BOROUGH COUNCIL. Monday, July 27.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 64, 28 July 1868, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL. Monday, July 27.

Tim Council met at the usual hour, hi* Worship, the M.iyor, and Councillors Jamchod, itoddcnklan, isheppard, Anderson, I'oinbs, and Thomson, being present. Tho minute* of lust mooting wero read ami confirmed. The Clerk reported that £202 l"a had been received from various aourevs during tho w««k, and that after liquidating tho ovcr(iraft of jCIS2 Via 3d, XBU 'M UJ rcnminotl to tho credit of tho Council. Tlio Mayor said ho hud received a letter from mi influential member of the General Government, sifttl%' that nt iciv*>t two of tliw* newly elected mayor* In tliu province would bo appointed justices of iliu poueo in accord* nncu with tho terms of llio Municiptil Corpora* tiona Aoti Accounts amounting to £215 UU lOd were passed, and ordered to bo paid. A loiter was rend from tho Chief Fire liiHpoctor, requesting tho Council to inform him what answer ho wan to glvo to .tho Brigade respecting tho retention of clothing by them when leaving, und the supply of refreshment »U fives, Tlio Council, after a brief discussion, unanimously resolved that no part of tho clothing supplied was to bo koi-t by tho men on leaving titc Brigade. Tho qtiviMlon of refreshment was left to tho discretion of the Chief Flro Inspector, the Council being favourable to a moderate allowanco for that purposo. A written document, purporting to cmav nuto from tho I'Mro Brigade, was read, asking tho Council to re-ooosidcr tho qiuation of paymout at Area. It was pointed out that the members of tho Urlgado wero principally working men, who, it culled to a tiro during the day, had to leave their employment, ami thereby sullVr a loan. Attention wnn nlao drawn to tho fact that tho amount allowed for the past year had only averaged Ms 4jd per man, whilst tho number of (Ires had been ten. Tlio document was without signature. A brief (liscurtHion cnsiiCil upon it, and ricveral member* of tho Council expressed their disapproval of anything bi-ing conMldorcd from tho Ikigado imltH.i presented through the Chief inspector. Councillor Jameson said the dooumont had been drawn up nt tho suggestion of the Chief InHpector, Imt lie fully concurred in its being rcforrcd back on tlio ground of Informality. Councillor Sheppitrd expressed hit diis;ulrtfacllon at tho constantly recurring grluvunccs amonßflt members of the Brigade. Ho believed tlioro wore ono or two dlsafllotcd ones, and tho Brigade would never work in proper tinirton until they left. It was decided that tho document could only bo received through tho Inspector. A deputation of tho mornbirs who were waiting for an answer was called in and informed of this by the Mayor, They stilted In reply that the Innpuctor hud been requested to present tho document, but had declined to do ho. Tho annual report of the Chief Firb Infpcctor was read. Kefercnco was mado to tinsmall number of fires during the last qimrtcr, and attention was ngnin drawn to tinadvisability of an in<|iu>at being hold on every flra however small. All the plant was in thorough working order, and tho men well up In their drill. A roll call was enclosed and tho attendance, wftli one exception, had been very satisfactory. Tho boll for the new hand engine had been removed to its permanent site, and arrangements had been made for striking it in tho samo manner as the central 1011. Tho services of tho Fire Police wore referred to, and their continuance recommended, if possible, under the now Act.

Tho reorganisation of the Brigade for the coming year would bo proceeded with as vrdcrcil. / The report was pronounced satisfactory, and adopted Accordingly. A letter was road fr.un the lion, secretary of tho l'iro )'olicc\ culling attention to the fiict of no provision being made in the Municipal Corporation Act for tho organizmlou <>( Fire Police, and requeuing that tho Council should take steps for obviating tho difficulty. Councillor Jameson said tho whole matter depended upon the point as to whether tho Act under which the Council now existed, repealed the Provincial Fire Ordinance, and rttiKgestcd that a legal opinion be obtained thereon. After ft short discussion, it was resolved Jjiat this should be done. Tho following tenders for lighting nine lamp* in the city with keroslne wcro opened uud considered :— Hunry Sharpies, 7d per lump per night ; George MeCallagh, 7d per lump per night. The tender of McCallagh accepted. At the suggestion of the surveyor the lamp i\t the corner of Worcester street nnd Camhi Mge tcrrnco was ordered to be removed to jhc corner of Montreal anil Worcester streets. The surroyor reportel that the men employed by the Council had thu d.iy coramenccd work under the new rate of wages. The repairs to Manchester and Tuam streets hud been completed ; there were only about ono hundred yards of broken metal left on hand, nnd a portion of this he had left stacked on tho Lincoln road, where ie would l»e equally os available /or repnlra as if stacked in the city, nnd the expense of carting would be saved, lie had examined the footpaths complained of at last meeting by tho Nov. J. B. Clntaiguer. Tie considered tho one in Perry ltoad in very fair order for summer, but being composed of day, it required n light coating of siiingle to prevent people slipping in wet weather. The uno running from tho Ferry Hoad to the church is in very bad condition, and would require the side drains clearing oat, and tho path covering with shingle, lie recommended that it should be done at once, The labour gang for tho past week had been employed spreading broken metal in Manchester and Tv im streets j makina up and shingling foot* paths in Colombo atrcvt nnd the Papnnui itoud ; planting on the Raat Town Belt i rnking ruts in the streets that have recently been i>prend with broken metal, and clearing out aide drains in Tuam street and Oxford TurrncCt Tho report was considered seriatim. The works recommended to the Ferry Uoad footpath and tho one leading to the Ciulioiio Church were ordered to be carried out, Tho remainder of tho report was approved, Tho following correspondence was read ;— Letter from tho Gas Company, stating in reply to tho deputation from tho Council, that the directors would make a reduction of 10 per com. upon tho present charge* for lighting the city lamps, on condition Unit a three years lenec waa ontered into i full nights Allowed to tho company during each full moon, and the right to extinguish the lights ono hour after the rising of the moon on other nights ; tho present term*, with these exceptions, to remain unaltered, and the new contract to (Into from tho 6th of August, Councillor Thomson thought the proffered reduction was very trilling when tho conditions imposed by the company were considered. The Mayor explained what had passed between the deputation ami the directors, and said that the proposal set forth in tho letter had in a measure emanated from the former. Personally ho considered tho terms very liberal. /Councillor Thomson was of opinion that, /with an election so close at hand, when the ratepayers would have an opportunity of sneaking upon municipal matters, the Council ought not to enter into a contract for such iv lengthened period as three yean but defer it and thus obtain the opinion of the public ou the matter. Councillor Jameson agreed that it would bo unwise to enter into a thrco years' contrncr. It wns very probable that next year coals would be much lower in price than at pnsent. lie thought that the company might bo induced to enter into a twelve months' contract ou tho terms mentioned in their letter. Councillor Anderson considered that tho reduction was n very liberal one, and pointed out that according to very careful calculations, nfter allowing for tho labour of attending to the lumps, tho Council were not paying more than 17s 6-1 per thousand feet I for the gas. '1 he price of coal will never be I much lower thin at present. Tho proffered ' reduction diminished tho cost of the lamps •ifo each, Councillor Tombs moved that ft contract for one year only, should be entered into. i ouncillor Anderson moved as an amendment that a three years' contract be entered Into. Councillor Cnlvcrt seconded tho latter, and the Mayor spoke in favour of it, Councillor Kuddenklau could not see tho object of exacting a three years' contract, and pointed out that if coal were reduced in price, tho Council would bo greatly blamed for entering into such a lengthened contract. Ho would ulrio point out that although a reduction of 10 per cent was offered, the number of nights for lighting tho lamps was to bo decreased. Councillor Jameson did not contidertho reduction to 17a fid per 1000 feet sufficient, Ho believed tho company would bo compelled to do this to privato consumers before long, nnd why, therefore, should tho Council enter into a three years' contract. He would move, ns a further amendment, "That the subcommittee havo another interview with the directors of tho company, with a view to obtaining moro satisfactory terms; the committed having power to arrange a twelve months' contract,"

Councillor Ruddonkluu seconded this amondmonfc,■■■which wa« carried, letter froiM the hon. noorotary to tho Grapd Provincial Rtouploohaneii, requesting that tho Council would proolulm v public holiday for tho day of tlio raoim, Tlio Mayor mild tho J»rovln«ilal Government J will no objection to ouch a prooo'dlng, and hnd roforrod tlia applicants to tho (Joiinctl In whoso provlnco it nioro Immodlatoly lay. Several momhurn of, tho Council oonHldnrod that tho rcquoafc only cm (Minted from a few Jntorostod persons, and tho Council could not In justice to lift vMonxyara grant it unless nuked for hy pultltc patltion, It wao rcaolvod thnt tho requoifc could not Ijo granted, but thnt tho Mayor Hhould havo tho power to appoint a public holiday In honour of (ho Piiko «r Edinburgh* Mriliday on a proper mjuUltlon boliif pruHontod to him, A rcquoßfe from MrT.Prcooo for ponnlftnlon to lorm a right-of-way from Om\w\ Biroot on to lift) premise* win reforiud to the Survoyor. Letter from Mr N. Wolfo calling attention to a nulflanco ciiunod hy water flowing down a right-of-tvny Into Lichflold fltrcot ncur l»l« prcmlncs, Roforrcd to Iho Jmy&atM with ordorfl to adopt tho nceowmry moiißuros for removing tlio caimfl of complaint. A wcolc's oxtoiiHlon of llmo w»o grnntod to Mr J. Bowmnkcr, In which to oomploto lilh «ontrnofc for tho erection of. Iho Manohoniur fltrcct i)rJdf{6, Tho fluli-commltteo nppolntcd to proparo the now by.lawn brought up thoir report, tho con«ldoration o£ which wno deferred tuitll noxfc mo'tlng, Coimolllor Jamoflon adcorleil to tho ad»lBftWlliy of ft copy of Ilia varloiiH Mils Imiitffht Ijoforo tho Oonoral Aflnomlily, being oupplled to tho Council. Many were of importunoo to tho city ( imd ho would movo thnt tholr mamhar, Mr Tmvom, ha nppllfirt to, with n tcqiifirtfc to ppoeui'O nnd forward Lliom. Councillor Anilornon confliilcirud nuch a proceeding mo»c advfmihtu, and neconded tho motion, which wan curried. Tho report of tlio rulft-colli'olor wnn road, nnd from a ruoommeu ■iniiou contulnod therein, a month wm allowed to Mr fiwlnbourne in which to pay thu baianac of lilh ratefl. A furtbor mini wjih ndvimocil by tlio Council to tho collector Xor piiynient of Court fOOB. Tho TiiupcfttM of NulHnn«flii roportoil that nolleoß had haM served on Mr W. VVil«on to fill up ft holo In Ills land fronting on Harlmdoon iitrcol, and Mr IT Fletchnr, us iigbnt finMr (Jnton, to fill up a hollow place on laud In High Htroet, and Hfivoral perHonw wluwe gorwo licdgoH ovorhaug foot)mthn, find on Mr Jiiihom Small and Dr liliCu to dlMcontlnuo riding and driving acroßfl ilio footpatlm near thoir roapoctlve premiflt'H. Tlio report who »j>]>rovod. A loiter from lh<t Provincial Buorotary, Informing tho Couuiiil that no fUruntn within towns could ho regarded n« main tlioroiiKh* faron within tho meaning of Iho grnnt for fluch piirpodCH, and which Imd been deferred for eonnlilerallon from btflt Dicotlng vu brouKht up for dlflituision. Couuolllor JamcHou fluid tlio deputation, when thoy waited on the Govermnont, had boon (llfitlnotly led to mitlerntnnd that tho rcqucdt of tho Council for a portion of lh« grant would ho favourably ooiiHldorcd, Tho Mayor «uld the Government wero not jiißtlflad In the couno they had adopted. '1 ho Provincial Council hud never Intended tho grant to bo roHlrlctod in fliidi a manner. Ho had pcrflonally stated in the Ilouao that ho flhould apply for a portion of tho grant for Ohrlfltchureh, and not ono volco was ralaed In dlHfloiir, Councillor liuddcnklau wan hot astonlflhcd at tho Government rcfiiHln« to award thorn a portion of the grant, Tho Council had negatived a motion itHUing the Government for 1000 yardfl of hroken metal, and thafcovldontly induced tlio opinion that DHHistance won not really required. Councillor Hhepparrt nald the motion had been negatived, heeaiiHc the Council at that time expected to get a pun lon of tho grant without unking for it. Councillor Junction Mipcfitcd that the metal purchiiflnd from tlie Government Hhould not Iks paid for, no long au there wan nn overdraft at tho hank. It wan ultimately rcflolvcd, on tho motion of Councillor Culvert, that tlio Clork wrlto another lei tor couched fn Htrong ttrniH, in support of tlio crlKliml application. Tho Council then adjiiurnud.