CITY COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23046, 24 November 1936, Page 11

CITY COUNCIL

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING The fortnightly meeting of the City Council was held last night, and was attended by the Mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox), Crs Munro, M.P., Silverstone, Begg, Scott, Allen, Mitchell, Cameron, Batchelor, and Shepherd. RATTRAY STREET WEIGHBRIDGE The secretary of the Otago Master Carriers’ Industrial Union of Employers .wrote protesting against the council’s proposal to close the Rattray street weighbridge. Cr Mitchell moved that the matter be referred back to the Works Committee. The weighbridge was very useful, and although it was in a dilapidated state and should be renovated, he thought it should be retained. The Mayor seconded the motion, and said that a further difficulty presented itself by reason of the fact that the railway weighbridge was not under Government supervision so far as testing was concerned. Cr Begg said that the weighbridge was scarcely used, as disclosed by the returns. The motion was carried. RESERVES COMMITTEE

Cr Batchelor moved the adoption of the report of the Reserves Committee. Cr Cameron asked on whose authority the persons engaged in removing the guns from the Queen’s Gardens had buried the barrels in the Gardens. The committee had considered the matter, and had disapproved of a suggestion that the barrels should be buried there. When the committee came to a decision and the opposite action was taken he thought he was justified in seeking an explanation. The Mayor: I suggest that you hold it over until the committee meeting on Wednesday. , J When Cr Cameron indicated reluctance to follow such a course the Mayor said that it was in the interests of two departments that the matter should be discussed in committee before it was discussed in open council. “If you want it discussed openly that will be done,” he added, “ but there will be some sore heads and sore hearts as a result of the discussion.”

Several councillors expressed surprise at' the Mayor’s remarks, and he added that he meant that there would be some heart-burning. If the matter was first discussed in committee it could be reported upon at the next council meeting. Cr Cameron agreed to this course, and the report was adopted. WORKS COMMITTEE

Moving the adoption of the report of the Works Committee, Cr Munro agreed to take back a clause recommending the closing of the Rattray street weighbridge. Discussing clauses recommending that frontages of less than 20ft be allowed in two cases, Cr Munro said that the policy of the committee was not to retard the utilisation of waste land where a reasonably good site was available. Cr Allen asked what was the cost of the proposed tar-sealing of portion of the Signal Hill road and also referred to a proposal to spend £3OO on

the road to the Fever Hospital. He mentioned this, he said, because he believed that preference should be given to the closely-populated areas.

"I am pestered every day by telephone rings and notes about things that require to be done,” said Cr Munro ip reply. f ‘A person came to me at 9 o’clock on Sunday morning and we spent three hours going all over Dalmore. I told him that I could spend £1,000,000 and no one would ever see where it had gone. It is all a question of £ s. d,” Cr Munro added that he hoped that next year a number of streets would be at least dust sealed. The report was adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE

The report of the Finance Committee contained the following supplementary clause:— That the arrangements made last year for Christmas holiday leave for all employees be continued for the current year. The arrangement provided that employees, whose services may be regarded as “non essential” during the holiday period, and who have six months’ completed service to their credit, apart from employees who already get an annual holiday, be granted, between December 23 and January 2, five days' holiday on full pay in addition to any paid statutory holidays to which they may be at present entitled, In the case of those employees whose work is essential during the period in question, and who would thus not be granted a holiday as above, it is recommended that such employees be granted a similar period of leave with pay at the first convenient opportunity after the holidays. The adoption of the report was moved by Cr Silyerstonc, and the motion was carried. OTHER COMMITTEES The reports of the Electric Power and Lighting, Tramways. Gas. General and Water Committees were adopted. TENDERS The following tenders were accepted on the recommendation of the Water Committee: — Cast Iron Pipes and Fittings Messrs A. and T. Burt, Ltd., Dunedin, in the total sum of £5336 12s 4d, plus an additional payment of approximately £lO2 if the ship discharges at Port Chalmers. Special Pipes, Valves and Fittings.— Messrs H. C. Campbell, Ltd., In the sum of £1154 13s. Steel Water Pipes, Special Pipes and Fittings.—Messrs Stewarts and Lloyds, Ltd., in the total sum of £2116 15s 9d. Fittings for the Steel Pipes.—Messrs Stewarts and Lloyds, Ltd., in the sum of £252.

The following tenders were also accepted:— Erection of fencing at seven dwellings at Leithbank.—A. Chatlerton. £lO2.

Supply of One 30cwt Truck—Otago Motors (Bedford truck).