A LEGITIMATE GRIEVANCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3829, 2 August 1927, Page 24

A LEGITIMATE GRIEVANCE.

HARBOUR BOARD TENANT'S PLIGHT. Abominable conditions in the matter of access and drainage in Bauchop street, according to Mr J. Loudon, have provided residents in that street with a serious and legitimate grievance against the Otago Harbour Board. He introduced the subject of Bauchop street at last week s meeting of the board as one of extreme urgency, calling for immediate remedial measures on the part of the board. Mr Loudon said that although the fault might not be altogether the board’s, there was no doubt that the tenants or occupiers of the land abutting on the street had a serious and legitimate grievance. One of them, who took up sections and established a business some 12 years ago, and had paid in rent and rates some £l3OO or £l4OO, had, in that time been compelled to put up with the most abominable conditions in the matters of access and drainage. As far as he (the speaker) could find out, the drainage provisions were now completed, and all that remained was the street formation. Some years ago a large part of the filling was for some purpose removed from the street, and this intensified the trouble. He felt that the City Council should be urged to put the work in hand right away, and would move that a committee, consisting of the chairman, Messrs Gow. Moller, and the mover, should be appointed to wait upon the Works Committee of the council. The work was not a luxury one, but a necessity, as members would realise if they made an inspection at the present moment.

The Secretary read a report from the actin'g-enginecr (Mr Robertson) on this subject. The report stated that the Standing Committee had proposed that the money (£2490) required for work in Coates crescent and Fryatt street should be spent in Bauchop street to give relief to the board’s tenants. It was understood, however, that the Citv Council had no money for this work at present. It was then suggested that the board should finance the whole of the works proposed in Bauchop street at an approximate cost of £5280, the City Council refunding 50 per cent, of that amount, payable at a date to be decided upon. It was decided that a condition of this agreement should be the employment by the city engineer of the 10 or 12 casual hands at present in the employ of the Harbour’ Board. The city engineer had promised to do this, provided no official objections were raised. Mr Loudon said he was quite satisfied, and the board decided to act immediately along the lines suggested in the report.