NEW MONKEY HOUSE

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 147, 17 March 1933, Page 13

NEW MONKEY HOUSE

Work to be Undertaken at a Cost of £2OO COUNCIL DISCUSSION By 10 votes to 5 the Wellington City Council at its meeting last evening decided to expend the sum of £2OO on the construction of a new monkey house at the Zoo. The matter arose when Cr. J. W. Wallace moved a notice of motion that a clause of the reserves committee’s report adopted by the council on February 16 last, reading, : :That authority be granted for the construction of a new cage for the monkeys at the Zoo, at an estimated cost of £2OO, the money to be obtained from the receipts from Sunday takings,” be rescinded.

Cr. Wallace said that there was a general sentiment among citizens of Wellington opposing the expenditure of £2OO on the construction of a new monkey house at a time like the present when money was so hard to find, and when people were looking for a reduction of rates. He felt that the time was not opportune to spend £2OO on the Zoo even if "the money may have been earmarked for the purpose. Cr. H. A. Huggins said that he was opposed to spending the money for the purpose proposed. Cr. R. Semple considered it a “presumption” to spend £2OO on a monkey house when the council had sacked hundreds of men and had done everything possible to reduce expenditure.

Cr. T. Forsyth said that the money had been contributed by the people for upkeep and improvements to the Zoo. It had been contributed on that understanding. Cr. C. H. Chapman said that generally speaking citizens wanted a Zoo. He 'was inclined to support the proposal to spend the money on the monkey house. £66 would be spent directly on labour and £127 on materials prepared in New Zealand. In other words, all but £9 would be spent on labour and not at relief rates. The council ought not to oppose employing labour at a time like the present Cr. W. H. Bennett supported the expenditure of the money. If the Zoo is to be continued it should be kept in a decent state of repair. Cr. J. Burns said the citizens approved of the upkeep of the Zoo, and the public should be protected in case the monkeys should get out. This was absolutely necessary work. Ninety-five per cent, of it would be spent in labour. Cr. W. Appleton said it was all very well to talk about earmarking money, but in exceptional times there were many other things on which the £2OO could be profitably spent. He was totally opposed to spending the money on a'monkey house. Cr. W. Duncan said it had taken two years to save up for the monkey cage, and now the council wanted to spend it on something. “Give us our own money and let us spend it on the Zoo,” he said.

Cr. W. Holm said the money was subscribed for a specific purpose, and should be spent for that purpose. Cr. J. W. Wallace said that the whole matter should be treated on its merits as to the conditions prevailing to-day. . The motion was lost on being put to the vote.