CITY COUNCIL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 244, 14 October 1932, Page 9

CITY COUNCIL.

INVESTING SINKING FUNDS,

TENNIS COURTS ON DOMAIN AREA

WAITAKERE RIDGE ROAD,

The ordinary meeting of the Auckland City Council was held last night, the Mayor, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, presiding. The request of the council for an Order-in-Council to enable sinking fonds to be withdrawn from the common fund of the Public Trust Office, to be invested in ethar securities, was declined in a letter received from the acting-Minister of Finance. "If the Public Trustee is to hold the money the Government should see that more than 4 per cent is paid," remarked Mr. A. J. Entrican. "For some of the smaller local bodies the position ie serious." Stanley Street Courts.—The secretary of the Auckland Lawn Tennis Association wrote regarding the lease of the courts in Stanley Street, and aeking the council to lease to the association further areas, including a etrip of 15 i'eet wide along the southern boundary. Mr. J. B. Pat- 1 erson, protested against any further spoliation of the Domain. Mr. E. i?helan said room must be left on the southern side of the ground for a footpath. Mr. H. R.. Jenkins urged that the council should give sympathetic consideration to the request, and said that in other cities the municipality provided facilities for such games. Mr. Grey Campbell said there was no cry "hauda off the Domain" when land was given to the Auckland Bowling Club. On the motion of the Mayor the request was declined, and the matter was sent to the parks committee, with instructions to confer with the association in regard to a modified scheme.

Street Lighting.—Messrs. H. P. Burton and E. J. Phelan, together with the city engineer, were appointed delegates to a conference of local bodies called by the Auckland Electric Power Board for Wednesday next, to discuss the street lighting system.

Waitakere Ridge Road.—The chairman of the Waitemata County Council for warded a copy of a resolution carried at >:■■ conference of local bodies and others, as follows:—"That an endeavour be made to get the Unemployment Board to place 400 men in the ranges to make the proposed Waitakere Rtdgway Drive, from Titirangi to Ptikematekeo, at the Swanson end of the range, and to get the Public Works Department to take over the supervision of the work." The estimated cost was £57,000. The city engineer reported that the proposed road would not interfere with the watershed area. On the motion of the Mayor the council approved the scheme, providing the water supply was not affected and the council was not involved in the cost, the town planning committee to keep iii touch with developments. .

Proposed Name Unpopular.—Residents of Margaret Street, Ponsonby, protested against the alteration of the name to Grace Street. Their petition was referred to the next meeting, at which the question of altering street names is expected to come .up.

Access to Blandiord Park.—The property committee, reporting on the proposal to charge the Auckland Football Association £6 a year for the right to use a strip of land giving access to Blandiord Park from Graftoii Road, and from Wynyard Street, stated that a deputation from the association had stated that the council had promised to lease the association the strip of land in question at a nominal rental of 1/ a year. The committee's recommendation that this agreement be carried out was adopted.

Victoria Aroade.—The ground lease of the Victoria Arcade expires in one year, and Messrs. S. Vaile and Sons, writing to the City Council on behalf of the tenants, desired to know the intentions of the council, which owns the property. The property committee recommended to the City Council:—(l) That Auckland architects be invited to submit competitive plans and specifications, embodying proposals which they consider might be carried out to modernise Victoria Arcade Buildings, and that a prize of £105 be offered for the proposal which the council considers the most suitable, the amount to be deducted from the architect's fees if the work is proceeded with; (2) That tenants of the building be advised that it is the council's present intention not to disturb the existing tenancies, except so far as modernisation of the building may make that necessary. The committee stated that it would report at an early date ae to the work it considered should be carried out on the building. In the meantime it recommended that the tenants be advised that the council expected, when taking possession, to be able to offer satisfactory tenures to the tenante. The committee's recommendations were adopted.

Glen Innes Beach.—Residents in the neighbourhood of Glen Innes Beach petitioned the council for bathing sheds and conveniences, improved road access to the beach, and shelter trees. The petition was referred to the parks committee.