CITY COUNCIL

Evening Star, Issue 17483, 14 October 1920, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL

The fortnightly meeting of the City Council was held last evening, and attended by Cr J. J. Clark (Deputy Mayor), Crs Green, Scott, Hayward, Douglas, Shaddock, Wilson, M'Donald, Colder, Jeffery, Thom, Taverner, Hancock, Lamach, Walker, and Sincock. WORKS COMMITTEE. Cr Wilson, in moving the adoption of this committee’s report, said it was asked that authority be granted to sell by auction the land and dwelling at the junction of Cargill road and Josephine street, purchased several years ago for street widening purposes. It was also asked that authority be granted to proceed with a number of street planting works. Tire balance of the cost of these works would be contributed by the Amenities Society. Cr Hayward seconded the motion, which was earned, WATER COMMITTEE. Cr Green moved the adoption of the Water Committee’s report, and in reply to Cr Douglas said the wishes of the council had been carried out in regard to the suggestions for an improved water service. The Town Clerk had written to the two engineers—Messrs Slinger and Stewart—but so far np replies had been received. GENERAL COMMITTEE. The committee - recommended that the application from Messrs Shandler and Co. for permission to erect hoardings on property at King Edward street and in Maclaggan street be granted on certain conditions. Cr Scott moved the adoption of the clause. Cr Wilson moved as an amendment that the clause be referred back to the committee. Or Taverner seconded, and said he was opposed to advertising of the kind—namely, electrically illuminated boardings. The amendment was carried, and the report as amended adopted. THE TEPID BATHS.

The General Committee reported that the contractors for the filters for the tepid baths had advised by letter' that they would require to advance their price to cover advances in cost of material and wages since date of tender. The amended ■ price had been cabled for, and would be reported to council by the chairman. Cr Scott (the chairman) said that it was originally decided to put in the filters at a cost of £1,044. Since the order had been' ■ sent Home they had received a cable to , the effect that the cost' of the plant had increased to £l,36o—an increase of £316. . He thought that it would be well to review the matter and decide ‘ whether it , would be expedient to spend this further . sum of money. , Cr Wilson said it would be useless to wait for, the cost to be reduced. Or Walker said the idea in the minds of i the public outside was that the manage- • ment of the tepid baths was not satisfactory. Cr Sincock said it was a question - T h§t ,h, er the remarks of the last speaker - taken into consideration. . -there was no doubt that something must be done to improve the water in the :• J)aths.

:■ Or M'Donald: It is exactly the same sort of water that tho people are drawing • through their taps. He said it was a , question \vhether filters were goino- to •' ™ aKC a of the baths, or whether ■ it would be better to pomp salt water into i H ® wou,d move as an amendment • J fiat the recommendation be declined : and that the baths be closed for three months; further, that the committee report on the advisability of pumping salt . water into the baths, and report on the ■ same within two months.” ; The Deputy Mayor asked Cr M'Donald remepber that the !New Zealand swimming championships would be held here . :n February, -> , Cr M ‘ D onaldl am glad you have i drawn, my attention to that, and for that reason alone I will not press my amend- : ment. Cr Hancock asked if the committee had considered the question of an artesian suppl.V. It had been recommended that a , trial in regard to artesian water should be made in the vicinity of the baths. ' . . ®? e ‘ w ®; s something wrong with the heating of the baths. F*S Shacklock said tnat it the council ' wished to carry on tepid baths it was ne- • cessary to get filters, whether the water was artesian or salt. ■ Cr Green said that a sub-committee had now been sot up to go into the question oi the management of the batjis. Cr Scott said .that the sub-committee ‘ would consider all the remarks and rumors in respect to the management, and Sit"'*'' 10 »•«“• •» It was decidedi that authority be given to order tho filters at the increased price. ELECTRIC POWER COMMITTEE. ; .-Or M'Donald inquired of Cr Shacklock, , chairman of the Electric Power and Lighting Committee, if the time had notV an.ved when the council should give the Expansion League some- definite idea whether they would take the 3,000 horse power it was intended to order shortly scheme P ° n fr ° m the Ha^ea h ydxo-electric ■ Ck Shacklock, in reply, said a sub-com-mittee had been appointed to go into ; this matter, and would report in due He T s . as atl ®ons as anyone that ftp use of the electric power ex- - tended as far as possible over Otago. ; CARGILL’S MONUMENT. - in moving the adoption of . the Tramways Committee’s report, said that a plan had been prepared for a proposed tramway shelter, parcels office, and , convenience in Custom-house square The .. work would involve the shifting of Cargill s monument. In the meantime tho committee recommended that the plan be reterred to the Works Committee for a re. port on the advisability of removing the monument to make room for the shelter •ned. s Cr Green thought that it was a matter , which should be considered at a conference of the two committees. Cr Wilson said it would bo futile to . send, the clause back to tho Works Gom- ; ' xnittee. The matter had been thoroughly ; . discussed, and nothing would shift the y ; .committee. There was only one member 1 who would favor the removal of the monu‘■;ii'Xhent.' Erom a sentimental point of view -the ; citizens would. strongly* oppose any proposal. The .erection of" a shelter , 'there would also spoil the view from all

points in the best part, of the.City. He moved as an amendment—“ That the clause be deleted.”

Cr Walker said that the committee would be well advised to put their recommendation before the council and let the latter take the onus of it.- He would strongly oppose any idea of shifting nthe monument. It was one of the most beautiful monuments in regard to architecture in Australasia. It was situated in a vacant space, where it would be unwise to put up a shelter shed. %The tramways manager should be asked to report on the advisability of making a starting point further down. Shacklock said ho thought the committee should take into consideration the question of making Anzao square the central terminal of the tramway system. It would be possible to have a line put down in Stuart street, and in this way make it possible for anyone to get a car for any suburb from the railway station. Cr Taverner said he was in favor of the committee’s proposal. If those who now found that the monument was one of architectural beauty, then they should have seen that it was kept in decent repair. It was not proposed to scrap the monument, and he thought,it would look a good deal better for the change. Cr_M‘Dona]d said he thought the proposition of the committee was a right one. The only argument, perhaps, against the proposal was that of Cr Wilson, who said_ some people might object from a sentimental point of view. The monument would be better away from the congested spot where it now stood, and what could bo better from a sentimental point of view than that it should stand outside the Early Settlers’ _ Hall ? He maintained that the proposition was in the right direction. Cr Larnach said he would Vote against the motion, because if the proposal was adopted it would make that part of the City more congested than it was at present.

Cr Sincock thought that the shelter should be put in the vicinity of the Queen’s Gardens or in Anzac square. The Deputy Mayor said that there had been no argument that the proposal was going to be beneficial from a tramways point of view. It would take a considerable amount of argument to convince the council that the particular place in question should be the permanent starting point of the trams. Councillors must realise that all their cars were not g’oino 1 to start there in the future. At the present time there was a strong tendency for the cars to run farther down Hi oh street in order to get ample space to turn, and with the new loops being put in there there would he ample room. Looking ahead for the nest 10 years, it would not be advisable to concentrate at the particular spot under consideration, but to spread the loading places. Cr Scott said that to change the central starting point of the system would cost thousands of pounds. To let the monument stand in the way of thousands of people seemed to him a short-sighted policy.

Cr Douglas, in reply, said the objections should not be given so much weight in a town where they needed progress. Something had to be done for the travelling public and relief provided at the most congested points, Very- serious objection would be raised if they suggested the erection of a shelter shed in Anzac square. The shed it was proposed to erect would not take up much more room than the base of the monument, and would not cause any more congestion. ■ Hie amendment was lost and the report adopted, which means that the plan is remitted to the Works Committee to report on the advisability of removing the monument to make room for the shelter. GAS COMMITTEE. Cr Clark, in moving the adoption of the Gas Committee’s report, referred to authority having been granted to accept a firm quote which has been received for the supply of a motor generator set from stock in Sydney for £875 delivered at the gasworks. There was no question as to the desirability of installing this plant. The full cost of installing it would be approximately £I,OOO, and the saving in the first year would be far greater than the cost of the work. It would also mean that they would be able to allow a larger supply of coke to manufacturers of the City, who, as they knew, had' been hampered considerably by lack of this fuel. The coal position was getting a little easier, a shipment— not a very great amount—being expected this week from Newcastle in time to prevent the works being closed down. Every economy would have to be exercised by the public in the use of the gas, and they hoped to carry’ on without inconveniencing the public. "The public would have-to put up with a little inconvenience in the way of lighting. He was quite confident, however, that they would not have to put up with the inconvenience that had occurred in northern cities. In regard to the price of gas, it was much cheaper in Dunedin than in any other place in New Zealand. If Dunedin had to pay the Auckland price—he meant the rate before Auckland made their recent increase—they would pay £15,000 more to the City of Dunedin. The gas department was not only keeping going, but was doing it most economically. They might find it necessary to increase the price of gas here, because coal was now costing more, but they would carry on as at present without burdening the ratepayers if they could do so. Cr Walker said the public were under a . great debt of gratitude to the gas engineer, who daring the past four years had had the hardest task of any officer of the service. (Hear, hear.) The report was adopted. A ROTARY CONVERTER. The tender of the Metropolitan Vickers Company (formerly the British Westinghouse Company) was accepted in the sum of £6,300, c.i.f.e Dunedin, for the supply and delivery of a 1,000 k.w. rotary converter. The machine is for installation at the converter station, with a view to increasing the tramway load when the new cars are running.