CITY COUNCIL

Southland Times, Issue 25362, 14 August 1935, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL

ORDINARY MEETING COMMITTEE 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. W. Grieve, H. Ritchie, J. H. Tattersfield, W. G. Tait, A. J. Service, A. Scott, E. J. McLauchlan, G. E. T. Dorman, J. R. Hanan. A. W. Jones, G. J. Reed, and W. M. C. Denham. The following letter was received from the secretary of the Southland A. and P. Association: “I have been instructed by the directors of this association to write and thank you and your council for the very generous donation towards the Winter Show finances. The success of the show was in a large measure reached by the cooperation of the City interests and your council’s contribution in this respect was a valuable aid to the final success.” . » The secretary of the Southland Technical Board wrote: “I have to inform you that a vacancy will shortly occur for a representative of local bodies on the Board of Managers of the Technical College. May I remind you that the City Council, the Southland County Council and the South Invercargill Borough Council are jointly represented by two members on the board. The sitting members fire Messrs W. McChesney and A. J. Service. The former will complete his three-year term at our meeting on Thursday, July 25. I am therefore instructed to ask that the three bodies may take take steps after that date, to fill the vacancy so that the newly-elected member may take his seat at our meeting on August 22.” It was decided to nominate Councillor J. H. Tattersfield. Reports of Committees. The clauses of public interest in the reports of committees as adopted by the council were:— Reserves. Reconstruction of Mason Road, Seaward Bush: Having received a letter from the Southland County Council advising that it had now received advice that a Government subsidy of £250, £1 for £1 basis, for reconstruction work on Mason Road is available for expenditure this year, application was made for the City Council to contribute the sum of £75 towards the cost of the proposed work. Although ( an amount of £75 was provided on the estimates for 1934-1935, there is no special provision made on this year’s estimates. In order to allow the work to be carried out, the committee recommends that a contribution of £75 be paid from the contingencies fund in the general account. Tree Planting in Wellington Street: A letter was received from Mr P. J. Israel, Wellington Street, protesting on behalf of residents in the locality against the action of the Superintendent of Reserves in removing the cork elm trees supplied some years ago at the expense of the householders. The Superintendent of Reserves reported that cork elms are wholly unsuited for tree planting in this locality, many being broken and malformed, thus depreciating the appearance of the street. A number of specially selected trees ideally suited for street work have been planted. The report stated that the complaint was only from certain residents of Wellington Street, as other householders favoured the removal of the cork elms. Recommend that the letter be received and that Mr Israel be informed that the Superintendent of Reserves was not aware that these trees had been supplied at the expense of the residents, but was under the impression that the planting in this street had been carried out on the same basis as other streets done by the Beautifying Society; also that it be pointed out to the complainant that the trees were not growing satisfactorily and have been replaced by a particularly fine specimen of tree considered to be specially suitable for street planting in that locality. Baths. Chemical Feed Plant: An amount of £lOO is provided on the estimates for the purchase of this plant. Recommend that the gravity feed type as quoted by the Candy Filter Company at £B4 10/be purchased. Baths, Suction Sweeper: The City Engineer reported that, the quotation for the type of appliance recommended was £32 10/-, but to this must be added the cost of installation, making an estimated total of £35. Provision has been made on tiie estimates accordingly. Recommend that a suction sweeper be purchased at an estimated cost of £35. Works. Invercargill Group in Toch H, application for a box on the street: Having received a further application from the •Invercargill Group in Toe H asking permission to erect a box for the purpose of collecting books and magazines for distribution to the hospital, homes and institutions in the city, at one of the following street corners: Dee and Esk streets (Hallenstein Bros.), Dee and Don streets (William A. Brown, jeweller) or Dee and Spey streets (Briscoe’s Building). The city inspector reported that he sav. nothing to prevent the box being placed at any one of the points indicated, but there would be a certain amount of obstruction wherever situated. The inspector was of the opinion that these considerations may be out-weighed by councillors in view of the worthy object by the Toe H Association. The committees of the opinion that the box should not be placed on the street, and recommends that a convenient situation be granted in the vestibule of the Public Library. Petiton regarding footpath repairs and tar-sealing of Fox street (west from Dee street): A petition signed by Mr J. H. Roderique and 14 other residents of Fox street, west from Dee street, was received by the council at the last meeting and referred to the Works Committee for consideration. The petition drew attention to the slippery and sloping surface of the footpath on both sides of the street, and also made application to the council to tar-seal this portion of the street in order to abate the dust nuisance. Recommend (a) that footpaths on both sides of Fox street, west from Dee street, be reconstructed; and (b) that the matter of tar-sealing be .held over for consideration with other similar applications, the work to be carried out as finance permits. Grass Plots, Clyde street (Tay street to Tweed street): The recommendation of the Reserves Committee to the council on July 23, that the , forks Department pay the cost of reconditioning and maintenance of the above street plots, was referred to the Works Committee for consideration. The position is that there is no monetary provision upon the estimates for the purpose, but the committee recommends that the chairmen of the Works and Reserves Committees, together with the City Engineer and Superintendent of Reserves, confer with a view to a commencement being made with reconditioning work, the proper monetary provision to be made on next year’s estimates.

Completion of Heriot street, west end: Having received a letter signed by Messrs S. Hunt, H. Fairbairn ahd R. W. Thomson, residents of Heriot street, applying to have the west end of Heriot street completed. Recommend that the matter be left in the hands of the Mayor with authority

ihave the work carried out. Proposed Extension of Racecouise Road:. It was brought to the notice of the committee that in particular Layard street, North Invercargill, was used fairly extensively as a stock road and caused considerable inconvenience to the residents in the locality—Recommend that representations be made to the Southland County Council to extend Racecourse Road in a northerly direction to connect with Bainfield Road. . _, Painting Pedestrian Crossings: The committee considered a suggestion made at the last council meeting with reference to painting pedestrian crossings in Tay and Dee streets.—Recommend that as a trial meantime the traffic inspector be authorized to have white lines painted to indicate pedestrian crossings at the intersection of Tay and Dee streets and at street intersections in Dee street from Tay street to Spey street. Harrier Road Race: Having received an application asking the council’s permission to conduct a harrier road race over certain streets in the city at 3 p.m. on Saturday, August 31. The course to be followed commences at the Town Hall and follows Tay street, Elies Road, River Road, Dee street and Tay street to the Town Hall. The runners intend to make use of the Tepid Baths at the conclusion of the race.—Recommend that the council raise no objection to the application. Bluff-Invercargill Main Highway: His Worship the Mayor and Councillor Denham, accompanied by the City Engineer and the Town Clerk, attended a conference in the Southland County Council Offices on July 26, when the chairman and members of the County Council were also present, as were his Worship the Mayor and Town Clerk of Bluff Borough. Tire county representatives explained that it is intended to expend £l5OO on the roadway this year, of which sum the Highways Board is contributing £l2OO. The county’s request was that the City Council and the Bluff Borough bear, say, 40 per cent, of the difference, on the basis of £9O to the city and £3O to the Bluff Borough, which would mean that £lBO would be borne by the county. Questioned, the chairman of the County Council stated that the county had failed in its application for a commission. It was pointed out by the city representatives that the £3OO which the Highways Board is leaving the county to find, works out at a less cost per mile to the county than is the case with its ordinary byway roads.— Recommend that the council make no contribution towards the cost of the Invercargill-Bluff main highway. Finance. Application for Skidway at Wharf: At the request of the council the committee considered the application from the Invercargill Railway Rowing Club for permission to build a skidway on the south side of the wharf shed at present leased to the club. The letter’ pointed out that the work would entail dismantling about 35ft. of the present wharf. In view of the fact that the Invercargill Railway Rowing Club is a tenant at the pleasure of the council, the committee is not prepared to grant the application and consequently has no recommendation to make. Subsidy, Band of the Ist Battalion, Southland Regiment: Having received a letter from the Citizens’ Committee of the Band of the Ist Battalion, Southland Regiment, acknowledging receipt of the council’s decision to pay the band the sum of £4O for the current financial year. The letter voiced the regret of the Citizens’ Committee that the council had increased the grant by only £l5, and had not sanctioned the amount as requisitioned for, namely, £loo.—Recommend that the letter be received and the Citizens’ Committee of the band informed that the amount allocated is in accordance with the estimates for the year, which are now finalized.