CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16936, 23 August 1918, Page 6

CITY COUNCIL.

,— » PROPOSED LAND EXCHANGE.

t '■ OFFER ;, BY <■ GOVERNMENT. v An offer from the district engineer of the Public Works Y Department • for ■: an;' exchange of land in Symonds Street was received by-, the City Council last night at a meeting,' over which the Mayor, Mr. J.' H. Guneon, presided. The engineer proposed to give : 10ft in depth of the frontage of the post % office site " in • Upper Symonds Street for street-widening purposes, in consideration of .the council giving 1 a *t strip of land on the southern boundary *of the '■ Government's' property.' The waterworks : engineer, ; in : a report on the question, expressed doubt whether t the exchange would be advantageous to the council,' on account of the number of water-mains that would require to be removed if the I Department should build out to the proposed new boundary. The matter was referred to .the Public "Services Committee. / • t • ••

Increase in Electric Supply. ' j .'A. report submitted by the, electrical engineer, showed that in the quarter ended June 30 the number of units of electrical current sold was 1,973,263, an increase of 100,325, or 5 per cent., as compared with the corresponding period of 1917; Ike revenue was £16,072—increase £625, 4 per cent.; ' working expenses, £7293—decrease £782,9£ per cent.; capital charges, £2083 —decrease £3661- number of ' customers, 2831—increase 432, 8 per cent. .-'..-v: :. ,'-., ■ -"' Miss Melville, ,' chairwoman , of /- the Library Committee, H was given/power >to act in the matter of providing a library for tho returned ; soldiers at the ; hospital, provided , that the/ Patriotic ;: Association pays the cost."' \. .•" .."".' ;7 : I Permission f was W granted to the pro-" moters of the ChurclLArmy Hut Fund to make a street collection in November on a day to be fixed. l .;' .;••:; "■'-;, '. ''■%''■/■'•' I*A reward of £5 was ordered to be : offered for information leading to the conviction, of the persons ■ who i damaged trees in Picton Street. '-...•

i Authority was given for the appoint-' ment of a working foreman to exercise general oversight of the council's 90 odd endowment properties. .1" >■,:,•-;j "

Limiting Speed of Motors.

' The question of imposing a limit upon the speed of motor-cars in ; the city { was, on the motion of; Mr. Erneßt 1 Davis, referred to the Finance and Legal Committee. ,'.' . *"" f\ <

!-, The ranger, Mr. Shand, was empowered to impound ,; all, cattle . straying - on the councils property at ; Titirangi, ;* Cornwallis, and Waitakere. 1•> ? (>: >''''•-»' __ '•■' ; . In consequence of the damage , done by larrikins to enamel number plates on gateposts, it was agreed that in future numbers that are placed on - fences or gates should.be painted, in lieu of the use "of plates.'/ '. .V V; ■•' i) In pursuance of a circular issued by, the Hastings Borough Council;- it was agreed to urge upon the Government the necessity .'• of closely looking \ into the manufacture and carriage of. cement, with a view to its being made available to consumers at .'much' lower prices than the current market rates." - -■'".-

f Messrs. R. H. : Abbott and Company wrote drawing attention to ; the effect on property '• owners' of •: the - : new . building regulations, and referring I to the refusal of a permit to the company i for the addition of a storey ito its three-storey building in Elliott Street, at an estimated cost of £15,000. ; "r The writers suggested' that leading architects he consulted on the subject.";- The city 'engineer, in a .report,' expressed the view tliat' the building, which was erected eight or ten years ago, was.; unsatisfactory ( from ; r a fire I point lof view, and that the , by-laws 1 , should be reasonably adhered, to. The matter , waa referred to' the Works Committee. • > ~