CITY COUNCIL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4592, 14 March 1893, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL.

ORDINARY MEETING. An ordinary meeting of the Christcliurch City Corinoil was heldjlast might; present— the Mayor', Councillors Anderaon, Swnnn, Payling, Gapes, Wood, Calder, Thomson, Pleßher, E. Smith, Widdowaon, Bonnington, Cooper, Gray and Appleby. An apology for absence was received from Councillor J. T. Smith. FINANCIAL The City Treasurer reported receipts «in<te last meeting JE992 160 Id, payments M4A 11s lOd, leaving the debit balance £4469 19s lOd. The accounts were passed. THE MAYOR. The Mayor said there was nothing to report except that the funds for the relief, of the Queensland sufferers had amounted toJßlßßlin cash, and between JBSOO and £600 worth of goods had been sent; a.o that despite the delay the list presented a very creditable appearance. The several entertainments had passed off very satisfactorily. The central list would close that day, and a full statement would be presented on Thursday, but a supplementary lißfc would be kept open till Match 30, when the amount would be cabled over. 1 NOTICE OF MOTION. Councillor Smith gave notice that he , would, move j&t next meeting— "That the necessary steps be taken to levy a special rate for the purposes of fire prevention; also, that a special rate be struck for purposes of street watering, and that provision be made for these rates when preparing the estimates for the year." ' ' COBBBBPONDSNC^. . The Public .Works, Department wrote, ■asking the' Council's permission to remove the. two gum trees at the entrance to the old Government Buildings. ; The Mayor said that an officer of the Pablio Works Department had waited upon him and asked hiu permission to remove the trees, but he (the Mayor) did not care to take the responsibility, bo he had brought the matter before the Council. After discussion it was resolved— "That a Committee, consisting of Councillors Appleby and Gapes, and the City Surveyor, be appointed to decide whether the application Bhould be granted, and that they "be empowered to grant permission if desirable." The Drainage Board wrote, declining to 'take any stepß with reference to the drainage on the North and East Belts, as it considered that it had no responsibility in the matter. Councillor Widdowßon moved— "That the whole question be referred, to the Council's solicitor, Mr Joyn'i with instructions to state a case before the Judge." He had reason to believe that the Drainage Board would agree to the case being hronght before the Judge for deoision. ■ Councillor Wood seconded the motion pro forma, saying that there would be no ÜBe in stating a case, as the. Board appeared to be adopting an unreasonable course of inactivity. Councillor Gray moved as an amend- ! ment— " That the Surveyor be instructed to put the work in hand at once." Councillor Flesher seconded the amendment.' ' \ ■■: ■■ ■ -' . ■ After, a discussion, Councillor Gray altered his amendment to read, " That the Works Committee be instructed to put the work in hand at onoe." Further discussion took place, and a division resulted in seven votes being cant either way. The Mayor then gave hiß vote against the amendment. . The Mayor then put the motion as follows:—"That the Works Committee be requested to confer with Mr Joynt and en-' <Jeavonr to arrange with him to state a cage before the Court," whioh was carried newt. con. condoibkcb. : "The Mayor mentioned the Bad loss subtained by the Mayor of St Albana (Mr H. O. D. Meares) by the death of his wife. Councillor Applehy moved—" That tlm Counoil hears with the- deepest regret of the death of the Mayoress of St Albans, and desires to express its deepest sympathy with Mr Meareß in his bereavement/ Councillor Ajnderson seoonded the motion, whioh wbb carried unanimously. REPORT OF CITY STJEVBTOR. The City Surveyor reported as follows • — (1) An offer of a small piece of land at the east end of Salisbury street has been sent in by Mr J. B. Mansfield, at a yearly rental of £1 for three years, and the right of purchase within twelve months for £150, and the Works Committee recommends that the offer to rent it be accepted, and that ib be uaed aa a atone yard. (2) A couple, or perhaps three, fine daya will enable us to complete the top-dressing of the footpaths on the southern half of the city up to Worceater street, after which the asphalt men will be Bet to repair all bad and damaged places in the footpaths, and construct the entrances into private , property. (3) Th.& two iron culverts crossing Lichtield street and its junction with Colombo street are now in hand, and will be substituted for the Btone ones now at chat place, aa provided for in our yearly estimates. (4) During the last month I have had occasion several times to write to the Canterbury Tramway Company relative to the state of the roads, and in some instances the complaints have been attended to. (5) The Works Committee instructed me to ascertain vhe cost of connecting Bichmond with the fire alarm system, and I have reported that the' cost would be £25. (6) With regard to the crossing over the South belt asked for by the Sydenham Borough Council, the Workß Committee recommended that the request be granted, and that they be allowed to do the work on the city contributing half the coat, viz., £4> 10a. (7) An application from Mr Markeyfor a right-of-way four feet wide off Hereford street, as per plan ' annexed, has been received, and the Works Committee recommended that .consent be given on the usual terms and conditions. (8) A verbal application has been made by Mr G. Boberts to be allowed to make a right-of-way twenty-four and a quarter links wide, from the south-east corner of Cathedral square, and there Joea not appear to be any objection to its being granted. The clauses were discussed seriatim, and were passed, with the exception that Mr G. Roberts' application should be granted on a written request being made. The report &b a whole was passed. QUESTIONS. In reply to Councillor Gray, the Chairman of the Cemetery Committee said that the Committee had not taken any steps in connection with the mortuary chapel. He - understood that the Works Committee was going to bring up a report. He would call a meeting of the Committee and report at next meeting. EXTRA BTTBBIBH. Councillor ■ Wood moved, pursuant to notice— "That the acale introduced by Councillor Widdowaon should be charged for any removal outside the regular service, as it has been found that an immense quantity of material is being removed at rates ridiculously low, and to the detriment of the regular service." Councillor Gray seconded the motion, which evoked considerable disouasion, and was carried nem. con., BOWBON'b LAND. . Councillor Swarm moved, according to notice given—" That all necessary stepß be taken, under the Municipal Corpora* tiona Act, to acquire Bowron'fl land, fronting on the Biver road, so as to make such road a chain wide, and also the pieces of land jutting on the Stanmore road, belonging to Messrs Godfrey, M'llraith and Nash." Councillor Flesher seconded the motion, whioh was carried. TELEPHONE AT BICHMOND. Councillor Flesher moved— "That the Fire Prevention Committee be authorised to communicate with the Police Depart' ment with a view of having a telephone placed in the police dep6b at Richmond, so as to provide means of communication in ca«e of fire." Councillor Appleby seconded the motion, which waß carried unanimously. , MOBIITURV CHAPEL. Councillor Gapeß moved— "That the Works Committee be joined to the Cemetery Committed to consider the question of

erecting ff ni6fbuary^h]ipel?ih the cemetery.'- -•-•-■ v - *- Councillor Gray seconded the motion, which was carried. ; ' Coanoillor Ple»teri,mpve(l— " TKttt It is advisable to have the houses in the Biohmond ward numbered, and that the Works Committee be instructed to call upon the 'householders to number their houaea aa soon as possible, om the usual oonditiona." Councillor Calder' seconded the motion, which was carried. , Councillor Bonhingtori obtained leave of absence for one month. LIOSNBW. The consideration of several licenses was then taken,land the proceedings terminated. ; .' , ... v/\ \\\ I. . ]