HOKITIKA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 September 1923, Page 1

HOKITIKA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 14th. The Council met at 7.3 ft p.m. Present : Messrs CL A. Perry (Mayor), 11. M. Coulson, D. J. Evans, W. Jeffries, J. King, and W T . D. Maekay. Apologies were made for the absence of .Messrs Lloyd, Wood, Perliam and Heinz. Mr Evans made the the usual declaration and took his seat. Tho minutes were confirmed anti outward correspondence approved. IN WA R D COR R FSPOX DENT E.

From A. A. Andrewes (Returning Officer) notifying the election of Mr D. J. Evans.—Received. The Mayor welcomed .Mr Evans hack to the Council table.

From Westland Chamber of Commerce, agreeing to fiml L~> towards cost of erecting a lamp at the rear of tllO/ Government liuildhigs. Received. From Department of Internal Affairs, stating request to he appointed a leasing authority would receive attciit ion.-—Deceived. From Station .Master, N.Z.D. Hokitika, stating request for minimising of inconvenience at AVo Id Street crossing was receiving attention.—Deceived. I'rom AAostland Chamber of Commerce, asking Council to urge the Railway Department to minimise the inconvenience caused by the rough state of the railway crossings.— Deceived. It was resolved to draw the attention ot the Railway Fttgincer to the complaint. From State Advances Hoard, forwarding debentures for CoOOft loan for signature.—Deceived. It was resolved

that the Mayor and Town Clerk ho authorised to sign and countersign the debentures. The question of what amount should he taken at once was referred to tin- Finance Committee with power to act. From Department of fnternal Allairs in reference to application to delete portion of the Borough on the south side of (he river and place it in the County. From Westland Chamber of Commerce, notifying the annual conference of local bodies will be held at Hokitika on the 2fitli inst at 7.30 p.m. Received ; the Mayor and Deputy Mayor were appointed to represent the Council. From Department of Agriculture, notifying amendment to the -Noxious M ends Act. Received.

h rom 1. M. Brown, .applying fo permission to erect a swing gate items east boundary road along bis proper! v —Received : no objection made.

From J. Tenncnt, applying for ro fond ol fee paid its an itinerant trader in accordance with the bye-law.— Received and agreed to. . I'rem (I. Nesbitt, applying, for atlention to drain on east sid|f of Bealey street above Stafford Street.—Received. Mr King moved that flic I’uhiic Works Committee report.—Seconded liy Mr Coulsou and carried. From W. Wilson and others, asking the drain on east side of Davie Street be made to enable surface water to be drained away.—Received and referred to Public Works Committee to report.

From Mrs Marren, asking for attention to water-table in Stafford Street. —Received; referred to Public M'orks Committee.

From M. .1. Bergstrom, asking for a culvert to be made to give access to her property, Bealey Street.—Received : referred to Public M’orks Committee.

I'Yoin Hokitika Toimis (lull, askiiin lor permission to conned j>ijn- drain ivit.li Sowell Stivol drain.—-Koeoived and acceded to. From (i. .McCallum, asking [or permission to put in three earthenware drains from his property to sewer.— Received and agreed to, subject to approval of Overseer. I'rom liritish and 1 liter-colonial fix

hiliitiou Committee, notifying .Mr A. Wilson liiul been ;i|>iioiiitool to the charge ol' building operations and asking ihnl Iho roar of tlit! Town Mall lie made available for alterations as soon as possible.—Received; attention to be at oino given to request. R KI’OHTS. From Treasurer, reporting receipts 1— ’ (id, payments LI lit IDs 2d, (Jr. balance C.'ilil! 17s lod.—Received. The i''inance Committee reported recommending payment of accounts amounting to ,C'!lK2 .'ls Hid; and that authority lie given to obtain a new typewriter at a cost of C.'lf) Ids.—Received and adopted. Mr It vans suggested that the Town Clerk report as to the cost of providing new chairs for the Council table. From Manager of Abattoirs (.]. .Tarman) reporting during August there were examined To cows, L'li heifers, 70 bullocks, 277 sheep, do lambs, li pigs, 9 calves. Condemned I cow, 2 pigs ■. fees for period €7l .3s (id.—Received.

OVERSEER’S REPORT. From Overseer (J. Millner) as follows : On August Ist. wo inspected the pipe line to the lake and found it in good older only one or two small leaks were located in tlic whole distance, a perforated elbow was placed oil the intake at the lake and covered with a wire netting screen, to keep leaves away from the intake, and it is acting well, the reservoir has been overflowing all the month. Both roads on the South Spit have been gravelled with river-bed gravel during the month and requires to be raked in. The heavy traffic is again cutting up the road leading to Kauicri. Portions of streets above Hall Street have been cleared of growth and drains cleaned out. The bell-tower in Rollcston St. has been removed to a new site in Sale Street, adjoining the station. During the month ono and a half chains of concrete pipes have been made, taken out and moulds set up for refilling. The Borough hor.se and dray has been employed filling worn places in streets and general maintenance work and street cleaning. Ono half concrete pipe and gravel crossing lias also been put in to a residence.—Received. IXSPECTOR ’S REPORT.

Emm Insjicctor (J. Fox) as follows: Further to my report of four weeks ago. re premises occupied by Air Hughes, Bealey St. and owned by Miss Lewis, there lias been nothing done in the matter whatever. As per instrueeion from the Health Department, a requisition was served on the Bth, May in which 28 days’ notice was given to finish the job. Requisition served on Mis M. Stapleton by order of the Health Department, although the time limit has expired the job has not been completed. Requisition served on Mrs G. Shadbolt. Fithherebrt St. by order of tlio Health Department, alhtough the time limit has expired the job lias not been completed. Seeing the Inspector of Health is not satisfied, I would respectfully ask your ruling mi the matter. —Received. It was resolved to give notice for work to be put in baud within 7 days and in the other two for the work to be completed as soon

as possible. REACH IMPROVEMENT. From Mm. T. Morrison, Conservator of Forests, Christchurch, as follows: Report on Sand Reclamation, and Planting, .Hokitika Beach. " in connection with a. resolution of your Council passed on the 2.5 th May last regarding the furnishing of a report on the best method of stopping sand drill on the foreshore at Ocean Beach at the rear of Hokitika township. I inspected the area in question in company with Councillor Coulsou and the Conservator of Forests, M'estland, mi the 23rd ultimo, and bog to submit herewith a brief report covering suggestions for dealing with the matter. I understand that your main objective was the beautifying of tile foreshore by tree-planting. This, I may mention, is quite out of the question in the present condition of the beach.

The conditions arc such that the plantiiiK of trees is quite impracticaMe and it will Ire necessary to create the proper conditions before any satisfactory results eonld he expected from any work or expenditure in this direction, A certain amount in the way of cleanup; would certainly add to the appearance of the hoach. such as the removal of driftwood, nlingment of fences at the rear of sections and the prohihtion of dumping of rubbish on the beach, ’i our main objective, in the meantime, should be the prevention of sand drifts and increasing the general elevation of your beach as ;l protective measure against encroachments of the sen and the consequent danger of destruction to property. The beach has built up to a very considerable extent since the destruction caused by the sen in lull, and in its present stage there is a very good opportunity to assist accretion of sand and consolidate the foreshore. The methods necessary to do this cannot. I regret to say, be looked upon as

having any beaiitlying olfccl and the initial work must appear crude to anyone looking for immediate results. One inllst, look ahead for these, and it will probably lie a year or two before any actual beautifying can lie dune. It is always a difficult matter to establish trees or shrubs of any description on a wind swept, shore, and any attempt to dr so at pn'Wnt would only lead to disappointment\ind waste of money. A 1 y recommend:!tions will therefore be based on the ordinary methods of sand reclamation. In this instance, there is not much room to work on. and the accretion of sand will probably be comparatively slow, although the bench is it present “ making." and high water

mark gradually recoding, which will, in future, expose mi increasing extent of bare sand mid accentuate the drifting sand problem. The liiiiin object in protection work of this description is the formation of n littoral dune ns near high water us possible. This is usually accomplished hv the erection of hoard or brush screens running parallel to the shore, hut it seems inadvisable to do this at Hokitika. The prevailing wind is' apparently from the west or south and strikes the bench diagonally, therefore it will he necessary to erect your harriers or screens as nearly at right angles to this direction as possible. The object of these is to create mi accumulation of sand both to windward and to leeward, thus forming a dune. The screens need not he higher than about four feet, and, as they will have served their purpose by the time sand has accumulated to that height, they

may be constructed of any low grado timber. Durability is not necessary. M'hen the accumulation of sand lias reached the height of the screen, it may he increased either by erecting a further height of boarding or brush, or by planting marram grass. The latter is recommended as being the cheapest i

and most effective, and it will, when established, grow on through the sand as it collects and naturally carry on the height increment of the dune indefinitely. It will be noticed that, at the present- time, practically all the drifting sand is accumulating against fences at the rear of Rcvell street sections, and in some cases has crossed tho road to sections on the opposite side. This I sand could all be stopped and fixed a few yards from high water mark by the erection of a series of screens in conjunction with marram grass planting at comparatively small cost, and tho maintenance of a little interest by those who

undertake charge of the work, and, above all, the interest and support of the residents of the borough. “ It- is understood that your Borough Council are not in a position financially to undertake the reclamation and improvement of the full length of bench* under their control. Under these cirumstanecs, it would be advisable to confine operations to a small area in order to thoroughly test the effieciency of the protective measures adopted. If they prove effective, they eoukl be extended each year as funds become available until the, whole beach has j been dealt with. It l is suggested, therefore, that a section containing approximately 4 acres between the right of way a little below Hamilton street and that opposite M'eld street should be dealt with this season. The work will consist mainly of tho erection of I board or brush screens and tho planting of marram grass in the spaces between these.

“ Four screens, as shown on plan, about 4 feet high and approximately 2 chains in lengths, to he erected at intervals of 2 chains, the first- commencing opposite the right- of way below Hamilton street as shown. These screens will run in approximately a northerly direction, that is, at about right angles to the prevailing wind. They can be made of any rough inch timber attached to Gin. x 4in. posts at about Bft. apart, the boarding to run horizontally and the bottom hoard let three inches into sand. Rosts should he put well down in order to withstand the wind. Tf brush is used in place of hoarding, it will be necessary to attach 3 wires as in an ordinary fence and tho brush is then interwoven between these and the butts inserted in the sand about G inches. The brush

screen is usually the cheapest and acts well, lmt there may be a difficulty in

obtaining sufficient manuka for the purpose at a reasonable rate and the boarding may ultimately prove the cheapest. In tho intervening spaces between the screens, marram grass “sets” should be planted in rows at 4ft. apart and the sets at 4ft. in the rows. A space of about 10ft. should be left blank on each side of the screens to allow the sand to accumulate until next season, when it should have reached the height of the screens. The dunes thus formed can then lie planted with marram grass and the fixation of sand should be practically accomplished sufficiently to afford a very material protection to that portion of the town adjoining the foreshore. A supply of rooted marram sets can possibly be obtained within reasonable distance of i Hokitika. The sets should consist of aliout five rooted stalks, and can be

broken up from larger growing plants. Ti; planting, they should bo put well down in the sand and firmly tramped. The same care is necessary in keeping the roots moist as is the case in treeplanting. The cost of the contemplated work will be approximately as fol-

Total £53 15 0 Rcooivod; referred to Reserves ami Public Works Committees to report at next meeting. TENDERS. Tenders for extension of Rolleston Street drew one tender—J. Walsh CDSf. The tender was declined as too high and the matter was referred 1o Overseer and Engineer to confer, with a view to doing the work. Tender for Sale Street excavation, from river to Stafford Street, was received from Newman and Thorpe for L'lM. The tender was accepted. Tender for Co, 18in pipe moulds, from W, 11. Shannon for Cod Ids (id. ' A. Cederman, C2 10s per pipe. The tender of W. 11. Shannon was nocepiod.

Mr Jeffries referred to Iho dog trouble mid risked for action. It eras resolved the Inspector should take action to see that all dogs were registered. SPECIAL MEETING. From Audit Office, forwarding (he balance sheet for year ended Jlst March. 1022, with a tag that the sum of Cl'!! 8s lid was overpaid in connection with the unauthorised expenditure, and asking that same he at onto refunded liy Councillors; also enclosing bain nee sheet for year ended March .‘list. 1023, certified to as correct.— "Received and same authorised to ho certified to as settled. The Town Clerk was authorised to arrange for the printing of same. The Council rose at 8.30 p.m. j

Imvs:— £ s. d. Timber for about ij.HOOft. 2nd grade at 15s 24 15 0 Cost of o roe-ting (labour) ... 8 0 0 Cost of lnarram planting at £1 per acre, about 2i acres 10 0 0 Cost of preparing and carting grass Clearing drift wood and genoral clearing up 6 0 0