CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 486, 7 December 1869, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL.

*. Mondat, December 6. The weekly meeting was held at the usual hour, his Worship the Mayor presiding, and all the Councillors, except Councillor Tombs, being present. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Clerk reported that during the week he had received from city rates — 1868, £2 ; do, 1869, £22 ; scavenging. £18 2s IOd ; Market place rents, 7s ; fines from the Resident Magistrate's Court forthe month of November, £19 10s ; total, £61 19s lOd. The credit balance afc the bank was stated to be £241 7s sd. Accounts to the amount of £225 12s 6d were passed and ordered to be paid. The Surveyor's report was read and considered. Tenders for fencing in the City Council yard had been received from Messrs Raukin and Greig, £44 10s; Mr S. Jamieson, £49 10s, and the Works' Committee recommended the acceptance of the former. Messrs Gadd and Co. had completed their contract

for 500 yards of stone for channelling, and the Works' Committee recommended that a further quantity of 500 yards be ordered at once, lir Gould had kindly presented and placed seats in two of the plantations on the North town belt, which are a great accommodation to the public. On Monday evening next, a list of works completed during the past twelve months, and of artesiau wells sunk during the same period, will be laid before the Council. Ihe prison labour gang had been employed during the month on the river bank between the Manchester and Colombo street bridges — average number of men at work about four. The labour gang during the past week had been employed in watering streets, carting side drain scrapings, stone kerbing the corners of footpaths in the Papanui Road, laying down drains near Lane's mill, mowing weeds in Cranmer Square, aud "Oxford Terrace, taking the number of artesian wells, stacking haj*, making culverts for Cranmer Square, fencing the Market Square, and clearing out side drains. The tender of Messrs Rankin and Greig was accepted. Jn reference to the stone for channelling, Councillor Jameson said the Works' Committee did not desire to advertise for tenders, as the past engagement with Messrs Gadd and Co. was so favourable, that the chances in such a case were in favour of an increase rather than a decrease in the price. If Messrs Gadd and Co. are willing to continue their old contract so far as to supply another 500 yards, the committee were strongly in favour of his doing so. After a brief conversation, this course was approved by the Council. His Worship was requested to convey the thanks of the Council to. Mr Gould for his voluntary gift of seats. The remainder of the report was approved. The following correspondence was read and considered: — S^etter from the Provincial Secretary in /eply to one from the Council, dated the loth of October, relative to the west side of Cathedral Square being transferred to the Corporation, and stating that such could not be done. Some remarks were made on the tardiness of the Government in replying to the request of the Council, and Councillor Sawtell reiterated his previously expressed determination not to let the matter rest at this point, but to make further efforts for^Jiaving the ground transferred to the CounciQ Letter from Mr John Merson, requesting permission to erect a veranda iv front of his premises on the Whately Road. Granted, subject to the approval of the Surveyor. Letter from Mr James Bell, offering 10s per chain for the grass growing on the South town belt. Councillor Jameson opposed the acceptance of the offer, averring that the grass was worth more to the Council for their own horses. The Clerk was instructed to reply that the Council were not disposed to sell the right to cut the grass. Letter from Mr M. B. Hart, junr., complaining of the bad state of the side channel near his residence in Lichfield street. In considering the letter, some other instances of bad drainage were brought before the Council, and the whole were referred to the Works' Committee, wifch instructions to report thereon at next meeting. from the Popular Amusements Assbciation, requesting permission to erect a grand stand in Latimer square, an.i enclose a portion of the ground for use during the sports on the 16th inst., and alsA soliciting a contribution in aid of the fund£j On the motion of Councillor Hart, the permission asked foi in the first part of the letter was conceded. In reply to Councillor Bishop, the clerk said £10 was voted to the rural sports last year. Councillor Bishop, notwithstanding this, opposed a grant on the present occasion. He did not think ifc was a proper purpose to apply the city funds to, and moreover, he thought the Council had not the money to spare. ■ Councillor Pratt was perfectly willing to subscribe personally, but with his knowledge of the financial position of the Council, he could not vote for any grant being made to the sports. Councillor Sawtell, although of opinion that the Council could not afford togive £10, thought they might fairly vote a smaller sum, and would move that £5 be presented to the association. He was much pleased at the manner in which the sports were carried out last year; he was satisfied they afforded much innocent amusement, keeping many from perhaps worse pursuits, and he believed they were to be carried out this year on even a much more complete scale than formerly. Councillor Jameson seconded the motion with pleasure, arguing that ifc would be a perfectly just appropriation of the city funds, and strongly pointing out the good accruing from such gatherings. Councillor Calvert in remembrance of the great success attending last year's sports would support the motion. He believed the rational amusement thus provided was not only of benefit to the young, but restrained drinking. On the occasion of the last sports he was particularly struck with the absence of drunken people in the streets. The Mayor agreed with the remarks of Councillor Bishop, and would much rather increase his private subscription to the sports than that the Council should vote anything in aid of them. Councillor Hart, in face of the divided opinion amongst Councillors, would prefer the motion being withdrawn, and as a member of the Sports Committee, would take the onus of s »ying they could dispense with the subscription. After some conversation, Councillor Sawtell agreed to withdraw his motion, on the understanding that the Surveyor should be

■■" —■■ ""T 1 " ■ ■■■it. at liberty to afford whatever assistance ho could in the preparation of the ground. The lessee of the weighbridge was ordered to be allowed a reduction from his rent in proportion to the time during which the machine had been under repair. The Clerk submitted a copy of the West Coast Times, in which was an article respecting a case against seven leading merchants of Hokitika, for not complying with the provisions of the " Dangerous Goods Act," and in which there was also some valuable information respecting the combustibility of that oil. Councillor Hart remarking upon it, said the more he thought of the storing of kerosine, the more he was convinced of the necessity for providing a separate and distinct place in the city for such purpose. He averred that it was liable to ignite by spontaneous combustion, and pointed out that once alight ifc could not be extinguished. Councillor Jameson enquired if Dr Foster had yet completed his draft by-laws for regulating such matters within the city. The Clerk replied in the negative. Councillor Bishop pointed, out that the license issued under the Act was in no way a protection against danger from the storing of kerosene. It merely enabled the Council to know who kept the material on hand, but did not prevent them storing any quantity they liked, wherever they thought proper. What he understood was done in Dunedin was to keep the bulk in some stone built bonded warehouse, and only small quantities allowed to be kept on hand for retail purposes. Councillor Jameson suggested that in the new by-laws about to be prepared, the Council should limit the quantity of kerosene kept within that portion of the city included in the Fire Prevention Ordinance, and that large quantities stored outside these limits should not be within fifty yards of other buildings. If a general warehouse were adopted, it certainly should not be in the centre of the town, and there is not one at present which would be adapted to the purpose on the outskirts. Councillor Sawtell was of opinion that the Government should take up the matter in the same way that they had done gunpowder, and erect a special magazine. He thought it would be hard if the Council had to provide a building, as the rent would not pay anything like salaries and interest on the outlay. He would suggest that a committee should be appointed to confer with Mr Mills, the Collector of the Customs, who would perhaps have some weight with the General Government. His Worship thought the Provincial Government would have to erect the building. Councillor Jameson suggested the advisability of leaving the matter in abeyance until the new by-laws under the Dangerous Goods Act were brought up. The committee were collecting all the information they possibly could, previously to bringing their report before the Council, and the point under discussion would no doubt be incluled. After some further conversation, of no particular interest, this view of the question was adopted. The draft by-laws for replacing the Fire Prevention Ordinance were brought up for consideration, but were further deferred until an opinion had been obtained from Dr Foster as to whether the by-laws of the Council would override the Ordinance. The Council then adjourned.