CIVIC AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 23699, 5 October 1940, Page 20

CIVIC AFFAIRS

COUNCIL COMMITTEE, REPORTS Following are among the principal item< in the reports of the various committees to come before the meeting of the City Colincil on Monday night:— , English Avenue Widening. Arrangements have been made with Mr L. >E. Lord to transfer to the council por* tion of his property, containing an area of .45 of a pole, for the purpose of eliminating an angle in English Avenue where widening] is at present in progress. The Works Committee has extended its thanks to Mr Lord for this offer, which will enable it to effect a decided improvement in this street. Saving of Petrol. The report prepared by the transport manager giving the saving of petrol and fuel oil since the operation of the reduced bus services shows that for the two-weekly period ended August 11, compared with the two weeks ended July 31. just prior to the reduction, of the services, the saving wae 670 gallons, or 21.4 per cent. Por the eight weeks ended September 22, compared with the same period prior* to the reduction, th* saving was equal to 23.6 per cent. Increases in Wages and Salaries. . The letter received from the Electricity Controller relative to the Arbitration Court’s order for a 5 per cent, increase in wages advises that his consent will be required in all cases where the increase off 5 per cent, will bring the salary to £4OO per annum or over, and in cases where th* increase is to be applied to salaries already] exceeding £4OO per annum. Advice has sine* been received from the controller consenting] to the increments approved by the council* Electric Plant. Advice has been received bv the Electricity Committee that a quantity of electrical plant) ordered by the department before the outbreak of war has been lost as the result) of enemy action. The plant consists off switchgear required at the Ward street substaion, costing £4,876. and 35.000-volt circuit breakers for Waipori Falls, costing £4,407. As this equipment is urgently required, steps have been taken to re-orde< from the manufacturers. Municipal Conference, 1941. Advice has been received from the Municipal Association of New Zealand that th* municipal conference next year will be held at Auckland from March 3 to 6, both day* inclusive. The council is entitled to threa voting delegates, and the Finance Committee .recommends that the mayor, Crs Taverner and Wilson be appointed to represenS. the council at the conference. The towj|i clerk will also accompany the delegates. Government Subdivision. Wakari. The city engineer has reported that Chapman street and Burt street, *in the .Government's education block at Wakari,- and] Greenhill Avenue, Forresbank Avenue, and. Crighton street, in the Government’s maid Wakari block have been formed, metalled, and channelled in accordance with the plan* and , specifications, and may, therefore, be taken over by the council as public street* at’the expiration of the maintenance period of three months. The necessary formal resolutions covering the matter will be submitted direct to the council.

Advertising Signs. The General Committee reports having investigated the question of advertising signs erected on verandahs, contrary to tha council’s by-laws. The majority of thesa sighs are tobacco signs, - and notices hava been served on the owners of the premise* concerned either to remove the signs en« tirely or to so' place them as to - comply with the provisions of the by-laws. -Step* will, be taken to effect compliance with tha notices served.

Children’s Playground, Waipori Falls,

Authority hat been " granted to set aside an area of ground at Waipori Falls for th* purpose of .providing a children’s playground. The area requires considerable levelling and fencing, and the employees have undertaken’ to carry out this work if the materials are provided. The Electricity Committee has agreed to provide the necessary materials for the work ’ and' also to supply a number of play device* such as slides and swings. At present there are 19 children under school age in th* township, and as there is no suitable playground. the work proposed above is considered necessary. *

Government Subdivision, Liberton. Advice has been received from the Director of Housing Construction that his department is prepared to give the usual undertaking to form, metal (or, at the .option ofl the council, asphalt), light, drain, and maintain to the satisfaction of the council th* private ways at the Liberton housing subdivision between Pryde street' and Barclay street, and these private ways have, therefore, been approved by the Work* Committee subject to the requisite undertaking being prepared by the city solicitor* at the expense of the owner. Apprentices’ Tickets.

At the request of the hill ratepayers’ associations, consideration has been given by the Transport Committee to the extension of the apprentices’ concession on the hill services. On the city routes these tickets are issued at 30 sections for Is 3d—i.e.,' £d a section, -and are available to apprentice* whose wage does not exoeel 25s a week. Th* committee is of tho opinion that the request for a similar concession is reasonable, and recommends that these tickets be now made available on all bill routes on the following basis: —Three snips to be taken for each “up” ride, two snips for each “ do’wn ” tide, and one snip' for all-' extension trips such as Maryhill, Elgin road, Maori Hill, and Wakari. The same condW tions as to the availability of the ticket* will apply. Macandrew road Stormwater. A sum of £15,000 (£7,500 rechargeable to the Harbour Board) has been provided in the current year’s allocations for the extension of the Wilkie road stormwater conduit across the foreshore (reports the Work* Committee of the Drainage Board). Owing to the delay in obtaining the necessary pile* and drainage timber from Australia, it will not be possible to carry out this work to the value provided during the present financial year, and authority has, therefore, bee* granted to expend the balance of the allocation on the Macandrew road stormwater work. The total rate of expenditure out of the loan will, however, be kept within the authorised amount of £36,000.