HOKITIKA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1925, Page 1

HOKITIKA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

FRIDAY. .IFFY “lilt

The Council met at 7.80 p.m. Present :—Messrs G. A. 'perry (.Mayor), G. S. Plank. .1. King. (1. Heinz. ttrr. A. R. Fleock. H. M. Coulson, Jeffries and Parry. Apology was made for the absence of Mr Fvans. The minutes were continued and outward eorresoondence approved. rxwari> corkrcsi>o\ofncf. From AVesttaml County Council stating an agreement had been made with Mi' W. F. Jones in connection with the securing of a gravel reserve at Koiterangi and asking for approval.--Re-ceived and approved. From Westland Hospital Board applying for u>o of Town Hall and upstairs rooms for the annua! ball and permission Lo erect: a temporary shelter between Drill Hall and Town Hall. —-Received and request granted. From Westland Hospital Hoard notifying interest on outstanding levies to he charged was (i! per cent.— Received. From W. Wilson drawing attention t-i state of drain in Davie St. and asking for improvement of the present position. Received: referred to Public Works Committee with power to act. From Wm. Duncan and Co. asking for approval of transfer of sections. Received and agreed to. From W. Wilson asking for permission to connect the water table in Hamilton Si. with the drainage dowupipes.- Received and agreed to. From If. Haile, paplving for annual leave as from Aug. Bth.- Received and granted to With .August. From Valuer-General, forwarding revised roll of the Borough. - Received. Tn reply to Mr Jeffries the Town Clerk said nothing could he done in connection with the striking of the rates till the revised valuation roll came to hand. From W. O’Brien Kokatahi staling that owing to tin foreseen circumstances lie is unable to take up the offal cont I'iiei ßeceived ; left to Mayor, .Messrs Jclfries and King to arrange. From E. W. FTeenan and others asking for arrangements to he made to pui in a rnnevoie sewer in Beach Stand also light at the corner of Camp, and Beach Streets.—Received; referred to Public Works’ Committee to report. REPORTS. From Treasurer reporting receipts £bl,B Ids fid. payments CbOl Is (id. debit balance £3IB Ids (Id; stating the cost of making Tailored Street drain was UFtj lis (id.—Received. Accounts amounting to 10s 3d were passed for pavment. ITBLIC WORKS RKRORT.

At a meeting of tin- Committee If was decided that 111" Council oiler to supply the Railway Department on (he meter system on the same terms as to the other public institutions, at

Is 3d per lOOgal. payable quarlerly. Mr Blank verbally reported the Works Committee had traversed the pipe line to the lake, the condition of the line being described as very bad in places.- Received. OYKKSEKK’B REPORT. Report on pipe line. Lake Kanieri to reservoir and ret ieuliition of Borough of Hokitika. I beg In report that I have Iravelsod the whole length of I be water supply pipe line in company with the members of the. Works Committee and the following observations are respect I ally hrmighi forward lor your e inside! at ion. The plan- a- orignally drawn up h\ i he eliginei-r m i-barge <>i i he work, no longer constitute a reliable guide as to Hie const ruction of the water supply pipe line. The first section of pipes from' flu* lake lor a distant J‘J chains were originally wood pipes o! Iliu. diameter. Imt were removed at some later dale and Bin. diametci urollglll I roll pipe - -üb -111 lilt'd. I'"l a disiamc of ihree miles from ibe intake. i lie. scheme has apparently been designed to net. on the principle of an open race. The engineer has kept to the higher levels. I hits reducing Hie pressure in the pipes to the minimum. This would be quite ill keeping with the Use of earthenware pipe-: of which ilu' larger portion ol this distance was (Oinposed. The eartlicnware pipes were of Bill, diameter, hut were later

replaced by wood pipes of Sin. diameter. Several conoreto sumps, or tanks wore also inserted at intervals on (lie higher levels. It will readily be understood that the head of pressure governing the I lew of water into the reservoir would be measured front the last open sump on the lino. These sumps served two very useful purposes, viz. (a) the escape of air given oil from the water; (b) the flow of water could easily be measured at each point. The w hole of the sumps have been removed and the pipes connected in a continuous lino from the intake to the reservoir. T uderstand this work was carried out by Mr Maunders, a. late overseer of the Council, with a view to increasing the quantity delivered at the reservoir. This was obviously an error as the quantity delivered would l)o in direct relation to the head of pressure and the diameter of the pipe. The capacity of the pipe line can only he calculated on a six-inch diameter basis for this reason, that out of a length of three miles on the higher levels, all the valves, am! seventy-eight and a-lialf chains of pipes are of six inch diameter. The condition of the pipes is found to he good where either of the billowing local conditions is present ; (a) where the pipes are wholly Imried by earth and removed from the etfeets of traffic; (tv) where raised above ground and exposed to the atmosphere as in crossing bridges. The worst; condition is found where the pipes are partly submerged in swampy country. Ibis condition is to be met with for the greater part of tin- distance across Tucker flat where l he water corrodes the wire binding of llie pipe, ft is also along this section w here the greatest pressure i> attained. tl will he necessary in make extensive repairs to this section at an early dale ami such repairs should he

of a" kind which could form part'of a scheme for an enlarged supply. A number of the stop and scout' valves have been set up in concrete and are inaccessible should it he necessary to effect repairs, Re-grading of the road at Mae Kay’s Greek lias caused the pipes In become deeply buried and the

cost of excavating to effect repairs at this point would lie high. An extensive overhaul of life pipe-line has been carried mil ; the line has been cut through, valves have been cleaned up and valve balls renewed. As a result of the overhaul the flow of water was increased from lttti gallons pei' minute to Bit) gallons per minute. Tile auxiliary pipe line at Kanieri Forks continue- to give every satisfaction, and the depth of water in the reservoir is well maintained when using that branch. The condition of the pipes in the town is fair with the loilowiug exceptions. Hibson’s Quay appeal's to be the worst section of the town reticulation. ami it: will he necessary to relay a portion of this street with new pipes, as I lie present cues are a cont inual source of trouble. 1 would suggest that a trial be given to mannsnian iron pipes of which the Council has a lew spares. The inter-section of Tattered St. ami Stafford St. and a small section of Sewell St. near the convent also require new pipes, ll would he advisable to note that the I ar-se.’ililig of I’evell St. will cover the Gin. water main in ihat sheet, and will render the detection of leaks almost an impossibility until they reach such proportions as would endanger traflie.

In framing this report T have confined myself solely to t he conditions of the pipe-line a- existing In-rlay. hut il allowed lo venture an opinion would -ny that the reqniromonls of the town are greater than the capacity ol the line from the lake to the reservoir to deliver under it- pre-old condition. --Received. A lengthy discussion took plate mi the subject' and ultimately Air Coulson moved that steps be taken

wiiji a view to engaging the services ol an eminent engineer to report, on the w atio 1 supply Sei omled by Mr Jeffries ami carried. Til.. It il rose at B p.m.