THE CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15398, 5 September 1913, Page 9

THE CITY COUNCIL.

HEAVY TRAFFIC PROBLEMS.

ISSUE OF LICENSES.

POSITION OF LOCAL BODIES.

The Auckland City Council met last evening. There were present: The Mayor (Mr. C. J. Parr), and Messrs. John Court, Hall Skelton, A. J. Entrican, H. N. Bagnall, F. E. N. Gaudin, R. T. Michaels, J. M. Mennie, M. Casey, R. Tudehope, J. Trevethick, J. C. Gleeson, R. S. Briggs, P. J. N.erheny, G. Read, and Miss Melville.

A deputation from the Remuera Road Board, consisting of Messrs J. Derapsey (chairman), J. B. Paterson, P. Spencer, and S. M. Moore-Jones, waited upon the council with reference to regulations regarding the width .of tyres and the supervision of heavy traffic.

Mr. Dempsey said his board felt that the heavy traffic licenses issued by the council were, liable to abuse, as no width was specified for tyres. At present there was a danger of owners reverting to the old system of narrow tyres, and his board suggested that a by-law should be passed fixing the size of tyres at 4in or 4£in. The Mayor informed the speaker that the council had this matter under consideration, and it was to be dealt with at a special meeting on Wednesday. Mr. Dempsey, referring to the supervision of heavy traffic, said his board felt there was something lax in the direction of the control of licenses. He suggested that it was better for each local body outside the city to act as rangers for the City Council. Under the new by-laws it was scarcely worth while for the outside local bodies to take any action for breaches of the heavy traffic by-laws unless they were definitely assured that they would be backed up by the council. Mr. P. Spencer said the matter of the heavy traffic by-laws was of vital interest to local bodies, as the revenue of these bodies was affected up to a certain point. The interests of these local bodies should be properly safe-guarded. In Remuera, for instance, as well as in other districts large estates were being cut up, and this necessitated much heavy 'traffic in the district, and this should be taken into consideration when framing any new bv-laws in respect to the width of tyres. He therefore suggested that representatives of his board should be present at the special meeting. Mr. Paterson said that what was wanted was uniformity in the matter of the width of tyres and proper supervision of the traffic in the suburbs. Mr. Moore-Jones referred to the increasing difficulty of obtaining first-class road metal. In view of this it was more than ever necessary to have the tyres increased in size.

The Mayor, in reply, said that the deputation's representations would be taken into consideration by the council, which would be pleased to send the Remuera Board a copy of the proposed by-law, and to hear any suggestion that might be made thereon. He recognised that the local bodies would have a difficulty in keeping their roads in order, and they would also suffer loss in licenses. For this they would have to devise a remedy.

Mr. Nerheny : Greater Auckland! _ After thanking the council the deputation withdrew.

BUILDING BY-LAWS.

"YEARS BEHIND WELLINGTON."

The council resolved that CTe Works Committee should peruse the Wellington building by-laws with a view to adapting any of them to the needs cf Auckland.

Mr. A. J. Entrican suggested that as the matter was so very important a special committee should be set up, consisting of outside experts. A representative of the Architects' Association and the Builders' Association should be asked to consult with the committee. i The Mayor did not see that this was necessary. He thought it would be sufficient to. refer the matter to the Works Committee, which could be empowered to consult with what persons it thought fit. There was no doubt that Auckland was years behind Wellington in regard to building by-laws.

The Mayor's suggestion was accepted.

TRAMWAY STOP BEHOVED.

HAS- TO BE REPLACED.

The action of the Tramways Company in having moved- a stopping place at the top of Symonds Street some 25 yards down the street, owing, to an automatic switch, or point-shifter having been installed, was again reviewed by the council. The Electric Committee reported that several persons had waited upon it to object to the alteration of the stopping place, and submitted a report from Mr. Leslie W. White to the effect that it was not necessary to move the stopping place to enable tramcars to coast over the automatic switch.

It was recommended by the committee that the council insist upon the car stop being replaced in its former position. Mr. R. Tudehope said the company had been instructed to carry out the work. The council declined an application from the Tramways Company for permission to instal at the junctions of Queen and Welleeley Street* a Bystem of magnetically operated points and signals controlled from a tower on the footpath.

STATE OF MILL LANE.

BUSINESS FIRM'S COMPLAINT.

The unsatisfactory state of Mill Lane formed the subject of a complaint from Messrs. Woodroffe and Co. In the course of a letter the firm stated that they had from time to time, for three years past, asked the council to put the lane in order, but nothing whatever had been done.

'The engineer reported that the most satisfactory method of dealing with the condition of the lane was to lay stone setts at the entrance to Messrs. Woodroffe's premises across the whole width of the road. He was now in communication with that firm, and the owners of the property, with a view to coming to an arrangement whereby they would contribute half the cost of such paving, as was done in the case of the other end of the street, where stone sett paving was laid at the premises of two other firms. The matter was referred to the Streets Committee.

MAINTENANCE OP QUAY STREET.

HARBOUR BOARD HELD LIABLE.

The question of the maintenance of Quay Street was brought up on a report received from the Works Committee.

The Auckland Harbour Board wrote disclaiming all liability for the maintenance of Quay Street roadway, the laying of rails having been carried out by the Railway Department. If the board had to maintain crossings, it preferred that they should be of stone setts. It desired in any case that the railway crossings to the Central Wharf should be of stone setts.

The city engineer reported that he still adhered to his statement of the position. If the board disclaimed all liability for the maintenance of Quay Street roadway, the Railway Department would have to acknowledge the same. It was too late to alter the crossings at the Central Wharf, as the concrete foundations had-»been pat ia to suit the Neuchatel AsphaJte Company,

The town clerk (Mr. H. W. Wilson) -was appointed 'to consult the city solicitor in reference to entering into a binding agreement with the Railway Department or Harbour Board on the question of the railway lines and sidings in Quay Street. The Harbour Board is to be notified that the construction having been completed, the board will be liable for all future maintenance.

EXHIBITION WATER SUPPLY.

COUNCIL TO HIEE METERS.

In reference to the request of the Auckland Exhibition authorities that all water connections at the Exhibition be made under the supervision of the waterworks engineer, and that meters be hired by the council, the Electric and Water Committee resolved that the mains be tapped by the water department and a charge made for the same. Also, that meters (if in stock) be hired by the council to the Exhibition' for the four months during which the Exhibition will be open at the following rentals:—Half-inch 103, jjin 12s 6d, lin 15s, l|in 17s 6d,°2in 20s; the Exhibition to be responsible for any damage to the meters while on hire.

DOUBLE-DECKER OARS.

QUESTION OF SAFETY.

The Electric and Water Committee have in hand the consideration of the danger to the public of ■ double-decker tramcars through insufficient protection from accident by contact with the centre poles. The Auckland Automobile Association had suggested that the Tramways Company should be required to place wire netting, or some effective structure on cars, as in vogue in other cities. In view of the recent accident in Symonds Street, the committee recommended that the Tramways Company be requested to adopt means, by raising the side rails, or in some other adequate way, to ensure the safety of passengers riding on the top of double-decker cars. The recommendation was adopted. MISCELLANEOUS. ALTERING PERMANENT LEVEL. On the motion of the Mayor, the following resolution was carried:—" That the permanent level of the portion of Domain Street east of Grafton Road, and of Stanley Street, from its southern termination to a point approximately -300 ft from the intersection of Domain and Stanley Streets as fixed by the council under date March 18, 1879, be altered, and that the proposed level as shown on the plan submitted by the city engineer and publicly notified be adopted and fixed as the permanent level."

The caretaker's house at the Domain is to be sold for removal, and the site is to be fenced.

The city engineer has for a lamp to be placed half-way up the hill in Domain Street.

On the recommendation of the Works Committee it was decided to take no action in the matter of supplying boxed-in lamps with written directions on the sides for lighting street excavations.