draining Cambridge terrace, and Mr. Lane's liability to bear the cost of the same. We subjoin this letter in extenso

" Office of Public Works, " Christchurch, April 23, 1863. " Sir, —I have looked carefully over Inwood's Mill Ordinance, and consider that Inwood or his assign is bound to give as good an outlet for draining Cambridge terrace as existed before the construction of the mill dam. The only effectual way of doing this is to cut a drain inside the river bank, from below the mill dam to the south-east corner of the Government Domain, at such a depth that the water in the drain shall not stand higher than the original water line of the river, which would give a fall of one foot in the whole length of the new drain. It would be entirely a question with the Town Council whether they would allow an open drain on Cambridge terrace; if not, I think the owner of the mill could be compelled to make a covered drain. In other words I consider that to drain Cambridge terrace it would be necessary to carry a three-feet culvert alon"- the whole of the distance above named, and I think the whole cost of the work would be recoverable from the owner of the mill property. I have, &c., " E. Dobson."

7. A letter from Mr. Soulsby, one of the churchwardens, in reply to a communication by the Chairman of the City Council, with reference to the formation of Barbadoes street, near the Cemetery. Mr. Soulsby says—" I beg to state that the work was performed at the instance of the churchwardens, and that they fully concurred in the propriety of levelling the piece of ground at the bottom of the Cemetery, near the river." 8. A letter from the trustees of the Presbyterian Church, consenting to the diverting from their property the Windmill road drain, on the conditions proposed by the Council. 9. A letter from the Rev. C. Frazer and the Presbyterian Deacons' Court, on the same subject as the last-named letter, expressing content with that arrangement. 10. A letter from the Yen. Archdeacon Mathias, Perpetual Chairman of the Church Property Trustees, in reply to one from the City Surveyor. The letter explains itself, and is as follows :—

" To the Chairman and Members of the Municipal Council of Christchureh. 4.1 " fr 1 "' a , nc * G ent temen,—A communication from tlie City Surveyor of Christchureh, addressed to Mr 1 acker, the agent of the Christchureh Property Trustees has been handed to me, as Perpetual Chairman ot that body, by the latter gentleman. The said communication peremptorily orders the filling up of a gully in city sections Nos. 1038, &c. I should be most unwilling to throw any obstacle in the way of sanitary improvement, but I cannot help thinking tint your surveyor has made a mistake, or has not himself inspected the gully, as by no possibility could there be an accummulation of stagnant water < likelv to be offensive or injurious to the health of the inhabitants. There is a considerable fall to the river from the gully, and connected with it is a culvert leading under Oxford Terrace to the river " I have consulted medical men, civil engineers, sur-

veyors, and others well competent to give an opinio upon the subject, and they all agree in stating that /,/ nuisance could emanate from the said g U f] v .j ' that, on the contrary, in rainy seasons it woul<l |] r . tf ; means of draining the surface water from tlio fif | cent lands, and of conducting it at once to Iho riv-< r " Under these circumstances I trust your body cop,,, rate will rescind the order which must have is-<, under some misapprehension. Should this not U done, I shall feel myself under the painful of applying to the Supreme Court for an injunctij, to prevent a trespass upon church property, which'j' uncalled for, and unnecessary.—! have, &o', '' 1 " Of T. .MatHI.VV' Tenders were then considered for forming a nation of the East Town licit from Ilereford-strxn to the Ferry-road. Thos. Marshall, £-jh<) • Jacknian and Hall, £235 ; Briscoe and Prosser, £\<r> io« Brown and Brooks, £350 ; Askew and Lomion £350. The Tender of Briscoe and Prosser was to b<accepted, if it were found on enquiry -that thev w<. ri . competent to fulfil the terms ; if not, that Jacknmn and Hall's tender be accepted. The Surveyor's Report was then read ; It acknowledges receipt of several letters referred to above ■ refers to the delivery by the Government gardinor of trees for planting the road through Cathedral squarepromises that a wire fence shall be run on the sidt-' of Madras street Bridge, as soon as practicable : «avs that steps have been taken to have the Salisbury street Bridge made safe by the addition of handrail and by fencing the approaches ; the expense of increasing the width of the bridges over the South drain to the full width of the roadway is put down at £■>-, ■ a mode of draining more efficiently the South Tow n Belt in the vicinity of the Wesleyan Parsonage, j s suggested ; complains of the obstruction of the Mill bridge by drays loading and unloading upon it, and asks if by the powers of the Mill ()rdinance, the owners of the property cannot be compelled by the Council to make the bridge safer and more commodious. The supply of water obtained by boring at the corner of Papanui road and Peterborough street is said to be good, and the pump is now fixed. The fact is noticed that a house in Barbadoes street which had been ordered to be removed by the Council bv this time, is still standing. The time for completing some work on the south-east side of Cathedral square is said to have expired, and the sureties for the work are not likely to complete the same; under these circumstances the Surveyor surmises he will be dcin<* right to set the council's staff on to complete the same. The necessary steps have been taken for putting the main thoroughfares into repair, and many other details connected with the corporation works are alluded to in the report.

The following resolutions were discussed and carried :— That the Surveyor be instructed to proceed with the diversion of the Windmill road drain. That the Surveyor cause the drain to be cut as suggested by him, for draining the vicinity of the Wesleyan Parsonage reserve, on receiving the consent of the owners of the property through which the drain will have to run. Also, if necessary, to carry the drain to the south side of the town belt, and place a bridge across it. That the Town Clerk be instructed to ascertain whether the Mill Bridge has been approved by the Provincial Engineer, in accordance with the requirements of the ordinance. Also, to obtain the opinion of the legal adviser to the Council as to whether carts cannot be altogether prohibited from stopping on the bridge so as to obstruct the thoroughfare. That the Surveyor be authorised to make such additions to the plant and working gang as the increase of work arising out of the repair of the main thoroughfares may render necessary. That the Surveyor be instructed to have a drain cut along the south side of the north town belt from between Manchester and Colombo streets to Madras street, providing a cheap bridge at the top of Manchester street. That. Mr. Lane be informed the Council must require him to provide the drainage reported by Mr. Dobson to be necessary ; and he be requested to state whether, if the Council will for the present, allow the drain to be an open one, with culverts at the crossing of the streets, he will undertake to cover in the drain at any time the Council may require him to do so. That the Surveyor be instructed to have some further protection furnished to the river bank and plantation in Oxford Terrace, near the Mill Bridge. That a committee, consisting of the Chairman, and Messrs. Luck, Bishop, and Ollivier, be appointed to consider and report upon the expediency of forming and planting the town belt around the city of Christchurch, and upon the best means to be adopted for the accomplishment of that object. That the Council approves of the arrangement entered into by the deputation from this Council and the Provincial Government relative to the maintenance and repairs of the main thoroughfares of the city. After some other routine business, the Council adjourned to Monday next, at six p.m.