CITY COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23223, 22 June 1937, Page 5

CITY COUNCIL

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING The fortnightly meeting of the City Council last evening was attended by the Mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox), and Crs J. W. Munro, M.P., M. Silverstone, W. Begg, W. A. Scott, A. H. Allen, D. C. Cameron, W. W. Batchelor and W. H. Shepherd. TRAMWAYS COMMITTEE

Cr W. W. Batchelor moved the adoption of the Tramways Committee’s report, and made an appeal to passengers on trams to remember the courtesy of closing doors behind them when leaving cars. There had been many complaints lately. When Cr Begg suggested that the question of the sale of concession tickets had been shelved by the committee, Cr Batchelor reiterated that the committee’s finances did not warrant paying other people to sell tickets. When things were better the matter would be considered again. The Mayor said that the department no doubt had very good reasons for not making it too easy for people to buy concession tickets. The report was adopted. WORKS COMMITTEE When the Works Committee report was under discussion Cr Shepherd urged that improvements be effected to Sunshine Lane at Anderson’s Bay to give motor access to houses there. Cr Munro said he would have the matter investigated. Cr Allen asked what had happened to the resolution of the council with respect to the improvement of Shortland street, Caversham. The council had long ago decided that the work should be done out of this year’s allocation. He had himself moved the motion which had been carried.

The Mayor suggested that it was one of the works that had been included in the £IOO,OOO loan programme, Cr Mimro said he could not recall the council having authorised the work to be done but he would make inquiries. Cr Allen complained again about the exemptions from the city bylaws with respect to the width of frontages in sub-divisions. The committee had granted so many exemptions lately that it could hardly refuse applications. He suggested that instead of continuing to break their own by-laws they should revise them; also he thought that applications for sub-divisions should be accompanied by the owner’s name.

The Mayor said he could assure Cr Allen that many applications for reduced sub-divisions were declined. Cr Munro, on behalf of the committee, said that the committee brought only the exemptions before the council. Nothing was heard of the many applications that were granted, because if they were in order they did not need to be considered. With regard to the attachment of owners’ names to applications, Cr Munro said that most of such applications were made through agents, and owners often expressly forbade any mention of their names. He doubted whether the council had power to insist on such a condition, but he would inquire. The report was adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE Cr Silverstone moved the adoption of the Finance Committee’s report. Cr Allen said that in view of the fact that the council was prepared to pay £2250 for the DunedinDuke’s road highway, partly as a means of finding employment for men out of v/ork, it should give more serious consideration to the' Lower Portobello road, which was in need of improvement. _ The road was used by many Dunedin citizens, and could be regarded as a useful unemployment relief project. He thought the Finance and Works Committees should reconsider the matter. Cr Silverstone said the Finance Committee was doing its best for the unemployed already. With the assistance of the Government, it was handling the job fairly well. A debate on the charge of 10s per annum for water taps followed Cr Allen’s protest against a charge levelled at him by Cr Silverstone of trying to upset .the year’s estimates for political purposes. Cr Silverstone, in reply, defended the by-law as it stood and made no reference to Cr Allen’s complaint. LIBRARY COMMITTEE The appointment of Miss M. E. Brown as an assistant at the library was confirmed. * The committee’s report was also adopted. OTHER REPORTS The reports of the E. P. and L., Gas, Reserves, Water, and General Committees were also adopted. TENDERS Tenders were accepted as follows: — For the supply and delivery of one portable air compressor.—Messrs J. J Niven and Co., Ltd., £Bll. For the supply and delivery of one welding machine. —Messrs Richardson, M’Cabe, Ltd., £203 ss. For the supply and delivery of 100 tons Sorbitic rails, B.S.S. No. 6, 25 tons rails. B.S.S. No. 6, 4| tons fishplates.—Messrs John Duthie and Co. (Wellington). One ton of bolts and nuts. —Messrs Briscoe and Co., Ltd.

For the purchase for removal of the old library building, 51 Meadow street, Mornington.—Dunedin Demolition Company, £4. For the supply and delivery of one 40cwt capacity truck chassis, E. P. and L. Department.—Otago Motors, Ltd., Bedford truck.