CITY COUNCIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23488, 27 October 1939, Page 11

CITY COUNCIL

INSURANCE POLICIES FORMER PLAN ADOPTED SHARE TO ALL COMPANIES LARGE AMOUNT INVOLVED The placing of the insurance on municipal properties was discussed by the City Council at its meeting last night. It was reported that all the city's insurance business had been held bv the State Fire and Accident Office since 1936. It was recommended by the Finance Committee that the arrangement followed before that should again he adopted, so that the business would be shared equally among the 32 insurance companies in Auckland. It was reported that the total amount insured was £501,124, of which the State held a cover for £274,548, while the remaining £226.576 was reinsured among other companies. The 1938-39 premiums amounted to £916. and if the business were again given to the State a rebate of £207 would he made, making the net premiums £B6O for the current year. The manager of one insurance company submitted the following figures to indicate the support given to the city by companies and their staffs, and he asked what the State paid:—Companies' rates, £5500; number of employees, 520; number paying rates. 97; amount. £1905; shareholders of local companies resident in Auckland district., 26-13. The recommendation was adopted. CLERICAL STAFF SUBSIDISED WORKERS TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT Subsidised workers employed by the City Council include 17 who are attached to the clerical staff, according to a. report by the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, submitted to a meeting of the City Council last night. The wages of the men are subsidised by the Government to the extent of £4 a week, and their remuneration totals from £260 to £2BO annually. The report stated that the first subsidised clerical worker was engaged eight years ago. and as subsidised work increased the men were paid in accordance with an agreement between the council and the union. The effect was that wages were increased from £4 13s Id to £5 a week. Since then other subsidised clerical workers had been engaged. and it would seem that they were entitled to the same privileges extended to those employed earlier. The Mayor stated that the adjustment would involve a sum of about £2OO in back pay. running in individual cases from £S 15s 6d to £ls, and on his recommendation it was decided to make the payments. "If the subsidised scheme is to continue indefinitely it would be better from a stafling viewpoint to make permanent appointments to the staff." added the report. "This is a matter of policy which should he considered."

SPECIAL CITY LOANS

TH E * RAI SI N G OF £75,600

CONSOLIDATION APPROVED

to issue as a consolidated loan of £75,600 a number of special loans already authorised was taken by the Auckland City Council last night when the necessary resolutions were adopted. The loans included in the consolidation loan were:—Works Loan. Supplementary Loan. 1938, £37.700; Unemployment Relief Additional Loan. 1937. £16.000: Baths Improvement Loan. 1935. £8200: Abattoir Extension Loan, 1937. £5400; Municipal Golf Links Improvement Loan. 1938. No. 1, £4000; No. 2. £2500- No' 3. £IBOO.

The loan is to have a term of 20 years and interest is to lie paid at the rate of 4 j per cent, with'a sinking fund of £3 10s per cent per annum.

THE MOTOR CAMP EXCLUSION OF SHOWMEN HOLIDAYMAKERS ONLY Admission to the municipal motor camp at Western Springs will in future be restricted to bona fide holi-day-makers, and travelling showmen will bo excluded. This decision was made by the City Council last night, when the superintendent of parks, Mr. f. S. Aklridge, complaining of the habits of showmen, sought advice in the matter, in view of {.he possible influx of Centennial visitors. Reporting on the policy adopted elsewhere, the town clerk, Mr. J. Melling, stated that at Hamilton travelling showmen were charged 10s a night. The motor camp at Kotorua was barred to such people, while in Napier the borough had been fortunate in that showmen stayed at a privately-owned camp.

The matter of providing space for showmen on the outer area of the camp was left in the hands of the town clerk and the superintendent of parks.

TAXI INSPECTION RTCSPOSSIBILITY DISPUTED The responsibility for inspecting taxiealis for certificates of fitness was disputed by the City Council at its meeting last night. The Commissioner of Transport, Mr. G. L. Laurenson, suggested that the inspection should lie carried out by officers of the council, but the council's Public Safety Committee expressed the view that, as the licensing of the vehicles was in the hands of the Auckland Transport Hoard, it should also be responsible for the inspection. It was decided to forward a reply to this effect to the commissioner.

OITY FARM SOLD HARKIN'S POINT PROPERTY Details of the sale of the City. Council's farm property at Harkin's Point, on the ipper reaches of the Waitcir.iitn Harbour, were submitted to the council 'a.->t niirlit in a report by the Works Committee, which had been authorised to dispose of the property. The report was furnished by the chairman of the committee, Mr. J. A. C. Allntn, and the town clerk, Mr. J. Melling. It was shown that the land, buildings, stock and plant realised £10,500. For many years this farm was used for the breeding of heavy type horses used in council road vehicles and for the resting of the animals between periods of work. With the increased use of motor-vehicles the farm was no longer required anil its sale was authorised. The report was referred to the Finance Committee, with a recommendation that this and similar amount' accruing from the sale of properties should be placed in a separate account and retained toward the cost of a proposed municipal block.