CITY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17090, 23 August 1917, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of th© City Council, held last evening-, was attended by tho Mayor (Mr J. J. Clark), Crs Taverner, Lunn, Siticock, Thompson, Blaok, Bradley, Scott, Macdonald, Douglas, Kellett, Gilkison, Small, Hayward, Ilanaock, Wilson, Carroll, Shaddock, and Begg. COST OF living. Tho Napier Borough Council wrote forwarding a resolution urging tho Government to take ovgl- tho control of the food supply of tho country.—Cr Black moved that tho council support tho idea or aims by tho Napier Borough Council in anything that would reduce the cost of living, and that the oouncil strongly protest against handing tho matter over to tho Government.—Hie Mayor suggested that experts bo set uip to deal witn the problem.—Cr Begg moved as an amendment—" That the letter be received, and that the council endorse what tho Napier Borough Council had decided upon."' —Cr Koll.'tt said that five years ago tho Government had set up a commission to obtain all the evidence poasiblo on tho question, and tho council was only wasting time in discussing it. He would oppose both motion and amendment.—The amendment was agreed to. RK PORTS. Cr Wilson moved tho adoption of the Workß Committee report.—Cr Macdonald' expressed tho hope that tho repairing of certain portions of the Main South road would be kept steadily in view.—Cr Sincock referred to a paper which had been issued to the men employed by the P.ublio Works Department, which, ho said, asked

a num-beT of questions of a most impertinent character. Someone in the employ of tho corporation had taken it upon himself or themselves to order these papers to be issued, thereby causirasr ill-feeling among tho employees in whoso hands they h'ad been placed. If it was right that these papers should go out to tho employees, they should go to the high officials, and thence right down to the lowest-paid employee.—Cr Bradley pointed out the necessity of doing something to Lonsdalo street. —Cr Carroll asked if the marks on the fence in Jones street indicated the extent to which this street was to be graded?— Cr Kellett said he was also in possession of a document which had been issued to persons seeking employment under the engineering staff. It was pleasing to know that it had been withdrawn.—Cr Taverner naked if something was going to be dono in tregard to securing a proper supply of metal suit" 1 ' for the city streets. —Cr Hayward mentioned tho state of the metal in Lower Union street, and asked if this street might not be improved.—Cr Wilson, in reply, said that the old bank on the Main South road certainly required attention. Tho committee was in hopes that when the tramline over the hill was duplicated it would get something from the tramway department. Concerning the metal in Lower Union street not having been blinded, ho said that this work would be attended to as soon as possible. With respect to the employment form referred to by Crs Kellett and Sincock, he said that if these councillors had come to him he would have told them that they knew nothing about these forms. This form was introduced during the time tho work at Sullivan's dam was initiated, and merely served as a check. The form as a whole was all right, and there was nothing in it that any sensible man would fail to fill in. He had told the engineer that these forms should be withdrawn. Regarding Lonsdalo street, he said the Drainage Board men were carrying out the work referred to by Cr Bradley. Concerning Jones street, nothing would be done without the sanction of the council. With respect to the metal for the streets, ho said that the department was doing its very best to cut down the .metal to as small a size as possible.—The report was adopted. Cr Gilkison moved tho adoption of the Library Committee's report, and, speaking of tho clause with reference to "travelling school libraries," said that the scheme was copied from ■ America. In Wellington, where there were 15 schools, the annual cost was £150. It was proposed to begin the scheme next year as from April 1. The committee had selected the outlying schools because the central schools had the advantage of the children's library. The Education Board, ■while willing to assist, would not grant monetary help.—The Mayor said that the chairman had not explained how the scheme was going to be financed. If it was to be by supplementary capital vote it must be submitted to the Finance Committee before the council could adjudicate upon 1 the matter. —Cr Gilkison pointed out that it was not proposed to begin till April lOr Wilson suggested that the matter be referred to the Finance Committee. That could be added to the motion.—Cr Carroll said he did not think it was the place of tho council to find money for this particular purpose at all. He thought if the Education Department wanted a thing of this sort carried out' it should be prepared to pay for it. — Cr Hayward moved as an amendment that tho number of schools bo extended to five, tho sum raised to £200, and the question of finance referred to the Finance Committee. —Cr Shacklock gave it as his opinion that it would be far better for children under 14 years of age, to whom the scheme would apply, to be out playing after they came out of s school. There was a danger of overcrowding a child's mind.—The amendment that the matter be referred to the Finance Committee, with a request to consider the advisability of increasing the number of schools .to five, was carried.—Cr Black moved that the amendment be added to as follows: "That the Finance Commit-' tee be requested to consider the advisability of subsidising North-East Valley, Mornington, and Roslyn school libraries to the extent of £10.—The amendment was lost, and the original motion so far as it affected the rest of the report carried. Cr Carroll moved the adoption of the Gen' i ll Committee's report. The bulk of tho _ discussion that followed was directed against the alteration of plans .by some person, or persons, after they had been approved.—Speaking on the question of fish markets, Cr Wilson said that if Parliament would not give the council the power it asked for the council should drop the movement and go in for a fish market on a small scale.—Cr Hayward pointed out that at present fish were very roughly handled before they found their way to the public, and the customer did not get tho fish fresh. We had the fishing grounds, but no proper means of distributing the fish.—-Hie Mayor remarked that Dunedin had for a long time been trying to push this matter forward. —Cr Scott asked if any provision had been made for sun baths. The appointments at the Turkish baths were not good, and had been the means of driving old patrons away.—The Chairman, in replying, said that in his opinion the first plan submitted for the bath house at St. Clair was the best Concerning the point raised by Cr Scots with respect to making* provision for sun bathers, he said that there was a suggestion that the roof of the building Should be flat, so as to serve this purpose. The majority of the committee, however, was . satisfied that if this were dono they would be doing something which would cause endless trouble.—The report was adopted.—Cr Carroll then moved, and Cr Douglas seconded, tenders be invited for the erection of a bath house at St. Clair.—Carried. Cr Hancock moved the adoption of the Reserves Committee's report. He said that the engineer would have his report on the encroachments on the Town Belt comEleted in about six weeks.—C* Kellett said e noticed that an interim report from the tengantoor stated that tho encroachments were not so numerous as was expected, tho largest number being on Pine Hill terrace. This was not what he was trying to get at, but he would reserve further comment until .the report was completed.—The report was adopted.

Cr Shacklock moved the adoption of the Electric Power and Lighting Committee s report, confining himself to a reference to the clause asking for authority to spend a further sum of £500 on the preliminary work of reconstructing the portions of the Waipori road destroyed by the recent flood. Ho did not want the council to run aw, 1.7 with the idea that this £500 would be the final amount asked for The bridges would cost £2800.—Cr Hancock asked if the ohairinan could tell the council within a thousand or two what the cost of this work would be.—Or Black asked what it would cost to put the Waipori road into a condition to be used for traffic. At the Ferwick end the road commenced in a lake. He felt inclined to move that' this clause be held up until nfcct council meeting.—The Mayor explained that this vote was asked for in order that the men engaged there would not be compelled to leave. To get over the difficulty, he suggested that the council allow £100 to bo voted.—Cr Black moved that the vote bo reduced to £100 pending a full reporter Lunn seconded.—Cr Wilson said the chairman had clearly pointed out to tho council what this work would! cost. The voting of £100 was not enough, and' tho counoil should pass a grant for £SCO. This was a permanent work, and as for an absolute estimate of tho cost of this work, he did not think tho eng'neer would bo able to give it.—Cr Shncklock, in replying, said he had nothing ud his sleeve as was sujested by Cr Black* He had a comprenensivo report from tho engineer which he believed should go to the committee concerned first, but- ho took this opportunity of laying that, the flood would result in something like £10,000 being spent in Waipori and the distriot. Since tho flood tiro engineer had been busy, «nrl it would

take a considerable time to bring down a full report. The repairs to the road from the power house to the bridge would be about £2800—that was, to make a permanent job of the road to this point. If Mr M'Curdie's advice had been taken at the beginning it would probably havo saved the council £7000 or ££000. There were one or two routes suggested for the road, and the estimates varied - between £8000 and £9000. _ r lhen the settlers in the district xvere urging the Taicri County Council to give them access to their properties. If this was done it wonld save the council a considerable sum of money.—The amendment Bcgutived, and! the report adopted. Or Scott moved the adoption of the Tramway Committeo's report, and said the new car would bo in service- on Friday. It was intended to run it on the Tahuna line first, '?"n probably it would be run on full service on the Normanby or St. Clair lines. The oar had been passed by the Government.—Reference was made by councillors as to the curve at Cargill road corner, an anxiety being expressed as to the identity of the person who had been gruilty of " a botch.''—Cr Wilson said that the points were designed to go round tho ourve irrespective of road widenings.—Cr Scott, in replying, said he had tho engineer s report before him, and there could be no doubt that there was an admission that a mistake had been made by the department in connection with, -the Cargill Corner curve.—The report was adopted. Or Taverner moved the adoption of the Finance Committee's report and stated, in connection with free passes, that the committee had made recommendations in the direction it believed tho council desirod.— Ci> Scott moved as an amendment that the clause dealing with free passes bo deleted Thore were hundreds of other persons equally entitled to passes. On the suggestion of the Mayor, he altered his amendment to read that free tramway passes bo not granted.—Cr Begg seconded the amendment, and said tlia.t one of tho two gentlemen mentioned received a fair salary and tho other possessed a motor bicycle.—The amendment was lost, and the report adopted. Tho Water Committee's report was adopted without comment.