CITY COUNCIL.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17611, 14 November 1922, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

I LAST NIGHTS MEETING. The Christchurch City Council met last night. Present: the Mayor (Dr. H. T. J. Thacker), "and Cra. J. A. Flesher (deputy-Mayor), A. Williams, A. McKellar, A. Manhire, E. H. Andrews, J. R. Brunt, C. W. Hervey, Wrf. AVinsor, R. D. Martin, E. McCombs, F. R. Cooke, H. Hunter, H. T. Armstrong, D. G. Sullivan, and the YVoolston representatives, Cfs. McGregor Wright, J. L. Gant, and L. HartLeave of absence was granted Cr. H. F. Herbert. Finance. The financial statement showed general rate levied £116,972, collected £16,255, outstanding £100,686. The district fund account was £157,067 in debit (overdraft £13,246, temporary loans £126,821, advance by electricity general account £17,000). Papanul District. The.lnternal Affairs Department advised that the poll on the proposal to include the Papanui district in tho city area would be taken on November 29th. Contract Slaughtering. The Abattoirs Committee reported 1 that tenders were received for slaughtering stock under the contract system at the abattoir, and the committee recommended that the tenders of Messrs Wootton and Sons, and W. Milner, be accepted. Mr Milner was at present employed at the abattoir, and was strongly recommended as a suitable man by the abattoir manager. A largo number of master butchers also forwarded a petition recommending him. Messrs Wootton and Sons were selected on account of their past experience as contract slaughtermen. One of the' sons was at present employed at the abattoir. The representative of the master butchers also recommended them. Cr. Hunter said the charges when j the manager's salary and the cost of administration were included, would be greater than under the former system. Cr. E. H. Andrews said the charges would work out a little higher than before, but even if tho old system had been retained, the Council would have had to make an increase in the,charges for the old scale would have resulted in a loss. Cr. H. T. Armstrong said nobody was going to benefit T>y the change. He predicted that within six months the contractors would be asking the Council to cancel the contracts. Cr. Andrews: You're wrong. On the motion for the adoption of the report, Cr. Martin moved an amendment that tho tender of W. C._ Carr should bo accepted in place of Wootton and Sons. The amendment was seconded by Cr. J. L. Gant. Cr H. Hunter complained that two contractors recommended by the Committee had put in different prices. Cr. A. McKellar said that when the abattoir was inaugurated there were two sets of prices in operation. Tho two contractors recommended by the committee were not procurable. Cr. J. A. Flesher eaid that the Council should not itself accept tenders but should leajve that to the butchers. AH that concerned the Council was that a sufficient charge should be made to coiver the cost of maintaining {Ke abattoir and that the abattoir was conducted properly. Cr E. H. Andrews said the Council would accept the tenders for the butchers. Cr. Flesher: We hare no right to do. that. The hutchers should make their own contracts. .. -. ■ Cr. Andrews said the concern of the committee* was that .a satisfactory service should be provided. He contended that the control system would not cost more than the former system, for the charges under the old system ivould have had to be increased in' order to prevent a loss. The fact that the two contractors had put in different prices would not cause any difficulty at all. - Cr. Martin's amendment was lost on the casting vote of the Mayor, and the report of tthe committee was adopted. The, State Advances Department advised that the Board would entertain the Council's application for a loan of £SOOO for the purpose of erecting workers' dwellings. The interest would be 4$ per cent., and the term of the loan would he 36* years. The Council decided by special order to raise the loan.