CITY COUNCIL

Southland Times, Issue 21560, 25 November 1931, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL

on DIN Alt Y MEETING REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. The three-weekly meeting of the Invercargill City Council was held hist evening. There were present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr John Miller) and Councillors N. D. McKenzie, J. Robertson, J. 11. Tattersfield, A. J. Ball, J. G. Imlay, C. B. Tapley, C. J. Brodrick, A. C. Ford and G. J. Reed. A letter was received from the secretary' of the Southland League stating that in view of the general conditions of affairs it had been decided to hold over for this year the half-yearly meeting of the league. It was requested that the council should forward any' remits to the executive. The league’s action was endorsed. Reports of Committees. The clauses of public interest in the reports of committees as adopted by the council were as follows: — Baths Committee.

Having received a letter from the Southland Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association pointing out the difficulty that swimming clubs were experiencing in obtaining members and asking that as an inducement to prospective members the council agree to club members being admitted free to the Baths during the clubs’ private session. Other sports such as tennis, cricket etc., attracted numbers from swimming. The centre wished to encourage active participation in swimming, diving and water polo. Seventy-five per cent, of the active members of clubs possessed concession tickets and they were the ones who attended the club hour regularly. Recommend that each of the three swimming clubs be issued with twelve tickets allowing the bearer four free admissions during club hours subject to the following conditions:— (1) That the four admissions be confined to one month; (2) That the tickets be available only to January 31, 1032. (3) That each swimming club keep a reconi of and report to the committee on the number of new swimmers brought to the Baths through the agency of the free admission tickets. (4) That the names of the bearers of the tickets be supplied to the baths superintendent.

Primary schools swimming' instruction: Having received a report from the baths superintendent showing the, results of the swimming instruction classes for primary' school children during the period from October 6 to November 4. Recommend that the council congratulate the Baths superintendent and his staff on the outstanding results achieved. Swimming carnival: Having received a report from the Baths superintendent that the swimming carnival held on the evening of Labour Day had proved a success and that the net profit amounted to £8 0/3. Having directed that the committee’s thanks and appreciation be conveyed to the Southland Swimming Centre for running the carnival for the benefit of the Baths funds. Works. Motor omnibus service: Having further considered the application of Mr D. W. H. Tuffery for authority to establish a motor omnibus service between Racecourse Road and the Invercargill Post Office via Tay Street and East Road. Recommend that the application be granted to operate from the date when the service is taken over from the council and that the proposed timetable and scale of fares be approved. Noxious weeds: Recommend that ratepayers be not asked to clear noxious weeds from the street in front of their premises and that the city engineer be asked to arrange to have the streets cleared of noxious weeds. Lowe street footpath. Regarding the letter from Mr R. Wilson drawing attention to the dangerous condition of the footpath in Lowe street and asking that repairs be effected, having received a report from the city engineer that Lowe street had been attended to in its turn. Recommend that Mr Wilson be advised accordingly. Dog Collars: Having received two tenders for the supply of dog collars for the 193233 season from the following: J. R. Kent and Co. 7/3 per dozen, J. E. Watson and Co. 50/- per hundred, 41/- per hundred and 36/- per hundred.—Recommend that the lowest tender, that of Messrs J. E. Watson and Co., be accepted. Streets Loans Balances: (a) Having received a report from the city engineer stating that £2224 remained available from the £74,000 streets loan and supplementary loan and the £60,000 streets loan and supplementary loan and suggesting that lhe balance available be disposed of as follows : £ Surface sealing, Kelvin Road 1,060 Completion of surface in Pomona Road and Ellis Road (Ettrick Street to Tweed Street! where tramlines are between two asphalted strips 740 Widening intersections, Elies Road (Already ordered) 200 Drainage and sundries 200 £2,200 Recommend that the proposals of the city engineer for the disposal of the Loans Balances be approved. Trading. East Road Bus Service: Having considered the paragraph in the Works Committee report No. 2 with reference to the application of Mr D. W. 11. Tuffery for authority to establish a motor omnibus service between Racecourse Road and the Invercargill Post Office. The paragraph was referred to the Trading Committee for its opinion regarding the seating accommodation of the vehicle proposed to be used.— Recommend that the license be granted to operate from the date that the service is taken over and that the use of a 20-pas-senger bus on the service be approved. Pole Privilege Fees: Having received a letter from the Post and Telegraph Department drawing attention to the fact that the system of charging for the right to carry the department’s wires on municipal electricity poles had been abolished elsewhere and asking that the Council waive such fees. The department pointed out that in many cases it was sharing joint pole lines with the Corporation to the mutual benefit of both parties.—Recommend that in future no fees be charged the Post and Telegraph Department for pole privileges.

Tram Track Maintenance and Construction: Separate reports on the matter of the maintenance of the portions of the street adjoining the tram tracks were received from the city engineer and the city electrical engineer.—Having set up a sub-com-mittee consisting of his Worship the Mayor, the chairmen of the Trading and Works Committees, the city engineer and the city electrical engineer to confer on the matter and submit a recommendation to council. Finance.

Group Assurance Scheme: Having received a report from the Town Clerk regarding the new business commission at the rate of 15/- per £lOO and a 2J per cent, renewal commission on collections of premiums received by the council under the group assurance scheme with the Government Life Insurance Department. At the time that the scheme was approved a suggestion was made that the commission be paid into a welfare fund for the benefit of policy holders. The amount in hand is £32 4/-. Recommend that the council establish a welfare fund to which the said commissions are to be paid and that it be administered by four Trustees, one to be appointed by the council and three by the policy holders; that the fund be utilized for the expense of hospital treatment, payment of premiums during sickness, assisting necessitous cases or for any other purpose, for the policy holders. His Worship the Mayor was appointed a trustee. Victoria Hall Renovations: Having received a report from the Town Clerk advising that the city engineer reported that a coat of oil and one of varnish could be put on the ceiling of the Victoria Hall at a cost of £lO for materials, labour to be provided under Scheme No. 5. Recommend that the city engineer be authorized to take steps to have the work proceeded with.