CITY COUNCIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15558, 7 March 1911, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING. The Christchuich City Council met last evening; prosenfi--the Mayor (Mr C. Allison), and Councillors H. T. J. Thacker, G. W. J. Parsons, J. Forrester, H. B. Sorensen, A. Jl. Webb, G. Hyde, C. D. Morris, A. Williams, E. Smith, H. J. Otley. T. Gapes, W. H. Cooper and J. J. Dougall.

CITY LIGHTING. Councillor W. H. Cooper moved, in terms of notice, that the Council should light the route from the railway station by way of Manchester, High and Colombo Streets to Madras Street by electric arc lamps, and that the present gas lamps should be transferred to other portions of the city. He said that some months ago he had moved a similar motion and he had been met with tho reply that there was not sufficient power. Since then the Council's plant had been extended and now there was sufficient energy in stock to meet the requirements of the proposal. The cost of installing the arc lamps would be about £550, and they would be of value when the Lake Coleridge scheme became an accomplished fact. The contract with the Christchurch Gas Company for lighting had about two years and nine months to run, but the gas lamps replaced by the arc lamps could be used in the outer area, so that the company would lose nothing. In reply to a question the Mayor said that the Gas Company contended that it had the exclusive right to provide the lighting in the city. Councillor Gapes seconded the motion.

The matter was referred to the Works Committee for a report. WINDMILL ROAD TRAMWAY.

The Public Works Department wrote, stating that the Order-in-Council for the construction of a tramway in Antigua Street provided for the limitation of speed between Moorhouse Avenue and Hazeldean Road to eight miles an hour, to safeguard the interests of the public. The Engineer-in-Chief had reported that the Department’s standard clearances would be obtained without further street widening. Tho Mayor 6aid that the Department had given the Council an assurance that the line would not go down •until the road had been widened. The position had not changed, but now permission had been given by the Department. It seemed as if the Council was ignored in everything by the Department. The letter was referred to the Works Committee.

HEAVY TRAFFIC BY-LAWS. The By-Laws Committee reported that it had requested the city solicitor to draft a heavy traffic by-law in accordance with the Municipal Corporations Act of last session, t 9 provide that heavy traffic licenses issued by the Council should extend not only within the city but within a radius of five miles from the boundary, the fees to be apportioned among the local authorities interested. The report was adopted. MISCELLANEOUS.. The Abattoir Committee reported that, in, order to regain possession of the road to the former site of the Sockburn station, which had been purchased and formed at the Council’s expense, it had requested the Templeton Road Board to take the necessary steps to close the road. An application was made by Messrs S. Johns and Co. to erect a bouse at the corner of Courtenay Street and Westminster Street, and offering . to give a strip of land, seven feet wide, for widening Courtenay Street. Some hostility was shown to the application, and on it being stated by Councillor Forrester that the owner had now decidod not to move the building, the matter dropped. The St Albans Gala Committee wrote stating that ft had in hand a sum of £5 Is lid, with which it proposed to'purchase seats for the St Albans Park. It was resolved that the amount should be subsidised. The District Health Officer wrote certifying that a building in Sydenham, and a. building in Manchester Street were unfit for occupation, and dangerous to public health. It was decided to give notice to the owners to pull down the two buildings. It was .decided to share with the Drainage Board the cost of a new culvert on Jackson’s Creek, below Hamilton Streefi The Works Committee reported that it had given authority' for a five-foot footpath and channel on both sides of Brotherstone Street, and for the formation of the road. Half the cost would bo contributed by the owners of adjoining land. It was decided to give £2BO asked by Mrs Onmnbell for land required to extend Gladstone Street to Wordsworth Street, and to proceed before arbitrators in the case of other owners. The Works Committee recommended the Council to disclaim any liability for a 10 per cent contribution to the cost of forming and metalling Page’s .Road from Breeze’s Road to New Brighton Bridge, claimed by the Heathcote Road Board.

The recommendation was adopted. The Mayor and Councillors Cooper, Gapes, Parsons. Sorensen and Williams were re-elected to represent the Council on the Board of Governors of the Technical College. The tender of Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs, Limited, for printing the district electors roll, at 8s (3d per page, was accepted, the tender being the lowest. Mr A. Howard's offer for the removal of nightsoil in North Linwood at los per pan per annum was accepted. Messrs P. and D. Duncan’s tender of £26 16s was accented for sixteen scats for tho river bank.

The patronage of the Council was extended to the St Patrick’s Day concert, in aid of Nazareth House. Permission was granted to the Band of Hone Union to march in procession from Latimer Square to Hagley Park on Easter Monday, and make a collection on tho way. Mr J. S. Guthrie, honorary secretary to the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, wrote stating that the by-law demanding that in future all verandahs in the inner area should he made without posts and ije suspended from the walls of buildings was not applicable in all cases, as' it would impose a great strain on buildings net extremely substantial, and coidd not be carried out in buildings of one storey. Tt was suggested that the by-law should be permissive. The letter, was referred to the ByLaws Committee for a report.