WORKS SCHEME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22183, 9 August 1935, Page 13

WORKS SCHEME

COMMITTEES' APPROVAL • _____ I TOTAL NOW £834,400 extent of employment ' estimated subsidies minister approached Further details regarding the proposed extensive scheme of works to bo undertaken in the city and to be spread over tho next three years were ■ placed before tho City Council last night. At the previous meeting of the council works costing £782,400 were provisionally approved and referred to the various committees interested for reports on the practicability of the proposals and the number of men for /whom employment was likely to be found. The city engineer, Mr. J. Tyler, re- . ported that the Parks and Public Services Committees had advanced additional proposals for the provision of conveniences and baths, costing £IO,OOO and £421,000 respectively, and raising the total cost of the proposed works to £834,400. His estimates of the amounts of subsidy which might be available are given in the accompanying table: — Cost Subsidy Drainage .. . .. £60.000 £9,500 Cleaning water mains .. 30.000 8.500 Waterworks and >;ese'rvoir 50,000 9.700 Abbatoir extensions .. 10,400 1,200 Fine Arts Block .. .. 100.000 12,000 Municipal Block .. 50,000 6.00 D Workers' dwellings .. 200,000 19,500 Streets •» .. • • 252.000 32,60*!) Conveniences .< . • 10.000 1,200 ■Baths .. •• 42.000 5.000 Totals. . . . . £834.400 £105.200 Employment Estimates Mr. Tyler added that, according to his estimate of subsidy, the cost to the council of all the scheduled works would be £729,200. Estimates by the various committees regarding the duration of the proposed works and the number of men for whom employment might be found were as follows: — Drsintige and Streets. —Total cost, £342,000; employment for 150 men for three years. , Fine" Arts Block.—Direct employment for 100 men for 18 months. Municipal Block. Approved by Finance Committee, but no estimate a*: to employment totals. x Abbatoir Extensions. Employment for 30 men for six months. Cleaning ars Lining Water Mains. — Direct employment for 30 men for three years. Waterworks and Reservoir. —Employment for 70 men for two years. ? There were no reports from committees regarding the proposals for workers' dwellings, conveniences and baths. On the other works, the total number of men likely to be employed for varying periods, according to the estimates of the various committees, is 380. Conference With Minister The Employment Committee reported that it had held a conference last Tuesday with the Minister of Employment, t!he Hon. S. G. Smith, Mr. W. Bromley, deputy-chairman of the Unemployment Board, and Mr. W. Slaughter, offioer in charge of unemployment in the Auckland district. The works proposed by the council were outlined to the Minister, who stated that the Unemployment Board would be prepare! to subsidise any approved list of works on the basis of £1 15s for each martied man for a 40-hour week, or, at the option of tho, council, 12 per cent on jthe capital cost of the work involved, i Mr. Smith also indicated to the committee that 80 per cent of the direct labour would have to be drawn from registered unemployed. The board would not subsidise works which, in the ordinary course of events, would be carried out by /the council's permanent itaff. The Finance Committee reported that information was being obtained for submission to the Local Government Loans Board in support of an application to be made for authority to raise money for the proposed works. Discussion on Report® Discussing the report by the Works Committee on reading and drainage proposals, Mr. H. P. Burton said that at the previous meeting it was stated definitely that the proposals wero to create work for the unemployed. The schemes outlined would not provide employment for the men at present on subsidised works. The Mayor, Mr. Ernest Davis, said the unemployment question was not all-important in the matter; many of the works proposed were urgently needed. The deputy-mayor, Mr. B. Martin, eaid Mr. Burton's .reference concerned only the number of men who would bo directly employed. An even greater number would be employed indirectly with accompanying benefits to trade and Mnstiy. " Tho vague nature of some of trie proposals was criticised by Miss E. Melville. The citizens who would have to provide the money for the works were entitled to more detailed particulars, t' "All these proposed works are part of the normal activities of the council, said the Hon. T. Bloodworth, M.L.C. "If these normal activities had not been interrupted unemployment in Auckland might not be so serious as it is to-day. Local bodies and private enterprise have a great responsibility in the relief of unemployment." The various reports on the scheme wero adopted. STREET MEETING PLACES NO PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT - The Auckland divisional comsnander of the Salvation Army wrote to the City Council laßt night applying for reconsideration of the council's decision that tho open-air meetings in Beresford Street should be 50 yards from Pitt Street. Tho writer stated that a permanent light had been erected in the Present position, which had been occuSed by the Salvation Army for over J? years. Thej would be careful to preserve a sufficient distance from Pitt Street to ensure traffic safety, but to mov€i them 50 yards from tho intersection would completely negative ; 'their open-air,effort at this place. Tho council decided to reply that us the by-law was now in ODeration, tie council was unable to grant preferential treatment; A complaint was received from tie "nperintendent of Police that at a street meeting on the night of Friday, August 2, tho chairman set up his stand in Howe Street, 28ft. fro n «arangßihape Road and refused to move it- further along Howe Street to a position conforming with the by-laws. Fron 80 to 90 persons were present wh<n I the meeting broke up. The matter wus 1 referred to the Legal and By-laws Con- I ;■ Ituttae.