SYDNEY CITY ENGINEER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18827, 30 September 1924, Page 8

SYDNEY CITY ENGINEER.

RELATIONS WITH ALDERMEN

MORE FRIENDLY FEELING.

'A more friendly feeling was evinced by the members of the Works Committee of the Sydney City Council toward the city engineer, Mr. Weekes, at a meeting last week than has been apparent for several meetings past. The meeting decided to ask Mr. Wcekes to proceed with the preparation of plans for the remodelling I of the Wattle Street depot, according to his recommendation of last February. In that report it was stated that by the capital expenditure of £100,000 it would bo possible to save £20,000 a year in the handling of materials, so that the savins in this way would pay for" the capital cost of the new plant and machinery in five years. It was agreed to recommend the council to make available £25,000 for the work, which it was believed could bo carried out during the present year.

The proposals of Mr. Weekes for the reorganisation of his department were further considered in an amicable manner by the special committee of the City Council on the following evening. Mr. Weekes proposed that the council should adopt as a policy the remaking, within a period of about 20 years, of all the streets of the city at an approximate cost of from £8,000,000 to £10,000,000, tbo annual amount to be expended on such reconstruction to be from £400,000 to £500,000. Tho Lord Mayor asked that, this proposal be carefully considered from the financial aspect, as. it was possible that it would involve the City Council in an increase in the city rates that the ratepayers would not tolerate. It was agreed that the matter of expenditure on new construction work, as apart from maintenance, should be referred to a conference of the Lord Mayor with the citv treasurer and tho city engineer, so as "to find out approximately the progressive charges on the city rates for a period of from 10 to 20 years for the carrying out of the construction programme which Mr. Weekes had recommended should be done out of loan money.