BOROUGH COUNCIL

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4440, 14 July 1922, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. The usual monthly meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council was held last night. Present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr. p. E. Brenan), T. P. Vuglar, F. E. Flatt, W. Marshall, G. P. Lamb, F. McDonald, W. Bain, D. Leach, E. Edwards (deputy-mayor), and the town clerk, Mr. p. C. Furley. SEWERAGE CONTRACT. Messrs Lockie Gannon and Worley wrote stating that they had gone into the question of commencing the next sewerage contract and the reticulation of the No, 4 area (Corbett StreetStation Road). They stated that this was a pumping area, and it would be necessary to install the storage tank and pumping machinery before -he area could be sewered. The delivery of the pumping machinery could not be made for at least seven months from receipt of order, after which it had to be erected. They recommended that No. 1 area be completed, their estimate for the remaining reticulation being about £4OOO. In addition they recommended that the pumping chamber and pumphouse be erected, the estimated cost being £5OO. An order for .the ■stereophagus pump should be placed with the agents, A. D. Riley and Co., and when the following instalment of the loan was received the pump couM be purchased and installed at once, together with the construction of the storage tank. It could be used for pumping sewerage and flood water from the excavation for the storage tank and the 18in sewer trench when the reticulation of No. 4 area was proceeded with. This would, effect a considerable saving in pumping. The Mayor said that letters did not contain informaton asked for by the Council, which was for an estimated cost of Corbett Street and Station Road/area. A resolution was passed asking Messrs Lockie Gannon and Co. to supply the information sought by the Council.

MAIN BRIDGE, OHINEMURI RIVER. In answer to a letter from the Borough Council re the state of the bridge Mr. Furkert, Engineer in Chief, replied : “I am not aware that I made absolutely the remark credited to me, but I certainly was not favourably impressed by the condition of the Criterion Bridge. When one sees a steel structure so far gone that pieces, of it fall off with their own weight, and tnat even the essential parts of the structure are badly rusted and pitted and presenting every evidence of absence of care, it naturally leads one to suppose that the time is not far distant when failure wil result. “In addition to the superstructure the abutments at both ends are in an unsatisfactory condition. The remarks were quite of a general l character, and I would suggest that you have ‘he bridge closely examined ry a professional man if you have not a borough engineer of your own, and that you ascertain thereby .the present condition and probably future fate of the bridge.” Mr. Marshall moved the following resolution: “That a reply be sent to Mr. Furkert stating that an inspection of the bridge had been made by the engineer to the Ohinemuri County Council and a local bridge builder. Both reported that there was absolutely no structural weakness owing to depreciation. The necessary maintenance work has been authorised by the Council, and, further, that the bridge has recently been subjected to a joint test in the passing over it of a heavy roller, and that the only fear the Council has is that the bridge may not stand the confining of flood waters through stop-banking the river.” Seconded by the Mayor, and after some discussion passed. In moving the resolution Mr. Marshall said that Mr. Shaw, engineer of the County, took the precaution of examining the bridge before he allowed the county roller to pass over it. and was perfectly confident that it was structurally sound and quite able to take as much wieight again as he had submitted it to.

It was also decided to write to the engineer and ask what site the department had fixed on for the new bridge. WILSON’S. ROAD. The Minister of! Public Works in a letter to the Hon. D. H. Guthrie stated that in regard to the metalling, of Wilson’s Road provision of £5OO, on account o( £l5OO, already appears on the Public Works Estimates for this work. The Haunaki Plains County Council l submitted a proposal for work estimated to cost £6Bl 10s, but authoi ity has not been issued, as it is considered that the urgency of the work is not such as w'ould warrant the expenditure at the present time. His Worship said that he understood that this road would be improved as soon as it was fit to receive the metal. COMPLAINT. A resident wrote objecting to the night-soil, cart being left in tne neighbourhood of his residence all day, involving its being brought past his house twice nightly. A report of the health inspector, J. Pennell, stated that it was necessary for the float to pass the residence referred to as it was the only road to the dump. The float remained approximately 12 chains from the house during the day. His Worship said that the complaint was justified. He had seen the contractor, who had undertaken to rectify measures in future. The matter of the cart passing the house could not be avoided, as it was on the only road leading to the dump. MOTOR LORRY. The Assistant Engineer, Mr. L. May, wrote stating that in response to the request of the Council he bad instructed his motor driver to drive at eight miles per hour. His Worship the Mayor stated that the object of the letter to the Public Works Department was to save the road. With reference to the license for the driver, it was decided to refer the matter to the inspector. BEAUTIFYING SOCIETY. The secretary of the Beautifying Society wrote stating that as a result of work done by the Council on

the railway section it was ablp to commence work almost at once, and asked whether they would be permitted to take what filling they required from the clay bank in Normanby Road opposite Mr. D. Me,Watters’ shops. Referred to the Works Committee, with power to act. DRAINAGE LOAN. A letter was received from Mr. H. Poland, M.P., notifying that debentures for a £5OOO loan had. been forwarded for signature, .and when returned money would be forwarded. A resolution of thanks to Mr. Poland for his efforts in expediting the matter was passed. WATER rates.J. Bertelsen, wrote asking for a reduction of the water rate charge for the brewery which he thought excessive, being 300 per cent, on the rate previously charged by the Ohinemuri County Council. It was resolved to obtain the foreman’s report on the matter. CORBETT STREET. Tn reply to the petition received from residents in Corbett Street,, asking far the footpath to be improved, it was decided to state that thje work would be done as soon as the sewerage works were completed. 16 FOOT PATHS. The matter of the advisability of having a 16-foot path in the side streets was brought up by Cr. Edwards, and it was resolved to deal with this matter at a later date. BROKEN FOOTPATHS.

Cr. Flatt said that he did not wish to force the sewerage contractor io put the footpaths in the same order as be found them, but he thought that some stand should be taken in the matter. He moved that the engineer’attention be drawn .to the matter, with a view to having the paths put in order on the completion of the contract. The resolution was carried. RAWHITIROA BLOCK. It. was resolved that the correspondence with respect to the Rawhitiroa Block be referred to thfe council’s solicitor to ascertain the legal position. His Worship said that the position was a bit complicated, a portion of the road having already been closed by the Council. The Council would safeguard itself by learning the legal position.