CITY COUNCIL

Otago Witness, Issue 3833, 30 August 1927, Page 31

CITY COUNCIL

The fortnightly meeting of the City Council last week was attended by the Mayor (Mr W. B. Taverner), and Crs Hayward, Scott, Wilson, Mitchell, Clark, Munro, Larnach, Begg, Douglas, Shacklock, Campbell, and Black. RESERVES COMMITTEE.

The adoption of the Reserves Committee’s report, which recommended that the Exhibition foundation stone tablet, which was placed in position by' the GovernorGeneral, Viscount Jellicoe, on October 13, 1924, be re-erected in a suitable position on the outside wall of the Art Gallery building, was moved by Cr Larnach. The motion was seconded by Cr Mitchell.

Cr Clark asked if Cr Larnach would agree to the deletion of the word “ outside.’ It had been pointed out to him that the main feature of the tablet was a carved oak frame, which would deteriorate if it were placed outside. . lhe Chairman said he had no objection to the suggestion, which was agreed to, and the report, as amended, was adopted.

WOIIKS COMM ITTE E. „ T Cr , Gilson moved the adoption of the Works Committee’s report. He mentioned that the Harbour Board had offered to supply- the money to form Bauchop street which was very urgently in need ot attention, lhe committee was a"reeab]e to spend the money on condition that it was repaid to the Harbour Board when funds were available. The committee hoped to repay the money out of the next loan. The engineer had been insti acted to act wi ;h regard to the retho' a fn? f tlle , stoile , balustrade dividing the footway from the carriage way on the bridge over the Leith at King street and replacing with a low concrete kerb at an estimated cost of £25. be C a mi U M S thou S ht it would be a mistake to remove the balustrade t ?',' ee ?-. the fo °tpath and the roadway at the King street bridge. the 1 ? Iltchell sai ’ d he would move that lited tT H Cgardlng th ,° bridge be de ’ t wAnIV 1 ‘ y amoved the balustrade it Mould be a distinct danger to traffic It would be a waste of mo°ney to spend be to let fl°- 1L lhe better plan would be to kt things remain as they were t> l they could put up a new 'bridge aid tho a X a ba i d approach to the bridge, ° '“ <l brousl ' l ■ fn? r J? eBg Sa ‘ d *' e had known the bridec had yMrS ’ iUld the balustrade xjuu anvaxs been a menace Tn “Led*? "'I Of .!>« batatado wo “,i pedestrians was simply bunkum The iim“ t’lmH Uld d ° rigl,t thi »g by adlpt rade c tivoJ S H S ° m ? day > if the balustrade stayed there, they would be faced 'p, ltb V ad '„° rse comment, by the coroner /ho I T 0 1”" and kerbing in place of the balustrade would answer all purposes ■SU Al “ nro said ho considered that tradMs Cr e ßo ar ' V 1° , reln .? ve tbe bab >" aoe. As Cr Begg had said, the bifid-e 11 “n erW 1 ° r I k ! n connection with the budge. The balustrade had always been a menace. Boys were in the habit of P aying on the balustrade, and there was always a danger that they would -et into rouble at the bridge when motors and vehicles were crossing it. a u Cr Shacklock suggested that pipe handrail might replace the balustrade. He went kne anfth 0 th °? a f d H ? hting at Sunshine street d wJ ne °d of a footpath at Arawa U ' vould llke the Works Gomel 0 WI haV ® a 00 i k at these two Placesk a °i n ’ ‘ n roply - sa,d that the footpath had been an after-thought. ©nd the balustrade had simply been left there The «Ln.,U g k nCOr cons ’ der ? d lbat balustrade shoidd be removed. Motorists and drivers of vehicles were in favour of the removal of the balustrade. If Cr Larnack had been tb°/ V m Id not have to the fact that the amount of money required had not been placed on the allocations. He had wanted a crossing at Maitand street the money for which had not been placed on the allocations, and the work had been agreed on. Cr Larnach said that the money had been placed there years ago. Cr Mitchell’s amendment was lost and the report was adopted.

ELECTRIC POWER AND LIGHTING. f\ be T .adoption of the Electric Power and Lighting Committee’s report was moved by Cr Shacklock. Cr Mitchell raised the question of providing homes for employees without charging a rental. It was very desirable that there should be proper housing, but even if .a .very small rental were charged the principle should be recognised that every occupant of a house should pay something. Cr Shacklock said the rental question had already been decided by the department. When a new man took up a job a rental was to be charged. Tho report was adopted. TRAMWAYS COMMITTEE.

Cr Douglas moved the adoption of the Tramways Committee’s report. The motion was seconded by Cr Larnach. Cr Begg asked for an assurance that when the duplication of th© Anderson’s Bay line was completed the duplication of the .North-Easf Valley line would be undertaken. Cr Douglas said that work would be proceeded with almost immediately. The department, was only waiting for favourable conditions. The report was adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE. Cr Clark moved the adoption of the Finance Committee’s renort. The committee recommended that arrangements bo mad© for the tenancy of the St. John’s Church property at Maori Hill, near the John Glashan College, as a site for a children’s playground at a rental of £5 per annum, plus remission of rates, which amounted to £lO 2s Id. The site was at

p«esent vacant, and could bo vacated at any time by the council should the owners require it. The council was quite satisfied that the Maori Hill residents would be prepared, to assist. The Otago Lawn Tennis Association had accepted the council’s offer of £275 for the sal© of the aquarium building at Logan Park, provided the lean-to at the back of the building was included in the sale for an additional £25, making ' n ab ’ Diis offer had been accepted. The committee had authorised an addL tional expenditure from £52 to £B2 for the cleaning out of the Owhiro stream and the straightening of a number of sharp bends The work was at the spot where the stream passed through the council’s land at Wingatui. The quotation of Mr Wilham ]\T Ixjllan. of £289, for repairing work at th© Art Gallery building had been accepted.

. The report was adopted without discussion. GAS COMMITTEE. Cr Scott moved the adoption of the Gas Committee’s report. Cr Munro seconded the motion. Cr Clark stated that at the last meeting he had complained about the action ol the Gas Department in laying mams through the Oval without the 'authority of the Reserves Committee. Sine© then ae had found out that the action was not the fault of the. gas engineer or the Gas Department. They were not to blame m any . way, and they deserved very great credit for the care they went to in addition to their ordinary work. The matter had been arranged by the gas engineer with the superintendent of city reserves. Cr Begg: Who was to blame?

Cr Clark said he thought the matter should have been reported to the head of the Reserves Department. The Mayor said he had got into touch with the superintendent of reserves, and had ascertained that he and the gas enginner had arranged the matter between them. At the same time he thought the matter was of such importance that the committees should have been informed. Cr Larnach said it was about time that they objected to heads of departments taking matters in their own hands. None of (he members of committee knew anything about it.

The report was adopted. OTHER REPORTS. Tlie reports of tho General and Water Committees were adopted without discussion. TENDERS. Seven tenders were received for the supply and delivery of square-hewn and natural round ironback poles, and that of Messrs Richardson, M‘Cabe, and Co. (Wei lington) was accepted for the square hewn at £1295 and that of Messrs Smith and Co. (Invercargill) for the natural round rioles at £BOO 8s 4d.