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Star (Christchurch), Issue 18011, 23 November 1926, Page 3

The survey of the Lyttelton tunnel for the electrification scheme is completed. and Mr G. Wyles, of the Elec trical Department of the Railways, has returned to Wellington .with his assistants. No report lias yet been made, but it is believed that Mr Wyles found the tunnel in good condition, and few difficulties should arise over placing the wires. The position regarding unemployment in Auckland showed a slight improvement last week. On Saturday there were 587 on the unemployment roll at the Labour Bureau against 621 on the previous Saturday. Forty men Were placed in employment compared with 62 the previous week. It is anticipated that with the approach of summer the number will show a decrease. At last night’s meeting of the City Council a letter was received from the general manager of the Christchurch Tramway Board stating that he had been directed by the board to forward its appreciation of the work which the City Council’s traffic inspectors did during Carnival Week in the control of traffic generally. ’The tramway service had participated in the advantages of the general improvement which had resulted. The possibility of the council receiving a very large number of applications for financial assistance in connection with sewerage installations in the near future was mentioned by Councillor O. W. Anderson at last night's meeting of the City Council. He suggested that the Finance Committee should go into the question with a view to making some estimate of the amount of money that would be required, and how the demands could best be satisfied. The chairman of the committee (Councillor C. P. Agar) promised to have inquiries made into the matter.

To arrange for a presentation to Mr F. R. Cooke, who will leave for England early next year, a meeting was held in the Trades Hall last night. A provisional committee was set up, with Mr J. A. M’Cullough as chairman and Mr F. C. Ellis as secretary. The intention is that the presentation shall be from friends of Mr Cooke, including city councillors, irrespective of political opinion. All are invited to attend a further meeting to be held next Monday. Members of the provisional committee are Messrs M. Slater,. P. Hennessy, C. Smith, 11. T. Armstrong, M.P., and P. C. Webb. The Hutt Power Board celebrated the passing of the 5000-consumer mark at a largely attended social. We are doing fine, ” the chairman, Mr Angus M’Curdy, “ and are going to do better.” The 5000 mark had been passed earlier than an/ board out* side Wellington, Dunedin, Auckland ind Christchurch. There were only ; two boards ahead of Hutt Valley in the ! number of consumers, and the Hutt Valley was rapidly overhauling both. He hoped if the £150,000 loan proposals were approved in December to be on .op of the list on March 31. Both the Southland and Thames Valley Boards who had a greater number of consum--1 ers than the Hutt Board, had collected I a rate to make good their deficiencies, while the Hutt Valley revenue, estimatled at £39,000 for the current financial year, exceeded the estimates by nearly £7OOO from April 1 to November 18.