Bank criticism follows robberies

Press, 19 July 1983, Page 9

Bank criticism follows robberies

The Post Office Savings Bank had been “remiss in not bringing branches up to scratch,” Cr Mollie Clark told the Christchurch City Council last evening. If $lBO,OOO would have been required to improve and secure the twice-robbed North New Brighton Post Office — now closed — “then it must have been at a pretty low ebb,” she said. She was commenting on Post Office reasons for keeping the branch closed. “Will Opawa be closed if there is another robbery there?” asked Cr Clark. Bird strikes The council had not received word from airline pilots or the Waimairi District Council about the outcome of a recent meeting on the Christchurch Airport bird strike problem, said Cr Rex Lester. But reported comments from the pilots seemed to support the possibility of an early closing of the Sawyers Arms Road rubbish tip, he said.

Although the matter was

under review every day, “we have had no positive response yet.” Cr M. F. Fahey asked if pilots would continue to be confident with the status quo, even if a runway extension was not built. He said a Boeing 737 had collided with a bird the other day. Airline pilots have said they would boycott the use of a runway extension after it opened next March if the nearby tip was not closed. Airport rating The Rating Act should be amended to exempt airport roads, runways, taxiways, and aircraft manoeuvring areas, the council decided. Cr Lester said that other airports at a recent Wellington conference had agreed with that proposal, and the request for a legislative change could be made to the Internal Affairs Department. Unfair

The council's decision to join a New Zealand Labourers’ Union deputation

to the Government on a proposed wage increase and tax relief for lower-paid workers had nothing to do with the wage-price freeze or unions, said Cr A. J. Graham. It was a question of fair play, he said, and the freeze had not been fair. There were too many anomalies and inconstistencies. The City Council had “every right” to speak for those who seemed to have no voice on the issue, said Cr Graham. Cr M. J. Glubb said the price freeze had helped ratepayers, but recent strike action by rubbish collectors against the freeze had inconvenienced ratepayers. The council, in joining the deputation, was suggesting that the freeze was opposed by the City Council, when the council had not voted on the issue, he said. Bishopscourt The council’s decision to accept 1320 sq m of open space land within the Bishopscourt grounds in lieu of development contribution cash was criticised by Cr Helen Garrett, an opponent of the retirement village development. “We have allowed them to spoil and ruin one of the great houses in this country,” she said.