CITY COUNCIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 9465, 14 July 1891, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

| ORDINARY MEETING. | An ordinary meeting of the Christchurch jCity Council was held last night; present •V_fcho Mayor, and Councillors Goss, Cooper, JWood/ Swann, Cochrane, Barnes, Smith, Thomson, Rowe and Prudhoe. ]; Apologies were made for the absence of (Councillors Gapes and Bonnington. :/! FINANCE. It was reported that the debit balance rat the last meeting was .£5228 15a lOd, since which time the ordinary receipts amounted to .£1368 Oa 43, cemetery account £l6 Bs, interest account £lO 17a 6d, and suspense account £8 10s 7d. Payments were passed amounting ■to £528 12 a Bd, leaving the balance overdrawn £4399 ‘7s 10d. f The report was adopted. city surveyor’s report. The City Surveyor reported as follows: —The question of putting an asphalt crossing at the junction of Manchester street and Cashel street, which was referred to the Works Committee, has been carefully considered, and the Committee does not feel justified in recommending that a crossing be made at that place, as the public necessity does not seem to call for it there more than in most of the other streets. The Committee wishes, furthermore, to point out that asphalt crossings are becoming very numerous in the city, and consequently entail a large expense to keep them in repair, and the Committee intends in future to discourage lall similar applications. An application has been made by Dr Meares, of Cambridge terrace, to have a lamp placed opposite his house, and it has been granted on the usual terms.

The report was adopted. , i THE PROPOSED BATHS. •! The Major read a copy of a petition signed by forty ratepayers of Christchurch, I protesting against: the dedication of a jpertioh of the banks of the Avon, eouthI wards from the mill at Hereford street, as % bathing place. The petition was sent from Wellington by Mr W. B. Perceval, M.H.E., for consideration by the Council. | The Mayor wanted to know if the Council was prepared to stand the sya- | tematic blocking of any works proposed | for the advancement of the city by a ■ ininor section of the ratepayers who, year ijifter year, stood in the way of needful being carried out. I; Councillors Cooper and Goss both spoke sin favour of the Council starting a petition, (counter to that promoted by the opponents Jof the scheme.

3 Councillor Thomson understood that the 'petitioners had systematically canvassed ; the town to get the forty signatures of v those who had subscribed to the petition ; [and he took it, from the small number i who supported the petition, that the ’majority of the ratepayers were not opposed ' to the scheme to establish the baths. ; The Mayor stated that he had telegraphed to Mr Perceval to the effect that ■ there was practically no opposition to the scheme, with the exception of that shown ;by one or two small cliques. The speaker i would go further, and suggest that a public meeting be held to consider the question, and ascertain the real feeling of the ratepayers on the subject. Councillor Swann said that if the Councillors did not possess the confidence of the city on the subject, they should resign. The question then dropped. MUNICIPAL INSURANCE. The Town Clerk road a letter from Mr W. B. Perceval, M.H.R., enclosing a draft of the Municipal Fire Insurance Bill. The Bill was also read. Councillor Prudhoe moved—" That the matter be referred to the Fire Brigade Committee to be reported on." So far as he was concerned, he was averse to the whole proposal. Councillor Smith seconded the motion, which was carried without dissent. PIKE BRIGADE. Superintendent Turton, of the Fire Brigade, reported that during the past quarter there had been eleven alarms, of which six were false. These had been caused, in his opinion, through the boxes from which the alarms had been given being placed too low down on the posts, and he recommended that the boxes be raised higher on their posts. The Mayor stated that the electrician, Mr Smith, suggested that the boxes be lowered, as the height of the boxes from the ground rendered their repair difficult, the workmen having to hang on with one hand while effecting the repairs. Councillor Prudhoe opposed any alteration in the position of the boxes, and the matter ultimately dropped. ELECTRIC LIGHTING BILL. In reference to the Electric Lighting Bill, the Mayor stated that the Council had committed itself to nothing but the, broad principle that the Company should have certain privileges, on certain conditions to be determined by the Council, and he objected to the Council’s hands being tied in the matter. Councillor Prudhoe moved—“ That the Council give support to the Bill.” Councillor Thomson had much pleasure in supporting the motion, which was carried. THE CITY BATHS. Councillor Prudhoe thought that they should not allow the question of the city baths to remain where it was, as the opposition would assuredly get up a counterpetition without reference to the wishes of the general body of the citizens. He moved —“ That a petition be circulated in favour of the baths.” Councillor Cooper seconded the motion. Councillor Smith thought that the fact that the petition bore only forty signatures showed its weakness. Councillor Prudhoe withdrew his motion after a short discussion, and the meeting ■terminated.,, . r .-