Sydenham Borough Council.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5349, 30 June 1885, Page 4

Sydenham Borough Council.

J The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the above body was held last evening ; preB ent— Councillors Forrester (in the chair), Jones,. Gledhill, Comber, Langdown, Ashi worth, Day, Bowden, and Sherlock. COBREBPONDENCB. The following was read :— From the Christchurch Drainage Board, I re construction of culverts. j The Clerk was instructed to acknowledge ■ receipt of letter; at the same time drawing the Board's attention to the dangerous condition in which the contractors had left ! the footpath in Waltham road, and also to . the fact that the drain in Kingsley street ' was choked, and would lead to a flood in ■ that locality in the event of a heavy rainfall. i From the Christchurch Drainage Board, thanking the Council for its offer to collect the Board's rates at the net cost of suoh collection. " * . From the Mines Department, asking the Council for any exhibits or information which might be of interest at the forthcoming Colonial and. Indian Exhibition in London. ~ The Council resolved to afford every assistance to any persons who might wish to forward exhibits. From Mr W. White, M.H.E., advising the Council as to steps re raising loan. The Town Clerk stated that the necessary action had been taken for getting a validating Bill passed during the present session of Parliament. From the Clerk to the Eesident Magistrate's Court, acknowledging receipt of copy of Loan Validating Bill. woeks committee's repoht. The Works Committee reported that tenders had been called for fencing in Rogers street, and they recommended the Council to consider same in Committee. Some months ago the Eoberts' Sanitary Process Company fitted up two olosets with the patent pans as a test for the Committee. The Committee considers that the process materially reduces the nuisance arising from the pan system, and recommends that householders be allowed to nse the same.*^ The report was adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Finance Committee reported that the. receipts for the fortnight had been £577 3s lOd ; accounts amounting to £10 were recommended for payment; credit balance at bank, £1139 0s lld. Re dispute with tenant of Beserve 2379, the Committee had ascertained that a gravel-pit had been opened on the section by the Ashburton Forks Eailway Company, during tho construction of their line, for which no compensation had been received by the Counoil, and the Committee recommended that a Claim for £150 (the amount estimated) be made against the Company by the Council. Re Local Bodies Finance and Powers Bill and 'the - Hospital ahd Charitable Aid Bill, the Committee considered them opposed to the best interests of the Borough, on the following grounds : — It is inequitable to distribute subsidies in proportion to rates received, and at the same time tc charge such bodies in proportion to the population with the cost pf maintaining charitable institutions. The proposal to divide the Colony into districts, and to give the District Boards power .to define what institutions should be supported by each local body, would probably result in the towns where the poor can live cheapest being charged with 'an unfair proportion of the cost of the charitable institutions, and in consequence of the cost being allocated in proportion to population, a Borough like Sydenham, would probably be called upon to pay about six times as much in proportion to its means as some Boroughs that derive large incomes from rates, licenses, fees, and endowments. Under existing circumstances the Council cannot see any reason why any part of the cost of supporting the police of the Colony should be made a local charge. The subsidies agreed to be paid by the Financial Arrangements Act having been stopped before the time agreed upon, the Council feels that no great reliance can be placed upon the continuance of those promised in the Bill in question, and that the Council will probably be saddled at no distant date with the cost of the charitable institutions without anj assistance from Government j and, even if those promises were fulfilled, the proportion of cost to charitable institutions would probably be twice the amount of subsidy received. The clauses in report referring to finance were adopted ; and, after a long discussion, the' Clerk was instructed to forward a strongly-worded protest to the Government and the local member against the proposals re local finance and charitable aid, it being understood that, if necessary, a public meeting should be called to further the matter. A letter was received from Mr J. E. Andrews on the question of the revised tariff, and suggesting that the Council should call a public meeting on the question. The letter was received. The matter of increased fire insurance rates about to be levied in the Borough by the Insurance Companies was. brought under the notice of the Council, and discussed at some length, the Council being j of opinion that it was most -unfair toi increase the rates now, when an amount of money was being expended to minimise the risk. It was eventually resolved to protest against the increase, and, if found necessary, to co-operate with other suburban and County Councils in resisting the imposition. The Council then adjourned.