DISCUSSION IN COUNCIL

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 116, 13 November 1923, Page 4

DISCUSSION IN COUNCIL

"EXPENSE 'NOT JUSTIFIED."

When the council resumed in open meeting, Councillor Forsyth, chairman of the "Works Committee, maintained his opposition to the broad scheme as propounded, contending • that while some improvements were probably necessary, an expenditure of anything between £10,000 and £20,000, upon the setting up of a new department was not at the present time justifiedj. In his opinion the necessary improvement could be effected by the adoption of such a system of stores accounts as was already ,in operation in the Tramwayß Department depot at Xewtown.

Councillor Forsyth sharply criticised the report,-and Hie nicrnbccs *"t thr. cointnit.tce for iho reason .that die two

largest Corporation stores, the car shed:,. and the overhead and permanent way stores, which were carrying stocks of over £30,000, had not been visited by those who brought down the recommendations. In his opinion the expenditure of so considerable a sum on the establishment of a new department would be reflected by an increase m rates next year. The Mayor, Mrt R. A. Wright, M.P., proposed as an amendment, that tho further consideration of the report and recommendations should be. deferred until next year, the present system of supply by contract tender to be pursued in the meantime, as it was not possible for the hew store to be erected during the current financial year. The amendment., however, was lost by 9 votes to 7, the "noes" being Councillors Luckie, M'Vicar, Burna, H. D. Bennett, W. H. Bennett, Parton, Aston, Mitchell, and Gaudin.

The motion to adopt the report was then put to the meeting, and was carried by 11 vote 3to 5, the Mayor and Councillors Monteith, Chapman, Thompson, and'Forsyth voting "no." ■ •