CITY COUNCIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14973, 20 April 1909, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL.

LAST EVENING’S MEETING. Tho Christchurch City Council mot last evening; present—the Mayor (Mr 0. Allison), and Councillors Tv. H. Cooper, T. Gapea, J. D. Hall, H. <L Otley, T. N. Horsley, J. Forrester, 0Taylor, G. W. J. Parsons, G. Hyde, A. Williams, 0. D. Morris and H. H. Loughnan. FINANCIAL. Tlie financial statement for the two weeks ended April 15 showed that general rates to the value of £45,749 11s Gd had been levied, and £41,403 6s 9d of this amount had been collected. The receipts since the previous meeting had been £12,821 lie, and accounts for £7568 10s 8d had been authorised for payment by tho Finance Committee. MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. A petition, signed by fiity-ono residents of Sydenham, was forwarded, asking the Council to call a meeting at which candidates for scats on the Council might address the electors. The Mayor suggested that as councillors were not paid for their services, candidates should not bo asked to pay tlie cost of addressing the electors, and that the request should therefore he granted. ... After some discussion it was decided not to accede to tho request, on tho ground that it would not, be fair to pay the expenses of a meeting for Sydenham candidates and not for candidates in other wards. THE ELECTORS’ ROLLS. Mr G. Franklin wrote, asking that, in view of the decision of the Stipendiary Magistrate in the ease of .A. H. A a dens on, tho Council should reinstate his eon’s name on tho electoral roll. It Was decided, to reply that, the Council regretted it was unable to alter tho roll, as tho roll was closed on April 14 ‘ THE TEPID BATH. • Tho Baths Committee reported that by way of a special attraction on the anniversary of tho opening of tho baths, on "May 14. the custodian, proposed to have a display given by his lady pupils, and it was also proposed to invite the children of the fifth and sixth standards of the city schools to attend the baths in the afternoon, when nil exhibition, of swimming would be given. It was hoped that this would stimulate tho desire on tho part of tlie non-swim-mers amongst them to learn tho art. 'the report was adopted. THE SANITATION BY-LAW. Councillor Cooper moved that the Citv Surveyor should bo asked to calf for" tenders for certain sanitary necessaries' with a view to retailing them at cost price. The motion was seoonded by Councillor Loughnan. Councillor M-orris fsaid that ho would oppose the motion on tho ground that if tho Council opposed private enterprise on this occasion, there was no knowing where it might end. Joe Council might buy gas-fittings and other house necessaries, and in other ways conflict with tho businesses of its own ratepayers. ..... , , Councillor Otley said that lie would •oppCvS© the motion. Tho Council could not afford to keep a largo stock of breakable materials and pay a man to took after it. Every householder would have to employ a plumber to instal these conveniences, and. tho retail price was very reasonable. Councillor Taylor said that lie took a similar view of the matter. Councillor Hyde said that ho would also opposo the motion. Tlie Mayer said that he thought it would hardly be fair for tlie Council to enter into a contract- which would conflict with a contract already entered into, particularly as tho difference between tho contract price and that at which tho Council could retail the conveniences was very, small.

Councillor Cooper said that ho had no desire to enter into competition with tradespeople as a general rule. The Council had entered into a contract for 200 connections, to be supplied to those persons who required assistance, at a very reasonable price, and if ho had an assurance that any householder could have the work done at this price, ho would bo quite satisfied. Tho motion was lost'. A QUESTION OF LEASE TENURE Councillor Cooper moved that the Council’s Geraldine reserve should >'© let for no longer term than ton years. _ Councillor Hall, in seconding the motion, said that he thought it was really too late to bring tho motion forward, as the conditions of lease had been already printed and circulated, but he thought those conditions were wrong, as there was every prospect of an increase in the value of land within ten years. Councillor Morris said that the Reserves Committee had acted upon the advice of agricultural experts in framing tlie conditions. After further discussion, the motion was lost. MISCELLANEOUS. A petition, signed by thirty-four residents of Barbadoea Street North and the vicinity, was forwarded, asking that gas lamps should be placed in Barba does Street North, one between Edge ware Road and Eduard Avenue, and one at the corner of Barbadoes Street and Edward Avenue. Tho petition was referred to the Lighting Committee. Mr Herbert Brett wrote, asking for the transfer of the contracts between' Messrs Brett and Jenkins and the C u-ncil for tho completion and maintenance of tho city organ to himself, Mr Jenkins having retired from the partnership. Tlie matter was referred to the Organ Committee, Messrs C. A. Lees and Co. wrote, applying for permission to erect a building oil the corner of M’Fadden’s Road and Rutland Street, St Albans, within 33ft of the middle of Rutland Street, ia half-chain road. The matter was referred to the Bylaws Committee. The Works Committee reported that tho case brought by the Tramway Board against P. Ruddy, one of the Council’s employees, for a breach of the by-laws in driving the steam waggon oil the tramway near Burwood, had been heard, and Ruddy was fined £1 and 28s cost®. As Ruddy was quite ignorant that ho was breaking the by-laws, the committee recommended that the fine and costs should be paid by the Council. The recommendation was adopted. Tlie Mayor thanked the councillors for the courtesy extended by them to him during the past year, and congratulated them upon tho manner in which tho Council’s business had been transacted. He 6aid that he believed he bad made councillors adhere more closely than some of his predecessors to the standing orders, and the result of this had been that there had latterly been no attempt to infringe those orders. He would cherish ldndlv recollections of his term in the office of Mayor. (Applause-.)