CIVIC AFFAIRS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 82, 8 April 1910, Page 4

CIVIC AFFAIRS.

CITY COUNCIL MEETING. TRAMWAY EXTENSION TO POST OFFICE WOOD BLOCKS FOR CUSTOMHOUSE QUAY. The Wellington City Council held its fortnightly uuvjling last night. Tho Mayor (Dr. A. K. Newman) pi raided. There were nlso present Councillors J. P. Luke, M.P., F. Cohen, ]{. Fletcher, W. H. Moirah, A. Hindmarsh, J. E. Fitzgerald, J. J. Devine, G. Frost, A. R. iHkinson, J. Trevor, T. Carmichael. FINANCE AND PROPERTY. Tho Finance and Property Conimitteo recommended : — That six Applications for loans on deferred payments for drainage purposes be granted, the applicants being without funds. That tenders be called for the petting back of Mej"=n». Jones and Ashdown's premises at WillU-etreet, tho lescep having made ] all necessary arrangements. That Cus-tomhouse-quay, including the proposed tramway extension, and the Poet Officesquare be woodblocked, in conjunction with the tramway extent-ion, at an erti mated ca«t of £4400. That accounts amounting to £6333 7a be passed for payment. In. iefer.ence to tbe netting back of Jone* and Ashdown's Building, the Major said that the council had not to find" the money for the setting back of the building. Councillor Ltiko, in seconding the adoption of the report, advocated strongly the policy of wood-blocking Cti«tomkou>c-(]uay. The report was adopted. POWER STATIONS AND TRAMWAYS. The Power Station* and Tramways Committee recommended — That tenders bo called for the supply and delivery of 400 meters and 48 transformers for* the electric ligihting department. That « lathe, a sharper, and a drilling machine with motor and ehnfting be purchased for the power Ft at ion repair work. That the sum of £4250 bo provided for in this year's estimates tor the extension of the. tramway from Willisstreet tg> the Post Office-square, the work t<^ be carried out in conjunction with the woodblockmg of CuMomhouse-quay and tho Post Office-Square. That an offer be made to the JohnsonviUe Town Board to supply their town with electricity in bulk at the town boundary at the rate of 6d per unit, tho board to pay back in five yearly instalments with interest at the rate of 6 per cent., tho sum of £435, being tbe ?oi>t of the extension of the mains from the lighting station at Johneonville. That tenders be railed for the work of erecting car shed* at Thorndon. That a small deviation be made in the line of th© Wade«town tramway at the entrance to Queen's Park, as recommended by tho City Engineer. That account* amounting to £763 4s 2d be pacsed for payment. ' In reference to the recommendation to extend the tramway, th» Mayor strongly emphasised the importance of the work. The meters nnd transformers mentioned in the first recommendation would effect a considerable economy in the use of current. He moved " the adoption of the report. Councillor Frost seconded the motion, and affirmed his conviction that the tramway extension would bo a great benefit to the public. Councillor Carmichael said he could not see where an adequate return was going U» como from the tramway extension and the wood-blocking. The Mayor answered that the woodblocking saved an enormous amount in street repairing. The expense on the tramway might not create a direct icturn, but there would be a wide improvement in tho tram service. It would give in many ways considerable easement to the crowded present line. People would appreciate being set down neaier the Post Office and tbe wharves. Councillor Bnllinger moved that the recommendation in regard to the work of erecting car-sheds at Thorndon should be referred bark to the committee. He would like to move certain amendments to it in the direction of reducing the cost of the building, nnd also of suspending the city bylaws in order to construct one wall of timber and coirugated iron, with a view to future extension. Councillor Devine at some length exptessed doubts as to the value of the proposed extension of the tramway. Councillor Moirah pointed out" the advantage-* that would accrue from the extension in the cutting out of much dead running to Government station. Councillor Trevor : Thii work hns my concurrence. (Hear, hear.) Tho Post Office-square should be our centre, «nd not the station. The report was then adopted unanimotislv. with the exception of the clause m regard to tho proposed Thorndon tramway shed, which was referred bak to committee. BATHS AND CITY RESERVES. The committee recommended :-*That the tender of Messrs. Campbell and Bourke be accepted for the lease of part section 26, Town Belt, at £5 7s 6d per annum. (This is the first time this part ha* been let.) That the tender of Mr J. J. Carroll, at £12 10s per annum, be accepted for the lease of section 31, Town Belt. (The previous rental was £.12 per annum.) That the Grocers' Lnion be granted permission to hold a walking race on Kelburne Park on Wednesday afternoon, the 13th inst., no charge to be made for admission. That Anderson Park be allocated to the Wellington Rugby Union for the present winter season, this permission to be revoked at the discretion of the council. That a caretaker be appointed for the LyaH Bay beach, the offit-ers to recommend a man in the employ of the corporation competent to carry out the duties. The committee reported that it was having the estimates for the baths, cemetery, reserves, and zoo for the pre- ' sent year prepared, and would endeavour to submit them at next meeting of the council. The committee nlio reported that it had visited Upper Syd-ney-sheet slope, and was of the opinion that, pending the determination of tho pioposed alternative tramway route to Karori, only limited improvements could economically bo carried out. The report was adopted. STREET LIGHTING. The committee recommended : — That Mr. E. M. Blake's application for permission to erect eight houses in Ersexstreet and on a right-of-way be ' not granted. That the application of tho Neuchatel Asphalte Company for permission to eiect (i temporary shed at Thorndon-qnay be not granted, hut that its application for permission to erect t calcium carbide store lit Tliormlonquav be granted, subject to certain conditions. That the application uT I>r. Cameron for the toiifent of the loumil to a iipht-of-Wiiy off Hansun-f>trpet for iicrexs purposes be planted, subject to the londiliou* imposed by the City Engineer, the way not being used as a frontage for any dwelliiighou"^ ci building for residential purpOc<»R. Thi> leport v,as adopted, alter an amendment to giant the Neuchatel Company permission to erect a temporary stiucturc for &ix months had bctn defeated.

OUTLYING DISTRICTS. The committee recommended that the South Wellington Land Company bo informed th.it the balance of tho deposit, held by tho council a« a guarantee that Main-road and Uidgway-street would be (onneeted to E. W. Mills-road, will bo teturncd on the completion of this work. That permission be gianted to tho Hataitai Bowling Club to fence along the edge of the footpath fmmntiop of Hatai-tai-road on certain condition?. That the City Engineer be authorised to ppend up to £20 in removing part of the western portion of the bank al Crenwickroad, Northland, in front of the Northland Catholic School, and the spoil deposited on the eastern side of the school section, the work to be carried out as opportunity offers dm ing the winter. That the South Wellington Land Company be informed that the extension of tho water supply to the main streets of Mornington cannot be undei taken at pr»nent, as the extension is not warranted. That a reply be sent to Mr. G. H. Baylin, in answer to his application for permission to shift the level of his tramway at Jpland Bay. in terms of the City Engineer's report. That Mr. J. Dinueen be informed that the council cannot undertake the work of erecting a retaining wall in front of his property, Washing-ton-avenue, Brooklyn, even" though he contribute tho «wt of tho woik, viz., £20, as there is more^han sufficient work ahead to keop tho whole of the men now employed In continuous service. That Mr. Tidman bo informed, in reply to h!s complaint as to the discharge of stormwater on to his property, that no responsibility rests with the council. The committee announced that the City Engineer hud reported that water was being wasted at Brooklyn at night time to a groot extent, niid it recommended Hint steps bo taken to ptevent thi* practice. The leport was adopted.