CITY COUNCIL.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18185, 23 September 1924, Page 6

CITY COUNCIL.

LAST -NIGHT'S, MEETING. The Christchurcb.' City Council met. last .night. "Present: The .Mayor (Mr J.,A. 'Flesher), and Crs,. A. McKcilar, A.' Williams,, E. H. Andrews, O. Anderson, C. P. Agar, V. H.' Winspr, F. K. "Cooke,-J. K. Archer, E. .McCbmbs," J. W.' Beanland, A?W. Beaven, C. Carr. "Leave of absence was granted Crs. J. Anderson, and'W. E. Lcadley.' • Finance. The financial statement showed:— General rqte lavied .£124,007,. eolleLeted £2O7S,* outstanding £121,929. The District Fund account was £ll9rl2S in debit (overdraft' £23.296), • temporary loans £0i5,532. A,Petition.. Cr. T; K: Cooke''presented a.petit ion asking the Council to lay out. a road from "the cast tnd of \ Southampton street *to Tennyson street, in -order .to give better access to the Bcckcnham school. . . - . . , The petition was referred to the Works Committee, for consideration and report. Municipal Conference. The secretary to the Municipal Association of New--.Zealand advised that the lf»2i conference of delegates would be held in the Council Chamber. Town Hall, Auckland, on Thursday, October 23rd, commencing at 10 a.m. Each affiliated local body could now appoint its delegates, and councils whose annual subscription to the Association was £lO ISs <sd or over, were entitled to appoint two delegates. Crs. J. W. Beanland and E. H. Andrews wero appointed the Council's delegates. ' ' Ferry Eoad. A letter was received from the Prime Minister in reference to tho application made bv the Council to have a portion of Ferry road, w.hieh was within the -Citv.Boundary, declared, a main highwav, and stating that he had taken note of the representations submitted in support" of thte application.- -and would be pleased to communicate with the Minister of Public Works on.the subject. A further reply \ be sent'in due course."

Employees' Holidays. The special committee set up ~to enquire -into-the-question of grantmg.an annual holiday to the outside employees reported that they had, carefully^considered the matter, and wore of opinion that it was impossible to tno holidays paid for by, the Council- at present in operation, : viz.. 11l days, but recommended tho Council favourably to consider a requisition by the employees that certain award-days be deleted with a view to,-providing-each emploveo not at present receiving annual leave with enc week's leave in substitution of'the days so deleted. The'report was adopted.' ;

, Memorial Bridge., The • War • Memorial Committee , reported that drawings of-further .■alterations' to 'the steps "on " the south-west side of the Bridge of Eemembrancs had'been submitted-, together with ->a request that the resultant expenso-'-be met'bv tho Counßl." The cost of' tiro work'is estimated at £lO7. The profusion 6fv'a wing' wall on tho north eido was, also suggested, the. cost .being £147. The" committee had considered both 'matters very fully arid had advised thb'Bridge. ? Connnittco that .-it wa3 of opinion that thb alterations at the '•' south-west corner should' be attended to'by the Bridge Committee, but the wing wall, oh the north side will gt'eatly'.WproVe .thb.'' approach, and instructions cad been' given for .that work to be put in hand. The. cost would be, met'out. of the amount, on l tho Esh!lnates..for approaches, etc: The r,eport-was'adopted: -Water Supply.

' The'Water'.-Supply Committee, reported;. that "the alterations 'td< the 'Worthington' pump,.■which enabled it to "-be: driven by'either gas or electricity,; had been completed and,'the. pump ran-for two : full days of eight hours < each. Although the No. 1, electric'ptimp was delivering luti,ooo frallons and the Worthmgton. pump 40,000 ■ gallons an hour, the water level; on the suction tank was not "below the 3ft. mark. Forty-eight unit? of electricity were "consumed with the belt-driven That compared - more' than favourably with' the St. Albans plant, which consumed 74; units to pump '35,00.0 The "jexira.' r expense, of. arranging the belt-drive was therefore fully justified. Street -Patching. ■■■. The City Surveyor.reported that the patching'of streets and paths had been carried 'on extensively in various part 3 of the '■• City' with good 'results. A. total, of 677. yards of, metal, principally tarred macadam, had • been used since last -meeting, the weather being particularly suitable for that class of WOtfk. •. •"' ..!..,' : "'.■•,..'. * Tomes Eoad Extension. The Works Committee reported that an application had" been received from Mr F.,W..Freeman on. behalf of ,owners concerned, for'permission to lay out a nqw' road, to a .length' of 12J chains, .being, ap extension of. Tomes ,road. • A considerable axed, capable' of accc-mmo-dating'' 30 "' residences, was' at' present ■land-locked,•' and' the ■ Committee recommended that theapplicationbe granted". , .The. Council.agreed. ■; ■■ ; . . /, Circle e Stands. •".'..

Applications to erect .cycle.. stands in Colombo . ctreet, .St. Albans, and in Manchester street, City, were granted subject. to ;the satisfaction of, the City Surveyor.' . Municipal Quarry. Pursuant to notice, Cr. F. K. Cooke moved:- '.'That this Council shall'take steps to secure a quarry to.supply its own metal. "'.-'' . • Cr. Cooke said-- tho Council at present was paying-far more for it's metal .than it ; should, "and he urged that a .quarry should" be-developed at' BirdlingVFlat. ' ' . Cr. J.' K. •. Archer, who secorded. the 'motion, said the Council was being squeezed, and victimised by the road metal'trust. ...

Cr. W. H. Winsor said that although the. price of metal this year ..had goue up by 38 a yard, yet the price -paid now was less than-what it was three years ago. The Birdling '8 Fiat quarry could not be-developed profitably to the Council. The ' cost of metal per yard would be greater than what the .Council paid private producers, but' even if the metal could be produced-pro-fitably, the- quarry, would soon peter out. It: was not 5-largo. enough -f or> extensive • development. The Council might,; however, .well' consider .acquiring a.suitable quarry now in operation.

Ct. Cooke - amended his motion in the. direction ; of asking the Works Committee" to consider and report on the question astoi whether it was advisable for the Council.to-take steps to secure a quarry of its own. ln;the amended, form the motion i was carried. ' '