FINANCE LACKING.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 936, 5 December 1933, Page 9

FINANCE LACKING.

No Support for Sydenham Rest Room. COUNCIL'S DECISION. On the recommendation of the Works Committee, the Christchurch City Council decided at its meeting last evening not to take any steps to establish a women's rest room in Sydenham during the current financial year. Finance is the main objection | raised. The report of the committee stated that several properties in the Sydenham district were inspected by the chairman (Councillor J. W. Beanland) with a view to finding a building suitable for conversion into a rest room, and only one property in a central position could be secured at a reasonable rental. A lease of that property lor three years, with a probable right of renewal, could be obtained, but the committee desired to point out that with rent, rates and insurance, together with the wages of an attendant and lighting, the council would be called upon to meet a Weekly expenditure of approximately £3 15s, and it was extremely doubtful that the revenue from the rest room would be anything like that sum. Councillor A. E. Armstrong said that the committee’s proposal was unworthy of the mothers of Sydenham, and rather than see it adopted he would prefer that nothing were done. He produced a plan of a proposal for the erection of a rest room on a section of a quarter of an acre, with four shops in the front and a lawn at the back. The propertv, he said, could be secured for £3OOO and the building erected for £4OOO, a total of £7OOO. He would like the council to consider the proposition seriously. . . Councillor M. E. Lyons said it was utter nonsense to bring down a scheme such as that mentioned. Councillor T. H. Butterfield said that the idea of spending £7OOO on a rest room in Sydenham was an “outrageous proposal.” The committee had tried, to do something for Sydenham, but the Council did not have the necessary money, stated Councillor J. W. Beanland. The rest room in the Square was a losing proposition, and it was useless to add further liabilities. On the suggestion of the Mayor it was decided that the matter of providing a rest room for Sydenham should be kept open for consideration at a later date.