CITY COUNCIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10218, 12 December 1893, Page 6

CITY COUNCIL.

i OBDINABY MEETING. ; An ordinary meeting of tho Christchurch ■City Council was hold last evening, there being present—The Mayor and Councillors IJ, T, Smith, Anderson, Cooper, Bennington, E. Smith, Swann, Widdowson, Gray, Gapes, Calder, Bunting, Thompson, Payling and Wood. An apology for tho absence of Councillor Appleby was received. THE HOLIDAY. i The Mayor said that the change of the Anniversary holiday from Dec. 16 to Deo. 18 would allow tho owners of factories to keep their employees at work on Saturday afternoon and let them off on Monday, without fear of interference from the Inspector. A clause in the Factory Act allowed this. FINANCE. The debit balance was shown to be £3672 8s 3d. The receipts since last meeting bad totalled £406 lie lid, and payments amounting to £355 19s 10d had been made. Among the receipts general rates totalled £289 lls lid, charitable aid £52 19a 6d, rents £3O and Beaident Magistrate’s Court,lines £l3 ss. Tho amounts collected for the month had been—General rate £llOs Is id, oharitablo aid £2OO 12s 10d, interest £290 19a 9d, Waimakann £99 12s Bd, Drainage Board £1205 sa; total £2901 lls 4d. Tho total of tho rates ba tbo hooka was *28998 4a o£ which £4846 10a 2d had been' collected, leaving £4151 14s 5d outstanding. CORRESPONDENCE. Letters were read; — From Messrs Harman and Stevens, on behalf of Captain Hunter-Blair, regarding the cab-stand at Inglis’ Buildings. V This was referred to the Works Committee. : From the Returning Officer, announcing the election of Councillor Thomas Gapes ,to tho office of Mayor. ! The Mayor moved-—“ That tho lettsrbe received, and that Councillor Gapes receive the congratulations of the Council.” : t The motion was carried. From the Labour Day Demonstration? Committee, asking- that the patronage of. ■the Council should be extended to the; celebration) The request was granted. From the Charitable Aid Board, asking the Council to agree to pay its contributions in equal monthly instalments, instead of paying as tho money was received by the Council. The letter was referred to the Finance Committee. THE DRAINAGE LITIGATION. Messrs Joynt and Andrews wrote for-: warding a copy of the statement of the defence of tho Christchurch Drainage 5 Board against the Council’s action for awrit of mandamus, and advised the Council to abandon the case, as the defendan| Board pleaded that it had exhausted its funds and could not do the woik. This, would prevent the Court from making any. 5 order. ,11 The abandonment of the action was; agreed to. • | Councillor Gray moved “That ths!| work of drainage on the North and East) Belts he put iu hand at once, and that?' the cost of same be charged to the Drainagef Board.” Ho worded it thus so as to avoid j establishing any precedent, and for the' Council’s protection. If the Board was' charged with tbe work tho money would: not ba forthcoming of course, but the charge would remain, and at any future time could be brought forward. Councillor Anderson seconded the motion.

\ Councillor Widdowson said he did not think the motion carried out Councillor Gray’s idea. It would ba better to intimate to the Board that the Council maintained its position, and still said that the Board should do tho work. Councillor Gapes wanted the matter of .drainage disputes with the Drainage Board settled before the Judge once for all. \ After some further discussion the last part of Councillor Gray’s motion was withdrawn. Councillor Widdowson moved an uaicncsjaesjfc—.««That tho work be proceeded with it once, and that tho Board be informed that the Council does so without prejudice to tho position it holds in connection with drainage matters.” Councillor Gray and Councillor Anderson' accepted the amendment, and the motion so amended was put and carried. > BEPOET OB CITY CURVE YOB. ; The City Surveyor reported; An application has been sentlin from Mr C.T.Dudley for permission to lay out a off Durham street west. In Section 282; of “ The Municipal Corporations Act,s 1886,” it is laid down that no street' (public or private) con bo constructed of less width than 66ft. If the street be; made that width there is no reason-why tha request should not. ba granted. From the Sanitary Committee I received instructions to report upon tho condition of the side-channel on tho North belt, between Manchester and Barbadoes streets. That portion lying between Madras and Batbadoes streets can at present remain ns it is, as I think the use of the broom will keep it in a fairly good state; but between Madras and Manchester streets I think that six chains of it ought to be relaid, as also one chain of tho of Madras street. The cost with wooden kerb will bo J 635. ■ Tha right-of-way off Aberdeen street ought to be channelled on ono side and tho road metalled; the cost will ba JBI7. Tenders for rubble and broken metal have been accepted subject to the approval of the Council. The successful tenderers were—Mr S. P. Andrews, 700yds broken metal; Halswell Quarry Company, 5 800yds rubble; Mr H. Henry, 8000yds brown broken metal and 1000yds of quarry* screenings. The now well at the north end of the cemetery has been sunk ns far north as the level of tho ground would; allow. i , Councillor Gray moved —"That the 800yds rubble Be struck out of Clause 4, and that 900 additional yards of blue metal at 4s 6d pet yard be obtained.” This was carried, and the report as amended was adopted. iUPBE ASSOCIATION. A deputation from the local Committee of the New Zealand Rifle Association waited upon the Council and stated that it was proposed, should sufficient inducement offer, to hold tho annual meeting in Christchurch. The expanses toba guaran-’ teed would ho about <5130. The town would benefit greatly through thepresenoo

of the three hundred and fifty competitors and visitors if the meeting were held in Christchurch. The range would be a permanent one for the South Island. _ The ConaciTa co-operation was solicited in the way of calling a meeting of citizens to discuss the matter. After some discussion. Councillor Cooper moved—" That the Mayor-elect call a meeting, to bo held in the Council Chamber pa 'Wednesday, to meat Captain Harman and discuss the subject of a rifle range in Christchurch.” This was seconded by Councillor Thompson. and carried. , ♦ EXTEA MEN. On the motion of Councillor Payling, the .City Surveyor was instructed to engage a sufficient number of extra men to "clear the streets and gutters from weeds, and to repair the asphalt footpaths. The meeting then terminated.