CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 244, 23 February 1869, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL.

■ • ■■.-:■ - ' ' ■.» i ■• '■■;■> i. Monday, Feb. 22. ; The Council met at seven o'clock, his Worship the Mayor presiding, and all the Councillors being present except Councillor Jameson. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. The Clerk reported that he had received £108 14s 3d from various sources during the week, and that the credit balance at the bank was £286 6s 6d. Accounts amounting to £59 10s 6d were passed and ordered to be paid. The following tenders for the formation of Peterborough 'street from Manchester street, to Madras street, about \\\ chains, were opeaed and considered: — Thos J3. Lewis, £24 108; William HiJl, £36; H. Hoft, £21 ss, A. Thompson, £47. The tender of H. Hoft was accepted. ' The Surveyor's report was read and discussed. It stateil that Michael McNamara's contract of £45 for keeping the Avon clear of cress, from Antigua street to the East town belt, for twelve months, had been duly signed. Attention was called to the bad st.ite of the South drain, and it was recommended that it should be thoroughly cleansed and one man permanently engaged to attend to it during the summer months. Two broken lamps (near the Wesleyan Chapel, and at the corner of Durham and Cashel streets) had .been reported by the Gas Manager. The labour gang, had been employed in.'repairing and shingling the footpath in Armagh street, putting up iron posts, arid chains in Oiford Terrace, painting hand-rail to footbridge at Lane's Mill, clearing out side drains injHereford, Durham, and Colombo streets; placing sluice-gato in the south diMin at Manchester street, repairing the South town belt, and repairing several streets with shingle. The clause referring to the south drain was discussed at great length, and several plans suggested for guarding against its becoming so offensive in future. The Council were unanimous in their opinion as to theadvisability of the Survej-or's suggestions being carried out,- but considering the hot weather likely to make the work a dangerous one to the immediate residents, 1 the matter was deferred for the present In commenting- on the broken lamps. Councillor Calvc-rt said he was astonished not to have heard of a larger number of squares being broken. One of those, now under consideration was alleged to have been blown out by the wind,- and -he could positively vouch for many of them having been

put in without any -!faSte,iiiiag'»^/.Hie. J believed, however, this was now being r£meaied. The remaindersif- 'the-report-waa approved. The following correspondence was read :— Letter froni-Caplaiar W;ibon v vChief Fire Inspector, acknowledging.; receipt of instructions regarding 1 thesiutie&jbf himself and Chief Engineer, -put feallitig attention to the ambiguity of thefsfieond i /clause; -V Letter from the Deputy .Superintendent of the Brigade, asking !;fdr,ari' interview, on the ground that he deeiued4rimself -" to occupy a very ialserpositionin-the Brigade. In .reference to the first, the Mayor . said he had^-bonrerred- wich Captain Wilson, and it appeared the difficulty existed in the engineer having been made responsible for the good order and working of the steam fire engine, but it was not stated to whom. It would be advisable for the Council to clearly define the position of the engineer. ■ ;Councillor liuddenklau considered it un- 1 neceas'ary to alter the clause. It had answered very well up to the present time, and led to no inconvenience. The object of the committee in preparing it was, to make the chief engineer responsible to Captain Wilson for the working of the engine at a fire, but responsible to the Council for its good order and condition. i A very protracted discussion ensued, a majority of the Council being of opinion that the engineer, should be solely; responsible to Captain Wilson, but it was intimately resolvsd to defer the subject until next meeting, in order that Councillor Jameson, as a member of the Fire Brigade Committee, might have an opportunity of speaking upon it. The Peputy-Superintendent was then admitted in accordance with his request, and he submitted certain departmental matters to the Council. These were considered in committee at length, and it was resolved- that further enquiries should be made respecting them. The Mayor stated the next business was to appoint auditors and assessors to the Council. For the former only one nomination, Mr Alport, had been made, and for the latter, none, so that it ■■■•. now devolved upon him to appoint gentlemen to act in the respective capacities. He had selected Mr J. E. Graham, a gentleman who in his lengthened connection with public accounts had given general satisfaction, as Mr Alport's colleague ; and for assessors he would appoint Me-srs •V. Wilson and W. H. Lane, both gentlemen having consented to act. The agreement signed by Mr Ituddleston as the contractor for revising, the city assess-^ ment was laid upon the table. j The roll for the rate specially .levied for watering the streets, was laid upon the table and duly signed. . The ■• amount -was £179 5s lO|d. .;., ... •;,; , ; /V -.... v j Leave of absence was granted to., the. Kate on account of illness.-: • , ■ - • I The Inspector of Nuisancss reported that he hsd been engaged during the .week in coir lecting arrears of last weeks scavengering accounts, and serving; n,o.tiees,; on ( i (persons having gorse and other trees overhanging the fdotpaths. •...;,•■' •. .- • .^r." j On the-motion of Councillpr.Caiyiert.itwasre.solved that the prison^ labour .gang, should be employed in trenching Craamer- Square, with a yiew to iraprove,it. ..„. ;.,,, .. . ;, -„ | After authorising the purchase pf, a. copy-:' ing press for the -Clerk's office, the Couucil adjourned.-jv..M.. ; "... -.;.; „■ „ ■..,, •■.-.,.■