CIVIC MATTERS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 4, 5 July 1928, Page 14

CIVIC MATTERS

». TRAMWAY EXTENSIONS DISPOSAL OF FUNDS NORTHERN SUBURBS TRAFFIC A meeting of the Wellington' Civic League was held on Tuesday evening, the president (Mr. J. N. Wallace) presiding. A report was presented from tho deputation which waited on the City Council with reference to the- provision of tepid baths, and a letter was received from tho Wellington Centre of the Amateur Swimming Association thanking tho league for its assistance, and expressing tho view that the reply from tho Mayor (Mr. G. A. Troup) was more satisfactory than had been received previously, a view shared by tho league's members. .Letters to and from the Board of Health Committee- with reference to tho inquiry relating to tho £100,000 loan for water and drainage purposes were read, and the officers' action in making the representations to the committee were endorsed. JOHNSONVILLE TRAMS? A communication was received from tho Khandallah Progressive Association with reference to tho development of the city tramway system on the completion of the Tawa Flat railway deviation. The league, having ■ previously taken part in urging the deviation, viewed the association's representations with sympathy, and passed the following resolution: "That tho City Council be requested to approach tho Kailway Department now with a view to taking over the railway permanent way from Thorndon to Johnsonville, or such part of it as is advisable, when the Tawa Flat deviation is in use, tho section taken over to be incorporated as an integral part of the city tramway system." This.resolution will be conveyed to tho City .Council. THE FLY MENACE. A committee of the league has been going into the question of remedying the fly nuisance, and representations were made' to the Health Committee of the City Council on the subject. A letter was received from the Town Clerk (Mr. Norman) that there was provision in the City Bylaws (No. 28) that occupiers .of stables shall daily spray all manure heaps on or about their premises with a stipulated solution. This was not deemed to be sufficient by the league to deal with the fly nuisance generally, and it was resolved to consult the Medical Officer of the Government Health Department, as suggested in Mr. Norman's letter. The league has in view a wider campaign to get rid of disease-carrying flies than mere treatment of stables, and the matter will be gone into further. A letter had been sent by the league to the City Council drawing attention to the lack of proper ventilation of the hall at the Basin Reserve Pavilion. A reply was received that this matter had been referred to the City Engineer for a report, and the league would be advised later as to what could be done. FOOTPATH REPAIR PAYMENTS. The Northland Progressive Association wrote in regard to moneys collected as fees by the City Council on tho opening up of public footpaths for the laying of channels, gas mains, water pipes, etc. Thero was attached correspondence with the engineer's department. It was admitted that a fee of 30s is collected from the propertyowner for the purposo of footpath repair, and that the' work is often held over. It was decided to make inquiries as to how tiiese payments were held, and the suggestion was made that if tho work could not be carried out within twelve months tho money, which belongs to private citizens, should be refunded. The league's officer was instructed to go into the whole matter and report at a later meeting. CITY TRAMWAY MANAGEMENT. In reference to the report of the committee on motor-bus and tramway transport within the city, a vote of thanks was passed to its members. High appreciation was expressed for the manner in which the Press of the city had given publicity to the- report. The secretary reported that members of the City Council and others specially interested had expressed high appreciation of the constructive character of the report issued. A letter was received from tho Mayor in which he informed the league that tho report had been submitted to'the General Manager of the Tramways Department, and he has been asked for a full report on all tho issues raised. On tho receipt of the manager's report, tho Mayor desired a conference with tho representatives of the leagues concorned. In his letter the Mayor also says that if the tramway services can be placed on a better footing without incurring undue loss, he will be pleased to make any experiments to test the suggested means. ACCESS TO SUBURBS. The matter of the Commission's report on access to the eastern and western suburbs was discussed at some length, official copies of the report having been received from the Town Clerk. At the conclusion the following resolution was adopted on the motion of the chairman:—MThat this league congratulates the City Council on its action in securing such an able report, and endorses in general trie findings of the Commission, and urges that the! work be put in hand as early as possible. It also trusts that improved access to the northern districts of the city will be given early consideration." DELIBERATIONS TOO SECRET. On the question of the City .Council transacting business in committee, the league had written making the appeal that greater facilities should be given to the Press for the publication of its proceedings in order that citizens may better know what is. being done. An explanatory reply was received from the Town- Clerk, in which it was stated that the procedure of the council lias not been altered, in any essential way from that of previous years; that the .Finance Committee, which previously consisted of seven members, was not open to the Press, and now that it consists of the whole council it is not thought necessary to alter the procedure. On this matter tho view was expressed that under cover of finance and policy matters many questions are dealt with in committee which are not properly matters of finance, or, at least, involve no danger from public discussion; also that the plea presented from the council's side that any councillor may discuss matters fully when the council resumes in open meeting is unreasonable, as no one will be disposed to rediscuss matters after they have been probably two hours in committee.' It was left to the officers to go into this matter further with the Mayor as opportunity offers. SEQUENCE OF DELAYED WORKS. Mr. S. E. Lambert, Northland delegate, raised the question of works appearing on the estimates not being carried out within the period for which the estimates were framed. It was explained by the officers that this was the experience of the other districts as well as Northland. Tho league had made representations to the City Council on a previous occasion that when such works were not carried out with-

in the year they should take precedence in the following year in the programme of works to be effected.' A larger issue was touched on as to how moneys were diverted which were set out in the estimate of works, and why a regular programme was not carried through instead of piecemeal jobs here and there all over the city. It was decided to seek an opportunity to discuss this matter with the Works Committee of the council. The officers were instructed to consult the management of the Gas Company with a view to having a provision of hot water in the various city parks for the coming season. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the meeting.