CIVIC ACTIVITIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23529, 18 June 1938, Page 8

CIVIC ACTIVITIES

PROPOSALS TO COUNCIL POINTS FROM REPORTS SOME INTERESTING ITEMS Interesting points in the committee reports which are to be presented to the meeting of the City Council on Monday night include the following items:— Increase In Coal Price Advice has been received from t,he State Mines Department that the price of coal supplied to the Gas Department has been increased by 6d per ton as from May 9 last. The increase has been necessary to cover the cost of concessions granted by the Government to its employees. This increase will mean an additional cost to the council of £IOO for the balance of the year. Traffic Revenue The tramway manager’s statement of traffic revenue for the fortnight ended June 4, discloses an increase of £387, compared with the same period last year. Of this amount the city line contributed only £67, although the present period included two days of the Winter Show, equal to £l7O. which did not come within the same period last year. The position from April 1 (nine weeks), compared with the same period last year, shows an increase of £329, or .94 per cent. Housing Survey The city housing survey, in which all the outside work has been completed, has embraced in all 8468 houses. The area included in the survey comprised the whole of the city area bounded by the Town Belt, the whole of South Dunedin, and also areas in Caversham, Mornington, Roslyn, North-East Valley, and Woodhaugh. The only work remaining to be done is the completion of the coloured maps and statements for submission to the Government. A statement showing the re- ’ suit of the survey will be submitted at an early date.

Anderson’s Bay Bus Service Since April 4 last a trial'bus service has been in operation_ between the Anderson’s Bay terminus, the cemetery and Shiel Hill. To date the returns disclose that the service is earning 5.7 d per mile, whereas the cost of operating it is Is 3d per mile. With a view to serving a wider area and increasing the return from the service, authority has been granted to vary the route, the bus meeting the tram at Cavell street and proceeding to Anderson’s Bay via Tainui and the Anderson s Bay Cemetery. This altered route will be given a trial for the balance of the trial period.

Municipal Rolf Course Since the municipal golf course at Chisholm Park was opened in October last year it has returned the City Council £346 7a 6d. From April 1 to May 31 the revenue totalled £147 3s sd. Fifty season tickets have so far been issued. The work of levelling sandhills and topdressing the fairways at the course is proceeding steadily. Twenty men are employed on the course on a full-time subsidy basis whereby the Government provides an amount of £4 per man per week, leaving the council to find the balance of 16s Bd. The authority from the Government- to employ these men expires on June 25, and as there is still further work to be done, an application has been made to the Government for an extension of the period of employment for a further month.

Centennial Exhibition A recommendation that the council should co-operate in a scheme for an electrical court at the Centennial Exhibition at Wellington in 1940 is made by the Electric Power and Lighting Committee. An application has been received from the Electric Power Boards and Supply Authorities’ Association of New Zealand (the report of the committee states) requesting the co-opera-tion of the council in the proposal to have an electrical court at the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition to be held in Wellington in 1940. To date some 60 local authorities have expressed their agreement to the proposal, this number including the other three main centres. The cost to the council has been assessed at £450, payable in three equal instalments, one immediately, one in March, 1939, and the other in November, 1939. The total amount . subscribed by local authorities will v ' ;be subject to a smdsidy by the Government Electrical Department, who are also joining with the association v ,in the proposal. The committee re--commends that the council agree to 'i co-operate in the scheme and to contribute the amount allocated to this * city.