CIVIC AFFAIRS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24421, 5 October 1940, Page 9

CIVIC AFFAIRS

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES GRANT TO QUEEN CARNIVAL FUND Items of interest in the reports that will be submitted by committees to the meeting of the City Council on Monday night are as follows: Children's Playground Authority has been granted to set aside an area of ground at Waipori Falls for the 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 devices such as slides, swings, etc, At present there are 19 children under school age in the township, and as there is no suitable playground the work proposed is considered necessary. Increases in Wages In a letter received from the Electricity Controller relative to the Arbitration Court's order for a 5 per cent increase in wages the controller advises that his consent will be required in all cases where the increase of 5 per cent, will bring the salary to £4OO per annum or over, and in cases where the increase is to be applied to salaries already exceeding £4OO per annum Advice has since been received from the controller consenting to the increments approved by the council. Waipori Tunnel The reports of the consulting engineers, Messrs Vickerman and Lancaster, on the progress of work on the No 2 supply tunnel at Waipori .Falls for the weeks ended September 7 and 14 state that the contractors have 74 men employed on the work and have driven 3232 feet in the mam tunnel, equal to approximately 70 per cent of the total length. In addition, 1512 feet of concrete lining has been Dlaced. Apprentices' Tickets At the request of the hill ratepayers' association, 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., id per section, and are available to apprentices whose wage does not exceed 25s per week. The committee is of the opinion that the request for a similar concession is reasonable and recommends toat these tickets be now made available on all hill routes on the Rowing basis, i.e.. 3 snips to be taken tor each "up" ride 2 snips for each "down" ride and 1 snip tor all extension trips such ,as Maryhill. Elgin road. Maori Hill and Wakan. rhe same conditions as to the availability of the tickets will apply. Loan of Bus Chassis

A request has been received by the Transport Committee from the Eastbourne Borough Council for assistance in meeting a difficulty brought about by the loss by enemy action of -three omnibus chassis which were on order for the borough. These chassis were required to augment the borough s bus fleet consequent on the transfer of one of their ferry boats to the Government for war purposes. The committee has agreed to assist by making available to - the borough a Leyland Tl #: r chassis which is at present in the sheds awaiting the building of a body. This chassis will be replaced by the Borough Council v/ith a similar chassis-which is at present on order and is expected to arrive within the next three months. The committee has also agreed to offer to the borough bus No. 7. a Leyland "Tiger" petrol .vehicle, in the sum of £450. This bus has run 171.550 miles, and the value on ■ the books is approximately that at which it has been offered for sale The Borough Council has since intimated its acceptance of this offer. Savins of Petrol

A report prepared by the transport manager showing 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 ol the services, the saving was 670 gallons, or 21.4 per cent. For the eight weeks ended September 22, compared with the same period prior to the reduction.. the saving was equal to 23.6 per cent.

Burlington Street Imorovement The Works Committee recommends that the offer of the Otago Presbyterian Church Board of Property to dedicate to the council a oortion of its land at the intersection of Burlington street and Morav dace south to cut off this corner 26 feet 6in each way from the presetn intersection, be accepted, and that the council's sincere thanks be tendered to the board and to the Deacons' Court of the First Presbyterian Church for the generous manner in which they have met the council to enable this desirable improvement to be effected. No compensation has been asked for the land to be dedicated, but the council has agreed to paint the whole of the iron fence from the caretaker's cottage to Burns Hall, to move the telegraph post from the corner so that the view of the church from Princes street will not be obstructed, to pay the whole cost of alterations to the fence, including survey and legal expenses, and to leave undisturbed all

trees on the property. The total estimated cost of the work involved in altering this intersection after the land is transferred is £250, and it is further recommended that the city engineer be instructed to have the work put in hand as soon as possible. English Avenue Widening Arrangements have been made with Mr L. E. Lord to transfer to the council portion 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. Instructions to City Engineer The city engineer (Mr S. G. ScoullarJ has been instructed as follows: To act in the matter of constructing a concrete kerb and channel and attending to the footway in portion of Brighton street, at an estimated cost of £25 chargeable to the contingency vote. To record for consideration with the allocations for next financial year the provision of kerbing and guttering on the south side of Epsilon street, at an estimated cost of £l6O, chargeable to the loan account, and the paving of the Macandrew road footway, south side, between Bradshaw street and Forbury road, at an estimated cost of £220. Grant to Queen Carnival Fund The Finance Committee reports having given further consideration to the reciuest from the Navy Queen Committee for a donation towards the Navy Queen Fund, It appears from inquiry that the Navy Queen Committee has been allocated the support of the employees of the council’s trading departments. As already reported, no financial provision for such a donation has been made in the current year’s estimates, and your committee now recommends that provision for a grant of £IOOO towards the Queen Carnival Fund be made in the allocations for next financial year, and that the allocation of this grant between the various queens be determined by the council The question of the distribution of this expenditure between the various of the council will receive consideration at a later date.