CITY COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22986, 15 September 1936, Page 13

CITY COUNCIL

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING The fortnightly meeting of the council was held last night, and was attended by the Mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox) and Crs P. Neilson, M.P., W. H. Shepherd, F. W. Mitchell, W. A. Scott, W. W. Batchelor. W. Begg, M. Silverstone. D. G. M'Millan, M.P., and A. H. Allen. OTAGO AERO CLUB A letter was received from the Otago Aero Club extending an invitation to the members of the City Council and the town clerk to be present at the annual meting of the Otago Aero Club on Tuesday. September 22. Cr Shepherd said that the club was doing good work in the interests of aviation, and was watching carefully the interests of this district. It was decided to accept the invitation. ELECTRIC POWER AND LIGHTING COMMITTEE When the Electric Power and Lighting Committee's report was under discussion Cr Begg mentioned the complaints that members of an unemployed gang working under the committee were being dismissed, and that retention on further work was a matter of favouritism. Cr M'Millan said the men in question were engaged temporarily. The work they wore taken on for was completed, and the men had to go off. The 40-hour week, however, meant additions to the department’s permanent staff, and a selection of the best men for this purpose had been made by the engineer. There could be no objection to such a course. The report was adopted. INCREASED TRAMWAY COSTS Cr Mitchell, moving the adoption of the Tramway Committee’s report, said he had drawn attention previously to the increased cost of tramway services, and had been told that there were other means of meeting increased charges than by raising fares. He would, like to ask the Mayor or Cr Silverstone what these were, as, although the revenue had increased by more than 5 per cent, in the past fortnight, he was satisfied that the increased revenue would not equal the added costs. Cr Silverstone said he was not prepared to answer the question at the moment. The Mayor said it had been agreed to let the trams run on for September before making any changes, so that they could ascertain what would have to be found to equalise things. His own idea had been a reduction of concessions, but the question would have to be fully investigated. The report was adopted. TRAFFIC CONTROL Referring to congestion at the foot of Rattray street, during the discussion of the General Committee’s report, Cr M'Millan said that at the risk of being accused of flogging a dead horse he was going to Urge that the council secure access for motor traffic through the old Arcade, now known as Broadway. One-way traffic might be enough, but unless something of the kind were done they would never do away with the congestion at the foot of Rattray street. Cr Allen said Broadway had nothing to do with the General Committee. Cr Allen drew attention to the arrows painted in the Octagon to direct traffic from any crossing of the Kaikorai tram line, and said he hoped motorists would co-operate with the council in this matter. Cr M'Millan said there was a tendency to pin-prick motorists in Dunedin. Parking regulations and now the marking of the Octagon seemed to be cases in point. Cr Allen said that so far from pinpricking motorists the committee had conferred with the Automobile Association in this connection, and its support for the proposal. Moreover, the idea had been approved by the council two months ago. The report was adopted. REFUSE CLEARANCES Cr Mitchell brought up the .question of refuse clearances by the Sanitary Department, and said it had been complained that in some instances a service of four clearances per week had been reduced to one, presumably, as a result of the 40-hour week and increased wages. Cr Shepherd emphasised the need for two clearances per week in the city, and suggested that if the 40-hour week was the cause of reductions the council was defeating the purpose of the legislation, which was to create more employment, not to reduce it. Cr Silverstone said he was glad to hear the sentiments expressed by Cr Shepherd. He hoped other councillors would agree with him when the Finance Committee asked for provision for extra labour. The maintenance of the customary refuse clearances in the face of a 40-hour week and increased wages would mean an increase in the general rate. He sincerely hoped councillors would remember that when the time came. Cr Begg, on behalf of the Works Committee, said the reduced service was only a temporary measure, but a return to a full service would mean a greater allocation for the purpose. FINANCE COMMITTEE Cr Silverstone moved the adoption of the Finance Committees report. Cr Allen said that he was pleased to see that a section at Clyde Hill had been sold. These sections were lying idle and the city was being deprived of revenue. He thought that if they roaded the area and put in channelling they might be able to sell the land by auction. They knew that the Government was bringing in a housing scheme and they might be able to sell the land to it. He thought it was a great pity to see such a large area of land lying idle. Cr Silverstone said that these sections had been lying idle for many years, and it was strange that the council had not tried to dispose of them before. Anybody could come along and buy a section and build. The council was quite prepared to sell. DISCONTINUING SERVICES Cr Batchelor said he understood that a consumer of power in the city had had his electricity cut off as a result of the non-payment of charges, and that the chairman of the Finance Committee had countermanded the order to that effect. Was that correct? Cr Silverstone said he had countermanded an order of the treasury, but the circumstances of a householder with an infant in the house to be attended to, having to depend on matches, seemed to him to Justify such action. Cr Allen said that he did not think that the committee had been aware of what had been, done, and for that reason it was not right for any councillor to countermand an order from any departmental head and more particularly when it had not been at the instruction of the committee. If that sort of thing were permitted there would soon be no discipline or order at all in these matters. Some discussion then ensued on the subject of whether the practice complained of had been in vogue for a number of years, but no finality was reacted on the point. The Finance Committee’s report was adopted. Cr Silverstone then moved that in future cases of householders being libale to a discontinuation of services through arrears of payment the matter should be referred to the committee concerned, and that the committee be empowered, if necessary, to refer the matter to the chairman. Committees in such cases, said Cr Silverstone, could deal with the matter more sympathetically than an executive officer was entitled to do. His main idea in moving the motion was to save councillors from being pestered by people whose services had been discontinued. Cr Allen said he agreed with the motion and would second it. His only objection had been to Cr Silverstone’s manner of dealing with the question. He thought now that the matter had been brought to a head the position would be improved. The motion was carried. LITTLEBOURNE HOUSE Cr M'Millan brought up the question of putting Littlebourne House to some use. He thought the council might go into the question of turning the house into a convalescent home for mothers. They would need legislation, and they could have it introduced this session.

Cr Allen asked where Parliament came into the matter. The house had been given to the city subject to certain conditions. If the Roberts family was agreeable to the proposal then there was no reason to get legislative authority. The Mayor said that he was not prepared to support the proposal. He thought that they could make better use of the house at much less expense. To make the place into a convalescent home would cost the city from £IO,OOO to £12,000, and £SOOO per year would be required to maintain it. The council, however, might make a grant to any such home. At the present time they had a convalescent home which was run by private benefactions. It was decided, on the motion of Cr Mitchell, to refer the matter to the Finance Committtee to prepare a report on the proposal. OTHER REPORTS The reports of the Gas, Library, and Reserves Committees were adopted without discussion. TENDERS Tenders were received for the sale and removal of a dwelling at 28 Kaikorai Valley road, and that of the Dowie Dismantling Company for £7 10s was accepted. The tender of Messrs G. W. Herrich and Co. for seats for tramway omnibuses was accepted.