CITY COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22723, 8 November 1935, Page 8

CITY COUNCIL

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES The various committee’s of the City Council will report as follows at Monday night’e meeting of the council: — ELECTRIC POWER AND LIGHTING COMMITTEE SWIMMING POOL AT WAIPORI. Authority has been granted the city electrical engineer for the reconstruction in reinforced concrete of the flooring and walls of the concrete tank at Waipori, which was formerly used by the employees as a swimming pool. The tank was damaged by a flood in 1917, and subsequently became so leaky that it was no longer possible to use it as a pool. The employees at the falls are anxious that the pool should be again made available and have offered to contribute the sum of £3O towards the cost. It is recommended that the offer be accepted. The total cost to the council, allowing for the contribution of £3O, is estimated at £IOO. HIRE-PURCHASE ACCOUNTS. A report by the city treasurer with regard to the position of the accounts in connection with the hire-purchase system indicates that hirers are paying instalments regularly and that the accounts are in a very satisfactory position. Experience has indicated that the flat rate deposit of £1 calls for revision, and, after giving the matter consideration, the committee has -decided that in future the deposit be 10 per cent, of the installed cost, with a minimum of 10s. TRAMWAYS COMMITTEE GRANT TO CRICKET CLUB. The committee recommends that a grant of the sum of £3 2a 6d be made to the Tramways Cricket Club to enable the club to meet its charge to the Reserves Department for the use of a cricket playing area on the Oval for the current season. SUNDAY FARES. A return by the tramway manager with regard to the operation of the Sunday service at the reduced fares during the past three months indicates that for the period under review the number of passengers carried, as compared with the corresponding period of the previous year, increased by 41,847, or 26 per cent. The revenue was £1491, as compared with £IBO4 for the same portion of the previous year. It would appear, therefore, that the original estimate of the loss of revenue—£l496 —will possibly be exceeded by the end of the financial year. TRAFFIC RETURNS. The tramway manager’s statement of the traffic returns for the tramways for the last fortnightly period, as compared with the returns for the corresponding period of last year, shows that the revenue for the period increased by £237. For the period from April 1 to October 26 (30 weeks), as compared with the corresponding period of last year, the increase in revenue amounted to £1707, which is equal to 1.91 per cent. GAS COMMITTEE CARBONISING RETURNS. The gas engineer’s summary of the carbonising results obtained at the works during the half-year ended September SO last shows that for the period in question the output of gas increased by 3,092,200 cubic feet, as compared with the corresponding period of last year. ' HIRE-PURCHASE ACCOUNTS. A report by the city treasurer with regard to the position of the accounts in connection with the hire-purchase system indicates that hirers are paying instalments regularly and that the accounts are in a very satisfactory position. . RESERVES COMMITTEE « RELIEF WORK ON OVAL. Advice has been received from the Unemployment Board that the council’s application for permission to utilise relief labour on the work of reconstructing and re-laying out the wickets on the Oval Reserve has been granted. GENERAL COMMITTEE RESIGNATION OF TRAFFIC INSPECTOR. Mr H. W. Munro, traffic inspector, has tendered his resignation from the service, on the grounds of ill-health. The committee recommends that Mr Munro be granted two months’ leave of absence, with full pay, and that his resignation take effect from the expiration of that period. PARKING IN DOWLING STREET. Consideration has been given to a petition from occupiers of premise's in Dowling street, asking that they be permitted to leave their cars parallel with the kerb for an indefinite time daily, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. and 12.30 p.m. on Saturday, or that, as an alternative, the parking area in this street be restored. The committee is unable to agree to either of the requests submitted by the petitioners. The former parking area was abolished as it was found to constitute a serious obstruction to the free and safe use of the street by other vehicular traffic. To give effect to the suggestion that the petitioners be allowed to leave their cars parallel to the kerb for an indefinite time daily would be tantamount to a restoration of the parking place, as the 24 firms concerned control 27 cars. This street is much used for through traffic from the main thoroughfare, and it is considered that, in the interests of traffic generally, the street should be kept as free as possible from vehicles standing on the kerbline. SALE OF RAT POISON. In view of the provisions of the Poisons Act, 1934, it is no longer possible for the council to stock and sell poison for the purpose of the destruction of rats. The sale of poison from the chief sanitary inspector’s office has provided the public for some years with a convenient means of obtaining it, and also provided the department with some indication as to what is being done to check the pest. In view, however, of the statutory provision quoted the sale of rat poison has been discontinued. LICENCES AND PERMITS. Applications for licences and permits hqve been granted as under: —Trade signs 3, temporary hoardings for election results 1, playing musical instrument in streets 1, delivering public addresses in residential areas 4, street procession 1. WORKS COMMITTEE WICKLIFPB STREET RAILWAY SIDING.

Consequent upon new railway facilities being provided for the Victoria wharf, the railway siding in Wickliffo street, at present used by the Associated Motorists’ Petrol Company, Ltd., is to be abolished, and application has been made for the council’s permission to construct a spur siding in this street. The committee has no objection to this proposal, and accordingly recommends that it be approved, subject to an agreement being entered into covering provision for annual rental and other conditions similar to the existing agreement with the Vacuum Oil Company, Ltd., with respect to a siding in Fryatt street. TRAFFIC WARNING SIGNS.

A request has been received from the Automobile Association of Otago that the tramway warning signs maintained by the association on the carriageway in King street, at the intersections of Albany street and Howe street, should be painted over half the carriageway, the association to pay half the cost, and the council to take over the maintenance. A similar sign is also desired at

the Intersection of Crawford street and Rattray street to warn motorists of trams using the loop. The matter has been considered by the committee, and it would appear that signs having twice the linear dimensions of those laid down by the Automobile Association would bo ample in size for the purpose. The letters would be 12 feet long and the whole design would occupy a width of nine Vfeety and would have four times the area of the existing signs. The committee therefore recommends that signs of the dimensions suggested be painted as a trial for a period of 12 months at a total estimated cost of £2 10s (half of which is to be paid by the Automobile Association), and repainted five times during the year at £1 10s for each painting of the four signs, at the Albany street and Howe street intersections (£7 10s). Regarding the intersection of Rattray street and Crawford street, it is considered that, ns there is clear vision from all directions at this location, signs are not necessary. LUBRICATION CONTRACT.

The committee recommends that the quotation of the Austin Motors (Otago), Ltd., for lubrication service for the department’s two Austin seven horse-power light cars be accepted. The contract covers pressure lubrication every 600 miles, or 12 services per annum, plus changing of oil, spring spraying, attention to shock absorbers, gear box and differential. It is further recommended that repairs and adjustments to these two vehicles be carried out by the Austin Motors, Ltd. COMPASSIONATE ALLOWANCE. The committee recommends that a grant of £2O as a compassionate allowance Ipe made to the widow of Mr D. Roughan, an ex-employee of the Works Department. DEAN STREET TIP. A. petition has been received from 23 ratepayers and residents of Wairoa street, Dean street, County road and the surrounding locality for the abolition of the tip in this area. It is alleged by the petitioners that, besides being a nuisance, the tip is a menace to the health of those who live in its vicinity, and, further, that there is a potential danger _ of cattle and horses being poisoned by drinking contaminated water resulting from drainage and ashes getting into a natural watercourse through the tipping area. The matter has been investigated and a report obtained from the Department of Health. This report indicates that, upon an inspection being made recently by an officer of that department, the tip was found to be in good order, and it compared more than favourably with other tips in the Dunedin area. It may be mentioned that the tip in question is protected by a scrub fence eight feet high, and a water service has been provided for spraying refuse before it is deposited from carts. In reply to the allegation regarding interference with the watercourse, it may be stated that this is not the case, as the tip is well on the flank of the watercourse. IMPROVEMENT WORKS. The committee has given authority for carrying out the under-mentioned street improvement works, which have been provided for in the current year’s maintenance allocations, the estimated cost being given in parentheses: —Elliott street, sealing screenings footway, north side (£15); Surrey street, sealing screenings footway, east side, Macandrew road to Bay View road (£43); Beaumont road, Napier street, Jubilee street, preparing carriageway surfaces on bus route for surface sealing, £BO, £GG, £BO (£22G) ; Newport street, sealing screenings footway, west side, Carnarvon street to angle (£3O) ; Driver’s road, portion through Town Belt from Tolearne avenue to Queen’s drive, preparation for paving central strip of carriageway, leaving space on each side for horse traffic, and paving with No. 1 tar (£80); Tolearne avenue, Grendon street to Town Belt, preparing and sealing footway, south side, with No. 1 tar (£44); Opoho road, Arden street to Hatfield street, preparation and paving of carriageway (£97). UNION STREET SEALING. The carriageway of the portion of Union street between George street and Queen street requires some attention, and authority has been given for improving the surface and sealing it with a priming coat of tar. The total estimated cost of the work is £24. TAR-SEALING OF HIGHGATE.

Authority has been granted for sealing with tar the portion of the carriageway of Highgate from City road to Epsilon street, excepting the portion between Kilgour street and Ross street, where the crown is proposed to be lowered. The estimated cost of the work is £4B.

INSTRUCTIONS TO CITY ENGINEER. The city engineer has been instructed to act in respect of the undernoted matters: —(a) Forming a five-feet-wide screenings footway in portion of Kenmure road, with a wall two feet high to prevent clay from washing on to the street (estimated cost, providing for relief labour, £112); (b) repairing the railing on the wall in Duckworth street, near Highcliff road (estimated cost £2);

(c) erecting a handrail on the kerb side of the steps in Erin street, at the junction of City road (estimated cost £10); (d) forming and gravelling a footpath on portion of the south side of Erin street (estimated cost £6 10s); (e) excavating a bank in Merchiston street (estimated cost £4 10s) ; (f) constructing a protection railing and altering an entrance to a property in Cliffs road (estimated cost £5). WATER COMMITTEE HIGHGATE MAINS. The committee recommends that authority be granted to proceed with the laying of a 14-inch main in Highgate, between Delta street and Ross street (a distance of 350 feet) and a 12-inch main from Ross street to near Falcon street (a distance of COO feet), at a total estimated cost of £BSO, which has been provided for in the extensions vote for the current year. It is desirable that this work be proceeded with and completed before the contemplated permanent paving works in the street are put in hand. 1 DEEP CREEK WATERWORKS. The city engineer’s report on the progress of works in connection with the Deep Creek water supply scheme during the past two weeks indicates that during

the current period the pipe contractors laid 1438 feet of pipe. The total length of pipe now laid from the intake is 20.45 miles, of which 22.49 miles has been passed as satisfactory. The trenchingcontractor completed 1100 feet of trench during the period, the total length completed to October 31 being 7300 feet. The total length covered by the contract is 13,571 feet. Corporation labour has been employed on the erection of fences and incidental work at the caretaker’s cottage, laying of scour pipes, removal of the temporary telephone line to Clark’s Junction, erection of break-pressure tank, repairing the Longridge road, and other works.