CITY COUNCIL.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18362, 21 April 1925, Page 11

CITY COUNCIL.

THE LAST MEETING.

The last meeting of the City Council before the dissolution was held night, and was attended the Mayor (Mr J. A. Flesher) ami Crs. A. Williams, A. McEellar. J. W. Beanland, E. H. Andrews. C. P. Agar. 0. C W. B. Anderson, J. Anderson. A. W. Beaven, •. E. Leadley, W. H. Winsor. J. K. Archer, C Carr, E. McCombs. F. K. Coolie. E. J. Howard, M.P., and H. T. Armstrong, M.P. Finance. The financial statement s J lowe< * : General rate levied, £124.540: collected, £120,701; outstanding, fcSSoP. The district fund account, was £22,oS< in debit (overdraft £2270, temporary loans £20,308). Domains Board Levy. A letter was received from the Christchurch Domains Board forwarding certified copv of resolution making an estimate of £3500, beinp the amount which would be- required from the local contributing bodies for the improvement and maintenance of the Do ™ al " during the year ending March <sist, 1926, and fixing by warrant under the hand of his Excellency the GovernorGeneral, dated October 7th, 1914, the proportion payable by the Council at the sum of £2401 5s 6d. . The amount paid last year was 5s Bd. The letter was referred to the Finance Committee. Absentee Voters. The Under-Secretary, Department of ! Internal Affairs, writing in reference to making provision for absentee voters permits in connexion with the municipal elections, stated that the matter would receive due consideration when an amendment of the Act affected was being dealt with. The letter was received. Travelling Expenses. A letter was received from tho Invercargill Borough Council soliciting support to the . following remit, which would como up for consideration at the next Conference of the Municipal Association to bo held in Dunedin. "That the travelling expenses of all delegates attending Municipal Association Conferences be pooled, and the cost thereof divided through the Association's Executive between all the local authorities taking part therein in proportion to the number of their delegates." In support of the above, it was stated that at present cities and boroughs situated at the extreme north and south of Now Zealand were called upon, to pay the maximum cost of travelling, whereas some which were centrally situated incurred very little expense, and it seemed only reasonable that the cost of conferring on municipal affairs should be evenly distributed, and that the Association should be tho means wheroby that could bo effected. The Council's opinion was requested for or against. Tlio matter was referred to the Finance Committee. Poles at Bounded Corners. Tho Electricity Committee stated that they had considered a report setting out the difficulties in locating poles at rounded corners. The matter ' affected not only the Electricity Department, but the"Post and Telegraph De partment and the Tramway Board. The difficulty only arose where the kerb as- well as the building line was rounded. The committee was of the opinion that the matter was an important one, and had instructed its officers to confer with tho city engineer and the officers of the other bodies affected, so that the matter might bo reviewed by both committees, and a further report considered. Wiremen's Examinations. Tho Electricity Committee presented tho following report, summarising the results of the examinations for electrical' wiremen for the past year and for tho four years since the Board was constituted: — Tear 4 Years ending ending 31/3/25. 31/3/25. Number of candidates examined .. 98 413 Number passed, first grade .. 26 100 Number passed, second grade .. 40 -164 Number failed, both grades ' .. 32 149 Percentage of failures 32.6 36.07 The number .of active licenses on the register of the Board at March 31st last was as'follows: — Elec. contractors 55 First grade elec. litters .. 135 Second grado elec. fitters 152 The committee was of the opinion that, with ono or • two minor amendments found necessary, the by-law was satisfactorily serving its purpose until such time as the Government arranged for the uniform registration of wiremen throughout the country.

Transport Allowance. The Works Committee reported that, as it was essential that the city engineer should have adequate facilities for quick transit at all times in connexion with his duties, he had purchased a car, and the committee recommended that he be granted the sum of £3 10s per week to cover all expenses ■ for its. use for business purposes. The Council agreed. Street Maintenance. The Works Committee reported that the Gas : Company might only be able to supply SOOO gallons of tar at 8d per gallon, and in view of the limited quantity available, tho committee requests authority to enter into the necessary arrangement with the Gas Company. It was also recommended that the city engineer be authorised to call for tenders for the supply of 200,000 gallons of distilled tar, such tar to be to the English Ministry of Transport specification. The Council granted authority. Milk Supply. Pursuant to notice, Cr. C. Carr moved:— "That this Council apply for authority, by Order-in-Council, as provided for in ' The Municipal Corporations Act, 1920,' Section 322-1 (a), to carry out the decision of this Council in accepting the report of the Milk Supply Committee of November 17th, 1924." The report. of the committee recom-mended-that monthly tests should be made of all milk sold in the city, and that the milk should be graded according to quality. Three grades were suggested, two for human consumption, and the third for manufacturing purposes only. The Hospital Board was prepared to "set up a laboratory if the Council would give it financial help. The Mayor said that the section of the Act referred to provided only for the making of general regulations, and did not give the Council the powers required. Cr. A. McKellar said tho introduction of the matter at tho present stage was simply a piece of electioneering. Cr. C. P. Agar said the legal opinion obtained was against the committee. The committee had not met since

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August, 1924, and the matter was not heard of again until on the eve of an election. He moved an amendment: "That the question of the milk supply bo referred to the incoming Council for consideration and action. This was seconded by Cr. A. Williams. • Cr. H. T. Armstrong said that every municipalitv should go into the milk question. The Council could not deal with the matter until it was granted a monopoly in milk supply. Cr W. E. Leadley said the Milk Supply Committee had done good work. He would support the motion, for he objected to the way the Council had got into of putting decisions off. Cr. F. R. Cooke supported the ipotion. The amendment, referring the matter to the incoming Ccaucil, was carried by nine votes to cignt, the voting k°Aye3 (9): Crs Williams, McKellar, Beanland, Andrews, Agar, O. Anderson, J Anderson, Beaven, and the Mayor. Noes (8): Crs. Loftdley, Winsor, Archer, Carr, Howard, McCombs, Cooke, and Armstrong.

Valedictory. At the close of the meeting; Mayor said that meeting was the 76th held by the present Council He acknowledged ,the support given to him during the past two years. The work of the Council had been conducted in a proper manner, and he wished to acknowledge the assistance and cooperation given to him personally.