STREET IMPROVEMENTS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4926, 15 January 1926, Page 3

STREET IMPROVEMENTS.

MS COMMITTEE’S INSPECTION. /shortage of metal supplies. The past six weeks have been exceptionally busy ones for the Paeroa Borough workmen, and much necessary work has bee?) undertaken! ' Contrary to the usual practice 'J.t Christmas time the municipal office was not closed, and workmen pushed on with their Jobs, excepting on the statutory holidayiS'. His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. Marshall) also post- • poned his annual holiday in order to remain on the spot and keep in close - touch with the various undertakings in hand. Th© need for such activity been apparent if the work is to be pushed to a successful, conclusion while the fine weather Ijasts. Limited finance, by way of loan, money,, is. available, and the policy of pushing ? ahead with the work and completing • each job as far as- possible has much to commend it. In order to give tlid councillors an, opportunity of familiarising themselves, with the work in hand a- tour of the borough by the Works Committee, comprising the Mayor (chairman), and CrSf. E. Edwards, 11. J. : Hare, J. Pinder, and the foreman (Mr W. Neil), was -made on Wednesday Leading the borough office- at 10 - o’clock, -the first stop was made at Bennett Street. This street, which 12 months' ago was scarcely formed, has noiw been formed and graded for its entire length. From its intersectton with Thames Road to .the foot of the , hill near Mr P. Hague-Smith’s boundary a coating of six inches of metal . has been put down and blinded with sand, a first-class, job resulting. The municipal, reserve on the light-hand side going up Bennett Street has been cieared of manuka and the bracken v ~. mown. It is proposed to plough this area as . soon as possible "and sow it down in clover and Italian rye-gras,s. From this point the party moved on 'to Aorangi Road, which has recently been formed and is now awaiting deof me.talt The problem of rtoad- ' ing the/deep gully just before .the aproach to the railway settlement has been satisfactorily overcome, and a ■ good grade obtained. The whole of this work was carried out by the borough staff and plant. Now the council has provided good access to the settle - ■ meat boundary, and also provided street lighting en route, it is not out of place to suggest that the Railway Department should carry on and provide ‘reasonable means, of reaching / the cottages by the construction of ' footpaths and short streets between, the cottages. A visit was next paid to the night- / soil section off Logan Road, at the rear of the Jockey Club’s premises. . ' -In view of-a complaint by a near-by ■ ..resident of the effluvia the position carefully reviewed. In the opin* ™ ion of the committee there did not appear to be any objectionable features connected with the dump, but it was decided to spray the area, with kerosene at regular intervals, during the hot weather. Special attention. - was also paid to the water supply .at the ra'cecourse. With the provision of the four-inch' mains in the StationThames Roads area, the two-inch main up Thames Road is doing good duty, a;id the pressure of water at- the racecourse and vicinity has been considerably increased. ; The caretaker expressed satisfaction at the improve- - nient made.

A run was then made to the site of the Paeroa quarry, where the quality of the metal being crushed to the order of the council was inspected! , I'n view of the large order for metal rejCfilit'ly placed by the Hauraki Plains County Council, the state of Quarry Road was carefully considered. Lt -was suggested that certain formation work would be carried’ out as soon a,s possible, and the entire length Tolled and metalled. When this work is done, a!nd with the addition of patching from time .to time, it is expected that the cartage contractors will, be able to cart metal, throughout the winter. - Passing along Miller Avenue it was observed that a good footpath from the intersection of Kennedy Street and Miller Avenue to the manual school, had been constructed and sanded. Good work, has been done on the formation work of upper Hill Street, and a start has been made with the metalling from its junction with Kennedy Street. The laying of t the fourinch water mains from Moore Street up Hill Street to Cullen Street has been commenced, and is being pushed : bn as fast as possible. An inspection of Moore Street jo the ■railway station was, made. Considerable work is in progressi in this locality. -Metalling the full, width of the street is now proceeding, and is being rolled down with satisfactory results. The formation work on Bush Street has been completed, and with the addition of a storm-water drain the street is in readiness for metalling. The recent complaint from a, resident at the northern end of Coronation Street was investigated! Tn so far as the drainage of that particular area i's concerned, the inspection revealed ,that the council has_done all it possibly can to cope with the stormwater. Later on; the Railway Department effect' certain drainage operations to .the swampy portion below the, cattle yards. Tn the meam time the residents have been prbvided with a first-class road, and the footpath has been raised in the lowest portion of the street. The work, on Taylor's Avenue is proceeding satiSifatotprily, and the final rolling of the metal is now proceeding. The whole street is .to be sanded bitore it is taken over by the council and opened for traffic to-mor-row. .■■ The outstanding feature of the tour of inspection is the crying need for metal supplies The council has placed orders, both locally and abroad, •tfor its requirements, but supplies are very slow in coming to hand. As a cbnsequnce the work on; many of the ’streets is being seriously delayed.