CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1635, 13 March 1866, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL.

The City Council held its usual weekly meeting yesterday, at its offices, at seren o'clock. Members Present: Mr. Bishop (chairman), Messrs. Alport, Barnard, Farr, Luck, Macfarlan, and Woodford. The Chairman said he had called on Mr. Jollie, the Provincial Secretary, with reference to a Government Grant in aid, and had been told that the Government account was so much overdrawn, that they could not give any help. The Chairman also said that it had been usual to order works to be done, and afterwards cee what balance was at the Bank, but in future he would announce the balance first. The balance to the credit of the Council at present was £134 17s Bd. A letter was read from Mr. F. Moore, the City Surveyor, in acknowledgment of the appointment recently conferred on him of City Surveyor. A letter was read from the Secretary of the Mechanics Institute complaining of water accumulating on the western side of the Institute, from the overflow of an artesian well on Mr. Raine's premises. The matter was referred to the Surveyor. Some other correspondence was read, but it was not of much importance. Mr. Alport said that a committee, which sat last Friday, had an interview with the Collector of Bates, and he said that Mr. Helmore and Mr. Cottrell and another gentleman had resisted the payment of the rates. The Committee had consequently taken on itself the responsibility of instructing the Bate Collector to take summonses out against them, and also prepare a list of persons refusing to pay the rates. After some discussion as to the mode of collecting certain rates, the consideration of the matter was postponed. Mr. Allsop, the rate collector, had an interView with the Council, in order that he might explain how it was the rates were coming in so slowly. Mr. Allsop said that a great many persons were putting him off, and giving excuses, he believed with the intention of resisting payment, as many of them belonged to the Ratepayers' Society. He had taken out summonses against eleven persons who had positively refused to pay. Mr. Barnard said it had taken the Collector nearly four months to collect one-third of the rates, and he should like to know when the whole rate would be collected. He should like a satisfactory account to be given of the delay in collection. Mr. Allsop said he had been instructed to summons those who positively refused to pay, but they were few in number. Most people gave excuses, and he had no authority to summons those persons. He believed the majority of them were wating to see how the case of City Council v. "Williams would turn out. The hearing of the eleven summonses would come on the next day (Tuesday). The Collector, after a little further discussion, withdrew. After some discussion, Mr. Barnard moved, " That the Collector of Rates not having performed his duties according to his contract, be called to render an account at the next meeting, or show cause why his contract should not be ended. Mr. Luck spoke at some length in defence of the Rate Collector. He might not have done his utmost to collect the rates, but the fault lay partly with the Council,in not having given him definite instructions, and in having engaged a collector on commission. He thought the resolution should be differently worded. He would move as an amendment that, as it appeared to the Council that the collector had not performed his duties according to his contract, he should be called on to give an account at the next sitting of the Council, or to show cause why his contract should not be annulled, and the clause imposing a penalty of £10 enforced. Mr. Alport said that the collector had had considerable difficulties to contend with, in consequence of not having had definite instructions given to him, and in consequence of the Council not having sufficiently large powers. After some discussion, Mr. Luck's amendment was carried. A Drivers Licence was granted to a man applying for the same. The inspector's and Surveyor's reports were read and considered. The following tenders for clearing the river Avon were read William Heywood, and Co.£lß7|los. ; John Fish, £100 ; Jeremiah Calligan, £100 ; Hugh Shannon, £95 16s. ; James Marshall, £125 ; Thos. Partridge, £188 10s. ; John Maclellan, £84 7s. 6d. : William Jeffreys, £42 10s. ; A. O. Barras, £125 ; J. Jessop, £187 10s., H. Thornton, £95 17s. 6d ; J. Hadfield,£l2o. After some discussion the tender of John Maclellan was accepted, provided the Surveyor should be satisfied as to his competency and the stability of his sureties. The following tenders for sinking an Artesian well in Whately read were considered : Frederick Ashford, £28 ; W. Horner, £32; W. G. Meddlings, £37 10s. It was agreed that the tender of F. Ashford be accepted on the understanding, that the inhabitants in the neighbourhood of proposed well, will pay half the cost. The Town Clerk reported that he had receieved from the Collector of Rates £170 7s 3d, and from the Inspector, £16 3s 7d. The Council then adjourned. i