CITY COUNCIL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3609, 4 November 1879, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

The weekly meeting of the City- Council was held yesterday evening; present— His Worship the Mayor, Councillors Gapes, King, Bißhop, Vincent, Taylor, Cherrill, Cuff, Hulbert, Wyatt, Lambert, England and Ayere. FIHANCIAI,, The Town Clerk reported: — Keccipis for the week, £902 2s lOd ; debit balance at Bank, £2473 2b lOd; bills to be paid, £507 9s 6d. GUTTER SWEEPINGS. Councillor Cherrill drew attention to the method of sweeping the gutters. The accumulation of leaves and filth was taken out and left in the roa3, where it. dried, and its being driven about by the wind was an effectual way of spreading disease. The Mayor said the filth after being put on the street was carted away as soon as possible. BBOKEN METAL. Mr J. L. Wilson wrote offering to supply the Council with broken metal at 8s per yard. The letter was ordered to be acknowledged with thanks. BAST BELT BRIDGE. The deed of submission forwarded to Mr M'Namara in reply to his letter of last week was returned with some additions. Councillor Taylor suggested that the Council should, when in Committee, finally deal with the whole matter. Councillor Vincent thought that as Mr M'jNamara was not satisfied with the deed, nothing further should be done. Councillor Hulbert thought the question might be settled by offering Mr M'Namara a sum of money, and if that did not suit him to let him take it into Court. Eventually it was resolved to deal with the matter in Committee later on. subveyoe's ebpobt. The Surveyor reported : — " 1. The Lower High street is now finished with the exception of spreading broken metal on it. The quantity of earth removed was 3600 cubic yards, which was disposed of as follows :— lBOO yards into Convent grounds, 500 yards to improve East belt, 300 yards taken away by private carts, 1000 yards sold. The cost of the work, after deducting what has been received for earth, was £191 Is sd. "2. The artesians that supply the tanks now.run so slowly that wo cannot get a sufficient supply for the water carts, and unless a supply is soon brought to the city in pipes, the storage capacity of tlio various tanks will have to be largely increased. "3. In reply to Councillor Taylor's motion of Oct. 20 last—' That the Surveyor be instructed to prepare an estimate of the cost of maintenance of roads before and after the drainage works ;' I beg to fay that I find it rather a difficult matter to accomplish with any degree of accuracy, so little time having elapsed sinco their works were commenced, but I believe that if the Drainage Board were to allow the City Council t^e cost of ten yards of shingle for each lineal chain of road brok.-n up, that it would bo fouud to be very near an equitable compensation for tho injury done to the roads. Another reason why it is so difficult to form an accurate estimate is, that Bomo of the streets are twisted out of all shape, while others sustain very little injury. The North belt, for instance, was bo considerably sunk that we have had to cart many hundred loads of earth on to it. Madras street was so thrown out of shape that it was necessary to re-channel and roaßphalt a portion of it, and Antigua street, where the excivation was not rammed on being filled in, was obliged to have earth carted on to it all last winter to make up for the sinking. The sum I have mentioned above ia intended to cover these contingencies." On Clause 1, Councillor Taylor said the estimated coat was about £270, and the cost was now reported to be £491 Is sd. The Surveyor said the estimate was based on the supposition that tho earth could be sold, but the greater part of it had to be carted away. Clause 3. The Sanitary Committee were instructed to consider the matter when they interviewed the Drainage Board oh other matters as previously arranged. On Clause 2, Councillor Lambert moved — " That one of the present artesians be cleaned out to test the effect of cleaning." He thought it possible the wells had been impaired by corrosion. ; Councillor Ayera seconded. ' The Mayor suggestcd'that it might be well to follow tho exaraplo of the Club authorities. They had sunk a well to the lower stratum, and got a, flow pf 12ft of water, ' The Surveyor said it would obviate the difficulty if there were' more storage. The same wells would give enough water during the night, if the tanks were large enough to hold the quantity required. • The motion was carried. The report was then approved. inspeotob's eepobt. The Inspector's Report was read and adopted. WOBKMEX's PICNIC. The Mayor stated that, text Monday was a general holiday, being the Prince of Wales' Birthday. It was usual on this occasion to

workme 12 ** * f °* the C 0 : It wa«i resolved to vote that sum for apionic on Monday next.. . «- _ NIGHTSOHJ DEPOT.. Captain Willis wrote, asking the Council Ito supply hmi and others with night , soil from the pi ts, delivered . a fc, the Eailway Station at 5s per ton. J It was, after somo discussion, resolved 'to let Captain Willis take the soil fromthe pits at his own expense and trouble. PBIVATB STREETS. In accordance with notice given, at ►last meeting, Councillor King moved— "That all resolutions re private streets passed previousto Sept. 29, 1879, be rescinded." Councillor Gapes seconded. The motion was carried without, discussion. ADJOUBNIIENT. It was resolved that at the rising, of the Council it adjourn till that night fortnight; DAJJAGING TBEES. The Mayor pointed out that larrikins -were in the habit of damaging the trees on the Belt, and thought something should bB dbno to put a stop to the practice. It was resolved to offer a reward of £2 for the conviction of any one damaging th* trees on the Belt. ,

IfflAVB OF ABSENOB,

Councillor Cuff obtained five weekeVlwro of absence.

SALI3BP37 AND MADRAS STBBBXB. Councillor- King stated that the,- Council had no control over the land used fsi a,drain inMadmsand Salisbury streets, and,.therefore, they could not sell it to the. re&idenfo who desired to purchase it. It we* under the control of the Drainage Board. The-Council then wont into Committee- to. considoprthe South town bolt question.