MUNICIPAL QUARRY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18898, 13 January 1927, Page 14

MUNICIPAL QUARRY.

PRODUCTION COSTS. , Although, the City Council entered into possession of the Hals-well quarries on April Ist, 1925, it was not 'till November of the samo year that the Council took oyer the keeping of all accounts and records of the whole undertaking. Interesting information regarding production costs, under municipal control, for the period November, 1925, to March, ,31st, 1926, are given in the City Engineer's annual report. Under tho heading "Labour," the cost per cubic yard of quarrying 16,282 cubic .yards is given as Gs sd; under "Hauling and Crushing," tho cost of dealing with 14,199 cubic yards is Is 8d per cubic yard; and under the heading "Expeuses Account'.' (which includes insurances, salary, and administration, and depreciation) the cost per. cubic yard in respect of 14,199 cubic.yards, is Is. 7cl. The total cost per cubic yard in "respect of the total of 14,199* cubic yards is 9s Sd. The output was: Metal used ou roads, 11,727 yards, private sales 2219 yards. In another part of the report it is stated that during 1925-20 the total amount of metal obtained from the Halswell Quarry Company was 13,605 cubic var<bt at a cost of £11,840; and ' from rturland'a quarry, 853 cubic yards, £4-10; total, 19/15$ cubic yards. £ 12,2Sfi. Thf ( !ity I'MK'uitor comments: ''To ensure prompt nwl proper supplies of this nintf-rifil (the finer grades] in the large quantities inquired by a large and rapidly growing City like Christchurch, it is essential that the Council should havo their own quarry, thereby obviating delays to works that are liable to occur through contractors' failure to supply,, besides..tcducipK costs through elimination of contractors' 'profits.''