CITY COUNCIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIX, Issue 14610, 18 February 1908, Page 10

CITY COUNCIL.

LAST EVENING'S MEETING. The Christchurch City Council met •4}st evening; present—The Mayor (Mr J. Payling; and Councillors W. H. Cooper,'S. W. J. Parsons, H. B. Boronsen, H. J. Otley, C. Allison, G. Hyde, C. Tavlor, T. N. Hcrsley. A. Williams. J. D. Hall," T. Gapes, C. D. JVlarris, $.. Forrester and H. H. Loughnan. The ■financial statement showed that she receipts since the previous meeting li*d been £5653 13s 3d, and the expenditure £2732 17s 2<l. The Mayor, in his statement, expressed his regret at the occurrence of the recant great fire, whereby a very large amount.of valuable property had been destroyed, and stated that he had j'eceivc-d telegrams of sympathy from members of. the Cabinet and municipal »uthoriti<w in other- centres.

building Regulations. ' Tho Christchnrch Fire Board wrote, forwarding a copy of its chairman s report in regard -to the recent great fire in Christchnrch.- Tho report made refermkvo to the inadequacy of the waterwipply and the need tor stringent regulations in regard to the internal and extera-al conwtrwetfon of buildings. Councillor Sorensen moved = that tho report should ss- releiTed to tho Bylaws Cominittee, with a view to securing fiomo improvements in the building by-laws, tie said that councillors were convinced that some extensive alterations''were necessary. Tho motion was seconded by Councillor Forrester and carried. ABATTOIR FACILITIES. Councillor Cooper said that tho Christchurch. , Abattoir had recently been severely criticised, on the ground that no chilling room had been installed. Somo time ago it was proposed to the butchers interested that a chilling chamber should bo installed, at a cost of £9OOO, by the Council, on the condition that the butchers should pay 4 . per cent on' the capital cost. The butchers, however, refused to accept the liability, and said that they did not'desire a chilling chamber. The committee was further charged with firing the butchers insufficient time for filing; on Saturdays. The abattoir employees ceaised work at 1 p.m. on Saturdays, and the committee could not be answerable for that. There had aever been any applications for permission to have stock killed on SunCay, and-charges which had been Made oh that basis were also unfounded.':' ... • .' SEWEB CONNECTIONS. The_ Sanitary. Committee reported that in view of. the fact that it received numbers of applications for permission to defer making connections with the sewer from persons who stated that they wens utterly unable to find the- money toi pay for the work, the committee recommended the Council to give it authority to prepare a local Bill;- giving the Council power to borrow money for the- purpose of making sewer connections for persons whose financial position rendered them unable to carry out the work,i the <»6t to be a charge upon, the property and to be repayable to : the Council, with interest, in "halfyearly or yefrrly instalments.- The Bill would be jsubmitted for tho Council's approval (before being introduced into' Parliamenjt. Councillor aorensen said that the scheme would; apply to the whole of Greater- Christchurch. and some such authority as wjas suggested was clearly necessary. ■ . i The report ixas adopted. WATER supply:

The General) Water Supply Committer, reported tthat the engineer recommended that, ais tbe sum amounting to £3459 set doui n. : in the St Albans estimates for puinping station, wells and tower would riot now be required, as the pumping wbuld bo done at the central station, amount should be added to the snm set down for the reticulation. . Thie engineer proposed to construct a reservoir at the wells to h01d.240,000 g; pious-. - As the ground was very wet and "the' nature of theboti torn at present] unknown, he recommended that tlie -work should be carried out by dajj labour. The work was estimated to ebst about £I3OO. The engineer reconjimended that tho reservoir on the 'Cijshnisre spurs should be covered with a.' ferro-concrete cover, the estimated cost j being £I6OO. The plans and specificatiions of the work would be ready shortly. | The committee had approved of thei suggestions, and recommended that tenders should be invited for tbe work. !

Councillor 'Jfaylcr said that he had understood frccn experts that, a reservoir'.was better left uncovered, so that the 'wind mighi play on it- and prevent stagnation. !

The Mayor ssiid that the consumption of water would ;be too rapid to allow of stagnation.' \ Councillor asked whether the domestic supply; for the city would come from the Jtesorvoir or bo pumped direct into the mains.

Councillor Cooper said that the domestic supply would como from the reservoir.

Councillor Morris said that ho had understood that the water would bo pumped into the ''mains direct, the reservoir being kept for emergencies. Councillor Hall said that tho public had been told that such a course would be adopted. The Mayor said that he had made no such statement-

The report was adopted. Councillor Cooper moved that the High-pressure Water Supply Committee should be given power to accept- a tender for pumping machinery. Ten. tenders, he said, had been received, at largely varying prices. ;*nd they were being considered by the city surveyor. The committee would meet in the following Week to accept a tender. The motion was carried.

Councillor Hall brought up the mattor of providing an improved r.-a.ter supply for fiTe prevention purposes in the (Air. The Fire Board, lie said, had a ntvmber of underground tanks •which were filled by artesian wells, but the supply to these tanks was eadly defective, when a large demand was made Upon it. as had been demonstrated at the recent big fire in the city. The Tramway Board had., ill April last, agreed with the Council to undertake the watering of the tramlines in the city, and al6o to insta! a pumping plant, which was to be .available for the use of the Fire Board. The pumping; plant and the Fir© Board's tanks were all very well in their way, hut it was thought by the Board that the tanks should be connected by piping as soon as possible, and it was suggested that mains intended for use later for the high-pressure water supply should bo laid to connect the underground tanks. They would have to be laid ©virtually for the high-pressure supply, and if they were laid at once the Tramway Board's pump could be utilised, insuring a supply of 60,000 gallons ' of water per hour at any of the connected hanks, a supply in excess of that which the Brigade's engines would require. Tb© chairman of the Water Supply Committee had supplied the Board with all necessary information. The speaker recognised that the matter would have :o be given full and careful consideration by the Council, and, on behalf of the Fire Board, he might say that he thought the Board would not be unwilling to go to some expense in order, to have the work done. Ho moved that tho matter should be referred to the Water Supply Committee. The Mayor said that the suggestion was a very good 'on©; Councillor Cooper said that not only the question r£ cost, but the question

/of wr;th'e7'the"rfiioJ.s'W't^e'tani&would allow the scheme to be carried out, would have to be considered. If tho Kolieiiio could be economically carried out it would, be a very good thing. Tho matter was referred to the Water Supply Committee.-' STREET WATERING. The Works Committee reported that the Tramway Board: had forwarded a time-table, showing the proposed routes for watering streets. Tho committee had issued instructions to commence watering in accordance with the timetable at once. The report was adopted. THE BANK CORNER.

Councillor Cooper moved that tho gas lamp at tho Bank of New Zealand Corner should be removed, and a powerful electric arc-lamp should bo placed in the middle of the road, on a tramway pole, and that the side-chan-nel on Colombo Street, adjoining the footpath alongside the Bank of NewZealand, should be covered over, in order to make more room in the roadway for cycle traffic. Councillor Gapes seconded the motion.

Councillor Otley said he was surprised that two members of the Works Committee should bring down a motion of this kind for the Council to consider. It should have been put before the committee first.

Councillor Cooper said that he was quite prepared to submit tho matter to the Works Committee, and it was agreed that the committee should consider the proposals. HEAVY TRAFFIC IN THE CITY. Councillor Cooper moved that no heavy traffic should be permitted to pa?s along High Street from the Bank Comer to the Clock Tcwer. and along Colombo Street from Lichfield Street to Cook a.nd Ross's Corner. The matter was referred to the Bylaws Committee. REMOVAL OF OLD BUILDINGS. Councillor Taylor moved that tho attention of the Minister of Railways should be drawn to the fact that the Railway Department _ in Christchurch had broken the building by-laws of the city by removing an old wooden building from Hornby and depositing it on a section at Addington. The structure would not have been allowed to be reerected had the Building Inspector been consulted. Councillor Allison seconded the motion.

The Mayor said that the Railway Department did not come within the Council's jurisdiction, but there was no reason why tho Minister should not be written to' on the matter. The motion was carried. MISCELLANEOUS.

A letter from tho Selwyn County Council, stating that no assistance could be given towards the construction of a footbridge at Carlton Street, leading into the Domain, was received. The City and Suburban Burgesses Association wrote, drawing attention to the fact that house numbering in neveral streets in the city was incomplete, and expressing regret that a proposal that the whole of the Bank of New Zealand corner site should be purchased had not been submitted to a vote of the ratepayers. The letter was received. A letter was received from the same Association, suggesting that a thorough investigation should be made into the circumstances! surrounding the recent great fire in the city. It was decided that the suggestion should be referred to the Fire Board.

The Auckland City Council wrote, asking the experience of the Christchurch City Council as to the efiioacy of a separately established Drainage Board for the control of drainage matters in tho city area. Councillor Cooper suggested that a committee should be appointed to draw up a report on the matter. The Mayor said that that was hardly necessary. They had only to state whether" they thought it was a good thing that another body should have tho right to dig up the Council's streets, and leave them, sometimes, in a pretty bad condition. He believed that drain* age should be under the same controlling body as the streets. On the motion of Councillor. Cooper, seconded: by Councillor Sorensen, it was agreed that the letter should be referred to the Works and Lighting Committee for a report. Mr W. W. Wright wrote, drawing tho Council's attention to the dangerous condition of trees over hanging Norman's Road.

The Council's inspector reported that the trees were dangerous. The inspector was instructed to serve notices upon owners, of dangerous trees to have them lopped >a,nd trimmed. The resolution passed by tho Council at the preceding meeting, that a loan of £4OOO should be raised under the Slaughtering Inspection Act, wag confirmed, i Councillor Parsons moved that the City of Christchurch should be given tho same power* as tbowe enjoyed .by tho Citv of Wellington under the Wellington" City Empowering Act, 189/, and the Wellington City Betterment Act, 1900. whereby tho Council, whom widening a street, might receive compensation from owners of the property on that street in. proportion to the estimated increase in" value of their properties by reason of such widening. After discussion it was agreed that tho matter should bo referred to tho By-laws Committee. Councillor Hyde moved that the Council should take steps to obtain the consent of the ratepayers of St Albans ward to raise a loan of £11,500, at 4i per cent, having a currency of twenty-five ye.aiv; and involving a special rate of 2 l-'27d in tho £ on

ratable property in the St. Albans ■.vard, for the purpose of constructing concrete channels (£6130) and asphalt footpaths (£3047). with other minor items of expenditure. The motion was carried.