CHRISTCHURCH BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 143, 27 October 1868, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Monday, Oct. 26. The Council met at the usual hour. Present: His Worship the Mayor, and Councillors Duncan, Huddenklau, J-heppard, Angus, Anderson, Tombs, Jameson, Calvert, and' Sawtell. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. The Clerk reported that he had received £127 2s during the week, and that the existing overdraft at the bank was £242 15s ld. Accounts amounting to £141 7s lld were passed and ordered to be paid. In considering the Fire Brignde accounts, some disapproval was expressed at the list of extras, aud the Fire Committee were requested to impress upon Capt. Wilson the necessity of greater economy, together with the advisability of submitting all future accounts to them before being sent in to the Council. The Surveyor's report was read. It stated that during the week he had forwarded a list of recently formed footpaths to the Provincial Secretary for proclamation ; that the contract for the formation of Salisbury street from Durham street to Colombo street, had been satisfactorily completed ; that Messrs Cooper and Graham had nearly finished the formation of the Eaat town helt. That the artesian wells in Cathedral square were complete, and that the water of one rises 10ft above the surface ; that Messrs Tacon and Banks will complete the formation of Gloucester street from Madras street to Barbadoes 6trtet during the week ; jthat Mr St Quentin wi 1 complete the painting of the Post-offlce in a day or two ; tbat the stone work for the water cart tanks is progressing rapidly ; that the tanks are also in hand ; that all the lamp posts require re-painting ; that the Works Committee, had examined Latimer square where comp ained of by Mr Hamilton, and had decided to carry out some 6mall works in connection with the side.channels, and that the labour gang ha.l been employed during the week in clearing out an 1 deepening the south drain ; putting in pipe culverts in .Salisbury and Worcester streets; altering and repairing the footpath in Worcester street. ; clearing out the side drains in Gloucester, Madras and Hereford streets ; clearing out culverts on the East town belt, and other small works The ( ouncil considered the flow from the artesian wells unsatisfactory, and any dt- : cision or pa- nien tv connected with them was I deferred until some efforts be made to increase the flow. The lamp posts were ordered to be repaired and painted. The remainder of the report was approved In answer to Councillor Duncan, Councillor Jamesou said the Works Committee were prep -.red to brin/ forward details of ihe alterations required to the i-outh drain as soon as Mr John Hall's answer was received. •^The Mayor said he had seen Mr Hall since hia return from Wellington, and had bbeen informed that the bill for granting tbe ICouncil their old title of " City" in lieu of vl** Borough" had been passed by the General j yijAssembly. He had not however received a J Gazette containing the usual notification, and |it was for the council to consider whether I they should resume their old name at once, jOr wait to see the bill published iv the ordinary nvinner. • After a short conversation, it wns decided to await the receipt of the Gazette. The tenders for keeping the Town belt plantations iv order for six months, and deferred from last meeting, were again brought up for consideration, when the tender of JkWiiliams for £39 19s 6d was accepted. The following correspondence was read : — Letter from the I yttelton Borough Council, in answer to a communication respecting the proposed change in the market day, and stating that any other than Saturday would be preferred for that town. Letter from the Heathcote Road Board on the.'aine subject, and replyin? that the Clerk had obtained tbe opinion of several farmers, none of whom were opposed to the desired change. Both were deferred for consideration until rep'icP from she other Koad Boards and Burough Councils are received. Letter from Mr li. P. Crosbie, giving details of his plan for the proposed baths and estimate of their cobt. lhe vicinity of Lane's mill was recooimended as the be^t locality, and the tot:d expense given at £130 Letter from Mr J VV. S. Coward on the same subject, nnd enclosing a plan and specification by Mr A. Lean. The vicinity of Lane's Mill was again recommended as the lest position, and the total coat given at £250. A long discussion took place upon this subject, which rt salted in the appointment of a committee consisting of Messrs Duncan. Anderson, Sawttll, and Jameson to confer with Messrs Coward and Crosbie, and coliect information aa to the mo3t advisable course to be pursued. Councillor Duucan said the Council should not entertain the application for bathing in the river until detailed rues were laid before them, and a motion to that effect was subsequently carried. .I'trmis-eion was granted to the Avon Rowing Club to erect a new boat house near those alreHdy erected by the other clubs. Letter from Mr J. Woodford, enclosing copies of tbe resolutions passed at the recent meeting held in the Town Hall. It wus resolved to withhold the expression

of opinion desired by one of the resolutions in respect to the advisability of altering the market day until the Council hud received answers to the letters they had written to outlying municipalities and rond boards on the subject. Letter from the Superintendent of the Fire Brigade, enclosing the quarter's accounts, and stating that the new concentric had been fitted to the Steam Fire Engine; also, that it bad been tried on Saturday last, when steira was got up in five minutes, and water thrown through the ho.*e in ten minutes from the time of lighting the fire, the engine remaining stationary. This he considered most satisfactory, and the old concentric has been returned to Messrs Heywood and Co. A letter from eight householders in High etreet, calling attention to the offensive effluvia arising from the open drain on the west side o.f the thoroughfare in front of tlieir premises,' and requesting that the surp'us water of one of the five artesian wells in frohtj>f Matheson's Agency, should be con* ducted into it, wns referred to the Works Committee, .with instructions to comply, as far as possible, with the request contained in the lette£. The appointment of auditors for the enI suing year was discussed, and ultimately left in the hands of the Mayor. The Rate Collector's report was read, but contained nothing material beyond an application for remission of rates, which was ordered to stand over. X The Hhisance Inspector reported thaVthe scavengering account for the quarter amounted to £135 13s Bd. £133 had been collected, but there were still arrears to the iiraount of £21. He bad waited upon the] persons interested in properties abutting on side channel* requiring ti be kerbed, and stone water-courses laid down, but many of them had refused to go to tlie expense required by the Council. In reference to the first clause the Inspector was instructed to be more urgent in recovering arrears, and consideration of the second clause was deferred. Councillor Duncai. referred to the unsatisfactory manner in which rates were being collected, and moved that the Finance Committee be instructed to take s-teps for enforc ing the collection of outstanding amounts with greater promptitude than at preseut. He did not intend that an additional collector should be employed, but that some more decisive measures for enforcing payment should be adopted. He would not select one or two as an example, but take a whole block of buildings, no matter who was comprised in the list of occupiers. The committee did not intend to proceed recklessly in the matter, hut would use further efforts of an ordinary nature before proceeding to extremes. The continued overdraft rendered it imperative that something decisive shouM be done. After a protracted discussion, the motion was carried, and the Council adj .turned.