THE RENEWAL FUND

Evening Star, Issue 22895, 1 March 1938, Page 5

THE RENEWAL FUND

A HEATED DISCUSSION CR ALLEK'S ENLIGHTENING FIGURES STATEMENTS REFUTED Business was moving smoothly at the City Council meeting last night, when an apparently simple interjection by Or Silverstone started a lengthy disserta-tion-in finance and many other more or less extraneous subjects, with the result that quite a little heat was engendered. The interjection was merely “ Hear, hear!” but* as the old song has' it, “ ’Twas not exactly what he said, but the nasty way he said it,” which brought about the interlude. Cr Allen was speaking to the motion for the adoption of the Finance Committee’s report, and was remarking upon the increased demand made on the council by the Highways Board for its share of the expenditure in connection with the formation of Duke’s road.

The road, said Cr Allen," was probably given the grandiose name of main highway tojustify the proposed expenditure. When the council agreed to the expenditure of £2,250 it was on the distinct understanding that the road was to cost £12,000. The Taieri County Council and the City Council agreed to pay some £3,000 of the total cost. He did not think they should be asked now to grant a sum on a “ walk-over " estimate. In his opinion, the Highways Board should find the balance of the increased estimate. From the Fountain to the aerodrome the new road sayed about three miles, and he did not think the council should be asked to grant so much extra in a road which would save only three miles on the trip. “ I have here,” .said Cr Allen, “ some figures regarding the renewal fund which will be very enlightening to the public when I give them out. 1 propose however, to hold over any ■ comment until a later occasion.” Cr Silverstone: Hear, hear. Cr Allen: Very well, if you want them now I will give them to you. When the council came into office three years ago, Cr Allen proceeded, the total amount standing to the credit of tho renewal fund was £522,531, while now it stood at £400,299, a reduction of £122,232 in the three years. Cr W. W. Batchelor: We’ve kept a lot of people from starving. Continuing, Cr Allen said chat at March 31 last the balance stood at £464,344. Outgoings to September 30, 1937, amounted to £57,045, and outgoings to March 31 next would do, say, £67,000, making a total of £114,045. The credit at the latter date would then be £350,299. Contributions and interest to the latter date would account for some £50,000, making the total in credit £400,299. If Cr Silverstone thought that sound finance, the speaker did not. Cr Cameron agreed with Cr Allen and opposed any further contribution by the city towards a road that was outside the city area, while at almost every meeting the council turned down residents who asked for footpaths and roads.

Cr SJlverstone: Don’t exaggerate. Or Cameron: I am not exaggerating at all. The councillor also objected to the last few words in the clause which bound the next council to such an expenditure. It was, to his mind, a wrong procedure. He moved that clause 2 be deleted. Cr Mitchell seconded the amendment. . . Cr Shepherd said that the original suggestion for the work on the road had come from him, but he certainly did not expect the expenditure to reach £30,000. The original idea had been to spend a little money on the improvement of the rond, which would carry a large proportion of southern traffic out of the city. While he agreed that there were numbers of people who wanted but could not^get^roads and footpaths within the city, it must ho realised that for an expenditure of £4,275 they were going to get a £30,000 roadway. If. however, the Public Works Department could be induced to cease carrying out this job by hand and introduce machinery the cost would be considerably reduced. Cr Silverstone, in reply, said he had no idea the Government would come to the council for an increased contribution ; nevertheless, he thought the value of the road would be realised within the next five years.; It was a

narrow outlook to say that money should not be spent outside the city. It was not a national affair, this road, but purely a local matter. All the Government was doing was to make the city a present of £20,000. The speaker contended that during the past three years more work had been done in improving the suburban areas than had been done in the previous six years.

Cr Allen rose to a point of order. Cr Silverstone had not replied to the point which had been raised, which was: Why had the board not carried out its contract with the council for a contribution of £3,000. Cr Silverstone went on to say that no harm was being done if, for an extra expenditure of £2,000 the city' got a better job. Cr Silverstone went on to say that certain councillors proudly pointed to the fact that three .years ago the city had a quai'. nr of a million in the bank. But three years ago, he reminded them, they had a sugar bag brigade. Cr Allen's idea of wealth was £ s. d.; his idea of finance was a big banking account.:

Cr Allen rose and appealed to the chairman against the insults,, offered him by Cr Silverstone. " ; The chairman (CT Begg); I think you are overstepping the mark,- Or Silverstone. - Cr Silverstone: There was nothing insulting in what I said. Cr Allen; He said what was not true. Cr Silverstone concluded by stating that the city’s finances were as strong as ever they were. At some future time he would have more to say. The Chairman mentioned in passing that it was stated the money would be well spent and that the. road would be useful for all time. Or R. Harrison: Is the erection of the bridge over the creek at, the bottom of the hill included in the estimate? Cr Shepherd: We were given to understand that this is to be a complete job. Upon being put to the meeting, the amendment for the deletion of the clause concerning the extra contribution to the road estimate was lost, and the report adopted.