MUNICIPAL SEHEMES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 232, 24 June 1908, Page 8

MUNICIPAL SEHEMES.

V/HICH COMES FIRST? ■ REPORTS TO BE SUBMITTED. At the meeting of the City Council last evening Councillor Biss moved, in accordance with notice, that tho Finance Com : mitteo bo instructed to bring up a comprehensive report within four weeks from date sotting out in detail:—(l) Tho .works that have been authorised by the Council but which have not yet- been started. (2) The estimated cost of such works. (3) The order' in which the Finance Committee recommends such works should be proceeded'with. (4) Tho Finance Committee's recommendations regarding the raising of loans for such works that are not capable of being paid ?or out of rovenue.

Tho report of the Finance Committee should include the following works:—Abattoirs, To Aro Baths, extension of water service to high-lying districts' and suburbs, duplicating water mains to Wainui, Hutt pipe bridge; street widening, Willis Street; street widening, Manners Street; Library at Thorndon; storm-water drainage for Island Bay district, purchase of Gas "Works, street' lavatories, workmen's homes,- public markets, improvement of milk supply, Oriental Bay sea wall, Fire Brigade extensions and stations, crematorium, additional expenditure for reserves, including reclamation at Kilbirnio; additional expenditure-for drainago to out-lying districts. Councillor Biss. also moved: — That the Tramway and Electric Lighting Committee bo instructed to report to tho Council on the capital expenditure which it is anticipated will be necessary during the ensuing twelve months, the report to show: —(1) Tho order in which tho works should, be undertaken. (2) Tho cost of each work. (3) Tho committee's proposals! for raising tho necessary monoy. The report to cover the following: —Extension of tramway to AVadestown; extension of tramway to Maranui; extension of AVallaco Street tram to Adelaido Road; additional plant at power-house; additional plant at electric light station; duplication of condonser discharge at power-house; purchase of Miraniar line within tho city boundary ; erection of Thorndon tramway offices and purchase of land for same;'erection of car sheds at Thorndon and purchase of land for same; purchase of land for car sheds at Kilbirnio; boosters and cables for Island Bay service; now rolling stock; extension of COll- - Street -tram to Kilbirnio. ; The mover, said he thought that it was time for tho Council to consider which works of those under contemplation should •bo taken up first. If a comploto list of tlieso works ivero'|.placed before Councillors he thought thatj they would consider the programme'quit? impracticably largo for tho present. 110 liad made a list of some works, which lie was prepared to strike out in the meantime. The first of these was tho abattoirs. Tho Te Aro Baths were provided for by £2000 from gates; For. the; extension of tho water service, £79,000 was still available from the special loan of '£190,000, but ho' understood that tho present funds would" not permit of tho water sorvico being taken, to Northland ' extension, part .of Kelbume, and also AVadestown. These districts had come into tho city with a certain understanding that they would receive a water service, and he thought that the Council must face this question,, which would necessitate another loan. The Hutt Pipe Bridge committed tho Council • to a large expenditure, which it was suggested should v como out of the rates, biit he thought that it should coino from a special loan.' Tho" widening of •Willis Stroot was an urgent matter, becauso until this work was completed, tho city would not get tho-full benefit of what had boon already done. Tho work should bo carried through as soon as possible to Mr. Dut-hie's shop, wbcro it would have to wait until his leaso had expired. A definite course with regard to street widening should bo laid down. So far the Council was raising money out of .the district fund, which he understood was in debit ,to the amount of £18,000 for work dono in the past." A loan of £46,000 had been authorised, of which £26,000 had still to bo raised. ' The present timo was opportune for : acquiring land for the widening of Willis Street as far as Manners Street. Tho £26,000 110 had mentioned would not bo sufficient for that purpose. Tho fire brigado extensions were also urgent, and should bo covered by a, small loan. AVhat lie; had said in regard to water supply extensions Was also true of drainage. He thought that it would be two years before tho" ostimated sum .of- £140.000 was required for duplication of the Wainui water mains. With regard to lavatories, it' was hoped that £3000 would suffico to establish thesp f'or : the City and .suburbs, but as far as 110 could see. all/that would bo expended 011 the one establishment on Lambton Quay. The City Council had decided that public markets 'wore required, and sooner or later they would have to pay for these. He was glad to hear that the matter of tho technical school site was being pushed forward, and thero was a possibility that a vory suitable site.iyou](l bo available in Adelaido Read—somewhero between the carsheds and\the Basin Reserve. He suggested that tho sito of tho present workshops would bo a .very suitable place for markets. As regards the milk supply, he thought that re-gulation--of Uio present service, and not municipalization, "was' required, which would save some expenditure. . AVorkers' homos might bo established on/ a. site in Adelaide Road now occupied by old shops whose rent was not proportionate to the raluo of the ground. About ten throe-storied brick houses might be built, for a start, on tho Sydney principle. Tho Council should discuss th'eso schemes, and decide what it in'tonded to do first. Councillor Biss. also wont into the matter, of contemplated tramway expenditure. Ho reckoned, that it would bo necessary'to raise £20,000 within tho next twolve months by' debentures or in some other way for.various schemes, and lie thought that tho Tramways Committee should bring up a detailed report 011 tho matter.

Councillor; Fletcher seconded the motion. Councillor Ballinger said that tho . water and drainage proposals should bo treated first. Tho question of the -AVainui-o-mata main was one of tho most important. The motion was adopted.