WATERWORKS CONTRACT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2159, 15 August 1907, Page 1

WATERWORKS CONTRACT.

DISCUSSED BY BOROUGH COUNCIL.

In discussing the report regarding the waterworks presented to the Borough Council on- Tuesday evening, Cr. Mann remarked that Mr. Couston

had very littlo time to make) an extensive report, seeing that he,arrived on Saturday morning and left on Sunday night.

Cr Miller said the Council should begin to take more interest in water scheme. He thought Mr Couston should ho asked to notify the date of his next visit, so that the Council might consult him. It would also he advisable for the Council as a whole to visit the head works and become better acquainted with -the work. There were several matters on which some of the Councillors would like information. Under the ipresent

method of dealing with waterworks matters the Council was left too much in the dark. Cr. Mann held a similar view. Councillors were put there in a responsible position, and should be alive to their responsibilities. He had hoped, after the trend of certain comments, that the Council' would have had a chance' of meeting Mr. Couston on this last visit. He did

not mean to infer that anything mas wrong, but the Council should know something more about it, seeing the contract was nearing completion. Cr. Sheridan said there was nothing 'remarkable in Mr. Couston’s rapid trip. He had only to inspect the

work completed since his last visit, and gave the 'Council pretty full details after each visit. With regard to the Council taking more interest in the work, and making a visit of inspection, Cr. Sheridan pointed out that most of them had already been to see the work and were conversant with it so far as it was possible for laymen to become conversant with it. Personally he could not devote any

more timo than he had already done to these duties. The suggestion that the. Council should meet Mr Couston, however, was a good one, and would tend to reassure people as to the fucees of the scheme.

Cr Whinray pointed out that the Council had its own supervisor on the work all the time. The Mayor informed the Council that Mr. Couston said he would stay longer on his next visit, and would ho pleased to meet the Council, and if desired accompany Councillors on

,a visit of inspection. With regard to affording information, a personal interview was the best method, as a report could only state that the work had proceeded to suah and such a stage, and would be completed about a certain date. Mr. Couston; had a very good man in charge, and- had to rely largely upon his statements. Perhaps a certain blow-out gave rise to uneasiness, but since then an alteration in the earthwork had been made at the spot, by Mr. Couston’s directions, and the pipes have since successfully withstood the full pressure. The Mayor regretted that the testing was not proceeding more quickly, but the work was being carefully done and all the valves approved iby the inspector. A report on the work each week kept Mr. Couston fully posted up. The speaker was

informed by Mr. Couston that it was a real good job and would prove thoroughly reliable. Mr. Couston had had to hurry away to Dunedin, or he woud have met the Council that

meeting. Cr. Miller said tliis intimation was satisfactory. H e was not growling about Mr. Cpustoii’s hurried visit, but at tho lack of information the Council possessed. When prominent citizens asked certain questions and Councillors were not able to reply it placed the latter in an • uncomfortable position. It was Councillors’ duty to know more about it than they did. Cr. Williams said the sooner the contractor put the roads in order the better. Clifford and other streets were very rough. . IA Cr.. Miller asked if there would be separate-connections to each shop in Gladstone read.

The Mayor said ho had asked Mr. Hay to make as many connections from the side streets as possible, so as to save tho main thoroughfare and footpath. This would be followed out so far as practicable. For instance one connection from the side street would servo his own and tbreo adjoining business premises. Or. Sheridan said the road and footpath in Gladstone road should not bo chopped rip. In reply to Cr. Williams, tlio Mayor said tho Council was laying tho free connections only as far as tho boundary line of properties, tho owners or occupiers had to pay for the internal installation.

The provision of lead pipes being

mentioned, Cr. Sheridan said that they wero far tho better pipes. They had been known to last hundreds of years. Discussion then ended.