CITY COUNCIL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5498, 25 February 1896, Page 1

CITY COUNCIL.

— ♦ — OEDINAEY MEETING. An ordinary meeting of the Christchurch City Council was held yesterday evening ; present — the Mayor, and Councillors Widdowsbn, Gray, Andrews, Kincaid, Sandstein, Sorensen, Appleby, Prudhoe, Bunting,' Payling and Connal. Apologies were received for the absence of Councillors J. T. Smith, Stewart and Samuels. FINANCE. Items of finance were reported as follows :— Debit balance at the bank, .£2288 7s 5<L Receipts Bince last meetingGeneral account j6199 8s 4d, cemetery account .£2B^ 16s 6d, suspense account 4515 9s 4d, interest account .£8 Bs. Expenditure— General account .£327 153, suspense account .£2. The accounts presented were passed for payment. . . ; ■ THE MAXOK. •" TheMayorsaidthatanofferhadbeenmade by Mr W. H. Lane to sell what was known as Lane's Mill to the Council for .£BOO. The matter would have to be considered at the present meeting. A letter/ had been received from the Selwyn County Council, forwarding a copy of its slaughterhouse by-laws, which would be referred to the Sanitary Committee. He had received an anonymous letter, reflecting on certain of the Council's workmen, and he wished it to be understood that neither the Council nor himself ever took the slightest notice of anonymous letters. (Hear, hear.) lane's mill. Mr Lane's letter offering to sell Lane's Mill and the island on which it stood, was discussed. It stated that Mr Lane was willing to accept terms, and would like an early reply. Councillor Widdowson moved, and Councillor Andrews seconded — " That the letter be referred to the Finance Committee/ Councillor Gray, thought that the matter should be referred to the Works Committee, to ascertain what use could be made of the property. After some further discussion Councillor Widdowson altered his motion so as to read — " That the letter be referred to the Works and Finance Committees to report." After some further conversation the motion was carried. PETITION. A petition was received from a number of licensed carriers, asking the Council to asphalt half the width of the footpath along that portion of Cathedral Square immediately abutting on the carriers' stand. The letter was referred to the Works 'Committee, with power to act. NAVY LEAGUE. A circular was read from' the Canterbury branch of the Navy League, inviting the co-operation and support of the Council. The letter was Teceived. CEPT SURVEYOR'S REPORT. The City Surveyor reported that (1) The Works Committee had had under consideration the request of the carriers to be permitted to erect a telephone room in Cathedral Square, and was reluctantly | obliged to recommend that the request should be declined, as it would be an eyesore in the Square. (2) The Works Committee recommended that one of the horses belonging to the Council should be sold. I (3) A stone dep6t had been secured fronting, Hereford Street west. (4) A complaint that dirty, water was being turned into the channel in Lichfield Street, between Colombo and High Streets, had been made. The City Surveyor said that the only way he saw of abating the nuisance would be to connect with the sewer running down High Street, or putting a concrete channel down the street from the Fire Brigade Station, and bringing water from that place to flush it. (5) The state of Cashel Street east, complained of by Councillor Connal, had been inquired into by the Chairman of the Works Committee and the City Surveyor, and they thought that the road was so little above the tram line that it would, in a very short time, be worn down to the same level as the rails. Clauses 1, 2, 3 and 6 of' the report were adoptedJ Clause 4 was received. BY-LAW COMMITTEE. ' A report of the By-law Committee recommended—(l) That three drivers' and one I kerosene license should be granted; (2) that a reply should be sent to the circular from Invercargill, regarding municipal fire insurance, to the effect that the Council would be pleased to send delegates to the proposed conference, provided 'it was held in Wellington, when the Municipal Conference meets there, so that the Council delegates could attend both. The report was adopted. On the motion of Councillor Widdowson, seconded by Councillor Gray, the By-law Committee was empowered to call for tenders for printing the by-laws, ' and the action it had. already taken in the matter was confirmed. ' SANITARY MATTERS. Councillor Gray asked if anything had been done in regard to certain drains which it had been stated in letters in the papers were offensive. The Mayor replied that these drains had been inspected, and found to be not as bad as was represented. Councillor Gray said that he noticed that there were a number of typhoid cases in the hospital, and according to the hospital by-laws ' the medical officer was supposed to report to the local Board of Health, the City Council, each case as it came in. The Town Clerk said that it had not been particularly well done. Some time 'ago reports had been received as to half a dozen cases, three of which came from within the city boundaries. The Inspector had been sent to report on the localities from which these cases came. Councillor Gray said that it was important that the cases should all be reported to the Council, but he was not sure whether the best place to bring the matter up was the Council or the Hospital Board. He would, however, refer to the question at the meeting of the Hospital Board. Councillor Appleby said that several parts of the city were very offensive on a Sunday morning. He thought it would be well if they were cleaned up then. Councillor Payling drew attention to a defective side channel in Manchester Street north. Councillor Sorensen called attention to the condition of the channel in Barbadoes Street. Councillor Andrews drew attention to the stoppage of storm water in St Asaph Street, near Aulsebrook's biscuit factory. The Town Clerk said that the channel had been purposely blocked up at the junction of St Asaph and Montreal Streets. Tho City Surveyor explained that the channels had been blocked up at the junction of the two streets because that was the highest point in the channel, and the water could not run round it. The meeting then closed.