PEACE CELEBRATIONS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 175, 19 April 1919, Page 8

PEACE CELEBRATIONS

CITY'S GRANT OF £2500 DEPUTATION TO THE COUNCIL A clause in the Finance Committee's report to the City Council submitted at Thursday's meeting rend ns follows-,— "That the sum of .£IOOO, including the amount of i 350 for the fireworks display already ordered, bo f.lloeated for the organisation of the peace celebrations in this city." ■Speaking to the clause, the Mayor said that he did not propose that the council should be profligate in tho matter of spending money on the pence celebrations, hut at tho same time lie wished Die >!ity to fittingly mark the great event. The City Council had decided not to go on with the arch, and lie saw that the liarhour Board had also abandoned-its arch proposal. The money it was to have spent on the arch would he handed over to the council. There would also he n subsidy from the Government, to what amount he 'had not so far been able to ascertain. Beyond that lie thought that an appeal should he made to the general public'to see if they would contribute to the fund.. He would warn the council tlint during the incoming year they had certain liabilities to face on accoivt of old employees in lien of superannuation, which could not be paid out of authoris-, ed expenditure, and in other respects there would he r. strain on their finance. Thei committee recomm;tided the sum of ,£IOOO, which he thought was quite a sufficient sum to be voted in the dying hours of the council. He did think that the public should hp asked for contributions. Councillor W. IT. P. Bnrber said that of the/JEIOOO, .£350 had already been spent on fireworks. Six hundred pounds was n paltry sum to spend in view of what was being done in Christchurch and Auckland. Councillor Luckie: Over .£2OOO in Christchurch!" Councillor Barber reminded the council that it was a celebration that would never occur again in the history of tho world, and one which should he properly marked. 1 Councillor Luckie said that the i£6so would be spent oil street decorations, but there was a great deal wore expenditure to be met. There was a sports meeting on the Monday afternoon after the big procession, and the cost of the prizes and general administration had to he niet.^ At this point a ideputation consisting of Messrs. E. .T. Righton, 1?. W. Sliallcrnss, and J. Lewis, representing tho Finance Committee of Ihe Peace Celebration Committee, waited on the. council. Mr. Righton roughly detailed the order of events for tho three days of the celebrations, and said that tliev considered they were reasonable in asking for a grant of JJ2500. It was suggested that two members of the Finance Committee of the council should join the Finance SubCommittee of the Peace Celebrations Committee in order to snfeguard the expenditure.

The Mayor: They must have control of the whole thing. The final administrative acts must pass through the Finance Committee (of the council). Wo cannot delegate the spending of money to any other body. Mr. Righton, passing o-er the important point raised, went on to explain how the money was proposed to be allocated. His list was as follows:—Bunting, ,£GOO; labour and material, J3300; flags for children, ,£75; refreshments for children (Monday), ,£75; bands, ,£SO; advertising, ■£75; printing and stationery, £150; fireworks, ,£350; bonfires, .£75; motor hire, ~£100; typing, ,£25; refreshments for children (oil Tuesday), £75; torchlight procession, *625; contingencies, ,£250; athletic sports, £75; prizes, „C 25. Mr.- Righton also mentioned that there, was a sum of .£350, which may bo obtained from tho Harbour Board. The bunting he explained, was for the festooning ot the streets.' Tho cost was heavy, but, as tb'ey knew, they had to pay war prices. They could not give exact details of expenditure until the various sub-committees had met, but if tho council, in its wisdom, would allocate the sum of JC2300 they might'be able to manage, and that sum he considered littlo enough- to enablo tho public to enjoy themselves on tho great occasion, and fur all to show a proper spirit whilst making a display befitting the Empire City. The Mayor, in reply, again reiterated that, to his mind, an endeavour should be made to stir the patriotic instinct of tbo people. He was sure there were those who would be only too willing to contribute,so that tho wholo burden would not fall upon the City Council's funds. There could bo no electrical displays owing to the disabilities at tho power-house. Mr. Righton said they were aware of ■tho shortage of current, and on that account they had thrown out the ic|ca of electrical devices. They did, however, intone! to ask business people to light up their shops in order to make the city bright and gay, and thoy intended to prefer a request to tho Tramways Committee to have one or two illuminated street cars on the tracks. llr. Righton then thanked tho Mayor and council for their attention, and withdrew. £2500 Granted. The above matter was considered in committee, and afterwards tho Mayor announced (hat the Financo Committee had been authorised to spend up to <£2500. There was tho J!350 from the Harbour Board that would include tho sum, and 'he hoped patriotic citizens would contribute what they could afford towards the Peace Celebration Fund.