CITY COUNCIL

Southland Times, Issue 25309, 12 June 1935, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL

ORDINARY MEETING COMMITTEES’ REPORTS The three-weekly meeting of the Invercargill City Council was held last evening, there being present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr John Miller) and Councillors J. M. Grieve, H. Ritchie, J.H. Tattersfield, W. G. Tait, A. J. Service, E. J. McLauchlan, G. E. T. Dorman, J. R. Hanan, A. W. Jones, G. J. Reed, W. M. C. Denham and A. Scott. The acting-Prime Minister wrote acknowledging the request for the appointment of local committees for administering unemployment funds collected in districts. The Minister promised that careful consideration should be given the representations. The following letter was received from the Invercargill Boating Club: “We wish to draw your council’s attention to the precarious state of the foreshore in the vicinity of our club shed at Pleasure Bay. We have occupied this site for some twenty years, and during the last six years we have expended considerable labour and money in protecting our property from the elements. In spite of this, the foreshore is being rapidly scoured out, and if greater measures are not taken immediately, our property will very soon become an irreparable loss. We would ask the council to consider carrying out protective works in this locality immediately, with the aid of unemployed labour.” The letter was referred to the Finance Committee. A letter was received from the executive committee of the Invercargill Civic Band Society stating that the financial position of the band was such that unless the City Council considerably increased the present amount of the subsidy the band would be compelled to cease its activities. The letter stated that the revenue derived from Sunday concerts had dwindled to an almost negligible amount. The Band Committee made application for a substantial increase in the councils subsidy paid to the band. An alternative proposal was submitted that the council might consider taking over the control of the band, and paying the conductor’s salary and rental of band room. The letter was referred to the Finance Committee. The secretary of the Southland Hospital Board wrote: “At the last meeting of the board the question of laying out the grounds and planting of hedges at the new Southland Hospital, Kew, was under consideration, and I was mstrutted to write you and . ascertain if your council would be willing to allow Mr Mansfield, the Superintendent of Reserves, to give the board the benefit of his expert advice in this matter, and submit his recommendations therein to the board. The letter was referred to the Reserves Committee. Petitions. There were three petitions before the council. In accordance with . custom these will lie on the table till next meeting, the Works Committee to discuss them in the meantime. , A. D Bum and other ratepayers and residents of Duke Street wrote: We. the undersigned residents and ratepayers hereby petition the council to undertake the sealing of Duke Street. This street now carries a very large volume of fast traffic and in dry weather we venture to say is one- of the worst streets in the city. The dust clouds from passing cars are so thick as to constitute not only a menace to health, but a positive danger to pedestrians. particularly children, crossing the street. We feel sure that if the few blocks required were sealed there would be a substantial saving to the Council on maintenance costs. We therefore respectfully ask that provision be made in this year’s estimates for the work.” W. A. Young and other ratepayers of Elies Road, North Invercargill, wrote: “We, the undersigned ratepayers of Elies Road, North Invercargill, request that the belt of trees on the west side of Elies Road, North Invercargill, be cut down for the following reasons:— (1) That these trees keep the sun off our residences, and make the houses damp. (2) The needles of these pine trees blow on to our lawns making it almost impossible to keep good lawns. (3) The needles also ledge in the spoutings and gutters ot the houses, and very soon rot them through. (4) Owing to the lower branches of the trees ■ having been cut off, they are of very little value as shelter.” . H. S. Cordery and 40 other residents of Herbert Street, wrote: “(1) That your petitioners are all resident of Herbert Street in the city in the two blocks between Elies Road and Wilton Street (2) That the said street carries a great volume of traffic in excess of that normal to such an area for the following reasons: (a) It is part of a convenient and much used route for traffic coming from or through the north part of the city and proceeding to or beyond the east and south-east parts. (By following this route such traffic avoids the more congested parts of the city streets.) (b) It is part of the most convenient route for traffic coming from or through the north part of the city and proceeding to the Invercargill racecourse. (On race days the traffic is exceedingly heavy.) (c) It is also subject to extra traffic to and from the Electric Power Board’s substation (All three classes of traffic are in the main fast moving). (3.) By reason of such traffic your petitioners are subjected in dry weather to the dust nuisance far beyond what should be normal in a purely residential area. (4.) The presence of clouds of dust on a street is always a potential source of danger but y-Air petitioners are convinced that the crossing of. Windsor Street and Herbert Street is a point of special importance in this respect because (a) It is the terminus for the North Invercargill tram service and is crossed by a great number of people passing to and from the trams, (b) The North Invercargill Public Schoo! L situated on the north-east corner of the crossing which is crossed . four times daily by the great majority of the children attending that school; (c) Both ffie south corners of the crossing are ‘blind,’ wherefore your petitioners pray that the road surface of the said street be rendered dustless by tar-sealing or by such other means as to the council may seem best. Reports of Committees. The clauses of public interest in the reports of committees as adopted by the council were:— Finance. Annual Grant, Band Ist Battalion Southland Regiment: A lengthy letter was received from the secretary of the Citizens’ committee of the Band of the Ist Battalion Southland Regiment making application for the-annual grant to the band to be increased to £lOO. Recommend that the Band Committee be advised that the matter will receive due consideration when the estimates for the coming financial year are being prepared. Loans Maturing: Recommend that the Local Government Loans Board be informed that it will be the policy of the council to raise the money to meet the London securities, either in New Zealand or London, as may be deemed to be the better course in accordance with the money market at maturity date, and that the Loans Board be asked to kindly frame the consenting Order in Council in such a manner that either course may be adopted by the council, j

Baths and Library.. | Swimming Trophies for Schools: Having received a report iron l the batns superintendent that he had interviewed the donors of the E. R. prison Cup and the National Mutual Challenge Shield and had come to a ’satisfactory arrangement regarding the conditions appertaining to these trophies. Recommend that the following conditions of award for each trophy be submitted to the respective donors for their approval: (a) E. R. Wilson Cup: This cup to be held for one year by the school whose pupils gain the most points over a series of contests at the Southland primary . schools annual swimming championships, (b) National Mutual Challenge Shield: This shield to be held for one year by the school whose boys gain the most points over a series of contests at the Southland primary schools , annual swimming championships. Both trophies are open to all primary schools in Southland. Herbert Smith Trust Cups: The baths superintendent informed the committee that all the Herbert Smith Trust cups had been competed,, for and suggested that a similar grant, together with an additional cup and miniature for the champion primary school girl would be very acceptable for the coming year’s activities. Recommend that the Town Clerk forward the results of the competitions, as usual, and make the necessary representations for a grant of a cup for the champion primary school girl, and six miniature cups for next swimming season.

Annual Overhaul: Recommend that the baths be closed down for the annual overhaul from June 23 to the end of July 1935. Purchase of Books: The Chief Librarian reported to the committee having purchased locally a copy of Polack’s “Manners and Customs of the New Zealanders” at a cost of £3 10/-; also the purchase of “Southern Districts of New Zealand, 1851” (Shortland) and illustrations to “A History of the Maori. 1891” (White) at a cost of 21/- and 35/- respectively. Recommend that the report be approved. Works. Hoarding on Vacant Section in Dee Street: Having received an application from the General Outdoor Advertising Co., Ltd, for permission to erect an ornamental hoarding on the vacant section on the east side of Dee street next to Cruickshank’s skin store. The city inspector reported that the firm erected a particularly good type of hoarding, the display matter being of an artistic design. The inspector considered that a hoarding on this section would be more pleasing to the eye than the present state of the locality. The revenue derived from the license fee would be £2. Recommend that the application be granted. Invercargill Group in Toe H.: Having received an application from this organization for permission to erect on the pavement edge in front of the Band Rotunda in the Post Office Square, a box to be used as a receptacle for books, magazines, papers, etc., donated by the general public. The city inspector reported that on this particular frontage there was already a taxi stand telephone box arid an advertising refuse cannister, and he did not consider that such receptacles improved the appearance of the qentral part of the city. Recommend that the city inspector be authorized to confer with the chairman of the Library Committee and the librarian relative to the placing of this box in the vestibule of the Public Library. Safety of School Children Using Roads: Having received a letter from the Southland Education, Board asking the council to grant permission to the traffic inspector to address pupils of the city schools in order to impress upon them the matters referred to in a previous report on this matter. Recommend (a) that the Southland Education Board be informed that the duties of the traffic inspector do not, at the present time, permit him to comply with the request. It was pointed out at the meeting that arrangements could be made for a talk by tire traffic inspector, should he so desire, to be broadcast during the children’s radio session. Recommend (b) that the offer to broadcast be accepted with thanks and the matter left in the hands of the traffic inspector. Footpath Construction: Recommend that the following footpaths be constructed and prepared for sealing:— Beatrice street, north side (west end), Elies Road, west side, Lewis street to Duke street; Chelmsford street, north side (between Elies Road and Windsor street); Windsor street, west side, Herbert street to Chelmsford street; Swinton street, west side, Herbert street to Lewis street. Petition, Surface Sealing of Ness Street: At the request of the council, the committee considered a petition signed by thirteen ratepayers and householders of Ness street, making application for Ness street to be tarsealed between Tay street and Tweed street. Recommend that the petitioners be advised that the matter will receive consideration when the estimates for the coming year are being prepared. Reserves. Erection of Shooting Notice: Recommend that a large notice board be erected one chain from the New River bridge on the north-west side drawing attention to the fact that shooting is prohibited on the Sandy Point Domain. Invercargill Winter Show: The committee desires -to place on record its appreciation of the efforts of the Superintendent of Reserves and his staff, in connection with the excellent display provided by his department at the recent Invercargill Winter Show, by arrangement with the show executive.