CITY COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21986, 22 June 1933, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING The fortnightly meeting of the City Council vas held last night, and was attended by the. Mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox) and Crs Campbell, Begg, Silverstone, Allen, Shacklock, Shepherd, Marlow, Scott, M'lndoe, Munro, M.P., Jones, M.P., and Dr Borrie., TECHNICAL , COLLEGE. The returning (officer of the King Edward Technical College wrote asking the council to attend the election meeting and exercise a vote at. the annual election of managers. : —Cr Marlow was ap pointed to attend. LIBRARY COMMITTEE. Cr Borrie moved the adoption of the Library Committee’s report, and with reference to the heating said it had been found that a poor lignite at a low cost was preferable to coke, which had not given the expected results. Cr Scott objected to the statement with regard to coke when it was being used successfully elsewhere. He would move, as an amendment, that the question of coal versus coke be referred back to the committee. He was supported by Cr Marlow. Cr Shacklock said the amendment was out of order, as the report had nothing to say on the subject at all. It was simply a question of improving the equipment. Cr Scott therefore withdrew hie amendment, and the report was adopted. RESERVES COMMITTEE. Cr Munro moved the adoption of the Reserves Committee’s report. Cr M'lndoe referred to acts of vandalism in the Town Belt, where trees were being ruthlessly destroyed for firewood. He could not imagine how qnyone could be so hacking in civic spirit as to threaten so great a scenic asset as the Belt, which the pioneers had provided for future generations. Cr Munro promised to attend to the matter, and the report was adopted. GENERAL COMMITTEE. Cr MTndoe moved the adoption of the General Committee’s report. He stated that as a result of the difficulties experienced by horse traffic on the asphalt surface of Lower Stafford street, it had been proposed to the committee that the parking area there should be abolished. This would be the subject of a deputation at a later date. Cr Silverstone asked if express stand tenants were required to pay telephone subscriptions in a lump sum or whether they could pay by instalments. Some of them were very hard hit at the present time. . , , ~ , Cr MTndoe said the regulations demanded a lump suni payment. Cr Silverstone objected to the increasing number of parking areas in the city, and said motor car owners were being too well treated. They would be less keen to park if they were charged Is a day. The raptor car was getting too big a hold on the streets of the city which, he suggested, were made for people, not for motor vehicles, Cr MTndoe said he did not purpose discussing the matter with Cr Silverstone, but when he had had as much experience of parking problems as the General Committee had had during the past few years he might realise that it was a knotty question, not solved by sweeping statements.

The report was adopted. WORKS COMMITTEE. Cr Marlow moved the adoption of the Works Committee’s report. Cr Munro said he would like to draw attention to the bad state of the surface or, the South road phst the Southern Cemetery and down to the Glen road. He thought something should be done about improving the surface. Cr Marlow said that road would be attended to. A great deal of work had been done on the North road, and the committee had now turned its attention to the South _ road. As soon as the present widening operations were complete a proper surface would be laid down. Cr Marlow also referred to a complaint he had received from a ratepayer that a letter forwarded to him had gone unanswered. The speaker said he had no recollection of receiving The letter, hut in, any case requests for work to be done should be sent to the town clerk, and, he would get them automatically. He wanted to say that he had no intention of" ignoring anyone. The report was adopted, : TRAMWAYS COMMITTEE. Cr Campbell moved the adoption of the Tramways Committee’s report. Cr Silverstone asked whether the committee had considered the request of Anderson’s Bay residents for a special ex--press tram at 1 o’clock. He suggested that many improvements could be made to existing services which would arrest the gradual fall in traffic revenue. One improvement would be the abolition of the Id surcharge on Sundays, particularly since the extra fare was -imposed when double time was paid to employees on Sunday. , Crs Allen and MarloV supported the suggestion that the extra penny charged on Sundays should be withdrawn. _ Cr Marlow said he had already mentioned the matter to the chairman, and it was to be discussed at the next, meeting of the committee, - Cr Campbell (jaid the Anderson’s Bay express tram would be dealt with inthe next report of the committee.' Time tables and services were very difficult problems, but suggestions would .receive every consideration. The matter of reducing Sunday fares was before the committee and would be given every satisfaction. The speaker also undertook to consider a request from Cr Munrd for a shelter at the Glenleith bus stop. The report was adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE.

Cr Allen moved the adoption of the Finance Committee’s report. Referring to the proposal to assist the Art Gallery Society by relieving it of premiums payable for insurance the speaker said the Art Gallery was a public asset. In the last nine years the value of its contents had increased from £8651 4s to £22,120 10s, and this increase had been achieved at no cost to the city. Bequests had provided for £7391, worth of the increase, public subscriptions £1637, and presentations £3425 2s. The gallery and its contents were public property, and it was the council’s duty to see them adequately covered by insurance, and in view of the straitened circumstances of the trustees it was only right that they should assume responsibility for the premiums. Cr Jones asked to what extent the Mayor had modified his original proposals for the reorganisation of municipal unemployment relief. Cr Allen said the Finance Committee had no statement to make in the matter. It was not responsible for the proposals made. ~ , . , ■ Cr Silverstone said he was not satisfied. and wanted to know more about the proposals, and also about the publication recently of proceedings which were taken in committee. _ , ~ The Mayor said both .Cr Jones and Or Silverstone Were raising questions of privilege, and were not entitled to discuss the matter. Cr Silverstone insisted on speaking, and sat down only when the Mayor ruled him out of order. The report was adopted. OTHER REPORTS. The reports of the Water, Electric Power and Lighting, and Gas Committees were adopted without discussion. CIVIC COMMITTEE. Crs Marlow, Allen, Borrie, and MTndoe were appointed a Civic Committee to be associated with the Mayor in the performance of public duties. PAYMENT FOR WET DAYS. Cr Jones brought up the question of the payment of unemployed relief wages on wet days when men were unable to work, and suggested that the council should adopt the system in use in Christchurch under which men who reported for work on wet days were paid 50 per cent, of the money due and afforded an opportunity of working for the remaining 50 per cent, within a fortnight. It was stated that the council had already applied to the Unemployment Board for authority to pay full wages for wet days. The board had not yet answered the application, and it was decided to write demanding an answer. In the meantime it was decided to discuss with the Labour Department the possibility of adopting the Christchurch system. * TENDERS. Five tenders were received for moving, altering, and reconstructing premises at Ellis Park as a dressing pavilion, and the tender of Messrs O’Driscoll Bros, for £176 wae accepted.

Tenders received for the cartage of sand for filling purposes from Chisholm Park to Tonga Park were referred to the Reserves Committee with power to act. The request of Messrs Higgs' and Morton for permission to withdraw their tender for the erection of dressing rooms at the City Gasworks was granted, the deposit to be held over in the meantime. The next lowest tender, that of Mr R. Walker for £230, was accepted.