"NO MEAN CITY."

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 171, 21 July 1924, Page 7

"NO MEAN CITY."

ACTIVITIES OF COUNCIL. AN AMBITIOUS PROGRAMME. Replying on behalf of the City Council j to the toast of "Civic Bodies" at the Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen's annual dinner on Saturday,' the Deputy-Mayor JMr. George Baildon) gave an interesting ' account of " the numerous activities of the Council and its several committees. Speaking of the tax on taxi-motors, he said the judgment given at the Supreme Court the other day might be all right in law, but the council wanted larger powers; those that used the roads—'both taxis and others —should pay a "fair thing." The council had now a big programme in view, th,e amount to be expended being £640,000. of which £440,000 would go in fixing up the secondary streets of the city, many of which were not quite what t'\ey ought to lx\ and the balance would be used' in concreting certain main roads. Another important matter the council had in hand was the lighting of all street,* by electricity. A contract had been entered, into with the Power Board, which was.to make a start next -week, and would have every street in Auckland lit by electricity by 1928, the annual cost to be £24,000, so something better than the present system γ-as expected. Other matters touched on included the Civic Square, of ■which he said a plan of th» successful design would be exhibited to the public next November,, when they would see what the council' proposed to do wit'/ this important area. In the matter of street widening the council had several schemes in mind, including the putting of a road through; the old fehortland Street Post Office, and it was hoped eventually to go right through to Customs Street. As an indication of the progress of Auckland,' Mr. Baildon mentioned that up to March SI last the building permits issued for the year represented a value of £1,431,264, or if they included the metropolitan area, £2,500,000. Mr. Baildon also, referred to the waterworks schemes of the council, and while 'be knew that the Auckland water was pure, he thought, its colour might be improved,, and suggested that it should?be filtered. There was no. doubt that Auckland was the leading city of the Dominion, and 'some said it waß one the leading cities in Australasia, and the. council wa?, fully seized of the importance of keeping up-to-date, arid sustaining the high reputation that Auckland had achieved.