CITY COUNCIL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7067, 20 January 1891, Page 1

CITY COUNCIL.

The ordinary fortnightly meeting oE the Christchurch City Council was held la3t evening; present — The Mayor and Councillors Gobs, Reese, Cooper, Wood, Swarm, Barnes, Cochrane, Rowe, Prudhoe, Gapes, Humphreys, Bonniogton and Patrick. Apologies were received for the absence of Councillors Thompson and Smith. FINANCE. The Mayor stated that the debit balance nt tho bank was .£66 13 5s Id. Receipts since last meeting had been :— General account .£763 13a lid, cemetery account £42 18s 6d, suspense account .£l2O Is 7d, interest account JBI4B 17s 8d ; total 11b Bd. Expenditure— General account .£2397 15s 2d, cemetery account J212 15s Bd, suspense account £7 0s 4d, interest account £1232 14s 3d ; total £3650 5s sd. PETITION. Councillor Humphreys presented a petition from ratepayers residing in Moa place, oS Madras street North, asking to have their street regraded. The matter was referred to the Works Committee. CORRESPONDENCE. Letters were read :— From Mr R. Beetham, Coroner, forwarding the rider of a jury at the inquest on the body of a child, as follows :— " The Jury are of opinion that the attention of the Corporation should be directed to the filthy state of the drains in Queen street, between Tuam and Lichfield streets." The Mayor said that he had inspected the locality, and the opinion he came to was that Queen Btreet was better served in the way of flushing than many of the principal streets in the town. No nuisance existed, nor was there likely to be if the residents in the locality were careful of the nature of the matter they allowed to flow into the channels. The rider, he thought, waa rather far-fetched, because he had been assured by medical men that infantile diarrhcea was very prevalent at the present time in all localities. He referred to an article which had appeared in one of the evening papers, censuring the Council in connection with this matter. In the same issue of the paper was a paragraph statin? what the Btate of affairs really was. He read both the article and the paragraph in question. He resented the imputations contained in the article ; and said that it waa most uncalled for that when the Council was employing more men and doing more than it had ever done before to abate nuisances that had been caused by the people themselves, it should be oensured in this way. The matter, too, had been telegraphed over the Colony, and it had been thus made to appear that Christchurch, instead of being an exceedingly healthy place, contained disgracefully filthy spots. Councillor Patrick, who had inspected the street, corroborated the Mayor's remarks. Councillor Humphreys asked if the Council had no means of resenting the imputations contained in the article read by the Mayor. . He did not know which paper it had appeared in, but he thought some action should be taken by the Council. Could not a resolution be passed ? The Mayor thought that it would be of no use to pass a resolution. The Coroner's letter was then formally received. From the Gas Company, in reply to a complaint in regard to the lighting of the Town Clock, stating that the meter had been changed and instructions given to water it more frequently. The letter was received. From the Gas Company, in reply to the Council, Btating that the quality of the gas had been maintained, with great care, somewhat in excess of the standard quality. Received. FIBE BRIGADE. The Superintendent of the Fire Brigade submitted a report on the fires which had occurred during the past quarter. The Fire Brigade Committee reported that three thousand feet of rubber-lined hose wore required to replace that now in use. The Committee recommended that the hose be procured from Messrs Shand, Maßon and Co., London. Some suction hose waa also needed. The report was adopted. BY-LAW COMMITTEE. The By-law Committee reported as follows: — Your Committee has considered the petition from cabmen, asking the Council to restrict plying for hire to six days of the week in issuing licenses for the ensuing year. Your Committee does not find it is the practice for cabs to ply fox hire on Sundays, and therefore cannot recommend the Council to make any alteration in the direction asked for. With respect to Mr Banks* letter with reference to the by-law relating to licensed weighbridges, your Committee considers it the duty of purchasers to see that the provisions of the by-law are not infringed. Any particularised caßes brought under the notice of the Committee,' would be considered and dealt with. In relation to the custodian of the Council's weighbridge, a new man has been appointed, and there is no doubt that he will give the public general satisfaction. Your Committee has considered the applications for licenses for owners and drivers of Hackney and Borough atage carriages, and begs to recommend that they be dealt with in accordance with the Hats attached hereto. The report was adopted. LIQHT-WBIGHT BREAD. After discussion, it was resolved to draw the attention of the Inspector of Weights and Measures to the fact that several j bakers were selling bread deficient in weight. OFFICIAL PAPER. It was resolved that the Lytielton Times be the official paper of the Council for the year 1891. BOLLS. The Town Clerk was authorised to close the general and special rate rolls for 1889---90. These showed : Assessment £20,886 ; total value of rate .£10,044 16a 6d, collected .£10,036 Ga; drainage rate, total £10,019 6a,

collected .£lO,Oll 63; Waimakariri river rate, total .£14t38 9s lOd, collected £1464, 15s; special city drainage rate, total .£1674 Is, collected J61672 14s 4d. The Council then adjourned.