MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17328, 30 May 1918, Page 6

MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS

TOWN CLERICS REPORT. Tho annual report of tins town clerk, laid beforo tho City Council last night, contains sonio interesting facts. Tho work of tho year (says ilr Lowin) has been ooniined lor the iiujsi pail to tun performance of tlioso many and vuriucJ duties that ore inseparable lroin (ho rivic management of u modern city, and any attempt at a forward policy has perforce been relegated to tho background. The business consists very largely of maintenance and minor matters of a kindred description. Moro it is not possible to do; more, no doubt, it is not advisable nor expedient to do. even wero it possible. Tho roll of honour shows that upwards of 130 employees! have gone to the front. The annual valuations are given. Although the city is now an undivided one. the rateable value of tho jrroperty within thy area comprised by the late wards is set out, together with the figures for tip current year, for purposes of comparison Ward. 1817-18. 1918-19. Central ... £216,206 £218,634 Le-ith 175,,403 176,283 Caversham ... 106,608 107,523 Valley ... 40,445 40,483 Roslyn 58,071 59,064 Mornington ... 39,375 39,493 Maori Hill ... 22,110 22,671 Bay 22,204 22,508

Totals £680,422 £686,659 Tho totals indicate an increase of £6237 over tho whole city area. The valuation oi the rateable property in 1900 was £239,812; in 19i0 it was £421,572, and in 1918 it is £636,659. Dur.ng iylß there v. ere 255 building permits issued, involving a value of £98.262. In 1917 the number of permits was 3ii7, and thy value £100,891. An inspection had been mado of all known boarding-houses, and 28 notices to construct fire escapcs were served. Attention was also given to glass-covered verandahs at shop-fronts, to provide longitudinal and cross-gangways as a means of exit from top storeys. Tables are given setting out tho expenditure called for under tho war bonus. In all, 134 employees are affected-, and thp yearly cost is £1755. A request was made recently by tramway employees for an addition of 16 per day to their wages. Thero arc 160 men involved in that department, and the cost of such a scheme would be £2668 per year, while to extend tho same privilege to all th'.' departments, and pay Is per day to all employees whose weekly earnings are about the same or less than those in the tramways department, to whom the privilege would apply, would involve a further yearly sum of about £5928, or a total of £8596 per year. If any such proposal should be entertained, it is clear that the committee would require to give full and careful consideration to ways and means. Dealing with Drainage Board affaire, tho secretary (Mr Lowin) states: The saving effected in salaries by the amalgamation of tho duties of the board's officers with those of the council's officers was £1324 14s lOd, made up of: Secretary's office, £646 12s lOd; engineer's office, £500; inspectors' office, £186 19s Bd. Since these alterations were made, however, the salary account has been further decreased by £257. making a total saving in salaries of £1581. The board's operations have been practically at a standstill for some considerable time, dating back to a period prior to the reconstitution of the board. This is due to the fact that the scheme of drainage, to undertake which the board was brought into being, has to all intents and purposes been completed. Only minor works and the usual maintenance of ex-stine works have been carried out. Consideration has, however, been given to tho question of extending the drainage system to embrace Anderson Bay—now a part of the city, but not within the district, of the Drainage Board— and it would be necessary, if the work was to bo entered upon, for the board to obtain statutory powers to extend its operations to the district and probably an extension of borrowing and rating powers. The Superintendent of Reserves (Mr D. Tannoek) reports that the nursery work was again successfully carried out, 63.087 trees, shrubs, and bedding plants being raised and sent out to the gardens and various reserves, and there are 20.000 trees and shrubs in the nursery at present, many of _ which will be readv for planting out this season. Tree-planting on the water reserves was again cont'nued, 132,000 trees being added to the plantations. Further clearing of manuka scrub had been carried out on Flagstaff, and preparations made for extending tho plantations almost to the water race. The trees put out last season have done well, and the older plantations continue to make satisfactory growth. During the past two planting seasons he had employod returned soldiers, who wero found to be verv satisfactory. They liked the open-air life, the work was not too strenuous, and they could spend their weekends in toyvn with their parents or friends. He was increasing the nursery output with a view to employing moro men in the future. The town clerk's report, together with the departmental reports, will come before tho council at another meeting for review.