BOROUGH COUNCILS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 94, 1 September 1868, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCILS.

CHRISTCHURCH. The ordinary weekly meeting was held last night, at half-past six o'clock, present his Worship the Mayor, and all the members except Councillor Thomson. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. The clerk announced that £47 18s had been received from various sources during the week, and that the overdraft from la9t sitting had thus been reduced to £445 14s sd. Accounts amounting to £209 10s 4d were passed, and ordered to be paid. The surveyor reported that six prisoners are engaged at work on the river bank, lhe value of the work done during the month was estimated at £15. The sitting of the Supreme Court will stop further operations for a short time, but when resumed, the whole work together with some slight alteration to another part of the bank near the Government Buildings will be completed in ten days. During the past week the trees near Mr Buddies, on the East town belt, had been removed, and the fencing would be commenced at once. Mr McNam-.ra had expressed his willingness to do the trenching for the estimated cost. A new bridge will bo required across the south drain. The completion of the contract for shingling Barbadoes street had been again delayed by the rain, and it will not be advisable to proceed with it for some time. The South town belt, from Madras street to j Colombo street, again demanded attention, and it would be advisable to re-form and shingle it— estimated cost £126 lOd. Manchester street bridge had been completed, with the exception of painting the handrails and the sides of the approaches had been planted with willow stakes for protection against flood. The labour gang had been employed during the week in filling up Dr Barker's gravel pit, putting in culvert, an<l filling up approach to the Manchester street bridge, repairing culverts in Oxford and Cambridge terraces, erecting lamp post at Manchester street bridge, raking in ruts in Colombo street, and lifting trees on the Esst town belt. The report was discussed seriatim. . Consideration of the proposed work on the river bank near the Government Buildings was deferred until next meeting. In referring to the culvert required over the south drain on the East town belt, Coun-

cillor Jameson said it would be desirable to have a stone one, but the funds would scarcely permit of it, and a temporary wooden structure would answer the purpose at present. Removal of the culvert over the drain in Madras street had previously been recommended, and it might now be transferred to the place under discussion. The surveyor was instructed to do so. The shingling of Barbadoes etreet was ordered to be deferred until the roadway is in a firmer condition. Consideration of re-forming the South town belt was deferred sine die. The clause referring to Manchester street bridge was approved. The Mayor said, as desired by the Council, he had communicated with the Hou. John Hall respecting the introduction of a clama into the Bankruptcy Act now under consideration, by which rates would be made a preferential claim in the same manner as rents. He had also written to Messrs Tancred und Travers, requesting tlieir support in the matter. Mr Hall had replied to tbe effect that although the insertion of the desired clause might be beneficial, he did not think it possible during the present session. Mr Travers had replied to tbe effect that he approved of the clause, and would do all in his power to support it. Mr Tancred had also, written stating that he would be gkd to forward the views of the Council, although he could not very clearly understand the comparison between rents and rates. In addition to his letter respecting the alteration in the Bankruptcy Act, Mr Travers had also written to say that he had forwarded a number of Ordinances which he thought might be of use to the Council. Duncan called attention to a previously expressed desire for the title of the Council to be changed from " Borough " to " City," and sutrgested that the Mayor should be requested to commuuicate with Mr Hall for effecting it. said he would do so. The report of the Finance Committee was read. It recommended that Mr HaskinV services should be retained for one week longer for the delivery of the application forms for the new rates, and that at the end of this engagement he should be allowed a remuneration of £15 per cent for collecting the outstanding rates, amounting to about £300, three months to be allowed for the closing of the lists. On the motion of Councillor Duncan the report wis received and considered. Councillor Jameson asked if the rates referred to had been sued for, and if not, why ? Councillor Duncan replied that they had not, and the difficulty had existed in not knowing who was legally liable. It waa now intended that the collector should take immediate proceedings with a view to deciding the matter. This could all be done within three months. Councillor Ruddenklau opposed the further engagement of Mr Haskins. After a brief discussion the report was adopted. The report of the rate collector was brought up and read. It stated that operations had for some time past been confined to closing the rate roll for 1865. The amount remaining uncollected would have been much less if not for the time consumed in litigation, and the temporary cessation of collecting. When collection was resumed, many persons whose names were on the roll, both aB owners and occupiers, had left the province and were not to be found. Appended to the report were schedules showing the position of the roll it referred to. The total amount of the rate for the year was £4964 17s 6d; of that sum £4569 Is ld had been collected, and £48 15s 3d remitted, leaving, after deducting £8 Os lld for errors and omissions, a sum of £339 Os 3d unaccounted for. This was distributed as follows:—S. W. quarter, £66 lls 6d; N. W., £86 ls 3d; N. E, £60 ls 6d; and S. E., £126 6s. The report was received, but its discussion and adoption were deferred until afutureday. The collection of the rate for the present year was considered, and it was decided, on the motion of Councillor Duncan, that the collector, in conjunction with Mr Haskins, should commence to deliver the applications for it at once. The Inspector of Nuisances reported that a nuisance emanated from stagnant water on private property in Barbadoes street. The adjoiniug side channel had been unavailingly deepened to drain the locality, and as it cannot, with safety to foot passengers, be increased to a further depth, a culvert across tbe street into the drain through the Cemetery Reserve was suggested to accomplished the desired object. A brief discussion resulted, the matter being ultimately referred to the Public Works Committee. The Mayor said in conformity with the by-laws, the next meeting of the Council would he held at 7 o'clock. Councillor Sheppard asked whether the officers of the Fire Police and Fire Brigade had been made acquainted with the power they possessed under the new Act, and whether the Council clearly understood their own position in the matter. According to the Act under which the borough is now constituted, Fire Inspectors had the powor to order removal or destruction of any building, if considered necessary to arrest the progress of a fire, and mch removal or i!estruction was to bo considered damage within the meaning of fire policies. He had recently called tho attention of ono of the Insurance agents, to these provisions, who, however, did not seem to take them in tho same light, and demurred lo their compulsory powers. In a city like Christehuroh ho considered tlie matter should bo fully looked into, or otherwise tho Counoil tniaht easily bo mulcted in heavy damages. Tho point is, are the Insurance Companies compelled to asseut to the Act in the matter ? Tho Mayor thought the Act was very clear.

Councillor Tombs was doubif*.- vi to o:\ag able to bind the companies. Councillor Duncan said, as carrying on business in the colony, they must abida by its laws. Councillor^ Anderson had also had a conversation on the subject with an Insurance agent, who appeared to think the co opanies were not amenable to the clause.-, qi'o'.ed by Councillor Sheppard, and had point?' aut that their policies explained the full nature of their risk. Personally he had no doubt whatever as to the liability of the companies to pay compensatiou for buildings ordered to be destroyed by persons having the ntcesEary authority. The question then dropped. At the suggestion of Councillor Kuddenklau it was resolved that the Fire Insurance Companies in the city should be requested to nominate two inspectors out of the present officers of the Fire Police. uddenklau pointed out that the Act stipulated for a certain number of burgess rolls being prepared bofore tbe election. He had not heard of any hiving b.eu printed, and they were certain to he required. /TliS~clerk said the expense of printing would he too great, and ample pro v 7s ton wouldbe made by means of written c -ties. /"Some conversation ensued respecting the mode of conducting the election. Hie T >wn Hall was suggested for taking the poll in, but it was ultimately decided that it should be conducted in the Council Chamber as on previous occasions. /■Th^'Mnyorsaid he would take cnre to keep the votes posted so that he could declare the poll within five minutes of its close as he had previously donej^ The CouncifTnen adjourned.