CIVIC AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 19798, 23 February 1928, Page 16

CIVIC AFFAIRS

MEETIHG OF CITY COUNCIL The fortnightly meeting of the Dunedin City Council, held last night, was attended by the Mayor (Mr W. 15Taverner). Crs Clark, Shacklock, Munro. Mitchell, Scott. Wilson, Larnaeh, Hayward, and Douglas. ANZAC DAY SERVICE. Tho president, Council of Christian Congregations) wrote inviting the mayor and councillors, with their wives, to attend tho' Anzac Day service, to be held in First Church on the evening of April 25.—Invitation accepted. LIRE ARY COMM ITTEE. Cr Mitchell moved the adoption of tho Library Committee’s report, which set forth tho fact that tho application for readers’ tickets was so great for the present year as to constitute a record. —Report adopted. E.P. AND L. MATTERS. In moving tho adoption of the E.P. and L. Committee’s report, Cr Shacklock said that the way the load was increasing would necessitate come temporary provision being made next season for the storage of water in Lake Mahinerangi. The engineer would bo asked to submit plans and an estimate of the cost. Cr Clark asked whether there was any truth in the statement being made that a large quantity of cement obtained for use in tho dam construction had been destroyed. Cr Shacklock, in reply, said it was a fact that a quantity, of cement had gone bad and been destroyed, but not r much as had been indicated. This was part of an order placed by a responsible corporation official, not by the speaker, as chairman of tho committee, and a portion of it had, under circumstances which could not ho controlled, been reached by the damp. The percentage on 1 he'lost of the dam would lie very slight. Cr Larnnch: Might T ask the quantity, also tho name of the responsible officer referred -to? Cr Shacklock replied that some ,‘lfl tons of cement were destroyed. He did not think it necessary to mention tho official’s name. The report was adopted. THOSE ROADS. Cr Wilson moved the adoption of the Joint Committee's report in reference to the maintenance of tramway tracks. The matter had been very fully set forth in the report, said the mover, and needed no further explanation. At one time ho had held the opinion that tho works department should do the repairing, hut investigation had shown to him that the position would become involved under that method, and his opinion now was that it was much better to leave things as they were. Cr Douglas seconded the motion. No doubt Cr Mitchell’s motion had done good, for the Works Committee was going to hasten on the completion of the work on certain streets and so relieve the traffic on the tram routes. Cr Clark said be was in accord with the principles set out in the report. It seemed to him that the manner in which the main streets were tarred and sanded was not to the best advantage. The works department began by tarring and sanding all the roadway except the tram rail section. Weeks afterwards tho tramway department came along and did that portion. This method must very much increase tho cost. He took it that it was with a view to obviating that sort of thing that Cr Mitchell had brought his motion forward. Cr Mitchell said he had very little to add. Cr Clark had put the matter very fairly. He could only express his disappointment that an excellent opportunity for introducing a system of co-ordination had been lost. Cr Wilson, in reply, said it bad been found practically impossible to do as Cr Clark suggested. The breaking-up of the tram track and the adjusting of the sleepers was work that could he properly done only by those in charge of the track. Street work could not always be timed to suit the tramway department’s schedule. Tills department had to keep its expenses down as much as possible. The present method, he repeated, was the most sensible and the most inexpensive. The report was adopted. WORKS COMMITTEE.

In moving the adoption of tlie report of the Works Committee Cr Wilson referred to the proposal to purchase .18 poles of land from Mrs H. Battersby on the frontage of the St. Clair esplanade for £SO. This would enable the widening of the esplanade to be carried out. The purchase was also recommended of a small piece of land from Id,rs K. M'Donnell at the corner of Pitcairn street and Kenmure road for £lO Sbr widening purposes. The transference of forty-five men from street maintenance work to works of street paving included in the 10 per cent, supplementary works loan was for the purpose of keeping down the ordinary municipal general account Cr Mitchell asked if £SO was a fair price to pay for the laud at St. Clair. It seemed a great deal to pay for such a small piece. Ton often, he thought, the council was exploited. Cr Wilson replied that it was not an excessive sum to pay for the land at St. Clair. The lady had agreed because she did not wish to obstruct. Where they met an obstructionist, added Cr Wilson, it meant “pay out,” The report was adopted. TENDERS. The Town Clerk reported that sixteen tenders had been received for the erection of a roof on the grand stand at Logan Park. They were referred to the Reserves Committee. One tender for the transport and delivery of 35ft hardwood poles from the wharf, Dunedin, to Waipori Falls was referred to the E.R. and L. Committee. For the supply and delivery of triple braided cables for the E.P. and L. department the tender of Messrs Rndge and Co., Auckland, of £346 IDs, was accepted. For the supply and delivery of hare cables for the E.P. and L. department the tender of Messrs Nathan and Co., of £2,550, was accepted. Messrs Cory. Wright, and Salmon’s tender of £474 was accepted for the supply of twelve dump trucks for Mahinerangi dam.