LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL

Hokitika Guardian, 2 August 1932, Page 7

LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL

CARE OF CITIZENS. WELL-GOVERNED EMPIRE • CAPITAL. “The London : citizen’s entry into this world is provided fbr.dtid watdhed over, the and conduct of his life is ordered by laws and . by-laws innumerable, and hi§ exit from this world,. % taken note'of, /and he, may even find; his last resting, place in a municipal cemetery,” said ■ Councillor E. H. Andrews, chairman of' the Town Pia.Pning Committee of, the • Christchurch. City Council, when he delivered an address to the eighteenth meeting of • the Christchurch Town Planning. Institute last evening on. the activities of "the London County Council in its goveminent of the capital of tilie Empire.,

• The speaker said that Loudon had the reputation of' being one,of the best governed localities ip tho. world. The magnitude of the icouneiTs .>rork as governing authoritymight- be gauged from the fact' that.it budgeted for not lees than £40,000,000. a year, and the range of its duties in .this figure in-, eluded education ah >ll. its ; branches, B lupi clearance, prcMJnoh of cottages and' flats for the>yorkiug;'classes, hos. pitals, both for the lrierital’y and bodily inflrm, relief of destitution, running of tramways, proVisidrt' and upkeep d f buildings, '.licencing and' supervision of, places of' entertainment, .fire protection, .street upkeep and improvements, build, ing and maintenance of bridges, emhankments, tunnels and .general townplanning ’in all its i varied applications. Tim. council had >24 fleeted members, whose, term was a three-year one, and 20 aldermen’ .whose appointment was for -six- years. ..A chairman presided ever tHfe council. riot the 'Lord Mayor of London, as many.-supposed. There were/;• twenty .sfedlog'. committees, assisted by many, persons co-opted to give" specialist artifice / ohd advici. The chairman, of the .council was the nominee of the predominant . part, and was appointed by 'tjjie'rfull hociv. Hend-, Quarters were at • the . Upfinty Hall, a ( fine new building jiiet. nearing comple- ( tion, It would accommodate SW '>•«- 1 cers, had .four milPsor corridors, 25 committee rooms arid 840 staff r oon > s j but it would still not he. large enough ( to hou-e the whole pf the administra-, tive and clerical sin ft , The area governed was ,117 squ^.mites,: i«; which also ran the mandates pf 30 borough cAiA/>iis. Thr- popukiioil within the. county council area ; w.as 4$ .millions, +i'tre vere 2500 mijekidf streets,. 166 miles of tramways, .400 mi'es of ■ main ( sewers and 2500 miijes of local .sewers The staff, scattered Over 76. hospitals, 15 mental asylums, schools and .47. other institutions,. s!d-J well »■ central and local officers,'.totalled .83,850, ' Hr Andrews gave further/interesting partic. I ulars and at. the conclusion of ‘ his address was' accorded .a hearty vot e of • ■thanks. ■