EVENTS IN THE CIVIC YEAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18643, 21 December 1928, Page 11

EVENTS IN THE CIVIC YEAR.

MAYOR REVIEWS COUNCILS ACTIVITIES.

The many activities of the City Council during the year, that is now drawing to a close were reviewed to-day by the Mayor, the Rev J. K. Archer, who Stated that 1928 had been at least is busy as any previous year, and many results had been accomplished. The

is as follows: — Something has been done toward further assisting the housing problem by the raising of an additional £25,000 loan for workers’ dwellings and virtually the whole of this amount has been allotted. City’s Diamond Jubilee. During May the Diamond Jubilee of the city was celebrated, and despite no aid on the part of some of the citizens who might have been expected to assist, the functions proved to be a huge success. The Government was represented as well as many public bodies from near and far. One interesting feature was the publication of an illustrated souvenir which gave a greatly appreciated review of the history of the city. Another event which attracted a considerable amount of attention was the opening of the new Concert Hall, which is proving a great asset to the city. For a time various criticisms were offered with regard to the acoustic properties of the building, but these have been silenced by experience, distinguished visitors having declared th-*t the acoustics are excellent. The equipment of the Concert Hall is to be completed by the erection of a very fine • organ at a cost of £6500, this sum being provided from the insurance by which the previous organ was covered. The contract has been let to the wellknown of Hill and and Norman and Beard and the organ is being so constructed that if thought advisable it can on some future occasion be supplied with additional stops. The question of a municipal milk suppi v has been further considered and the city solicitor has been given instructions to frame legislation authorising this proposal, and this, it is expected, will be submitted to Parliament during the next session. Gifts to the City. One of the outstanding accomplishments of the year has been the commencement of the boulevard scheme, which is now sufficiently forward for everyone to realise that it is going to add very greatly to the beauty and rateable value of the city. Already it has elicited considerable generosity in the form of gifts of land and money and no doubt other contributions will be forthcoming. Further beautification has been made possible by a generous gift on the part of Mr T. J. Edmonds, who has contributed £4OOO for the erection of an extremely fine band rotunda to be situated between the Colombo Street and Manchester Street bridges on Cambridge Terrace and for the improvement of the river banks in the vicinity. Most noticeable, however, has been the magnanimous gift of Mr R. E. M’Dougall of £25,000 for the erection of an Art Gallery. This sum has actually been received and is placed on deposit and is bearing interest which will go toward the incidental expenses connected with the erection of the galleary. Competitive designs have been sought, and the advertisement for them has attracted interest all over the world. No fewer than sixty-nine registered architects of British nationality who reside in different countries have notified their intention of competing, and it is understood that others are going to take the same step. It is interesting to notice that of those who have already declared their intention, twentyfive are New Zealanders, twenty-seven Australian, twelve resident in England, two in Scotland, one in Ireland, one in America, and one in Lower Burma. Additions have been made to the water supply of the city by the sinking of a number of wells, with a result that we are now believed to be free from the necessity of any further increase for at least ten years. Moreover, our supply is so ample that during the summer we have not found it necessary to place any restriction on the domestic use of water, or, indeed, the use of it in gardens where meters are installed.

On account of the overloading of the destructor it has been found necessary to erect a refuse masticator at an estimated cost of £3170. The council has been given permission to raise this amount by the Health Department, and the plant is now being erected on one of our reserves at Bromley. The Dance Halls. During the year considerable complaints have been made by residents in the vicinity of a number of halls used for dancing, and consequently restrictions have had to be imposed, one being that certain localities within the neighbourhood of these halls are not allowed to be used as parking places. It is greatly to be regretted that a few patrons of dancing make themselves a nuisance to respectable residents, and it would be of much assistance if those who wish to keep this form of entertainment at a high tone would co-oper-ate with the council in carrying out the regulations. The expansion of the Municipal Electricity Department has necessitated extensions to the office buildings, and these have been made and opened. A great deal of attention .has been given to the question of our roads, and quite a lot of ordinary repairs have been effected. Moreover, a portion of Oxford Terrace has been reconstructed according to the latest methods of road making. Upon a foundation of concrete a bituminous carpet has been laid, and this is the first of much work of its kind that we hope to do in connection therewith. The ratepayers have sanctioned a loan of £220.000 for roads and bridges, and this amount is to be spent during tour years. It is realised that many of our roads urgently require attention, and the public mav be assured that they will receive it as opportunity occurs. Cathedral Square. Plans for the much-discussed Cathedral Square improvements are nowready, and can be operated as soon as the legal proceedings which have been taken are out of the way. Owing to the constantly increasing demands for electrical power, the Government has been urged to proceed as rapidly as possible with its great electrical _work on the Waita’ci River. Much-needed improve* lents in connection with the city abattoirs are about to be commenced. The Government has authorised the raising of a loan of £34,000 to meet the cost, and it is anticipated that the contract will be let early in the new year. Am is well known, there has been a

considerable amount of discussion concerning a new contract for slaughtering at the abattoirs, but after giving the matter carefully prolonged consideration the council has decided to let the contract for this purpose to a group of men operating under the cooperative principle. Some years ago the residents of the East Linwood district, like other residents of the city, had an opportunity of voting on a loan proposal for the water reticulation, but unfortunately turned down the proposal. Owing to the changes which have since taken place, particularly the introduction of the new system of sewage disposal, it has been found absolutely necessary to carry out the scheme, and for this purpose the Health Department has given the council permission to raise a loan of £5300 without a poll. The necessary material is now being prepared at Wanganui, and the work will be put in hand at the earliest possible moment. I greatly regret that a further attempt to persuade the ratepayers of Richmond to sanction a loan for the purchase and equipment of a children's playground on the old Richmond School site has failed. Unless something is done to secure that site for the public it will be a permanent loss to the district. Council’* Insurances. The question of the council’s insurances has been considered during the year, and all those not carried by the council itself have been transferred from private insurance offices to the State Insurance Department. This means that any profit made will belong to the community. The council has decided to have the voting at the next municipal election, which will take place in May, on the principle of proportional representation. It is gratifying to find that, notwithstanding the many demands upon the municipal purse, the council has been able to organise its finances in such a manner as to find it unnecessarv to raise the general rate. Where there have been increases in rates they are due to increased levies made upon the council by other public bodies. Much consideration has been given to the question of a new building bylaw, and this has progressed sufficiently far for it to be now given final legal form. A much-needed work, namely, the widening of Stan more Road, has been pushed a stage further. Gradually widening is taking place, and it is to be hoped that before long this muchneeded matter will be carried to completion. A pleasing improvement for the facility of traffic in Cathedral Square has been made by the acquisition of a semicircular strip of land at the east end of the Cathedral grounds which has been thrown into the roadway, leaving more space for vehicular traffic. Negotiations for this were carried out in an amicable spirit with the Cathedral authorities. Municipal Golf Links. The question of municipal golf links is under consideration, and will, I hope, in the not distant future become an established fact. Considerable thought has also been given to a proposal to establish a crematorium and purchase of an additional cemetery. Stock routes have been re-arranged in the Papanui district, in a manner which I think will be a benefit and greater security for children going to and from school, and the inhabitants generally. It is gratifying to know that the council has been able to arrange its finance in such a way that its debenUires for raising money for roading and other purposes are freely selling at 5i per cent interest. This shows on the one hand that there is not a shortage of money in our district, and on the other hand that investors have confidence in our municipality. A Regional Town Planning Committee has been set up and is doing valuable work both for the present and the future. Consideration has also been given to the question of a tunnel road to Lyttelton, with further access to the wharves, and provisional arrangements have been made for a deputation to consider the latter question and to wait upon Sir Joseph Ward when the Premier next visits Christchurch. We have just completed what is known as “Health Week," and I trust that this has proved, not only of temporary benefit, but has taught our citizens lessnos which they will act upon continuously. During the year we have adopted' a new line of procedure by issuing a magazine which is now well known as the Municipal Review. It is published monthly, and has been most favourably considered by the citizens of Christchurch, and inquiries for copies have come to hand from many distant places. Unemployment Problem. One of our biggest problems during the year has been that of unemployment, but the council has faced this with phenomenal enterprise. Probably it is safe to say never before has the city given in one year assistance to so many unemployed men and their families, and on the whole the men engaged have responded to the efforts of the council in a fine spirit. During a considerable portion of the year a. relief depot was opened, and this was most generously supported by the citizens, and rendered much valuable assistance to those in need. t Finally 1 would like to express my thanks to the members of our staff of I all grades for their most loyal and efficient ser\ ice, and to express my regret that among others who have left our service during the year are Mr James Young, the superintendent of parks and gardens, and Mr John liighsted, his foreman. 1 hey have our best wishes for the future, and to Mr M J Barnett, Mr Young s successor, I wish to extend a very cordial welcome and to all our citizens on behalf of the councillors and myself I extend the comphments of the season.