TOWN HALL STAFF

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22818, 27 August 1937, Page 14

TOWN HALL STAFF

NEW BUILDING PLAN DEPARTMENTS CRAMPED BETTER FACILITIES URGED PROJECT SENT TO COMMITTEE The suggestion that the time had arrived for the council to consider the erection of a new administrative block to replace the present unsatisfactory arrangerhents in the Town Hall building, was contained in a report which the Mayor, Sir 1 Ernest Davis, presented to the City CounciJ last night. . The Mayor said the conditions under which -the city's business was. carried out at th§ Town Hall would not be tolerated by a business firm. The .preEent offices could provide only about half of {ho space required. It was essential to have tho wholo of the administration concentrated in one block, including accommodation for tho maypral suite and council chamber. Efficiency Impaired

In his report, the town clerk, Mr. J. Melling, said the present conditions were obsolete and detrimental to efficiency." •It had been- necessary to spread the. statt throughout ,the vari- * ous rooms, in out of way places. At no time during the day did the. sun penetrate into .the rooms occupied by tho Mayor, Tiimself or the public office. One. important feature was the ' housing of records, 'the accommodation for which under preseht conditions 'was positively dangerous, ' comprising wooden fixtures k in 'narrow confined spaces. There, was no doubt that in, the event'of fire valuable records which could not be replaced., would be lost. . The-city engineer,\Mr; J. Tyler, said that In"his department the staff was, distributed in many rooms, some of . .'which, . were .'overcrowded, and.. in all. cases .the facilities for attending the "public .were inadequate. Use: For Present Offices The treasury, in addition to being overcrowded by the staff, which is distributed over many rooms, lacks accommodation for tho public and is inconveniently located on the top floor of the'; buildingj while'the Valuation Department, with Vhlch it is closely allied, is in the basement. Very similar conditions were reported by the heads of the waterworks, sanitary and traffic departments. It was suggested by the city valuer, Mr. P. _F. Notley, that the present. Town Hall premises might "be used to. house the Milk Council, the DrainageBoard, and possibly the Transport Board,. all of which are at present occupying privately-owned premises. He estimated the rent which could be obtained from the Town Hall offices as at present, exclusive of the two halls, would be £IBOO a year, as compared with the total of £1941 now paid by these three bodies in rents .and rates.. ' ; The'project was referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and, report. MOTOR TAXATION .;i • HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES - /STATEMENT TO BE V MADE,.. ' ■ -A statement regarding various motor'' taxation' problems, including the "in-' cidence arid allocation of heavy traffic fees; is to be made by the Minister of Transport, ■ the.;Hpn. J?. Semple, when-' he returns from Australia, according' to advice received by {he City- Council.; The rtown clerk, Mr.' J. Moiling, re-, ported iat~ last night's l meeting that the present arrangement in connection' ■with the distribution of < heavy traffic licence fees'for the No. l'A district had expired 011 May 31. He had communicated with the Commissioner of Transport, asking for some indication as to whether it was the intention of tho Government to bring down any amendment to the regulations concerning the basis of distribution of the fees. The commissioner had now advised that the Minister would make a statement, adding that until then ho was unable to advise what steps would bo taken in connection with any altered basis for apportioning the fees. He suggested, however, that- the apportionment for the current quarter be fiased upon the system followed last year, and any adjustments which might b'o necessary -"could bo made later. The council decided to approve of the distribution of the fees for the current year on the basis suggested by tho commissioner.

NEW BUS STATION OPENING DATE FIXED VALUABLE PUBLIC AMENITY The new municipal transport station in' Commerce Street is to bo officially opened for business about the second •week in September. The City Council last night agreed to a suggestion by the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, that an opening function should take place. _ In a report the Mayor said that in this station the council had provided for the puhlic a utility of a character which coming generations in addition to 'the present would appreciate, and one which did not exist elsewhere in Is T ew.Zealand, or, as,far as he was able to ascertain, in Australia. _ "I welcome the opportunity of again mentioning that credit is due to tho work which from the beginning has been performed by tho chairman of the Legal and By-laws Committee, Mr. \V. T. Anderion, M.P., through whose initiative so much has been accomplished," said Sir Ernest. • The deputy-mayor, the Hon. B. Mar-; tin. M.L.C., reminded members that this building was erected by the council with direct labour, and said it was a monument oi what could be done by thj's particular method. The council decided that rates on the new municipal transport station should be remitted for five years, pro-\-ided the transport operators agreed in writing to tho inclusion thereafter of rates in the annual charges for tho Btation.

It was also decided that the station should bo kept open seven days a week.

LIBRARY subscription

ALTERATION IN SYSTEM An alteration in the short-term subscription to the lending department of the Public Library was made by tho City Council last night on the recommendation of the chief librarian, Mr. v John Barr. Previously the subscription for three months was 3s, with a deposit of ss, which was returnable. Tho ■ council' decide;? to do away with the ? whiqh was stated to. be detrigq-. mental to- the use of the subscription."