BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 399, 22 September 1875, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

LYTTELTON. The usual meeting was held on Monday night last. Present His Worship the Mayor, Crs Chalmers, Buist, W. Graham, Allwright, F. Graham, and P. Cunningham. The clerk stated he had received during the week £29 7s. Correspondence was read— From Mr. H. Wynn Williams, running as follows:—" I hereby give you notice that by the proposed alteratioato the streets the roadway to the back premises of the Albion Hotel from Canterbury street will be closed; , the dining room windows will be partly blocked up ; the door to the taproom will be . quite closed, and would have to be closed up altogether j the trap door to the cellar would be entirely buried. As the buildings and casements referred to have been in existence fox over twenty years, the owner has obtained a presumptive right which the Council cannot interfere with, unless with his express consent. You are hereby therefore warned that proceedings will be taken in the Supreme Court to restrain any interference with the above rights." After discussion on this matter, it was resolved to let the question stand over for the present. From Messrs J. Robinson and Son, claiming the sum of £25 from the Council for goods destroyed and rope used on the night when the Mitre Hotel was burned, stating that their building was pulled dowr, and the rope used by direction of the fire inspector. His Worship read the 334th section of the Municipal Corporations Act bearing on this matter, from which it appeared the Council was not responsible, and it was decided that a letter should be sent referring Mr Robinson to the clause. From Mr H. T. Bowers, stating that as he was only a quarterly tenant, he did not feel justified in building a retaining wall opposite his photographic studio in Canterbury street; ' After! discussion, it was determined to leave the matter in abeyance. Accounts were passed, amounting to £8 The foreman of works stated that he had commenced the work on the bridle path, and that the removal of the clay would take about ten days. The Mayor stated that the finance committee had had one meeting, and would ' bring up their report next Monday. Cr Allwright asked the Mayor if he hud seen the plans for the sewers, and thought < : the drains Would be large enough. The Mayor said he had seen the plans, ' and thought that the drains would suffice to • carry off the storm water. Cr, Chalmers said be had before given an approximate of the acreage drained by the various gullies;:—l. Salt's Gully, from Mr George Tayler's corner upwards, was a - length of 50 chains, by a medium width of 20 chains, which was equal to 100 acres. 2. The Canterbury street, or Oldfield's Gully, taking the entire valley from Exeter street upwards, was C 7 chains by 30 chains, equal to 201 acres, of which about 45 acres appear to drain to Grubb's Gully, and the remaining 150 acreß by the Canterbury street culvert. 3. Oxford street, or Brenchley Gully, taking

I the entire valley from Exeter street upward, and including the western slope of reserve 68 to th» ridge of Sumner Hill, was 07 chain" by 40 chains, equal to 268 acres, of which about 55 acres drain into the main channel by the St David street branch, and about 30 acres or thereby will enter by Sumner road, leaving about 183 acres to drain by the main culvert where it enters the town. He thought they would see from this comparison that the proposed culvert for Salt's Gully was equal to the requirements. Cr Allwright said he thought the Government might have sent the plans to the Council for their approval before tenders were called for. The matter then dropped. Cr W. Graham handed in the following notice of motion to be considered on October 4th:—" What action the Council proposed to take to supply the town with water during the coming summer," Cr Buist requested that the Rev J. D. Fergusson should be written to respecting the dangerous state of the road on his property in Dampier's Bay. Cr Chalmers moved Jthat the returning officer at the last election receive the usual remuneration. This was seconded by Cr Buist and carried. Cr P. Cunningham handed in a copy of a proposed new Act entitled the Municipal Corporations Loan Act, 1875, which had been sent by Mr H. R. Webb. His Worship read the Bill, and comments were passed by the various Councillors. Cr P. Cunningham asked how was the proposed loan for Lyttelton to be expended. Cr W. Graham said that he had prepared a statement of the requirements of the town some time ago, which included, besides drainage, a free library and a town hall, and also repairing properly the streets. Cr Allwright said his idea was that the loan should be spent solely in the branch drains, and in the water supply scheme, certainly not either in mending the streets, which should be done out of the ordinary expenditure, or in a town hall. Cr Chalmers moved that the Act should be considered by the finance committee, and that suggestions should be made by them to their member, Mr Webb. He thought they should be careful how they expended any loan, as if they at once completed the necessary works they should have no future claim on the Government. Cr W. Graham seconded the motion, which was carried. Cr Chalmers asked if there were. any clause in the proposed Municipal Act that contained any powers of rating for fire prevention purposes. His Worship said he thought not. The Council then adjourned.