CITY COUNCIL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4741, 5 September 1893, Page 1

CITY COUNCIL.

1 ♦ The usual meeting of the Christ-church ' City Council was held last evening ; pre- ' e ent — The Mayor and Councillors Bon--1 nington, Gray, Flesher, Widdowson, E. 1 Smith, Thomson, Appleby, J. T. Smith, 1 Wood, Anderson, Payling, Gapes, Swarm, Calder and Cooper. NOTICK OP MOTION. The Mayor gave notice to move at the next meeting—" That in future all workmen employed by thi3 Council eball have one half-holiday during the week, either on Thursday or Saturday, and that no pay shall be deducted." CITT AND SUBtTBBAN TRAMWAY COMPANY. Mr F. E. Wright, the manager of the City and Suburban Tramway Company, was granted permission to wait on the 1 Council with respect to the line in Stanmore road. In thi3 connection the Surveyor's report was read as follows :— "The Worts Committee desired me to report to the Council on the subject of the suburban tramway in Richmond. Repeated applications have been made to the Company to complete the work on the Stanmore road, which is in a very bad condition. In a reply dated August 1 the Company stated- that the Btate of the road resulted from the Council not having put in culverto or bridges, which, the Company says, did not form a part of the concession, and the question of culverfcp, they continue to assert, the Council agreed to undertake. The Committee replied on August 16, pointing out that the Council never undertook to find culverts or bridges, and called upon the Company to put them in and complete the road at once. The Company has neither attended to one nor ilia other, and wrote, on August 28, reiterating the statement that the Council consented to put in the bridges and culverts. The minutes of the Council of June 20 last clearly show that the only departure from the concession allowed by the Council was the difference in length of the roads leading into Stanmore road to be regiaded. The Committee brings the matter before the Council in order to have it definitely settled whether its view of the culvert question or that of the Company is the correct one." Mr Wright said he had thought that the matter had already been settled, and he considered it hard that it should be brought up again. According to the deed of concession the Company had to grade the road, and no mention had been made of culverts. In reply to a question, Mr Wright said the grading of the main street had not necessitated the culvert 3. Correspondence and reports in connection with this matter having been produced, a discussion took place. Councillor Widdowson moved the adoption of the Work's Committee's report, and its view of the question. This motion was declared carried. Councillor Flesher moved — " That unless the Company undertake this work at once, it be done at it 3 expense." It was pointed out that the motion had ; approved of the actionß of the Works Committee, which was forcing the Com- ' pany in this direction. CORRESPONDENCE. < The Linwood Borough Council wrote suggesting reopening negotiations regard- • ing the Tuam street drain. ■ A reply was ordered to be seat that the 1 City Council would be happy to further consider the matter. 1 Mr Charle3 Clark, on behalf of Mr H. W. 1 Lee, wrote concerning a piece of land ' which he offered to the Council for £150. 1 The matter was referred to the Works - Committee. 1 Mrs Kent wrote, asking the Council for a refund of a fine of .£5. The matter was referred to the By-law Committee. Councillor Gray said that there wa3 a - most peculiar circumstance in connection : with the case. Mrs Kent had been fined 1 £5 in May for holding a meeting without a license, and, as a matter of fact, the ' theatre had been licensed in March. She had a right to receive the fine of £5 back. I The Hospital Board wrote, asking the ■ Council to take action in connection with f the Contagion? Diseases Act. t Councillor Gray moved — "That the I Board be informed that the Council decline " to undertake the responsibility of putting ) the Contagious Diseases Act into oneration." b Councillor E. Smith seconded the motion. t Councillor Appleby considered the matter I should be dealt with at once. Councillor Wood moved an amendment 1 —"That this Council, as a Board of ', Health, invite a conference of local bodies concerning the Contagious Disease Act, i and the advisability of enforcing it in a Christchurcb." ) The motion was carried. l A letter was received from the police 3 with reference to the by-law to prevent 3 persons from driving or riding quickly over 1 street crossings, and it was decided, after 7 discussion, that the question of enforcing the by-law should be left to the discretion f of the Inspector of Police, b Mr Murphy, secretary of the Society I for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, . wrote asking the Council to improve the , watering-place near Armagh street so as j to allow horses to have easier access to the water, a The matter was referred to the Ee3ervea Committee, i city surveyor's report. The City Surveyor reported that a man 1 lately in the employ of the Council Bought t some light emplojmsnt. He had been with tbo Council for twelve yeara, and had •i mot with an accident -while doing its y work. A letter frsni tho Manager of the I Canterbury Tramway Company requested

the Council to undertake ther repair of the Company's lines in Christc'nCTch for a fixed annual payment, and also requested the permission of the Council to remove the tram lines from Manchester street. The "Works Committee bad considered the matter, and recommended the Council to give permission to remove the tramway from Manchester street, so far as the Council had authority to do so. As to the repaira, the Committee thought that the sum required to be expended annually was so small that it would be unadviseable to take the matter out of the Company's hands. All the willows on the banks of the river between Carlton bridge and Ward's brewery had been pruned, and some of the worst shaped entirely removed and small ones planted. The men were now employed planting some forest treeß in Latimer and Cranmer Equares. Twentyone of the extra hands had been paid off last week. The widening of the river road near Mr Bowron's property had been completed, as was also the new street on Mr Bowron'a property, with the exception of the broken metal and come stone pitchers, which were now being delivered. The fencing of the recently-purchased frontages on Stanmore road would be completed during the week. The report was adopted. CEMETERY REPORT. The Cemetery Committee reported that Mr Langford, undertaker, had asked the Committed to make the following alterations in the Cemetery by-law : — To consider Sections 2 and 3 as one, and give permission to select plots in Classes 2 and 3 without payment at time of selection, but to be paid for when it waa wished to purchase the used plots at some future time, and that the depth 6ft should be altered to read 7ft 6in, that is, that all plots be sunk to a depth of 7ft 6in where required without extra payment, ay provided for in the by-law. That second interments in one plot be allowed when the second body to be interred is of a blood relation, and such second interment cm be effected without restrictions to length of time from the first interment. Persons shall have the privilege of erecting stones in Class 3as well as in Class 2. That 9ft x 4ft plots shall be divided into four parts 4ft 6in x 2ft each for children, and if any of them are purchased the price shall be 10s per plot. The Committee asked for authority to have the by-law amended to meet the above proposals. The matter was referred back to the Committee. BY-LAW COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The By-law Committee reported that it had considered the question of issuing licenses to carriers in Sumner through the Sumner Borough Council interfering with those issued to Christchurch carriers carrying on their calling in Sumner, and recommended that so long as the Sumner Council did not interfere with the Christchurch carriers doing business in Sumner, the Council would not insist on carriers living in Sumner taking out licenses in Christchurch. The report was adopted. QUESTION. In reply to Councillor Flesher, the Surveyor said that steps were being taken to carry off water accumulating in Richmond. FINANCIAL. The accounts showed that the debit ba'ance Btood at £3499 5a sd. The receipts during the month had been £883 10a. The payments to be made totalled £1049 Is 6d. The Cemetery fee 3 had amounted to £70 Is 6d, and the interest account to £142 179. The general rates received during the month were £522 43 sd. BUSINESS. Councillor Widdowaon moved pursuant to notice — " That in future no business be transacted by the Council after ten o'clock." ' Councillor Gray desired the motion to be amended to read—" No new business be taken after 10.30." The motion was amended accordingly and carried. A DISPUTED RULING. Councillor Widdoweon, pursuant to notice, appealed against a ruling by the Chairman at last meeting, that the Council had no power to appoint the caretaker at the Chester street station. He spoke at some length on the matter, contending that the caretaker was a servant of the Council, and not an officer of the Fire Brigade. The Mayor said he was asked to decide on a point of order raised against Councillor Gray's ruling at last meeting. Councillor Widdowaon said that with all due deference to the position of Mayor, he considered that Mr George was taking up an attitude totally unwarranted. He was not asked to give any ruling at all. The Councillors were the judges, and the Chairman had nothing to do but to put the motion. The Mayor said he had looked up the ruleß and consulted authorities, and he maintained that as his ruling had not yet been obtained he would giye it now, and it could be traversed if required at the next meeting. Councillor Widdowson said the actingChairman had all the powers of the Mayor, and his acts were the acts of a Mayor. The Mayor insisted on giving his ruling, which he had put in writing. The ruling of Councillor Gray waa thereby reversed. Councillor J. T. Smith said that he had nothing to say against the terms of the ruling, but totally dmgreed with the way in which it was given, which, he said, would establish a most dangerous precedent. The Mayor said he had followed the procedure of the Legislative Assembly. Councillors Smith and Anderson said that it was not so. The Speaker did not decide on a travesty of his own ruling. Councillor Gray commenced to speak, when the Mayor interrupted him. Councillor Gray said he objected to be interrupted by the Mayor, who had taken up a most presumptuous position in ruling against him as he had done. Were it not that it was notorious that the Mayor had a great bias against him, he would not have spoken, but as it was he objected to the Mayor coming to the Council and flaunting his ruling over his (Councillor Gray's) head and stalking about the streets the next day bragging about how he had reversed the ruling of Councillor Gray. It was the greatest piece of presumption that had ever come from the Mayoral chair for many months. He (Councillor Gray) had had a great deal more experience in the chair than the present Mayor. Councillor Flesher spoke in the same strain. The Mayor said he considered himself to be the higher official of the Council, to whom everything should be referred. He was like the Speaker of the House, and had a right to decide. The motion of Councillor Widdowson wag seconded by Councillor Anderson, and carried, Councillor Gray not voting. MISCELLANEOUS. A discussion took place on the appoint- j ment of a caretaker for the Chester street Brigade Station. Ultimately Mrs Winstone was appointed to the position. Councillor Gray asked that quotations ; should be obtained from the Gas Company for the supply of gas to the large street lamps. Councillor Pay ling asked that steps should be taken to have the door between the Theatre Royal and the Palace Hotel kept open. It was decided to write to the Licensing Committee and ask that this door might be allowed to be opened. At 11.10 p.m." the Council adjourned for a fortnight.