CITY COUNCIL.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20094, 25 November 1930, Page 16

CITY COUNCIL.

LAST NIGHT'S MEETING. The Christchurch City Council met last evening, when there were present: The Mayor (Mr J. K. Archer), Crs. T. H. Butterfield, Annie Fraer, M. E. Lyons, A. E. Armstrong, E. Parlane, J Parlane C. E. .Tones, A. A. McLachlan, A. W. Beaven, D. G. Sullivan, M.P., W. Williamson, I'. B. Neale, J. W. Beanland, E. H. Andrews, and E. R. McCombs. The financial statement gave the following particulars: —General rate levied £138,892 9s lid, collected £8833 9s sd; outstanding £130,059 0s 6d. Receipts since previous statement, £.24,910 15s lOd; accounts authorised for payment £28,342 16s Id. Abattoir and Reserves. The Abattoir and Reserves Committee reported that the six steel stanchions carrying the roof of the beef house at the abattoir, and the machinery trusses had been erected. Tho cattle and sheep pens were now practically completed, only the water troughs and feeders remaining to be fixed. It was recommended that the tender of E. A. Empson (£18) for plumbing work at tbo dwelling in Victoria park, be accepted, also that of I). E. Legge (£2O ss) for painting. Tho report was adopted. Baths and Entertainment. The Baths and Entertainment Committee reported that the takings at the Tepid Baths for tbe month of October, 1930, amounted to £147 13s 3d, a decrease of £27 as compared with the takings for tho corresponding month of last year. Tho takings for the period April Ist to October 31st, 1930, amounted to £641 2s 3d, as compared with the sum of £778 14s 5d for the same period of last year. In considering these figures it should be noted that October («f ■'• >, year was considered to bo the i October on record.

tender of F. \Y. Allen f£24) for providing seating accommodation at tlie Sydenham Baths was recommended for acceptance. It was reported that tin* Kast Christchurch Amateur Swimming Club had written stating that carnivals conducted by it at the Municipal Oaths had always resulted in a financial loss, which the Club attributed partly to the chargo mado for the use of the baths. It had been found that clubs using the baths for carnivals very seldom made a profit therefrom, unless there was some special attraction, such as a visiting swimmer. The number of carnivals held at the baths was about four or five each year, and the committee considered that a reduction in tho chargo might result in certain swimming clubs, which did not at present use the baths, holding carnivals therein. It was therefore recommended that for the ensuing season the charge for the use of the baths for swimming carnivals be £3 3s, instead of £.j, as at present. The United Amateur Swimming Club at present had the sole use of the swimming pool for one and a half hours on Saturday evenings, for which it. paid £24 per annum. Tlio club now found that, owing to a decrease in membership, its finances would not stand the payment of this sum. It had been suggested that, instead of the club paying tho amount mentioned, a charge of 3d per head be levied on all club members using the swimming pool during the club's period, individual members to pay their own admittance fee. The average attendance during the period meniioned was between 40 and 50.

The committee had decided to agree to this suggestion on the understanding that the club would undertake, at the end of each year, to make up any difference between the amount collected in fees and the £24 now paid.

The Public Schools' Amateur Athletic Association had decided to hold a school children's carnival in the Municipal Baths on Friday, December oth. Until recently this carnival was conducted by the Baths Custodian and, as a result of past carnivals, approximately £9 was held by the City Treasurer in his trust account. The committee was of opinion that these carnivals served a very useful purpose in popularising the baths and it had therefore decided to vote the sum of £5 from the funds held by the City Treasurer towards the expenses of the Carnival to be organised by the public schools. The report was adopted. By-laws and Finance. The By-laws, Finance, and .Departmental Committee reported that the Christcliurch Tramway Board had forwarded a copy of a special order authorising the raising of the New Brighton bridge loan of £SOOO, making the rate and requesting the Council to collect it in its district. The Board asked what commission the Council would charge for this collection and the committee recommended that a commission of 2J per cent, be charged. The dictograph telephone system throughout the Municipal Offices had completely broken down. This was accounted for by reason of the fact that the cable was laid under tho floor of the building and that it had deteriorated through dampness. improved ventilation had since been provided but the cable was completely destroyed. The Lamson Despatch Company of New Zealand, Ltd., agents for tho Dictograph Telephones, were prepared to rceable the whole system for the sum of & 283 net, the cables to bo laid above the floor of tho building. In view of the extreme inconvenience caused through the system being out of action, tho committee recommended the Council to have the work put in hand immediately. The company had agreed to accept payment for the work after the end of the current financial year. Tlie representations made by the deputation of subscribers to the Sick Benefit Fund were referred to the committee for a report. The committee recommended that the question bo held over until after the first nine months of the present financial vear had expired, when tho committee would review the position and report further to the Council. The committee had had under consideration the question of adopting a costing system to embrace expenditure against the items on the estimates and for works such as the construction and reconstruction of streets and bridges out of loans, and other works as occasion arises.

It was considered that if a statement showing the expenditure up to date was submitted to the committee concerned each month, the expenditure would be kept within the amount provided on the estimates, and the information would be of great service to the officers concerned in regulating the expenditure, in addition to giving protection to the councillors as a whole. The work involved would keep a clerk continuously employed, and the committee recommended that a trial be made with the present staff in the Treasury, together with a temporary clerk at £4 per week, until the system was in workiDg order, when a definite proposal would be submitted. The report was adopted. Town Planning and Housing. The To.wn Planning, Housing, jfnd Health Committee reported that the Opawa-Hillsborough Burgesses' Associa, tion had written intimating that Mr A. W. Minson, owner of property bounded

by Opawa road, Vincent place, and Ri-i, ardson terrace, was prepared to transf to the Council a section of land on th* Opawa road frontage of his property and containing one-eighth of an acre a site for a library provided tho Co'un nil would exempt the Vincent tiiann frontage of the property f rom , widening. Mr Minson was also n rP pared to dedicate the land necessarv for road-widening on the Richardson terrace frontage. Vincent place was very little used as it finished at the railway. Its present width was 33 feet, and it had a length of approximately 7i chains. The committee recommended that the Burgesses' Association be informed that the transfer of the library site constitutes a subdivision, and that therefore it would be necessary for the land for widening Kichardson terrace to be dedicated to the City. If this was agreed to, the Council would apply f or exemption from widening Vincent place under the provisions of the Public Works Act. Mr W. S. Grigg had applied for permission to erect a house, on property situated in Woodham road, Avonside. The section adjoined one of the entrances to Wilding Park, which when originally laid out, was intended as a public road, and the section now under consideration would have had a frontage thereto. Owing to the rounding of the cornel's of this entrance, however the frontage of the section was reduced to less than that required by the by- j laws. The committee considered that tho property virtually had sufficient frontage, although such frontage was not to a public street. A special order was passed some timo ago authorising the erection of a dwellinghouse on the section at the opposite side of the entrance to the Park, where similar conditions obtained. in the circumstances the committee recommended that a resolution be passed authorising the erection of a dwellinghouse on this section. Messrs Colyer, Watson and Co. have applied for permission to utilise a store situated in Harper street, Sydenham, for the purpose of conducting the business of hide exporters. The building was previously used as a wool-store. It adjoined the railway line, and was in a district in which there were at present a number of buildings already used for the storage of hides, skins, etc.

Tho Medical Oflicer of Health had intimated that subject to certain lepairs and alterations to the building he would have no objection to the proposal and it was rocommended that, subject to tht-se iind any other alterations which the Chief City Inspector may require the use of the building for the purpose above-mentioned be permitted. The following subdivisions of land had been approved:—(a) Chas. Bristowe, Lot 1, D.P. 3252, pt. U.S. 38, corner llawford and Ford roads (subject to dedication of- land for rounding tho corner); (b) Leonard Archer, Pt. .Lot 10, D.P. 3-) 16, pt. Iv.S. 217, corner Forfar and Westminster streets. The report was adopted. Water Supply and Works. The Water Supply and Works Committee reported that concreting in Co lombo street had been completed on both sides of the road from the Bailway to Wordsworth street. Bitumen had been laid on the west side from Carlylc street to Wordsworth street, and was now being laid on the east side. A small section from Carlyle street to tli i railway was delayed for a few days while the Tramway Board fixed in the rods actuating the derailing points. Tho Board had now completed tho cast side throughout, with the exception of the intersection of Wordsworth street, and had also completed the concrete and commenced the bitumen work on the west side, so that the Council's work could start on the remaining section from Wordsworth street to Brougham street almost immediate^'. The work at Harewood road had been completed from the boundary* to the railway, but had been held " up while bitumen had been laid in Colombo street, and it was deemed inadvisablo to work on tho road during Carnival Week. The report was adopted.