CITY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19107, 28 February 1924, Page 11

CITY COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the City Council was held last night, and was attended by the Mayor (Mr 11. L. Tapley), Councillors Douglas, Shacklock, Hancock, Taverner, Wilson, Sincock, Mitchell, MacManus, Begg, Clark, and Halliday. RESERVES COMMITTEE. Cr Hancock moved the adoption of the Reserves Committee’s report. He said that the question of providing conveniences on certain of the reserves could be brought before the committee when it next met. The report was adopted. GENERAL COMMITTEE. Cr Sincock moved the adoption of tho General Committee’s report. In reply to questions he said that as far as vehicular traffic was concerned their inspector had control, but he could not bo expected to exercise control in all places. The inspector of police had promised to assist in this direction, and also in preventing pedestrians congregating on Luc streets. A deputation had wailed on his committee from the taxi-drivers regarding the scale of fares, and while they intended to see that the drivers received fair play it had to be remembered that tue general public had also to be protected. The report was adopted. WORKS COMMITTEE. Gr Wilson moved the adoption of tho Works Committee’s report. He said that it was difficult to build the class of house required, as the people they desired to cater for were unable to pul down the neces sary amount. They wore asking authority to raise a loan of £SOOO to advance to those people under/ another category. They hoped to bo aple to report later on on some scheme whereby they would have the rent Guaranteed to some extent. If, however, they attempted to bi.au houses for the slum areas no doubt they would be on tho wrong side of the ledger.—(“Hear, hear.”} Nevertheless, he thought it might be incumbent on tho emy to do sorneumig in this direction. Continuing, the speaker said that he understood mo Harbour Board had come to an agreement wlh the Education Board regarding a sit© for the Albany Street School on Logan Park, and his committe would now be able to bring down a report on the position, The committee could not previously bring down a report until it knew the total area of the park that was going to be handed over to the city. He thought the authority to purchase two petrol tractors was on tho right lines. These tractors would enable them to utilise a. larger quantity ot salt water in keeping the dust down on the streets. They would notice that an application had been received from the Harbour Board that the council proceed at tho earliest possible date wich the reforming and construction of portion of Lower Rattray street opposite me Q shed, which was being widened by me board. Cr Clark seconded the motion. Cr MacManus, said that in July last he hud moved the motion contained in tho report regarding the housing soneme, and he had been pleased to sit on the committee. The £SOOO was only a small amount, but it was a beginning, and he hoped the result would move uie council to go further. He thought the request of the Harbour Board that the work on Lower Rattray street should be proceeded with as early as passible should be agreed to, and he would move in that direction. It was pointed out that no provision had been made in the allocations for the £IOO required from the council, and tho amendment was lost. The Mayor said that he hoped the council might be able to cany out a scheme with the Charitable Aid Board to provide houses for those persons who were, owing to poverty unable to provide homes for themselves. Dealing with Logan Park he said that they did not seem to ho getting much further. They had to remember , that the city would be required to spend £75,000 or more for the purchase of land, tho highway, drainage, etc., and if it, tho council, was only going to get some 30 or 40 acres of the park for an expenditure of some £70,000, then ho did not think they would be justified in asking the ratepayers to sanction the borrowing of the money which would be required. It was desirable that, if possible, they should have the highway put in. He would therefore like to see the Harbour Board find an area for the Education Board in some other place. They wore all out to make tho park a playing area, but they must consider tho matter from a business point of view. If they were given the park practically intact, an with a lease of, say, 99 acres, the council might consider the offer as satisfactory. Cr Shacklock said that he was in favour of increasing the number of houses for residential purposes, providing there was nothing unfair done to the citizens as whole. It seemed to him that in some way or other neither the council nor the community was in earnest over tho matter. Tho one thing necessary was houses and more houses, notwithstanding that very important fact, there was a section of the community here in Dunedin very anxious to push on an Exhibition which, in his judgment, was five years ahead of its time, and if it were gone on with there would be no houses for another three years, and, moreover, the whole of the building in tho dominion would bo upset for that period of time. They could not have their cake and eat it too. So far as h© could see, they certainly could not have both. Continuing, the speaker said it was never intended that part of Logan Park was to bo alienated from the city. He had always understood that the area, when reclaimed, would become a public recreation ground, and be controlled' by the body which controlled all the other recreation reserves. He thought that the citizens were to be deprived of something that was due to them He did not think a highway over a chain wide was necessary at all. A chain wide would bo quite sufficient. Cr Taverner said that the quid pro quo to be obtained from the Harbour Board, at a cost to the council of about £100,001), was quite insufficient. He would not be in favour of completion the deal on these terms. As regarded the housing proposals, he did not think the scheme was the start of a building scheme. Cr Taverner went on to say that the people were not buying houses with the money now provided—, they were buying properties. He was not opposing the present proposals however. If they wore going to do any good then by all means let that scheme go on. Cr Clark said that if a very large part of the park was to be alienated, then it was going to have a serious effect on the council’s attitude. They had understood that by helping the Exhibition they were going to get a splendid park for tho citizens.

Or Sincock said that they had to reduce the cost of the raw material in the building of houses. They wanted more done in the eight hours than at the present time, thus enabling builders to put up houses at a, reduced cost. Notwithstanding the increased wages to-day the people were not one bit better off than they were 30 years ago. He endorsed the remarks of the Mayor regarding Logan Park. He believed that, the Domain Board would be able to give them land at the Ocean Beach at a cheaper cost than would be required by taking over Logan Park. Or Begg also congratulated the Mayor on the way he had put the council’s position regarding Logan Park. The other bodies appeared to be making all the arrangements and the council was to do aJI the paying. Logan Park was always intended as a recreation area. He did not, however, object to the University having its area, as it was to be a recreation area. He was satisfied that the ratepayers would not stand for the taking over of the park if the area to be handed over to them was to be seriously reduced. Or Douglas said the Education Board had already accepted the offer of the Harbour Board to grant an area of the park with a frontage of 50O1T to Union street. The whole fault lay with the Education Board for holding the Harbour Board t 6 its agreement. The Mayor said that the information given by Cr Douglas was rather surprising. They had to decide now whether the citizens of Dunedin or the Education Board were to control the situation. lie thought they should call a public meeting and try to persuade the Education Board to forgo its claim to the park. He would probably call a meeting of the citizens to consider the matter.

Cr Wilson, in replying, said (hat he presumed that his committee would bring up a counter proposal at its next meeting regarding the park. It was true that they had had trouble with the foundation for the asphalt at King Edward street, hut to put in a concrete foundation would cost a lot of money. It was therefore better for them to finish the work and make it at least a better road than it was before. To spend a further £ISOO or more on a small section of road was quite out of the question. The inspector was carrying out the work to the best of his ability. Even if the road turned out to bo slightly faulty, no blame could be placed on the engineer or the inspector. It was a. mo#, treacherous niece of roadway, but he did not think there was any real risk. He was pleased to hear the chairman of the Finance Committee sav that he would be prepared to assist in the provision of new buildings in the slum areas. The report was adooted.

ELECTRIC POWER AND LIGHTING COMMITTEE. Cr Shaddock moved the adoption of the Electric Power and Lighting Committee’s report. Cr Clark moved that consideration of clause 2 be held over for one month Ho did not desire to hinder the board ot the Exhibition, but he thought the proposal should be held over until they knew where they stood regarding Logan Park. The clause read: “An application has been received from the Otago Harbour Board for special consideration in the matter of the charge for power used by the Vulcan dredge on the second shift, on the grounds that such shift is being worked in the interests of the proposed Exhibition. After due 'consideration your committee has decided to meet the board by remitting the charge for the second shift to the extent of ±125 per month during the time the dredge is working at the Lake Logan reclamation.” Or Hallidav seconded the amendment, lie said that if they were not going to get the park they should not help to pav ior reclaiming it. Cr Wilson said he hoped the amendment would not be carried. He .hoped members of the council would not give tho impression that they had a grudge against the board.— (“Hear, hear.”) Tlie clause should stand on its merits.

The Mayor said it was up to them to assist the hoard to get the ground ready for the Exhibition. He hoped Cr Clark would withdraw his amendment. Cr Clark: No. Or Shaeklock explained that the second shift—both shifts were worked at night—was put on to expedite tho time for 'filling up the park. The request came from the board—Unit the council assist them in expediting the filling up of tho area. Tho Exhibition Company had also asked that the work should be pushed on. Cr Begg said he intended to support the amendment. They had seen that the Harbour Board was preparing to have “a friendly action” with them over what const ilued a main sewer, and yet it had been stated that, the Harbour Board wanted an ex-official of the Drainage Board to assist it to fight the City Council. He would he prepared to vote tho £3OO covered by tho rebate to tho Exhibition Company. CT Douglas said that he thought they should take up a higher standard as regards their relations with the Harbour Board.—(“Hear, hear.”) They should work in the general interests of tho city, and help the Exhibition to go ahead. Ho thought they should stick to the recommendation of the committee. The, amendment was lost, only Crs Begg, Clark, Hancock, and Halliday voting for it, and the report was adopted. TRAMWAYS COMMITTEE. Cr Douglas moved the adoption of the Tramways Committee’s report. Cr MacManus said he would like to know what was the cause of the stoppages on the Mornington tramway. He said that the rope had broken during the previous week. He wanted to know the cost of the repairs and why a stand-by rope was not obtained. Thqre was something radically wrong. Cr Sincock said that he believed the trouble had been caused by a bad rope, and because a new rope had not. come in they had had to utilise a second-hand rope. Ho combated the statement hy Cr MacManus that new men wore being employed on the line. Cr Douglas, in reply, said that the stoppage on the Mornington line had been caused by the flywheel shifting. Cr MacManus: What about the previous Wednesday ? Cr Douglas said that the stoppage then was caused by a loose strand.' They hoped to have the hew rope, shortly. He thanked Crs Halliday and Cr Clark for the complimentary remarks they had made regarding the efficient working of th e men on the southern trams and at Opoho. The report was adopted. Cr Mitchell moved th > adoption of the Tramway Committee’s report. In the summer men were out off, and five men had just been dismissed, as Cr MacManus very well know. The report was adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE. Cr Taverner moved the adoption of the Finance Committee's report. Ho referred to certain of tho clauses, and said that the response to the club's loan was most satisfactory. The subscriptions now amounted to £84,000. Cr MacManus disapproved of the ratio of the proposed loan for tramway extensions —£IB,(XK) to provide for cither a railless system of transport and (or) motor buses, and £82,000 to provide for general tramway extensions. Ho thought the loan should be £100,OCX) “for tramway extensions.” They might find it advisable to go in more for the railloss system that was provided for by £IB.OOO. ” The council went into committee to enable the town clerk to explain why the loan proposal was put in the form it was. The report was then adopted. IN COMMITTEE. Tho committee decided in committee to retain the sendees of Mr W. D. It. M'Curdie in a consulting capacity for a period of 32 months at a remuneration of £3OO. It was also decided to retain the services of four employees who had reached the retiring age under the superannuation scheme for a further period of one year. TENDERS. The following tenders were accepted:— For construction of a public convenience, Crawford street. —A. Ferry, £992 (three tenders were received). For electricity meters, J. Garrick Wedderspoon, 24s each (seven lenders were received).