CIVIC AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 25396, 30 January 1945, Page 3

CIVIC AFFAIRS

COUNCIL'S FORTNIGHTLY MEETING

VARIETY OF TOPICS DISCUSSED The first meeting this year of tho City Council was held last night, and was attended by tho .Mayor (Mr ]). €'. Cameron), Crs L. J. Ireland. R. WalJs, l'. U. Connolly, M.R.. M. Connellv, J. Mediae, h. M. Wright, M. F. Blain, R. K JBarr, J.. W. Munro. M.l\. D. G. UcMilla.ii. DILAPIDATED RESERVES.

" Could a more intensive effort be made to clean up some of the council's reserves, which are in a very dilapi l dated state? " asked Cr Connolly, when the Reserves Committee's report was being discussed. "Jn comparison with reserves ,m other centres, they are decidedly untidy, and if it is a problem of finding labour to clean them up, then it would be interesting; to iknow how reserves in those centres are cared for."

Cr M. Connelly, who moved the adoption of tho report, said that the intervention of the holidays had interrunted the maintenance work at the reserves, but there would he an improvement in their condition.

The report was adopted. TRAMWAY FACILITIES

There had been many complaints about congestion on the trams on the Opoho service, said Cr McCrae, who moved the adoption of the Transport Committee's report, and it had been decided to run an extra tram from the city at 4.40 p.m. and one extra from the Gardens for the city at 7.40 p.m. It was recommended that the 5.3 p.m. tram from the city be run as a minimum fare tram in the same way as the present 5.30 p.m. tram'. To assist passengers with prams on the 4.8 p.m. tram from the city, prams for Opoho were to be given preference over those roauiring transport for a shorter distance. Cr Ireland, seconded the report, and inquired about the committee's reeommenchjtion to issue a concession ticket giving nine four-section rides for 3s. this price being equivalent to 4d per ride, which corresponded with the present four-section fare. Cr Ireland suggested that it would be a good idea to issue a concession ticket covering one section that could be used for any number of sections. " The council has been led up thn garden path for months and months, and .it is high time there was a move made," said Cr Wright, discussing the length of time the council had waited for the Goodman report on the tramway system. He said that the council should reach some decision and consider whether a committee should nojt he appointed to study the interim reiport.

Or M. Connelly asked whether ,it would not be a good idea to import more tram rails in addition to those just received in Dunedin, The condition of the tracks was not satisfactory, and they would have to be made safer, irrespective of what was going to happen to the city system. Cr Ireland asked if it would not be possible to consider a reduction in the fares to residents using buses to Corstorphineto Kew. In reply, Cr McCrae said he could nssure councillors that the transport facilities for Kew and Corstorphine had heen studied, and residents had approached him, as cha.irman of the Transport Committee, congratulating the committee for introducing improvements. The provision of concession tickets was to be discussed at the next meeting of the committee. As far as the condition of the ra.ils was concerned, he liar] made a full inspection of the city system and was satisfied that the condition of the tracks was better now thafi for some .years. He was fullv in accord with the suggestion that more rails should/he obtained. Cr McCrae said that maintenance work was heing pushed ahead as fast as possible, and he congratulated the acting transport manager (Mr W. I). Richards) for the energetic measures he was taking to safeguard the safety of tram passengers. Tile council had decided to studv the Goodman report in toto, and not sectionally, as had been advocated by Cr Wright. The report was adopted. COAL SHORTAGE ALLEVIATED.

In moving the adoption of the Gas Committee's report, Cr Wright said that while last week there was a definite shortage of coal, to-day the position was much more satisfactory, and the thanks of the council were due to the Westport Coal Company for its assistance during the shortage. SUPERVISION AT BATHS. When the report of the General Commiittee was before the meeting, Cr Wright asked the chairman whether it would not be possible to have some person in constant attendance at the Municipal Baths to keep watch over those in the water. Cr Walls drew attention to the continued disregard by the ipublic of the proper use of pedestrian crossings. He suggested that a loud speaker, or some other means of educating the public, might be brought into operation. Cr M Connelly, on behalf of the committee, undertook to have the matters seriously considered. MAINTENANCE WORK IN SUBURBS. " I would like to ask the chairman what work is being done in the city," said Cr P. G. Connolly, when the Works Committee's report was before the council. Much could be done, he said, in improving the footpaths, and a general cleaning up of the suburbs was nee(]ed. Would the chairman say what work was being carried out at the moment and what had been arranged f»>r in the near future?

Cr Connolly asked also, how many men had resigned from the works i'cipartment within the past three mouths, and the reasons for those resignations. The council, Cr Connolly added, should know these things. In reply, Cr Ireland said that, from memory, he would say that the position two months ago was that there were 175 men short of the normal number. As regards resignations, he would look into the matter and supply the details asked for at a later date. ROUTE FOR STOCK.

A proposed by-law fixing the routes prescribed for the driving of stock to the Burnside market by way oif Wakari was considered by the council, which was asked to confirm a resolution, to operate as a special order, covering the by-law. An objection to the confirmation of the resolution was entered on behalf of farmers and drovers in the Upper Leith area by Messrs Baylee and Brunton, solicitors. The council unanimously decided against the resolution in order to give farmers and drovers an opportunity of placing the reasons for their objection before the council. •' TENDERS.

The tender of the Love Construction Company for the erection of a now ceiling and the carrying out olf renovations to the city treasurer's department in the Municipal Chambers was accepted, the price being £682. Tenders for the work of facing the causeway slopes and the construction of a rock toe on the approaches to the

Edgar E. Stark bridge at Lake Mahinerangi, Waipori, were referred to the Electricity Committee. PROPERTY VALUATIONS.

Increases in both the rateable and the unrateable value of city'property were reported by the city valuer, Mr It. C. T. Evans* The rateable value for the year 1945-46 was £1,487,304, compared with £1,448,970 for the year 1944-45, an increase of £38,334. The non-rateable value for 1945-46 was £226,352, compared with £214.570 for 1944-45, an increase olf £11,782. ,