LYTTELTON NEWS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17107, 31 March 1921, Page 10

LYTTELTON NEWS.

MAGISTRATE'S COURT. At the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr F. G. Norton, J.P., Gustav Nelson, a second offender for drunkenness, was fined 10a.

BOROUGH COUNCIL. The Lyttelton Borough, Counoil met last evening. Present—The' Mayor (Mr W. T. Lester), Crs. J. R. Webb, J. H. Collins, M. j Miller, W. J. Elliott, J. J. Gower, G. Whitford, J. T. Norton, G. Morris, and F. G. Norton.

The manager of the Bank of New Zealand wrote, stating that the bonk proposed to pay out only 17s 6d in the £ against all the Council's debenture coupons presented at the bank for-payment in future, the 2s Gd deducted being on account of income tax. Debenfure-Jiolders who were not liable to income tax would be referred to tho town clerk's office for payment, where they could make the necessary declaration. It was resolved to grant the bank the necessary authority. Tit* organiser of the Canterbury Progress League forwarded a supply of the League's latest illustrated folder on Canterbury and Westland for distribution. The Estates Committee reoommended that tha Council Chambers, offices, and Courthouse be renovated at a cost not exceeding £2OO. Cr. Morris protested against the proposal to subdivide the Council Chamber. The recommendation was adopted. Mr J. McCormick, the Council's inspector, was appointed working foreman. The secretary of tha Banks Peninsula Electrio Power Board forwarded a copy of a letter received from the Assistant Under-Sec-retary Public Works Department on the proposal to include Diamond Harbcrar in the Board's district as an outer area. The letter stated that, although there was no power to add the Diamond Harbour territory to the Banks Peninsula dicirict as an outer area, there W33 power to mchide it within the district, if 25 per cent, or the ratepayers within the aroa petition the GovernorGeneral to that -effect.

The town clerk was instructed to draw tha necessary petition.

LYTTELTON-SUMSTER ROAD.

Some weeka ago the Government ceased •work on the new road between Lytteiton and Sumno'. leaving the road in a fairly completed state. A party, consisting of Cr&. Morton, Miller, and Morris, the town cler/: and borough engineer, and representatives «jf the Canterbury Progress League and Canterbury Automobile Association, inspected the road last week, and Mr H. Barnard, tine engineer to the Lytteiton Borough Couc/jil, tt*3 aaifcd to prepare an estimate of 'die cosf of completinr; the road prjcr to it bfin^ taker, over by the Lyttelton Borough Council

The report, which carao» beiore the Lyttelton Borough Council last evening l , /stated thai the totil Imgth of 'tins toad wia 'IOO

chains, the average width being 16it, and the minimum 13ft. Sixty-two chains of the upper portion had been metailed. The lower portion, 40 chains, was of clay formation, and was unmetalled. Substantial concrete retaining walla had been built in several places, the largest being 190 ft long. Protective _#>bblo work had also been erected in other dangerous places, but so mo of it was only temporary, being loose stones placed cm tho 1 edge of the road, and constituting a danger in the event oi them being dislodged and fallin; on tho lower road. There were six 12in storm-water drains across the road, and one 2ft culvert. For the safety of the upkeep of the road, it was desirable that six additional 12in storm-wator drains be laid, as serious damage might result in the event of the road being flooded* with storm-water, owing to insufficient age. He estimated tho cost of the work as follows: —Metalling the lower 40 chains, loft wide, spread and rolled, £397 ]os: metalling 62 chains, spread and rolled, £441 15s; eix 12in culverts, £76 10s: protective 80; maintenance, removing slips, etc., for, say, two years, £150: making a total of £1245 los.

Cr. Miller said that the engineer had been asked to prepare tho estimate in order to get tEe Government to finish the road. The most urgent work was the metalling of the lower 40 chains, which was at present only a clay surface, before the winter set in. He moved {hat the Council adopt the estimates as an offer to the Government to complete the work.

Cr. J. C. Norton said lie thought that the offer was a very fair one. The completion of the road would lie to the benefit of the whole of Canterbury. prjovidin«r. as it did, the only through road ta the Port. Cr. Morris said that if the road was not metalled at once, it wtiuld deteriorate rapidly, and would cost a lot more in the end. He thought that the item for maintenance was too small, and ehould be made larger in • order to protect) the Council. He also drew attention to the fact that the road was the oldest Public Work in New Zealand, having Been commenced in 1848. Ho thought that a suitable irtcmorial should be erected on the new portion to Captain Thomas, who first commenced the task of opening a road to the Plains. Tho Mayor sftid that tho Government should be asketj. to treat the matter as urgent, as once the winter set in it would be impracticable- to carry on any work, and the road would deteriorate. It was dpcidfd to make the offer according l to tho esiima'tes of the engineer.