WORKS IN THE BOROUGH

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4440, 14 July 1922, Page 2

WORKS IN THE BOROUGH

MONTHLY REPORTS. FOREMAN’S! REPORT. The foreman submitted the following report to the Paeroa Borough Council meeting on Thursday : The work for .the past month has been mostly the cleaning of footpaths, water-tables, patching and metallingCoronation Street has been patched with metal, the drain lias been cleaned, and water has been net off the footpath, which has also been metalled where required. The road is now in fair order. Hill Street and Cullen Street drains have been cleaned and footpaths prepared to receive metalling with screenings. Nahum Street footpath has been chipped and reformed, and screenings put on for the fu.li length, and the drain has been cleared where necessary. Wood Street path from Nahum Street to the far end has been ti'finmed and screenings put on. The drain has also been cleaned. Te Aroha and Mill Roads have been partly finished. Portions of Junction Road path have been patched with screenings. The drains in Bush and Buchanan streets have been cleaned. Puke Road has been patched where required; also the lower end of Belmont Road. The metal that was coming to hand was of such poor quality fhat I had to stop receiving It, but I think that we will be able to secure a fair supply in future of good metal. The screenings are very slow coming to hand, but there seems to lie no chance of doing bette.' elsewhere.

The pipes having come to hand, the railway drain is now completed. Two crossings have been put in during the month, one to Mr. Lamb’s garage and the other to the Methodist Church property. DOMAIN COMMITTEES REPORT. The Domain Committee’s monthly report was as follows 1: "he caretaker was authorised to secure the necessary bonedust, lime, and seed for the purpose of putting the various greens in order at a cost of £6 12s 6d. The water trough and approaches have been put in order, and new barge boards have been put on the croquet pavilion. A contract has teen let to clear away and bun the gorse on the hill facing Thames Road, the price being £6. This work has been completed with the exception of sonie of the burning off, and we recommend that £5 be passed for payment and the balance of £1 as soon as this work is completed to the satisfaction of. the caretaker. A man has been employed to clean up the vacant section between Miss Shaw’s and Wood Street, and a fence was also erected by him on the two sides facing Thames Road and Wood Street, thereby turning the whole of the domain property on Primrpse Hill into one paddock. The extra labour employed cost £ll. We would recommend that these two sections just cleared of gorse be ploughed in about November and again in January or February, and also well raked, and the spoil burned so that the sections could be grassed later. We also recommend that a man be put on to cut and burn several isolated patches of gorse on the hillside, and that later this be also ploughed. If this is done this season much expense will be avoided. That the fences around the various shelter trees and shrubs be removed and the material used elsewhre. That the plumbing i epairs to the bowling pavilion as suggested by the caretaker be carried out. Your Committee has decided to recommend that the caretaker be entitled to fourteen days each year, including statutory holidays, as holidays, such to be taken from time to time as agreed upon between himself and the chairman off the Board. In view of the fac,t that there has not been a satisfactory holiday arrangement in the past we would recommend that the caretaker be allowed the sum of 30s for expenses incurred. You have before you the notice by which Mr. Walls wishes to cancel his lease of Primrose. Hill, and we would suggest that fresh tenders be called for same, in accordance with the Act. We would also suggest that the gas lamp-post facing the gate at the corner of Thames Road and Willoughby Street be removed and the approaches to the gate put in order.

WORKS COMMITTEE’S REPORT. The Works Committee’s report was as follows: During the month the,, staff have been engaged on the various works authorised by the Council at' its last meeting, and satisfactory progress has been made with the small staff available. The piping of; the railway drain has been completed, which will enable the Beautifying Society to proceed with their scheme of ’improvements to the railway reserve.. '. We regret to report that the metal supplies have been' unsatisfactory, but we hope that an improved quality will be supplied in a more satisfactory manner. In reference to repairs to private property in Rye Lane : This work lias been delayed pending the delivery of the necessary spawls, which are promised shortly, when the work will be put in hand. Ro petition from Corbett Street residents concerning tlie state of the footpath : This work is provided for in the scheme of works for the year, anl will be attended to when the sewerage contract in that area is completed. During tlie month a contract was let for the cleaning of the railway drain that runs from Puke Road to Hill Street, the price being 5s 6d per chain. This work is now in course of completion. The reports were adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE’S REPORT. Tlie Finance Committee’s report was as follows:

During the month the revenue has been fll4o 3s lOd, and the expenditure £4lB 6s lid. Including tlie attached accounts, which your Committee recommends for payment, the district fund account will show a credD balance of £282 Is Bd. Included in the accounts for P«y-

ment is one of £326 Ils 9d to the 1920 Loan Account. This transfer was necessary, as the Sewerage Loan Account is now exhausted and the progress payments to the contractor have to be met as they fall due. The £6009 loan should, however, come to hand in the very near future, as the debentures are now signed and returned to the State Advances Office. The £450 account due to the Ohinemuri County Council includes the third year’s payment of £3OO on. account of the water reticulation, pipes, etc. Only two more instalments have to be met, when the purchase price will have been fully paid. The rates and water charge demands were sent out on June 16, six days earlier than last year, and, as the statement shows, .are coming in satisfactorily. During the month approximately £lBO of rate arrears have been collected. Several summonses have been issued. During the coming month we may look for another big reduction in the arrears. You will notice that the pound returns for the past month show ,a considerable improvement over recent months. The report was adopted and the accounts passed for payment.