WAKARI AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 23499, 13 February 1940, Page 13

WAKARI AFFAIRS

STREET LIGHTING OF GOVERNMENT BLOCK CRITICISM OF CITY COUNCIL Criticism of tlic strect-ligliting policy of the City Council was made at the annual meeting last night of _ the Wakari-Kaikorai Improvement Society. “ I wasi in conversation with a high official of'the Housing Department who was l in .Dunedin recently,”' stated; Mr H. 0. Sidford when street lighting .for the hew Government housing block was being discussed,. “ and.,he told mo 'that the Dunedin City Council was one of the worst local bodies to work with in New Zealand;. The' department gets excellent co-operation • in other centres, and' in Auckland, I am informed, the lights; are in the; streets before the houses are actually There is no reason why that should not happen in Dunedin.” As. a result of Mr Sidford’s suggestion- it was decided- to recommend to the incoming committee that' further moves be made in this direction in spite of a communication from the City Council to the effect that the lights Could not be put in until the housing subdivision was officially taken over by the council on the completion of tlio roads and footpaths. It was also decided, on the motion of the acting chairman (Mr_ C. J. Robinson), to take joint action with other bodies in protesting against the increased valuations, it being suggested that, as the City Council apparently had no control over the valuations, it should reduce the rate payable on the valuations. BUS SERVICES. There was a lengthy discussion _on the subject of extended bus services to the district, those specially interested in the matter being tenants of the new Government bouses. The secretary (Mr R. T. Stedman) outlined the action taken in this direction by the previous committee, but informed the meeting that the council was still “ deliberating ” on the matter. Among the subjects the incoming committee was asked to consider preparatory to drawing up concrete proposals for putting before the council were the possibility of concession tickets being issued for use on both the Stuart street and the Rattray street lines, night buses, more frequent Sunday buses, extended services, and alternative routes. DISTRICT HALL, The matter of a public hall for the district was introduced when Mr E. R. Winkol moved as a recommendation to tho incoming committee that investigations he made for the immediate establishment of a kindergarten in the district. This led another member to recommend that the committee also inquire into the possibility of a hall being built to meet the needs of the community, the secretary subsequently outlining the steps that had already been taken by the society in this direction.

One site offered by the Government had already been built on, lie said, but there were still others available. The matter of finance, however, was likely to bo the stumbling block, as initial efforts had not been at all encouraging. Other matters in which the committee was instructed to act were the completion of roads and footpaths in the Government housing block, tin* provision of more public telephones, letter boxes, and fire alarms, the holding of quarterly meetings of the association, and the provision of recreation grounds. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The election of officers resulted - . President, Mr C. W. M'Donald; vicepresident, Mrs W. S. Cubitt; secretary and treasurer, Mr 11. T. Stedman ; committee—Messrs L. S. Joyce. G. G. Seelen, B. Steven, W. T. Millar, J. M. Sellar. G. Wellman, E. R. Winkel, R. Newall, N. C. Carnahan, H. C. Sidford. D. Tj. Dewar, C. E. Dayman, W. E. Bell, P. Dickel, D. M. French, H. X. Riddell. J. Galvin. C. J. Robinson, P. E. Whimp, F. Fraser, J. Hunter, Mcsdames L. Tweed ie, G. F. Mawhinncy, J. Bauld ; auditor, Mr J. W. Jowsey.