CITY COUNCIL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6795, 15 May 1900, Page 1

CITY COUNCIL.

An adjourned meeting of ithe Christchurch City Council was held last evening ; present — The Mayor (Mr W. Recce), Councillors C". M. Gray, W. E. Samuels, M. Sandstein, C. D. Morris, W. H. Cooper,. T. Kincaid,- H. B. Sorensen, W. Prudhoe, R. A. Green, J. T. Smith, G. Payling and G. Andrews.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors J. Clarke and A. Appleby. Councillor Gray said he would like to refer to the present position of the city loan. It was some months now since the loan had been authorised, but the- public did not appear to have responded freely in taking up the debentures, and several important works were hung up meanwhile. He thought that they might apply to the Government for the balance under the Loans •to Local Bodies Act passed last session. He moved — " That the Finamce Committee communicate with the (iovernment to inquire whether the balance of the loan can be advanced under the Loans to Local Bodies Act."

Councillor Morris seconded the motion

It was suggested by several Councillors that another effort might be made to obtain the money locally, and if that failed, then the Government, might De applied to. Councillor Gray accepted the suggestion, and his motion was altered to read 1 — " That the Finance Committee take steps to have the balance of the loan floated at once." In that form it was carried without opposition.

;.. Mr W. B. Scott, contractor for alterations and additions to the (D.I.C, wrote, applying", for permission to. erect a hoarding enclosing for four months the footpath and one-third of the roadway in front of the D.I.C. building in Lichfield Street.

On the motion of Councillor Sandstein, seconded by Councillor Kincaid, it was decided to grant a permit, conditionally on .the road, being uninjured. . .

Messrs Lomax and HoaTe wrote, asking, on behjalf of a client, whether the Council would be prepared to sell the land ; dn Lichfield Stre«t lately occupied' by the Fire Brigade Station.

The letter was received, and it was decided to reply that the Council had decided not to sell the site. .

.1 The Secretary of the .Builders' and Contractors' Association wrote, asking if the Council would receive a deputation from the Association on the subject of the erection of hoardings/ in front of buildings in course of erection .

It was decided to reply that tie Council would receive a deputation at its nest meet\ng. . \ The Council then went into committee to consider the estimates for the year 1900---1901. ■ ■ J

Several amendments were made, and the estimates witih those alterations were approved. The general receipts were estimated at £7287 13s Bd, while the overdraft of £13,000 to be paid out of loan brought the amount to £20,287 13s Bd. The chief items in the general receipts were: — Auctioneers' licenses £1120, publicans' licenses £1720, local licenses £750, rents £1079, dog tax £240, fire prevention (suburban boroughs) £330, outstanding accounts £1141 13s Bd. The total expenditure was estimated at £34,628 5s 9d. In this the largest amounts were: — Works £12,134, balance at bank £14,370, Fire Brigade £1447, office salaries £1309, nighteoil contract £1500, interest £1915, Mayor £450 (extra amount, of £250 for Jubilee celebrations included), ""printing and advertising £250. To" meet the deficiency of £14,340 12s Id, a rate of Is 3d in the £ on £220,800 will give £13,800. The estimated receipts and expenditure for charitable institutions showed a deficiency of £1453 3s, to meet wliich, a rate of l£d in the £ on £220,800 will produce £1380. Interest account No. 1 showed a deficiency of £2000 2s lOd, to meet which a rate of 2^d in .the £ on £213,000 will produce £2000. The Richmond loan account deficiency was set down as £67 6s 4d, to meet which a rate of 2d in the £ on £7900 will produce £65 16s Bd/

The work done in committee was reported, and it was decided to hold a special meeting at noon on Thursday, May 31, to strike the necessary rates. At 11.30 p.m. the meeting closed.