COUNCIL NEWS IN BRIEF

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28514, 18 February 1958, Page 7

COUNCIL NEWS IN BRIEF

Second Testing Station

Proposals for the erection of a second vehicle-testing station in Cranford street will soon be placed before the estimates committee of ‘he Christchurch City Council, the chairman of the traffic committee (Cr. Mary McLean! announced last evening. North Hagley Entrance.—The foundations have now been laid tor the stone entrance to North Hagley Park and the pillars will be of squared random rubble, ‘he reserves committee has agreed la iJI post and P*P e wings sh oul d be extended as far as Mata! street on the north side, there had been requests that the live hedges round the whole park should be removed and this was considered desirable, although some low barrier would still be required. In the meantime, there S m °ney In the Elizabeth Farrel bequest to meet the cost of the new entrance and the additional fencing, the report said.

Commemorating Airport Pioneer. A stone commemorating the Part played by the former City Engineer (Mr A. R. Galbraith) in the founding and the development of Harewood airport will be incorporated in the new terminal building. This decision has been made by the aerodrome comCouncil° f the Christchurch City

Civic Buildings Facade.—The restoration, sealing, and painting oi the Manchester street elevations of the City Council chamPi r^o an i a C ll ic Theatre will cost -* l ™ 10s—the only tender made ¥e s s rs Brown and Andrews (Christchurch), Ltd.

. Ri PPle Controls.— The Municipal Electricity Department has stepped up its order for ripple control equipment. Some time a quotation was received for 20 . W u £ lts at £8 9s 6d ’ compared original contract price of £6 7s 6d. Justification for the increase was subsequently received and the electricity committee has ordered 3000. The increased order results from the accelerated rate of installation achieved since the first quotation was obtained. There are now 34,557 ripple control relays in service in Christchurch.

Parade of Homes.— Extra lighting will be provided in the area of this year’s parade of homes and four of the lamps will afterwards be converted to normal power and remain. Additional lights will also be provided in Rowan avenue, Marlow road, and Eureka street and will remain as part of the permanent installation. Kerbing is also being carried out in the area.

“Clean-up” Experiment.— Over the last few years it had been the custom to use heavy vehicles and large gangs in a periodical cleanup of various districts, the works committee reported. It was believed that better maintenance might be possible by transferring this responsibility from the ward foreman to two men with a light vehicle. The experiment will be tried in the St. Albans area. Less Water Used.— The indifferent weather in Christchurch in January caused 60,000,000 gallons less water to be used than in the same month last year. The water supply committee reported that consumption was 345,133,000 gallons at an average of 11,133,000 gallons a day. A total of 2.24 inches of rain fell on nine days. More Drivers’ Licences.— Drivers’ licences issued by the traffic department and in force at the end of December totalled 50,312, compared with 45,769 at the same time last year. Warrants of Fitness.— The Transport Department has asked the traffic committee of the council to give an Addington company authority to issue warrants of fitness for new motor vehicles assembled at 355 Lincoln road. The company is now assembling all completely-knocked down trucks of one make for the South Island and expects to put through 150 a year. Because the assembly plant is “a comparatively short distance” from the council’s testing station, the application was not favoured.

Memorial Avenue Sub-Station. —The M.E.D. will pay £450 for a sub-station site in Memorial avenue between Grahams and Woolridges roads. The electricity committee reported that because the sub-station site would have to be taken out of two sections in an approved sub-division, the owner was not prepared to sell at as low a price as others in the area. The present price had been agreed after considerable negotiation. Grant to Shirley.— The council has agreed to pay over its subsidy of £lOOO toward the Shirley Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association new community centre. The grant was made on the association’s expenditure of £lOOO from its own funds. St. Leonard’s Park Pavilion.—

The Sumner Cricket Club has been granted permission to erect the old Sumner Surf Club pavilion as a cricket pavilion on St. Leonard’s Park, subject to obtaining a building permit and a site rental of £5 a year. The building must be used only as a members’ pavilion; but the council may approve its use by other sports bodies in the winter.

Cactus House Mural. —A signwriter is painting a mural in the cactus house in the Botanic Gardens. “In spite of difficult conditions which at times make painting impossible, he has made good progress,” the reserves department reported. Hagley Park Hay.— Mowing and baling of hay throughout Hagley Park is well advanced and so far 4489 bales have been obtained, compared with 6322 at this time last year. Lots of Paint.— lt takes a lot of paint for the maintenance staff of the traffic department to make road markings. The report for December showed that the staff used 86 gallons of white. 48 gallons of yellow, two gallons of black, and 13 gallons of thinners. North Beach Fish Dump.— When Cr. Alma Schumaker asked what steps could be taken to remove a fish dump from Pacific road. North Beach, it was stated than tenders had already been called for the removal and dis-

posal of fish refuse and this should remove the nuisance.

Ventilating Civic Buildings.— The Queen Mother had left the civic reception early because she had been troubled by -the heat, both in the Civic Theatre and the City Council chambers, Cr. N. R. Forbes said. He asked that a fan ventilating system for both buildings be investigated.