CALLS ON CITY COUNCIL

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26560, 24 October 1951, Page 6

CALLS ON CITY COUNCIL

TELEPHONE RINGS AT ALL HOURS

MANY UNREASONABLE REQUESTS

The Christchurch City Council** office hours, are listed as 830 ajn. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday: but the public does not keep within these limits in its demands so the Council maintains a 24-hour service every day of the week in case of emergency. Executive officers receive many calls at home; but most go the house exchange which, after office hours, is switched over to the flat in the municipal building* occupied by the custodian (Mr M. Matherson). This appointment is made on the understanding that the telephone win neves be left unattended. Many of the calls made to the council after office hours are reasonable reports of trouble requiring Immediate attention—the ones for which the service is maintained—but others which are misdirected, pathetic, amusing, or just stupid reach the upstairs flat. Mr Matherson s main duties ar* to super l vise the municipal buildings, but the nature of th* calls he receives suggests that there may be some point J" on .e .inquirer addressing him as the city’s custodian." The Labour Day week-end provided of the odd calls he receives. On Saturday, early, a man wanted to know where he could get milk that was freshly pasteurised. He did not know the name of his own milkman; but insisted on making a change Immediately (The Christchurch Metropolitan Milk Board has headquarters at the City Council office.) The Inquirer was referred to dairies who might know the operators in the particular rone. On Sunday a newcomer to Mt. Pleasant wanted the council to for mflk delivery. After lO o clock on Sunday night, E!22}‘J n^ lv ?sL in « a collision re- ? £. ,ty Cff’ncU and had ™ J’oHce. A permit te • J« b Wsh fire was sought on Monday; but toe Fire Brigade was toe proper authority. A Deg in a Car O?® telephone fangat 130 ajn. A woman said that she had come away from a ball and round a dog in her car. It was a beautiful animal and obviously valuable: Could toe officer please look up the dog register and the woman would return toe animal to its owner These records were locked up and it was suggested that the dog Tie held by the women till morning; but she said she did not want her garden damaged, was unwilling to try an animals’ home, and would turn it loose. One Sunday morning, before breakfast. an elderly woman asked about the kinds of rubbish which could be Put out in garbage tins. She had a null pile of weedy and intended to put them in the rubbish tin. Another Sunday call came through at 7 a.m. A family who had suffered bereavement wanted bedding removed. Nothing could be done until the. Monday morning. The type of call for which the service is maintained was described by three examoles. During toe last big floods in Christchurch the Heathcote river broke its banks and dwellings were threatened. Evacuation of an aged couple wao necessary. A call to the council enabled a district engineer to be informed and also other local bodies. One night at 11 o’clock a woman reported that a manhole cover had been removed in Bealev avenue and was dangerous. Works J” 1 C «U were sent to the spot. Pilfering of plants and flowers from niblic nloh was once detected and the council was able to inform toe police Immediately. Bole la the Read Another justifiable emergency call was tfiade by an ambulance officer. A big hole had appeared in Riccarton avenue on a Friday night and was getting larger quickly. Traffic officers were dispatched immediately to cordon the area and erect warning lights. But such cases of real emergency are comparatively rare. One Sunday morning an Australian visitor to Christchurch reported that she could not drive « rental car without a licence. Would the custodian test her for the licence? Another woman, at the start of a new licensing period,

wanted Mr Matherson to attach BWnumber plates. A blocked street channel in -gKgK Albans could not be attended -.HrW, mediately by council staff, ft i suggested to the woman calling flat she seek the help of neighbours, foey ' shifted toe blockage within five i minutes. The woman had noticed toe water rising at 3 p.m. but did not telephone the council till 9 p.m. ' S Milk complaints are common in the week-ends. Sometimes it is reported W that a. Friday's can is found on 3 bottle delivered on Saturday. In most of these cases it is found that the teW have become accidentally mixed. .. 1 The South Canterbury floods thb winter placed Mr Matherson ta <R* i of his worst dilemmas. About «?• night he was informed that 18 had arrived bv a delayed train fin® the south with the understanding that they would be found accommodate, in Christchurch. The Town CW (Mr H. S. Feast) was called from M bed; but knew nothing of such •* arrangement. Police assistance called and the superintendent affMJ to send cars to the railway station stg get the people into hotels. MeanwhiN a check on the bona fides of the rfg was made to the railway. All th* did not take long, but it was fota| ■ that many of the people who W promised to await assistance had gtag off on their own. Dead Dogs on Roads . Dead dogs on the roads are reportffi from time to time and it is found that residents will not «w drag the bodies out of sight until W t council men arrive. ■ Electrical faults are often reportg to the custodian instead of to Municipal Electricity Department . One night caller asked whethcrj cheque, posted then would tirevem imoosition of the penalty on rates. Merivale residents were once »»* noyed bv obnoxious smells wni® could not be traced during a inspector’s dav-time calls but w™® arose at night about fortnightly «*? tervals. An insoector was called oU* at night and found a painter burmw - out his tins. . Horses in cemeteries are the sub* Sect of some week-end complam* - Some epoole want parcels coljWj ' for CORSO and other bodies. Library and art gallerv hours, the avallabiyu of private baths to visitors, and abatement of smoke nuisances are OB' cussed in other inquiries. . Mr Matherson starts his wor ’ t !j? dav about 5 a.m. when he opens uw council offices to cleaners. He mus* control heating, ventilation, and MJ J water services, arrange meeting room* for committees nrovide teas, and M‘P < callers. He will take time off ° n ? oulet day. A complete inspection « s* the municipal buildings is ne- j toree he retires But it Is that his sleep or his leisure $ interrupted by some telephone cju.