CITY WORKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 183, 4 August 1936, Page 7

CITY WORKS.

LOAN OF £377,000.

FINANCES ARRANGED.

ENGAGEMENT OF LABOUR.

START NEXT MONDAY.

The works committee of the Auckland j City Council decided at a meeting yesterday afternoon to make an immediate start with the works included in the city loan scheme of £377,000, which was recently approved by the ratepayers. In addition to the loan there will be a Government subsidy of £50,450, making a grand total of £427,480. The whole of the loan has been taken up by an Auckland financial institution at 3\ per cent interest. A total of 284 men have been selected "or employment and next Monday morning 107 will make a start. The chairman of the works committee, Mr. Arthur Kosser, said to-day that the committee had taken the responsibility of starting the work, and that all the necessary arrangements had been made. The 284 men had been selected from cards furnished by the placement officer of the Labour Department out of a total of 000 cards provided. Xext Monday morning, he said, 107 men would be placed, as follows: Thirty at Tamaki, 35 at Avondale on street works, 18 on drainage work at Parnell, 12 on drainage work at Grey Lynn, and 12 on work to be allotted. The cards of the selected men, he added, would be returned to the placement office, and he would notify each man where to report for work. Ballot Method. Mr. Rosser said that the men would be allotted to work in their own district, as far as the work would go, after which the remainder required would be drawn by ballot from the men selected and living in any part of the city. The men would be divided up Into gangs, to avoid transference of labour or plant from one part of the city to another. In selecting the work to start on, the main idea was to absorb as much labour as possible*

The selection of labour was entirely free from favouritism, and Mr. Rosser pointed out that it would be no use making applications at • tlie Town Hall, as the placing was all to be done by the responsible officer of the Labour Department. Tradesmen required would be engaged through their respective unions. Mr. Rosser said that a gratifying feature was that all the ' money required had been arranged in Auckland. All plans were ready, and the whole scheme would be pushed ahead without delay. He added that more money could have been secured in Auckland had it been necessary to obtain it. The works proposed and the estimated cost for each are: Street works, including extension of Nelson Street, £291,742; drainage within the city area, £09,120; waterworks, £54,000; conveniences, £10,000; abattoir administrative block, £2300. The total estimated cost, including £318 for raising the loan, is £427,480. The estimated subsidies on the five projects are respectively j £25,200, £8650, £15,530, £900, £200, making a total of £50,480. The amounts to be raised in each case are: £266,542, I £00,470, £38,470, £9100, £2100 and £318 (cost of loan), making a total of £377,000. Fourfold Purpose. "The programme lias a fourfold purpose," stated the Mayor, Mr. Ernest Davie, in Ills recent financial review. "It will enable progressive work to be carried out that is necessary to the development of the city; it will arrest any tendency towards stagnation; it will enhance the settlement prospects of the areag to be improved; and it will ensure at least a degree of continuity of emploj'inent for those dependent on municipal activity.

"Other justifying factors are the low rate of interest and the substantial nature of the Government subsidy. The funds available from the 1934 unemployment relief loan of £68,000 are nearing exhaustion, and of the 21 works 17 have been completed. The new programme should assist materially in the reabsorption of even a greater number than are employed on subsidised works to-day.

"The board's authority stipulates that the loan is to be raised in New Zealand; that it is to have a currency of 24 years; that the rate of interest shall not exceed £3 10/ per cent per annum; and that the rate of sinking fund be not less than £2 15/." Street Improvements. "Eighty-six separate streets are' included in the schedule. In the case of over 00, provision is made for general I improvement. Of the remaining streets, which lie in the older portions of the city, 25 are to be resurfaced. The drainage scheme comprises 14 works in Parnell, 12 in Ponsonby, seven in Avondale, seven in Grey Lynn, six in Remuera, and six in Tamaki.

"The waterworks programme covers the construction of access roads to the pipelines, the improvement of the tramline in the Waitakere Ranges, a new depot on the Ponsonby reservoir site, and the construction of a new reinforced reservoir. The work will make available valuable sites, on the Ponsonby and Karangahape Road frontages. "It is proposed to erect 10 new conveniences and shelters of modern design, most of which will be constructed in the city. A bathing shed will be built at St. Helier's Bay, and shelter and dressing rooms at Blockhouse Bay reserve.

"The erection of an administrative building at the municipal abattoirs has been found necessary as a result of an increase in business. The building will include provision for the inspectional staff and first aid units. The Department of Agriculture insists that more suitable accommodation be provided for the increased staff of meat inspectors."