MAINTENANCE BURDEN

Taranaki Daily News, 19 February 1935, Page 9

MAINTENANCE BURDEN

NEW PLYMOUTH’S PARKS RELIEF IMPROVEMENT SEQUEL. MUCH NEW GROUND BROKEN IN. COUNCIL CONSIDERS PROBLEM. Development and extension work in New Plymouth parks and domains by relief work in the past few years may in the near future provide a considerable problem of maintenance for the council to solve; At last night’s meeting of the borough fears were expressed by several members that the good work done would eventually be lost unless a proportion of relief workers were made available for the work of maintaining the recently developed areas. The discussion arose from applications received for increased subsidy for park works and brought forth several complications.

Application was received from the secretary of the Ngamotu Domain Committee for an increase in the council’s annual grant. It was pointed out that the £2O grant already given was just sufficient for material and replacements of trees and shrubs. The committee would like to be able to employ a part time man to assist in maintenance and improvement work. A similar request was received _ from the Kawaroa Park Foreshore Beautifying Society, which stated that it had found it necessary to curtail considerably its expenditure on improvements in the past few years The present grant was scarcely sufficient for maintenance and, although the programme of improvement work was practically at a standstill, the funds of the society were being gradually depleted. The council was reminded that the society had agreed to release its claim against the estate of the late Mr. Newton King and at that time a suggestion had been put forward that consideration would be given to applications for increased subsidy. The situation was now urgent. SERIOUS HANDICAP. • “I am afraid,” said Cr. P. E. Stainton, “that the work in the New Plymouth parks is going to be seriously handicapped by the lack of relief work. The sooner we get away from employment of men on town work the better it will be. In my opinion the position calls for the revision of the use of the men. I think that the works committee should look into the whole position and see if it would not be possible to distribute the men where they would be of the most use and where they could be adequately supervised.” Councillor F. Amoore said unemployed had been used on development worfc: in. parks until so much new ground had been added that it was virtually impossible for the council to pay for the upkeep tof it with ordinary labour. Councillor J. Brown said, in his opinion, the parks needed a far greater subsidy than they got if the progress already made was not to be lost. It is going to be a hard job for the hospital board and everyone else,” he said. “I would like to see half of the borough employee’s cut in wages restored, but what about all this work?” The Mayor added his opinion that Ngamotu domain •and other similar societies were going to have a hard job to make ends meet. Councillor Stainton: Well, why not have the works committee inquire where, the ■men may be employed under supervision and have the. work in the town done by the regular employees? NECESSITY FOR WORK. The town clerk, Mr. F. T. Bellringer, said relief workers engaged in the borough had been engaged solely on types of work which in the ordinary way would not have been done for another 20 years. “I have always been of the opinion,” he said, “that you have been pickling a rod in going in for all this park work, Of course, if necessary, all relief men could be . taken off borough work and put into the parks.” Councillor Amoore said he disagreed with the contention that unnecessary work had been done at Te Henui cemetery. Mr. Bellringer replied that a good deal of land had been opened up on the river banks that could have been left undeveloped. The borough engineer, Mr. C. Clarke, said that he was afraid that if the council proposed to use relief labour on maintenance work there was going to be trouble with the Unemployment Board which stipulated that relief labour could only be used on development work that would not ordinarily have been done. Councillor Stainton: Why not make it conditional that no men ordinarily employed will be dispensed with? Councillor Anderson suggested that it would be a great pity to see much good work go to waste and that every endeavour should be made to solve the probCouncillor Smith brought up the claims to consideration of the East End committCO. Mr Clarke pointed out that there would always be a proportion of men unfit for heavy labour available and that their services might profitably be use' in maintaining the developed areas in reasonably good condition. Eventually it was decided to refer the entire matter to the works committee for investigation and report.