WORKS IN THE BOROUGH.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4577, 20 June 1923, Page 4

WORKS IN THE BOROUGH.

STATEMENTS PRESENTED ' The following reports were among those presented at lasit, Thursday’s meeting ofi the Paeroa Borough Council :— FOREMAN’S REPORT. “The work fpr the past month has been mostly in the nature of trimming footpaths and cleaning watertables and other, general work. The following footpaths have been trimmed : King,. Arney, Bradley, Albert. George, Dearie, and Railway Streets, Junction and Puke Roads, and Rye Lane. The greatest pai't of . the railway line footpath has been trimmed and cinders put on same.

“We are finding it very hard to get material to suit for ' Ju. pastils. I have tried a few loads of gravel from the old silting works on Bradley George, and Dearie Streets, but it will ncit suit most of our footpaths. We have had two trucks oi metal from Karangahake quarry put on Puke Road, and I think it is the nearest we can get to suit us a,t present We have had another truck on trial, but find it unsuitable for our roads.

“We intend repairing Moore Street and Coronation streets footpaths during next month, and cleaning out a few of the worst drains and attending to other paths according to the amount of screening we receive.” WORKS COMMITTEE’S REPORT. “At the beginning of the month the whole Council inspected the roads, footpaths, bridges, and drains in the roads. A. further inspection was made on Monday last by the Works Committee with a view to ascertaining just what work had been done during the month and to be in a position to authorise the most, urgent work for immediate attention. “As the Foreman’s Report indicates, lhe work of the past month has been chiefly on the footpaths. With the continued wet weather this work has been imperative, and we recommend that footpath repairs be continued as rapidly as possible,, your committee being of opinion that as far as finances will permit we should endeavour to give reasonable access to pedestrians even before giving consideration to roads. “We find that footpath maintenance is considerably increased by cattle being allowed to wander on footpaths, or even being,, in some cases,, driven along them, Thames and Te Aroba roads being possibly the worst in this respect. While this condition obtains it is impossible to maintain decent paths, and it seems most unfair that ratepayers' money should be wasted In this manner. We therefore strpngly recommend that proceedings be taken forthwith for breaches of the. by-law dealing with this matter.“Estimates have been prepared of work urgently needed to maintain our present roads, etc., and the figures again show that, the money available for public works is quite inadequate, so that only the barest necessities can hope to receive attention. “Repairs to the traffic biidge must be effected,'and this matter is having the careful , and full consideration of your committee, who hope to report in connection therewith in the near future. This and the provision of a new fire briga.de station seriouslj r affect our resources this current year. “Urgent repairs are needed to our roads, but it has proved quite impossible to secure satisfactory patching metal. Doubtless it would be more satisfactory to scarify and roll our main roads, but finances will not permit. At present we can offer no satisfactory suggestion for this problem, but we are doing our utmost to secure supplies. “Re Application to Metal Raroa Road; —The position as shown by bond executed by the Ohinemuri Jockey Club (which is on the table) is as follows: The Borough handed over to Mr Porritt over two acres of land in closed roads and received ih return a strip of new road of a little over half an acre. The Public Works Department fixed the sum to be paid to'the Borough Council for the extra one and a half acres received by Mr Porritt at £l5O. Mr Porritt apparently retained £7O for metalling portion of Raroa Road and the balance bf £BO was paid into the district, fund account. It would appear, therefore, that. Mr Porritt was fully paid for; any metalling done, and that the £BO was for land sold, which does not give any special claim to the amount for metalling. Your committee regrets that it cannot at present find money out of revenue to metal any street.”

DOMAIN COMMITTEE’S REPORT. “The Domain Board committee desires to bring before the notice of the Board the very bad state which the fence surrounding the main paddock is in. The caretaker has reported that on several occasions cows have got through on to the lawns, and we beg to recommend that the fence he Repaired. On going into the matter with the caretaker we found that about fifty posts are hanging by the wires and want replacing. The enclosures on the hill are now useless, and with the exception of two haveserved their purpose, so we recommend that they be removed and the posts used for repairing the Domain, fence. Also there is a good deal of wire netting rpund the enclosures, and as a fair quantity of, this is still in good order it could ‘be sold, and should realise a few pounds. Removing the enclosures, except two, and repairing the Domain fence would require the services of an eiqtra man, and the caretaker considers the job should be .completed in a week. “About fifteen yards of sand are required for the bowling green. This is instead of the usual top-dr.essing with earth. The sand could be procured at the Public Works’ Puke dump for a small price, and the whole landed in the Domain for about £4 10s. This is very little more than the cost of earth, which is always used at this time of year ( for the same purpose.

“Gorse and blackberry are running wild on the Domain hill, and we recommend to the Board that some action be taken to eradicate or even check these noxious weeds.”