CORPORATION WORKS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20691, 13 April 1929, Page 2

CORPORATION WORKS.

IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS.

LOAN MONEY REQUIRED.

The report of the Works Committee to he presented to the City Council on Wednesday night contains many important features. PROPOSED UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF LOAN. The committee will recommend that the draft schedule submitted showing allocation of expenditure out of the proposed £25,000 loan for the relief of the unemployed be approved, and that authority be granted to make the necessary application to the Government for approve,! of the proposed works and authorisation of subsidy. When definite advice shall have been received as to the actual amount of subsidy approved by the Government a further allocation will be submitted so as to bring the total outlay up to the full amount of the £25,000 loan, plus the Government subsidy.

FLOOD DAMAGE LOAN. The committee will recommend that the necessary steps be taken for the raising of a loan of £50,000 to make provision for repairing the damage wrought by the recent" flood. The sum named provides for the necessary new bridges across the Leith. In terms of the stand-

ing orders tile matter has been referred to the Finance Committee for report on the financial aspect.

NOTICE TO CLEAR STREAM. That notices be aerved on the respective occupiers of private property abutting on the storm water culvert in Kaikorai Valley road which discharges into the Kaikorai Stream requiring such occupiers to clear away the silt and obstructions in such culvert so as to provide a proper passage way for the water will be another recommendation from the committee.

CAVERSEAM VALLEY ROAD. The committee will recommend that % the offer of Mr V. Richards to accept the sum of £SO as a contribution from the council towards the cost of levelling and battering his property as the result of street widening operations in Caversham Valley road, such payment to be in full discharge of the council’s responsibility and to further free the council from its undertaking to construct a wall along the new frontage, be accepted. TOWN BELT ROAD. The committee will recommend that the necessary steps be taken to lay off a roadway on the western boundary of the Town Belt as an extension of Stonelaw terrace, along the frontages of allotments 31 and 32, township of Williamstown. The proposal has already been approved by the Reserves Committee. FLOOD DAMAGE OPERATIONS. The city engineer reports that the approximate cost incurred to date on flood damage repairs is £4500. A plan is submitted showing the private properties which have been cleared of rubbish, silt, and other refuse brought down by the flood. The approximate amount of material cleared in this way is 936 cubic yards. TRANSPORT ADVISORY COUNCIL. A communication from the secretary of the Municipal Association of New Zealand on the subject of the constitution of the Transport Advisory Council and its effects upon the important question of heavy traffic fees will he laid on the table. The executive of the- Municipal Association is pressing for the appointment of a separate representative for, the municipalities on the Transport Advisory Council in order that the interest of ratepayers may be adequately guarded. Steps are also being taken to oppose any reduction in motor taxation, especially in the matter of heavy traffic license fees, and the committee has in- ; structed the town clerk to communicate with the city members of Parliament, advising them that the council strongly objects to any proposal for reducing heavy traffic fees or in any way throwing the burden of taxation on to the municipal ratepayers. INSTRUCTIONS TO CITY ENGINEER. The city engineer has been instructed as follows Proceed with the construction of a footway four feet wide from the Tainui road to the entrance of the new school in Tahuna road. Act with respect to application from the Tainui Progress League for the formation of a footway in Cavell street between Musselburgh Rise and Lochend street, at an estimated cost of £36. Act with respect to construction of a concrete retaining wall in Lancefield street on portion of the frontage of Mrs Healey’s property. The roadway at this point slipped during the recent rains and allowed water to enter Mrs Healey’s section. The wall is necessary primarily for the support of the roadway. The estimated cost is £l5O.

FINANCE COMMITTEE. The report of the Finance Committee of the City Council, which deals with some of the matters in the Works Committee’s report, is ns follows: .PROPOSED FLOOD LOAN OP £50,000. The financial bearing of the proposal submitted by the Works Committee for the raising of a special loan of £50,000 for flood repair works has been invest: gated in terms of the standing orders. The Local Bodies Finance Act, 1921 makes provision for raising such a loan with the sanction of the Minister of Internal Affairs, and without'a vote of the ratepayers. The yearly charges for interest and sinking fund on the proposed loan would amount to £3125. The formal resolution giving public notice of the intention to consider a motion to apply to the Local Government Loans Board for sanction to the raising of the loan will bo submitted to the meeting. GRANT TO FLOOD RELIEF COMMITTEE. The committee will submit the following recommendation: —“ That it be resolved that a sum of £250 be voted to ihe Mayor’s Flood Relief Fund. As there is no legal provision for such expenditure, the payment will need to be made out of the unauthorised account. A communication has been received from the Brighton Domain Board pur porting to be a demand under the Public Reserves and Domains Act, 1928, for a contribution from various local authorities, including the City Council, towards the cost of maintaining and improving the Brighton Domain. The total proposed outlay by the Domain Board foi 1 the year is set down at £570, and the City Council’s contribution towards that sum is shown as £430 11s Bd. TinDomain Board itself proposes to find £25 towards the total. The committee takes tin. view that the notice has no legal application as far ns the city is concerned, and intends to invoke the remedy provided by the Act by fop warding mi objection to the Minister. Other local bodies mentioned in the notice have been notified accordingly. GASWORKS LOAN. The Gasworks 5} per cent. loan ot £13,000 foi 20 years which was opened on the Ist instant was'fully subscribed by the 9th instant. TRAMWAY ACCIDENT FUNDS.

Authority has been granted to amalgamate the Roslyn and Mornington Tramways Accident Fuuds with the City Tramways Fund, which will in future receive the annual premiums and pay all claims.

LIBRARY DONATION ACCOUNT. lustructious Lave been given to appropriate the sum of £75, representing accrued interest on the library donation account together with the sura of £25 donated by a private citizen some time ago and add same to the .capital for investment-