THE CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18534, 19 October 1923, Page 9

THE CITY COUNCIL.

PARNELL BRANCH } LIBRARY.

'MUNICIPAL FISH MARKET.

LOSS DURING SIX MONTHS.

Tho Auckland City; Council met last evening, the Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson, presiding. \ There were also present Miss & Melville, Messirs. G. Baildon, J. A. Warnock, G. Enight, A. E. Lawry, G. R. Hutchinson, J.. Robertson, C. G. Macindoe, F. W. H. Brinsden, T. Bloodworth, J. Dempsey, J. A. 0. Allum, S. I. Crookes, J. W. Hardley, J- B. Paterson, A. Thompson, C. H. Furness, T. T; Garland, J. Donald, and A. J. Ehtrican.

At a' special meeting a special order was made resolving to borrow the sum of £40,000 from the State Advances Office for tho purpose of erecting workers' homes. The Mayor explained that arrangements had already been made for. the money. The Library Committee recommended that the tender of Mr. F. J- Fawcett, for £7320 2s- Id, for the re-erection of the Parnell branch library be accepted.. Seven tenders were received, ranging from £7681 to £9992, the former being Mr. Fawcett's tender, which was reduced by adjustments totalling £260 17s lid agreed upon after consultation with the architect. This was adopted. The Library Committee also reported that negotiations had been completed for the purchase of the property adjoining the Grey Lynn Library site, at £1000, for library purposes. Twenty applications were received for the position of branch librarian at tho Epsom Library. The applications were referred to tho Library Committee, with power to act, Miss Melville having mentioned that'an early appointment was a matter of urgency, ) .". . •■*.."' In consequence of a petition from residents in the vicinity, and aided by a report from the traffic inspector, the Works Committee recommended that City Road be included in the prohibited parking area for motor-cars and* that, in the case of Liverpool Street, the by-law be amended to allow parking on the western side only. The Auckland City Band wrote asking the council, in view of the proposed formation of a municipal band, to consider taking over the Auckland City Band, and-offering the whole of the in-j struments, music, and uniforms for the; sum of £800. The matter was referred to the Parks Committee for consideration six weeks hence.

On the recommendation of the Works Committee, the council decided to have a gas lamp erected in Silver Road, Epsom, as a temporary measure, residents having complained that pedestrians nau, been subjected to annoyance "owing to the darkness of the locality. The Tramways Committee, reporting on the request by Mr. Brinsden that a tramway shelter shod be erected at the top of Heme Bay Road, stated that the seats already at ' this point, one under cover of a "verandah, should reasonably fulfil ordinary requirements. It'recommended that no shelter shed should be erected at present. At the request of Mr. Brinsden, the matter was referred back to the committee to enable him to ; submit arguments in favour of the erection of a shelter.

In submitting the revenue and netrevenue accounts for the half-year ended September 30, in connection with the Municipal Fish Markets, the town clerk said it would be observed that the actual trading showed a gross profit of £442 2s, but after debiting the interest, depreciation, and sinking fund fixed '.charges, this gross profit was converted into a loss of £1076 8s tor the half-year. The loss for the year ended March 31, 1923, amounted to £4961 lis lid. so "that the result of the, operations for ' the first half of the current year, although still on the wrong side, showed a considerable improvement. * •

The Markets Committee reported that during the fortnight ended October 13 a total of 4851 customers had been served at the municipal fish shop, and ,the receipts amounted to £382. In the same period 54i tons of fish had been obtained from the three trawlers, and 4£ 'tons from the line fishermen.

The manager of the municipal abattoirs reported that the stock killed for the half-year ended September 30 last totalled: Cattle, 14,291,- calves, 5813; pigs, 15,555;- 'sheep, 42,325; and lambs