GHRI3TCHUECH BOROUGH COtTNCIL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 125, 6 October 1868, Page 2

GHRI3TCHUECH BOROUGH COtTNCIL.

* - Mompat, ;Oct. 5. The Council met at 7 o'clock. •Present : His Worship the Mayor and Councillors Sawtell, Jameson, Duncan, Ruddenklau, Cal vert, Sheppard, Angus, Anderson, and Tombs. ■ • . {> . The minutes o£ last meeting were read and confirmed. ■ , . The receipts for the Week were stated to be £208 12s 7d, and the overdraft at the bank, £172 7s «od. Accounts, amounting to ' £242 15s were ordered to be paid. In passing that for Warder's salary, Coun-cillor-Jameson referred in terms of praise to his services, and moved that a gratuity of £5 be awarded to him, which was seconded and carried, subject to the approval of the authorities. >(The lamp at the Government footbridge was ordered to be lighted. The Mayor referred to provision'^having j been mude under the. new Ordinance for aiding in the establishment and maintenance of public libraries, museums, and literary institutions, but in which the Council, as a body, had not yet taken the slightest interest. | He considered it was quite time that they should rise to something beyond the mere daily routine of street forming. ' :■• Councillor Jameson said he thought the Council could not well do anything in the matter until a prospectus of the kind sketched by the Mayor was laid before them. The following tenders for forming Gloucester street from Madras street toßarbadoes street, a distance of about twelve chains, were opened and considered : —

On the motion of Councillor Jameson the la«t named tender was accepted. The Surveyor's report was read. It stated that the prison labour Rang had completed the river works below Victoria bridge, upon which they bad been employed six months. The report was considered seriatim. The first clause was deemed highly satisfactory. •V Councillor Jameson said that the hard labour gang would next be employed in levelling Cranmer square. Councillor Sheppard called attention to a shingle spit in the river below Colombo bridge. The following correspondence was read :— • Letter from the Provincial Secretary, intimating that the "Education in Aid Ordinance, 1868," had been brought into force by proclamation in the Government Gazette of the 23rd ulfc, and stating that in accordance with the 3rd clause it had been decided to levy a rate of fourpence in the pound. The Government, wished the Road Boards and Municipalities to supervise the collection of the rate, and information was desired as to whether the Council would do so; asking them to name their collector, in order that the requisite bond might be prepared. The Mayor stated that the Avon and Heathcote lioad Boards had declined to undertake collection of the rate, and he belijved there was a general feeling of opposition amongst the Koad Boar<& It was calculated that the undertaking would interfere with the collection of their own rates. Councillors Sheppard and Calvert opposed the mutter being taken in hand by the Council. Councillor Duncan remarked upon the unfair manner in which the rate was to be levied. He jiointed out that the brunt of the rate would fall upon residents in Chri3tcbureh> whilst they would derive the least benefit from it of any purt of the province. He thought when the Government found the land fund was falling off, they should have set a portion of it apart for education purposes, and not been compelled to levy such a heavy rate. Councillor Ruddenklau considered the conduct of the Government most reckless and looked upon the gradually increasing list of taxes with alarm. There would shortly be a shilling rate for the Waimakariri protection works besides others from the General Government which would make the taxation almost unbearable. The Mayor said, when assented to by the Provincial Council, it had scarcely been expected that the Ordinance would be brought into operation, or if even it were that only a very small Ihx would be levied. 10,000 acresof land had beeu set apart for the endowment of schools, and the Council had given its assent to the Ordinance under the impression that it would only be required for a year, or until such time as the land began to be reproductive, and that a comparatively small amount would in the meantime be raised. Upwards of £1333 would be raised in Christchurch, and frotff that it might fairly be assumed that the total sum would amount to about £ 1 0,000, which he considered far too much to be invested in the hands of such a Board as the one now in existence. Including all items, the population could nof now be taxed much less than 5s in the pound.

After some further discussion % > uaqtiQn r wia carried to fche effect that the Codacif considered it inexpedient to undertake ttfe collection of the rate. . . •• ; | A letter from Messrs Hey wood ■ ami 'Co relative to the Steam j?ir;e Engine, Was referred to Captaitt Wilson to .report upon. -; Captain Wilson's report on the fire in Wo** cester street on Sunday night -was read. It mentioned that both engines -were ' on the ground shortly after the alarm* but were ineffective from want of water. v - Councllor Duncan said it would be advisaable lor Captain Wilson, in future reports, to state which engine was first at a-fire,*as it would £c a .means of creating emulation. ! A' motion to tliis effect was put and carried. ; ■;.'._ Letter from the Secretary to the Liverpool; London- and Globe Fire Brigade, suggesting that the various artesian wells in .the city should have couplings .aflSx&tUnstead of the present small taps by which means a larger ajnd quicker supply of water could be obtained during fires. A' copy of the newly framed by-laws of the Brigade were also enclosed. .':•■'■■:•■ ; A memorandum was read from Cnpt Wilson in reference to the by-laws, and making objection to three of them. ' Councillors Huddenklau, Jameson, and Sawtell were appointed as a committee to consider both subjects, and also to have superintendence of all matters relating to the Fire Brigades. ! A letter from Wm. Rossfter, Whately Road, requesting stone channelling to be laid in that vicinity, was referred to the Works committee. . A letter from. E. Morris, requesting permission to lay an iron pipe iiiuder the footpath in front of his house in Worcester street east, for the purposo of carrying the overflow from an artesian well into the side channel, was referred to the Surveyor. Letter from Mr R. P. Crosbie, iutimating that the Railway Rowing Club were desirous of establishing a swimming club at their boat house, and requesting permission from the Council to do so. The swimming it was stated would be carried on under proper organisation, and in suitable attire. ; | After a short discussion, it was resolved that upon a copy of the rules being laid [before the Council and approved of, the request would be entertained. JAcThe; Mayor said he should mention that Dr Coward had renewed his suggestions of last year, respecting a floating bath on the Avon. He had also submitted plans and an estimate, by which the cost was expected to be about £1500. But this plan was too expensive. He had seen Mr Crosbie, who stated that a proper bath could be provided for £200, and was prepared to supply plans and regulations by whicli he was assured the affair would be self-supporting. He had brought the matter forward as due to Dr Coward, but he would suggest that ' consideration of it should be deferred until Mr Crosbie's plans and estimates had been submitted. This suggestion was adopted. The sub committee's report on the scavenging account was read, andconsidered satisfactory. The report of the Works" committee on watering the streets, was brought up and read. The plan suggested by Mr Jameson at last meeting was approved of, as the most copyenient and economical consistent with efficiency, and a plan for the tank as prepared by the surveyor was submitted, with a suggestion for its erection in some central part of the city. The cost would be £80—including formation of sloping approach — and that of the water carts, £40, making a total of £120. A rate of one penny farthing in the pound, after paying the labour of watering, I would leave £42 towards these, and, the committee suggested that the inhabitants of the main thoroughfares should be solicited to express their wishes, either by signing an application to the Council, according to the provisions of the Ordinance for raising a rate or otherwise. , The report was received and adopted, after which it was resolved that the Nuisance Inspector should call upon residents in the principal thoroughfares of the city in order to ascertain their wishes. ■ _ ■■ ■ The security to be entered into by the Town Clerk for proper fulfilment of the duties of Treasurer to the Council was fixed at £300. Councillor Anderson said it was now time to consider how the enclosure on the North and East town belts, should be kept in order, whether by contract or day labour. He was of opinion the former would be the cheapest, and- moved that tenders be invited for the work commencing from the 19 th inst. The motion was carried. X Councillor Ruddenklau called attention to many gorse hedges overgrowing the footpaths in the city, and the Inspector was ordered to serve notices for them to be properly cut. I A letter was read from residents in Durham stteet north relative to the unhealthy state of that thoroughfare. It had never been formed, and was two and three feet above the level of the side walks, which caused rain to collect in large stagnant pools sufficient to generate fever. The letter was referred to the Works committee. The Mayor called attention to several gaps in the streets caused by the Gas Company's men not having properly filled up the cuttings made for gas pipes. The Gas Company were ordered to he informed of the matter, with a request to remedy the evil. . The Inspector of Nuisances reported that the pipe drain running through the premises of Mr Anderson into Colombo street, had been cleansed, and that residents in the vicinity had 'been informed of the -necessity of keeping it flushed with artesian water in order to prevent a nuisance being caused. Mr Hichens had written stating that he had cut his gorae hedge as ordered. The report was approved, and the Council then adjourned.

£ 8. Lewis nnd Philpot ... 95 0 J. Hadfield ... ... 42 0 Joseph Taylor ... ... 42 0 Cooper and Graham ... 63 0 Tacon and Banks ... 39 12