CITY WORKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 206, 1 September 1936, Page 12

CITY WORKS.

SUBSIDY SCHEMES.

FURTHER £10,40.0 NEEDED. SPECIAL ORDER ARRANGED. 'The advisability of expediting the completion of the Gillies Avenue, Stone Jug, and Waikumete Cemetery subsidised works has had my close consideration for some time past, and I am now in a position to submit to the council proposals which, if adopted, should ensure that the jobs will be finished in about four months' time," said the Mayor. Mr. Ernest Davis, in a report to the Auckland Citj' Council last evening. "The prosecution .of this scheme will involve an additional expenditure of £10,400 and the introduction of the 40hotir week," he added.

In 1034 an unemployment relief loan of £08,000 was raised for 21 separate works. In the allocation of the loan proceeds, the" Stone Jug received £20,000, Gillies Avenue £13,000, and Waikumete Cemetery £;">GOO, tlie total number of men employed being 230. Of the 21 works, all but the three under review have been completed. Recently it was found that the unexpended balance of loan moneys, £5770, was not sufficient to enable* the uncompleted undertakings to be finished within the allocations, as a consequence of which the council was faced with the necessity of raising the equivalent of 10 per cent ( £3560) on the sums allocated, as provided for under existing legislation. "Subsequently, it became apparent that, having adopted a 40-liour week for all other works, it would become an injustice to continue these jobs on a part-time basis, and it was on this understanding that the Government agreed to raise the subsidy to 45/ per man per week," said Mr. Davis. "The introduction of the new working week is estimated to involve an additional expenditure of £3110. The total cost of completing the three jobs is estimated at £24.110, of which an estimated subsidy of £7040 will be available. This subsidy is based on 45/ per man per week. Thus the amount the Council would require to raise by way of loan would be £10,400. As the council could not have recourse to ordinary revenue, but must depend upon loan moneys, steps were taken during my recent visit to Wellington to bring the matter under the notice of the Prime Minister and the -Minister of Finance, with a request' that the Government pass legislation authorising the council to raise the sum required by way of special order. Both Ministers expressed themselves as bing favourable to the proposal, and the Hon. Mr. Xash< instructed tlie Treasury to make provision for the necessary authority."

"In the subsequent discussions which the town clerk and the city engineer had with the Secretary of the Treasury on the actual details, it was established that, once an additional 10 per cent had been raised, no further money could be provided by way of loan," added Mr. Davis. "Accordingly, it was agreed not to utilise the existing authority for the raising of the 10 per cent additional ( £38(50), hut to seek legislation for the full amount required to complete the three works. I recommend the council to take advantage of this facility which the Treasury is prepared to make available, and instruct the city solicitor to draft a clause for incorporation in the relevant, legislation, providing for the Raising of £10,400 by way of special order,' and that the works at Gillies Avenue, Stone Jug and "Waikumete Cemetery be placed on the 40-hour week basis." The report was adopted.