CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 14689, 5 October 1911, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the City Council was held last evening and attended by the Mayor (Mr W. Burnett), Crs Myers, Stilling, M'Millan, Clark, White, Douglas, Fiddis, Marlow, Green, Todd, Wilson, Sinclair, Statham, M'Donald, Sullivan, Stewait, Qarroll, and Hancock. —Street Cleaning.— Cr Fiddis moved the adoption of the Works Committee's report. He explained that with a view to improving the existing methods employed for cleansing the City streets and enabling the department to deal with these operations in an effective manner, authority had been granted to obtain four street orderlies, with acce3lories, at an estimated cost of £SO, to be used for the purpose of bagging dry refuse in the main streets immediately the same was accumulated by the sweepers. It was further- recommended, that two more mud carts be purchased. The extra carts would enable the department to provide for the removal of street scrapings in a liquid state and with a minimum of delay. The additional annual cost in wages would be £430. Xhe report was adopted. —Tree-planting..— Cr Sullivan, in moving the adoption of the Water Committee's report, said that the tree-planting on the water reserves was finished for this year. .Mr Tannock had planted out 184.000 trees—more than double the number ever previously planted. At present he had over 708,000 trees in the nurseries. The report was adopted. —Woodhaugh Reserve.— Cr Todd, in moving the adoption of the Reserves Committee's report, said that the committee recommended that £6O be -pent on improvements at the Woodhaugh reserve. The work proposed to be undertaken was the formation of paths, the erection of seats and a drinking fountain. The Woodhaugh reserve, ho said, was used to a large extent by picnic parties, and the committee felt that if a little money was spent on improving the reserve it woidd be used to a much larger extent than it was at present. It was necessary to improve the paths and erect seats. Cr Wilson said, seeing that the committee had sufficient money to spend £6O out of unauthorised expenditure, he hoped to see the balance of the £I.OO expended on the second beach at St. Clair. Cr Clark moved as an amendment—"That the clause re the Woodhaugh reserve be referred back to the committee to be considered when the Reserves Committee report on Cr M'Millan's motion dealing with recreation grounds." He said that it was somewhat characteristic of the Reserves Committee to deal with this question in such a vague manner. There was no indication at all of what was intended to be done. There was- no mention, for one thing, of forming a children's playground. There was no indication, too, as to where the fountain was to be erected. The same way with the seats—there was nothing at all definite in the report, which dealt with the future of the Woodhaugh Gardens in a very general way. -He did not want to go into the previous question affecting this reserve, because ho was told that there was a possibility of the whole matter going before the Court on account of the illegal way in which it was dealt with a fortnight ago. So far a3 the prosent report went there was no indication us to .how the £6O was to be spent, and the Council had a right to know that. Cr M'Donald seconded the amendment, and referred to the bequest of plants to the council under tho will of the late Mrs Elizabeth Matthews, of Morninston. The speaker said that when it was determined to plant trees on the water reserves the late Mr Henry Matthews was the first man they took into their confidence in regard to that matter. Referring to the proposed expenditure of £6O on the Wcodhaiurh reserve, he said that the committee, without interfering with the native bush, should have converted at least an acre for a cricket pitch or a rounders ground for children. He also drew attention to the great need for lawn tennis courts, in addition to an area for a children's ground, there ought to be room for at leasa one tennis court. Cr Todd, in reply, said he did not know that it was necessary to have a plan for a few seats to he erected or a few cinders to be nut on the paths, as suggested by Cr Clark. He would like councillors to point oik one inst-T.ce whore the •committee had not tiken thorn into their confidence. The superintendent proposed to spend £25 on paths. £25 on clearing rubbish, £5 on seats, and £5 on a drinking fountain. In connection with the paths tho superintendent proposed to put down cinders and screenings. The seats would be just the ordinary plank with supports. It was very neocss'arv that a drinking fountain should be erected. People living close to the Teservo had to supply largo quantities of water to those •who patronised th-; reserve, and he thought it would be unwise to delay the matter further, seeing that at th-- "present .time there was a necessity for providing work for the unemployed. Th«re were moro suitable places than the Wcodhauch reservo for tennis courts and croquet grounds. There was a very suitable place in the NoTth End for such grounds adjacent to where tho old drillshed nsed to be. The amendment was lost., and the report adopted. —Waipori.— Cr Marlow said that the electric power department had had considerable difficulty in Tegard to water conservation. They had approached the Government time and again, and they had been unable, to tret any definite statement at all. He would like councillors to understand that he feared nothing from the coming sen son with Lake Luella full. There would bo no shortaEfe of water, but they had to roroemfoer the years succeeding, when they ■would have the extra units sreing. There would be a much Inrger demand then, and as business men it was their duty to make provision for conservation. That could be done in rr.Ty ways. In regard to the present Lnclla' watershed, authority was given by the Government to build a dam to a given height, but th* rlaan was not constructed to tho hei-zht that th-? permit was given for. It was now proposed to raise the dam of the Luella -watershed, and they had petitioned the Government on the matter, but so far it had Teached no finality. He asked the authority of the council to send deleg?.tes to Wellington, unless they received some definite answer from the Government before the next meeting of the council. The council core authority to send two delegates to Wellington, if necessary. —Town Hall Staff.— The council then went into ccm.mittea to consider a report from the Finanea Committee on the reorganisation of th", Town Hail staff. Two 'of tho clauses in the xeiport were rer-frrsd back to the committee" Tina recommendations of-the oomniittei which were adopted are as follow : That the salaries of the undermentioned officers be increased as under—namely, Miss E. Rollo. typist©, town clerk's department, from £75 to £9O per antral', siiss L. O'Keefe, typiste. tramways department, from £75 to\£Go per annum. In the matter of the proposed reorganisation of th iTo-wn Hall staff, the oomrnittM have received a report from the Town Cleric and City Treasurer, and begs now to recommend that the main features therein dealt with be adopted, as fol- - lows:—That. Mr George Gray, who has been employed as a temporary clerk during tho past 10 years, with the privilege cpf "engaging in outside work on any occasion when lie could be relieved, bo anpennied a clerk on the official staff, his duties as heretofore to be -utilised in assisting with the clerical work of tho valuation office, Bisd to be- at the disoosal of the municipal duparfcnsent generally for such work as assisting with the rate demands, etc., the oolary of this office to bo £l9O pei axmom, to dato f rom June 1 last, and Ml day to dewote fall tim»to his-dnties. That th* «adel fMr Lyoa) taken over from the NorSb-eaftt Valley staff, and who has be*n employed for anne months in the electric, power and lighting department, be now utgm&nenfciy appointed to that department. few the information of the council, the euomitiee desire to report that practically

in a report on the reorganisation of the departments by Mr James Brown, togetheo with further recommendations embmitteo by Mr C. P. Johnson (Government Audit Inspector) have been given effect to during tho past year or two. These alterations, together with other minor improvement* that have been made by the City Treasurer have had the effeot of nutting matters in connection with the staff at the Town Hall on a satisfactory basis. The duties of the examiner of accounts, and of the comptroller of stores, are now being extended to embrace some assistance to the treasurer in the work of internal,audit. Some improvements seem probabl* in the cashier's department, but for reasons that have been fully explained to the committee, the time is not opportune to bring these about. Tho matter will, however, be kept in view, and when the opportunity presents itself a recommendation regarding the duties of this branch will be made to the council.