CITY COUNCIL

Southland Times, Issue 22731, 6 November 1935, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL

ORDINARY MEETING COMMITTEES’ REPORTS ————. 0 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, G. E. T. Dorman, E. J. McLauchlan, J. R. Hanan, G. J. Reed and W. M. C. Denham. The following letter was received from the Minister of Employment: “I have to advise that your council’s request for an increase in the rate of relief pay has now received ‘consideration. Doubtless you are aware that the Unemployment Board, in co-operation with other departments of State, is developing a programme of full-time standard rate works which it is hoped will ultimately absorb every fit, available man. This policy is adopted for the two-fold purpose of increasing the resources of those who participate in this employment, and of inducing general rehabilitation. The board feels that its prosecution of such a policy is definitely more valuable than the mere improvement of ordinary relief rates. If the latter course were followed, the consequential expenditure would necessitate modification of the major policy, and it is for this reason that the board is compelled to reply that the recommendation of your council—which is presumed to refer to workers in receipt of sustenance or rationed relief—cannot be given effect to.’’ 1 Committee’s Reports. The clauses of public interest in the reports of committees as adopted by the council were as follows:— Library. Proposal to Give Library Subscriptions as Christmas Presents: The committee had before it a further sample card drawing attention to the desirability of giving library subscriptions as Christmas presents. A sample of the proposed card will be on the council table. Recommend that the chief librarian be authorized to purchase two thousand cards for distribution durin" December, at an estimated cost of £3 17/6. Report of Book Committee: Recommend that the following report of< the Book Committee be adopted: “The Book Committee recommends as follows:—Morning Post (Rotorua), offer of free copy be accepted; Magazine Digest (M.) 13/6 per annum be added to the list of periodicals; that an order for second-hand books, about 120 volumes to cost about £35, be sent to London.” Reseiwation of Books: The committee in considering a letter from Mr A. G. Seddon on this subject, made the following recommendation to the council at its last meeting: “Recommend that the letter be received and Mr Seddon informed that the chief librarian has been requested to submit a comprehensive report at the expiry of six months, from the time of the abolition of reservations, when the whole question will receive consideration.” As requested by the council, the committee has again gone into this matter, but fails to see how the effect of the new system can reasonably be judged earlier than December next, being six months from the time of its inception, and further recommends that meantime Mr Seddon be advised in terms of the recommendation set out above. Works. Application For Advertising Hoarding: Having received the following letter from the managing director of the General Outdoor Advertising Co. Ltd.: “We are in receipt of your letter dated October 16, in which you state that your council could not see its way clear to grant a permit lor a hoarding on Mrs Leete’s vacant section, 158 Tay street. We feel compelled to write and put our case before you. Tay street can boast some seven or eight panels, while Dee street also has its full complement, and only recently a three-panel hoarding was erected in the midst of a residential area, by a competitive firm. Tay street is a recognized shopping area, and we fail to see why our application was refused. It seems pretty hard that one firm can have twelve to fifteen panels in your city while our applications have been successful on only two occasions. We were unfortunate with one of these, as our section was sold, and consequently we control only one panel in Invercargill. We would like to make, therefore, fresh application for Mrs Leete’s site, and would ask you to bring our letter before every councillor, when I trust they will see fit to reverse their decision.” Recommend that the letter be received and the council’s previous decision adhered to. Otatara Rifle Range—Having received a letter from the Southland Rifle Association stating that on representations made to the Government, a grant of £lOO has been made to the expense of gravelling the road along the embankment on the east side of the rifle range property at Otatara. As the £lOO grant is insufficient to gravel the road properly, the association asked if the council would remit the royalty of 1/- a cubic yard on the approximate amount of 500 cubic yards of gravel required to be purchased by the contractor for this work. The City Engineer reported that this might well be done. It would amount to a donation of £25. Recommend that the request be acceded to. Waterworks, proposed New Bore— The committee again considered a report from the City Engineer, and had before it the draft plan of the proposed new bore at the waterworks. The sum of £2OOO is provided on the estimates for this work. The committee has authorized the City Engineer to cable orders for the plant required. Re-

commend that the City Engineer be authorized to proceed with the work in accordance with his report and the plans and specification submitted. Finance. Municipal Association of New Zealand—Having received a letter from the secretary of the Municipal Association of New Zealand advising that the next annual conference of delegates will take place at Napier during the month of February, 1936. It was asked that all remits be in the hands of the secretary not later than November 25. Recommend that his Worship the Mayor and the Town Clerk draft any necessary remits for the conference. Trading. Electrical Undertaking—This council, in common with other electrical supply authorities, has been gravely concerned* at certain provisions which were in the Public Works Amendment Bill before the House this session, and the position with regard to the electric supply regulations, 1935, was also receiving the closest consideration. Telegrams have been exchanged with the secretary of the Municipal Electric Supply Association, and telegrams have also been forwarded to the Southland Members of Parliament. The Town Clerk has been in correspondence with the Town Clerk of Palmerston North on the subject. The committee is advised that the debatable clauses in the Public Works Amendment Bill have been withdrawn and the assurance of the Minister of Finance has been given that the provisions in the Electric Supply Regulations, 1935, which were giving us concern, do not apply to this council’s undertaking.