CITY ACTIVITIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23897, 26 August 1939, Page 23

CITY ACTIVITIES

REPORTS TO COUNCIL DEFECTIVE VERANDAS CONDEMNED Consideration has been given by the Works Committee to the Dunedin City Council to a number of verandas In the citv which have bee' proved to be defective following the recent snow storm, and in its report to the meeting to be held on Monday evening it recommends that notice be given to several owners in accordance with clause 296 of by-law No. 1 to take down and remove those verandas, all of which are of the type supported by posts, within seven days. Improvements to Kelvin Road Instructions have been given by the Works Committee .to the city engineer to put in hand improvement works at Kelvin road, at an estimated cost of £3OO. These works have been provided for in the loan schedule. Fire-fighting at Waipori The Electric Power and Lighting Committee reports thas one of the department’s dwellings at Waipori Falls was recently destroyed by fire and that the committee is of the opinion that better provision for fighting fires should be provided in the settlement. The engineer has been authorised to purchase 300 ft of 2J-inch high pressure hose with the necessary couplings and nozzles and the necessary water mains to extend the existing water service, at an estimated cost of £2OO. The employees at Waipori Falls have indicated their agreement to assist In the fighting of fires at any time, and the extra facilities now proposed will render such assistance much more effective. Traffic Returns The tramway manager’s statement on the traffic receipts for the fortnightly period ended August 12 states that the position from April 1 to August 12 (19 weeks), compared with the same period last year, shows a decrease in revenue of £1298, or 1.86 per cent. The revenue and expenditure statement for the 16 weeks ended July 19, 1939, shows a loss for the period -jf £1206, compared with £1230 for the same period last year. This result is made up by an improvement in the Roslyn figures of £521 and buses £357, while the city electric lines have gone back to the extent of £7ll and Mornington £143. Dunedin Guide Book

The Tramways Committee recommends that advertising space to the value of £2O be taken in the Dunedin guide book which is being published by the South Islands Travel Association for distribution to tourists, particularly at the Centennial Exhibition. This book is widely distributed and is of' com siderable benefit in advertising the department’s observation trips. A similar advertisement has been taken by the department in previous issues. ■ Carbonising Results

The gas engineer’s report showing the carbonising results obtained, at the city gasworks for July discloses that the gas output for this month amounted to 33,530,000 cubic feet, an increase of 4.9, per cent, compared with the output for the same period last year. Coke sold amounted to 430 tons, and tar sold to 12,805 gallons. Repairs to Blacksmith’s, Shop The Gas Committee reports that authority has been granted to carry out repairs at the blacksmith’s shop at the city gasworks. The existing roof on the building is in poor condition and beyond repair, and the. quotation of Messrs Briscoe and Co., Ltd., for the removal of the existing cast iron roof and replacing same with a corrugated asbestos roof, in the total sum of £82., has been accepted. Subsidised Band Concerts A schedule of subsidised band performances to be given by the various city bands during the forthcoming season has been approved, according to the report of the Reserves Committee. As in previous years each band is to give five Sunday concerts, three at the Botanic Gardens and two at St. Clair. The usual six bands will participate, and. in addition, the Salvation Army Band will give performances' divided between the Dunedin Hospital and th*> Talboys Home. Relief Works Authority has been received by the committee from the Labour Department to transfer the 25 men at present engaged on clearing gorse, etc,, at Bethune’s Gully, to the work of clearing and planting the council’s reserve at Signal Hill in nreparation for the Centennial Memorial. The men will be employed under the No. 13 scheme, whereby the Government provides the full wages of the work, and the authority granted is for the balance of the period for which the men are tq be employed, i.e.. 12 weeks from July 10. Issue of Pictures The Library Committee reports that the purchase of pictures for loan recently authorised by the council has been completed, and the following regulations governing the loan of these pictures have been approved by the committee:— (a) Period of loan to be one calendar month.

(b) Renewal to be made by payment of another month’s rental, but only if picture is not reserved by another borrower.

(c) Rental to be payable in advance. (d) Rental to be 2s for large pictures and Is for small.

(e) Fine of 2d per day for overdue returns.

(f) Issue will not be made to anyone who is not on the municipal roll. (g) Issue will be made to school teachers on behalf of classes. (h) Every borrower must fill in a reservation form which will be posted to him saying that the picture is available. This will check addresses.

(i) Every borrower will sign for the picture he takes in a register showing the value of the picture and the responsibility assumed in the event of damage.

It is proposed, however, that pictures be displayed in the Library for one week before being issued to borrowers.

Books on the Care of Children The Library Committee places on record its appreciation of the work of the New Education Fellowship in its efforts to assist the Library and the reading public in supplying books and sets of pamphlets on educational topics to the Public Library. 1 These are available for both the public and their own members. Particularly useful are books on the physical development and psychology of children, which explain simply to the average parent the 1 reasons behind various kinds of child behaviour which adults would otherwise tend to consider inexplicable or perverse. The society establishes a useful precedent which other societies might well follow. Sports bodies and other organisations, bymaking a contribution to the Library, can do useful work in improving the general knowledge of their particular subjects in the city. Library Membership

The return of attendances at the Public Library during July shows that the attendance for the 26 days on which the Library was open in July of this year was 3028. against 3846 for the corresponding period of last year. The number of books consulted in the Reference Library was 3936, compared with 6695 last year, and the number of inquiries was 868, against 1557 last year. The number of adult tickets issued to July 31 was 25,925 compared with 23,163 Jast year, and the number of juvenile tickets was 2834, compared with 1651. A total of 197 adults joined the Library during the month, compared with 286 last year. The number of books issued for home reading was 45,340 volumes, at an average rate of 1748 volumes a day. A total of 390 books was added to the stock, which stood at 80,127 at July 31,