Advice Bureau Almost Ready

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32351, 17 July 1970, Page 1

Advice Bureau Almost Ready

The Christchurch Citizens’ Advice Bureau, which will open in September after two years planning, will run entirely on volunteer interviewers.

So far the bureau’s expenses amount to only about sso— for correspondence and minor services—and the only other expense expected to be directly incurred is for the installation of a telephone at the new offices in the Chamber of Commerce building on the corner of Worcester Street and Oxford Terrace. Part of the wall facing Worcester Street will be knocked

out to provide for the bureau, but the. bureau’s organising committee will escape the cost of this alteration because a City Council grant covers the restoration and maintenance of historic buildings in Christchurch.

The committee will rely on the Canterbury Progress League to meet most of the operating expenses through its grant from the council. The league has undertaken to furnish the office, and to provide office equipment from equipment surplus to its own needs. The league will also assist with clerical work, according to the chairman of the bureau committee (Mr J. R. Riminton).

The committee has produced for the City Council a set of recommendations for the activities of the bureau. These were presented to the Mayor (Mr Guthrey) shortly before his departure for Edinburgh. They are not expected to be considered until after his return. , Mr Riminton said yesterday that, in the meantime, the financing of the bureau would be controlled by the league although its administration would be handled by the committee.

“Our expenses will be channelled through the league,” he said. “These are expected to be very small; after the account is presented we will consider the best way in which they can be reimbursed.

“The bureau will be staffed by volunteer interviewers, and will operate very much on a shoe-string.” The office accommodation for the bureau is delayed by cleaning work on the Worcester Street wall of the building, Mr Riminton said. Work would not go. ahead on the bureau until the scaffolding was removed.

“Otherwise, everything is very satisfactory. The training of 22 interviewers is about half-completed and Mr Guthrey has been asked to set a suitable date in September for the opening of the bureau.”