LYTTELTON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6290, 22 September 1898, Page 2

LYTTELTON.

The fortnightly meeting of the Lyttelton Borough Council was held on Monday, evening ; - present — the Mayor . (Mr , A. : Chalmers) .-. -and ... Councillors Brown, '. Field, Radcliffe, Owen, Lewin, Webb, Grubb and Dally. Correspondence was received : — From the dressmaking ' department of Messrs J. W. Smith- and C0., -asking the .Council to change their weekly half-holi-day from Saturday to Thursday. The opinion of . the borough solicitor, to the effect that the Council had no power to grant the request, was read. The matter of the fire escape from the Colonists' Hall was referred to the Works Committee to arrange with the Board of Education. Mrs Jane Wilson, whose husband had been in the railway employ for twenty-three years and who had recently died, waited upon the Council with a petition to the Government asking for an increased compassionate allowance. She had received only i>so. The members of the Council signed the petition. It was decided that the Benevolent Aid Society should have the use of the Colonists' Hall free for the concert recently given. The report . of the Finance Committee recommended accounts for payment amounting to j>ls2 12s 4d, and reported receipts since last meeting £264 2s lOd. The overdraft at the bank was ■£872 3s 4d. The committee was instructed to lay before the next meeting the list of unpaid rates, rents, &c. The report of the Works Committee dealing with several matters of detail was received, and the committee was granted an extension of time to report upon the improvement of the upper portion of Hawkhurst Eoad. Councillor Lewin drew attention to the Slaughtering and Inspection Bill now before Parliament, and pointed otit that J the measure, if passed, would compel local bodies to establish and maintain public abattoirs. He considered that the Bill should contain a provision compelling the vendors of meat to slaughter at the public abattoir in the district where the meat was sold, otherwise the scheme might have a serious effecjb upon the finances of the smaller boroughs. It was decided to write to the member for the district on the subject. An application from Mr Laurenson, for the use of a room in the Colonists' Hall For meetings of a boys' class, was referred to the Hall Committee. A few other matters of detail were disposed of, and the meeting closed.