CITY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18990, 11 October 1923, Page 11

CITY COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the City Council, held last night, was attended by the Mayor (Mr H. L. Tapley), and Crs Douglas, Begg, Clark, Shaddock, Hancock, Taverner, Wilson, Scott, Sincock, Halliday, Mitchell, and MacManus. ELECTRIC POWER AND LIGHT. The adoption of the Electric Power and Lighting Committee’s report was moved by Cr Shacklock, who said that three shifts wore now being employed nt tho surge chamber at W 7 aipori. If there was to be any delay at all it would be at the tunnel. Cr Scott seconded. Cr MacManus said that some time ago an advance had been granted in the wages of some of tho officials of tho department. Ho claimed that one of the motor drivers employed by tho council had been paid less than the wages stipulated _ by thq agreement with the Drivers’ Union, and .asked if the employee responsible would be punished by the chairman. If an official wore guilty of such an action, lie would bo guilty of greater offences. Cr Shacklock asked if Cr MacManus were in order. The Mayor: Ho is' not in order. However, if he simply wishes to ask a question 1 shall let tho point pass. _ _ , Cr MacManus: My question _ is: Will Cr Shacklock bring about an inquiry and punish the official responsible? Cr Wilson asked how much longer tho committee intended to cut off power at 3 p.m. Cr Sincock asked when the restriction would bo taken off the use of plectric irons. Cr Shacklock said that, in reply to Cr MacManus, he would do no such thing. The law of the land provided for such a rase, and if it were thought that a head of a department was breaking an agreement, tho inspector of awards should, investigate the matter. At the same time, he did not believe than any breach was being made AA’ith regard to cutting off power at 3 o’clock, he said that he would make inquiries. At present the load was very heavy, but the committee was keeping up a full supply of. power on condition that it was cut off at 3 p.m. The restriction on the use of irons had already been removed. TRAMWAYS COMMITTER The adoption of the Tramways Committee's report, was moved by Cr Liouglas. He said that the committee fully appreciated any suggestion for an improvement in the service, but proceeded to reply to certain newspaper criticism. The workers’ cars were running at a loss, and if more were *un the loss would bo heavier and to the detriment of workers generally. H© considered that the Dunedin tram service was the cheapest in Australasia. Cr Scott seconded tho motion, reserving the right to speak later. Cr MacManus said that an Order-in-Counoil compelled the City Council to run tlie number of cars that it did. It was the duty of the council, he maintained, to provide cheap service for workers, and ho instanced the action of tho Government in granting workers’ tickets to Mosgiel at the cost ot id a mile. He suggested that, as a means of economy, the earliest cars should be taken out to St. Kilda at night—as the fast cars—and driven in in the morning by employees who resided out there. In any case, the trams going out to St. Kilda could surely pick up passengers on the way. Cr MacManus nroceeded to cast a reflection on the tramways engineers, which, after considerable argument, led to his temporary withdrawal from the meeting until a vote of censure was passed on him. Cr AA'ilson suggested that return tickets should be issued to passengers going into town by cars leaving up to 7.t5 in the morning. Cr Sliacklock: I can endorse what Cr AA'ilson has said. Mention has been made of overcrowding. In passing I would just like to say that you don’t know what overcrowding is. Not even on your Roslyn or Maori Hill cars do you have overcrowding iu Dunedin. You can easily visualise the profits from the cars, as actually they comist of the fares from the passengers who are standi;.g. If you have so many cars that ail the passengers are provided with seats you will have no profits. Then you will have to raise the fares to meet the expenses. Cr Halliday said that he would like tho committee to go into the question of tho main stopping and starting place of cars, .tie considered that the traffic near the Stock Exchange was too congested for the main stopping and starting place to remain there much longer. This view, he believed, was held by the police, fire brigade, and several motor associations. He suggested the Octagon as a more suitable place, remarking that the vehicular traffic could go round the outside, while the trams started from the centre. Cr Mitchell moved, as an amendment, that the clause relating to workers’ cars be referred back to the oommittee for further consideration, but the amendment lapsed for want of a seconder. Cr Scott said that the only other centre that provided workers’ cars was Wellington. However, the fare on tho workers’ cars there was more than the ordinary far© charged on the Dunedin cars. Continuing, ho said that the regulations concerning workers’ oars had been brought into force 20 years ago. Since then tho wages of workers had risen considerably, but the council had not attempted to have the concession reduced. Cr Taverner said that some time ago he bad made a statement, of which he had said he was not quite sure, that the Dunedin tramways department was the only one in the Empire that had not increased its fares during the war. It had never been denied, so he presumed that it was true. Or Hancock, speaking with regard to the main stopping and starting place of the trams, said that he did not consider that there was any real congestion at the Stock Exchange. If the motorists found 1 this to be the case, they could shift clown to Bond street. Cr Clark said that, as a pedestrian, he thought that the traffic at the Stock Exchange was too congested, and ho askeo the chairman to take very earnestly into consideration the suggestion made by Cr Halliday. Cr Eegg said that it cost 1.43 d to carry a worker two sections. On a number of cars they carried him that distance for Id, but could not afford to increase the number of such cars. Cr Douglas, in reply, said that the tramways management had turned into paying concerns both the Roslyn and the Mornington lines, whicli_ had running at a loss would take Into consiac-muon tno suggestions of Crs AVilson and Halliday. The report was adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The adoption of the Finance Committee’s report was moved by Or Taverner, who discussed the application from the Dunedin rublic Art Gallery Society for a yearly grant of £SOO, provided the institution was vested by deed in the council and placed under the management of trustees. Ho expressed sympathy with tho proposed arrangement. Cr Hancock asked how many trustees there would be in addition to the two representing the council. . . Cr Taverner said he did not anticipate any difficulty in regard to that aspect of the question. The renort was adopted. AVORKS COMMITTEE. The adoption of the AA'orks Committee’s report was moved by Cr Wilson. Cr MacManus read from a report a statement that Burns Hall was whitewashed, and this was received with considerable amuse ment. , , , 'lt was explained to him that he was quoting from a report to bo presented the following evening, and the report was adopted. AVATKR COMMITTEE. Cr Begg, in moving the adoption of the AA r ater Committee’s report, said that ho had before him a return showing that during the last fortnight 2694 cubic yards of spoil had been removed at an average cost of 3s lid a yard. It appeared that the excavating returns for each fortnight were getting lower and lower, and when he visited tho Southern Reservoir that afternoon ho found that the No. 2 digger was in process of being dismantled. Given reasonable weather ho understood that the No. 1 digger would be in the same condition in another seven or eight days. He had been greatly impressed by his visit. It appeared to him that the work reflected very great credit on the officers and staff that had carried it out The battering was almost complete. Tho concrete was well in hand, and he understood that the whole area would be able to receive the first inflow before their next council meeting. He asked councillors to visit the reservoir before the turning in of the water. Ot course, while the dam was filling up there would be plenty of work to be done round the top. Cr Mitchell seconded tho motion, and asked if the chairman had seen what Dr Valintine had said about the installation of high-pressure filters. Cr Begg said he had not. The report was adopted. RESERVES COMMITTEE. Cr Hancock moved the adoption of the Reserves Committee report, Cr Shacklock asked that tho words “at an estimated coat of £9O” bo cut out of tiu»

clause recommending the erection of a shelter shed at the Oval. It was a splendid playing area, and deaerv.ed another pavilion like the one they already had Cr Hancock accepted the alteration. Cr Clark and Cr Taverner both criticised the committee’s proposal of an open shod as quite inadequate. Cr Taverner said the present pavilion was inadequate when first erected, and much more so now. Ho moved that the clause bo referred back to the committee with a view to making better provision for accommodating players. Cr Halliday. who seconded the amendment, said it was high time another pavilion was provided at the other end. Cr Hancock said ho was quite ready to take the clause back. The amendment was carried and tho report adopted. OTHER REPORTS. Tho General, Gas, and Library Committees’ reports were adopted without discussion. RETURNED SOLDIERS’ REQUEST. A deputation of six representatives of the Returned Soldiers’ Association waited on the council to bring before it again the importance of tho association of having its club building exempted from rates. Mr K. J. Anderson, spokesman of the deputation, read a reply the association had received from the Minister of Internal Affairs, slating that tho question had already been under the consideration of tho Government. It was decided not togive effect, to the suggestion until an expression of opinion had been received from boroughs and county councils. The Minister suggested that the matter be brought before the next local bodies’ conference. Mr Anderson said they regretted that tho matter had not been considered in W ellington, as thev thought it deserved. It had now been before the Government for two years, and the suggestion to refer it to the Municipal Conference was a very belated one. The reasons for urging this rebate were the same now as they wore when they appeared before the council first._ .They asked the council to take tho initiative in endeavouring to secure the necessary legislation or, failing that, to push the matter strongly at tho next Municipal Conference. In the meantime, they asked the council to assist the association by suspending tbo payment of rates until the Government could be persuaded to give a definite statement one way or tho other. The Mayor assured tho deputation that the council would regard anything put forward by them with the greatest sympathy. He was exceedingly sorry to hoar that the reply received from the Government had been so evasive in the way of putting it off for some considerable time. The council, however, was bound by regulation and had no power to relieve them from the rates. Ho pointed out that the next Municipal Conference would not ba held till November, 1924. , . . Cr Sincock’ asked if the association had applied to the Finance Committee Lt .ti e consideration it was now asking. Mr Anderson said they were applying direct to the council. Cr Scott moved that the matter oe referred to the Finance Committee. This was seconded by Cr Clark and carried. TENDERS. The following tenders were accepted: For the purchase of scrap iron, J. B. A. Smith, at £8 a ton; for the supply and delivery of M.S. angles, tees, etc., John Edmond, at £69 3s Bd. Briscoe and Co. IAB 10s 6d- for slaughtering stock at the cilv abattoir, Poland and Co; for erection of battery room and engineer’s office at Halfway Bush, Fletcher Construction Company, £500; for 35 steel girders for Union street bridge, Briscoe and Co.. £l4 4s 6d per ten (total, £1000). NEW 7 BY-LAW. A special order making a new by-law was confirmed The purpose of the by-law is io make better provision for the complete control by the council of the disposal of blood and offal from the abattoirs, and to fix a schedule of prices to be paid .or the slaughtering of stock. The prices fixed are the sam o as those previously ruling, witn the exception of two slight increases, .no rate for the slaughtering of cattle other than calves has been raised from, os yj to 4s and lambs from 8d to 9d.