HOKITIKA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 April 1921, Page 3

HOKITIKA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

FRIDAY, APRIL 22

The Council met at 8.10 p.m. Present:—Messrs G. A. Perry (Mayor), Coulson, Wood, Warren, Blank, McGregor, King and Parkhill. Apologies for absence were made for Messrs

Thompson and Breeze. The minutes were confirmed and outward correspondence approved. INWARD CORRESPONDENCE. From Brown and Co., Auckland, offering second-hand wood pipes, 6in at 3s 6d per foot.—Received; it was resolved to obtain a* chain in length as a

sample. From Anzac Day Committee, forwarding copy of programme.—Received. Front Westland Charitable Aid Board, forwarding copy of estimates for the year totalling £4360 Is lOd divided as follows —Westland County Council, £3113 ; Hokitika Borough, £1033 9s 4d ; K.uinara Borough, £ll2 6s 6d; Ross Borough £IOO 9s 6d.—Received. Last year the Council’s levy was £1144. Mr Blank moved that the Council had received the estimates and protested at the amount asked for and requested that every step possible bo taken to reduce the amount of the levy.

Mr McGregor asked if the Council’s representative Had protested at the time tho estimates were drawn up. Mr Blank said be had been unable to he present at the last meeting. After the Mayor had seconded the motion it was agreed to. From Hospital Commission, Wellington, re supplying evidence. —Received. From Charitable Aid Board, forwarding draft balance sheet for the year. — Received. From Westland Racing Club, asking for clearing work in Livingstone street drain, and that portion in Hampden street be piped.—Received; the piping to bo referred to the new Council and the clearing of the drain to receive as early attention as possible. From J. Myers and others, asking for erection of a street light at corner oi Park and Sale streets. —Received. Mr McGregor suggested that a kerosene lamp he placed there subject to the ratepayers affected attending to it. Mr Coulson objected to such a course. If it were necessary they should put in was brought in. .Mr King did not favour kerosene. They should wait till the electric light was grought in. Mr Warren moved that the request ho favourably recommended to the new Council. —Seconded by Mr Coulson and carried. REPORTS. From Treasurer, reporting receipts £6O 4s 2d, payments £27 12s, debit balance £*2o2 Is 10d.— Received. OVERSEER’S REPORT.

I beg to submit the following report hi work done during the past three weeks.

We spent two days about the first of the month overhauling the pipe-line from the Lake to the town boundary. We stopped several leaks, including one very had one at Tucker Flat, and another on Slip Hill. Wo spent the host part of a week erecting an arch in .honour of the Governor’s visit. We repaired a twelve feet section of Benley street drain, which had collapsed; also repaired Livingstone street drain at Gibson’s Quay crossing. We have had to renew a few water connections and repair several leaks in the water supply. During the last fortnight we made about a chain of ISin pipes. We will have by the end of the week a chain of Hall street drain completed. Westland County Council have taken delivery of twenty-five 3(sin pipes. The usual street cleaning work has also been attended to during this month.—Received. RESERVOIR AND BATHS.

From D. Panekhurst, Reefton, as j follows: j l beg to report on the reservoir and j baths at Hokitika. I inspected the reservoir in company with some of your j Councillors on April 9th. We closed I the valve in the supply pipe and marked the level of the water in the reservoir, j On returning in four hours we found) that the water had lowered 2 inches, J This means a loss of 21072 gallons in 24 hours. On inspection, I found your • reservoir to he very badly constructed. The walls are badly bulged in places, ; and by tho number of cracks in it, shows that it has never been reinforced. As far as I can see the wastage is in the bottom of the reservoir. To remedy this , 1 would suggest that you put a new ,■ bottom all over the reservoir, 4 inches ;

thick, and A inch of 2 to 1 Compo plaster on top. Tf you get good, clean beach gravel you can make it 6) to 1 or j three hags of cement to 27 cubic feet. In laying the concrete reinforce with barbed fencing wire the full length of j tile reservoir, 2 feet apart. . T)o the same across the reservoir. Care should ■ lie taken to keep the wire in the middle _ of the concrete. The wall of reservoir | facing tho road wants strengthening. . This can easily be done by building a > light wall 6 inches thick, with two but- J tresses 18 inches wide, and tapering in j thickness from 2 fret at the bottom to' 6 inches at the top. This wall and but- j tress should be carried up about 9 feet, . that is about three parts of the height of the present wall. Tf this he carried j out, it will not only strengthen the | j wall, but will also make it water-tight, j ; The two sides and back of the reservoir i j are not so bad. Any cracks in them ! I can be remedied by cutting out the con-! crete to a depth of H inches and care- j i fully filling with 2 to 1 Compo. !

SWIMMING BATHS. They are beyond repair; the walls of baths in places are very bad. The floor of the baths is also in a very bad condition. When I was there the water was 00/.ing through the concrete all over the floor. The only tiling to do, if you want the baths in that place, would be to rebuild the walls and bottom . Received. The Mayor said the most important necessity was to find out why the quantity of water now carried by the pipes was not what ft used to be. As soon as the weather permitted the Overseer would make a complete overhaul from the Lake to the reservoir. Then they could make further arrangements in connection with repairs to the reservoir, which was not in such bad order as they first thought. The Mayor’s suggestions were approved. SUPPLEMENTARY ELECTORS j ROLL. i The MAyor moved that No 1 District

Electors List be adopted.—Seconded by Mr Parkhill and carried. The Council rose at 8.40 p.m.