TE KUITI BOROUGH COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 549, 12 March 1913, Page 5

TE KUITI BOROUGH COUNCIL.

STATUTORY MEETING. The statutory meeting for the inspection of the ratepayers' roll and appointing councillors to sign tlae same was held, and the Mayor, Cr Somerville and the town clerk were appointed for the purpose. ORDINARY MEETING. Road Works. Cr Julian said in view of the slow progress being made with metalling the streets, he thought it would be wis« for the council to consider the advisability of obtaining a supply of spalls and metal from outside sources. He understood spalls could be got from the Government quarry at about 2s 3d per cubic yard and metal at about 3s Gd per cubic yard. He thought it would pay the borough to get about 4000 yards of spalls either from the Government or from Wilson's quarry. The speed at which they were getting- spalls and metal from the borough quarry meant very little more metalling would be done this season. He urged that action be taken in the direction indicated and moved a resolution accordingly. Cr Lever seconded the motion. He said a great amount of pointing and dogding was going on. Cr Jones said the whole matter in a nutshell was if the metal was procurable at a cheaper rate than the borough could produce it they should act as suggested. Cr Walsh said the motion came as a surprise to him. He thought it a nSonstrous thing that the Government should enter into competition with private firms which had laid a lot of money out in their business. They had moreover to consider the class of metal the Government quarry would supply. He questioned if the materia! would be suitable. Cr Somerville said there was a good deal in what Cr Julain had said, but they had to remember that the borough was just installing a new crusher. There was nc reason why the borough could not turn out metal as cheaply as the Government. He thought the urgent necessity was to get the crusher established at the quarry turning out its maximum quantity. He moved as an amendment that the whole matter be referred to the Works Committee.

The engineer said Cr Julain was not aware of the whole position in connection with the metalling. No contractor could get better results from the men than the council was doing. Taken all round the borough staff was as good as it ever had been or ever would be.

Eventually it was decided that the whole matter of the metal supply be referred to the Works Committee, and that it be empowered to instruct the Electric Light Committee to have poles and wires for the electric current placed down to the quarry. Health Inspector.—Dr Makgill, district health officer, wrote -stating it had been arranged between the department and the Waikato Hospital Board to appoint an extra officer for the district, and asking that the council's contribution be increased. —Referred to the Legal and Finance Committee. Carting Contract.—Messrs Hattaway and Fitzpatrick wrote with reference to the borough cartftig.— Referred to Works Committee and engineer. Water Connection. Mrs Adams wrote requesting a refund of £1 paid by the late Mr Adams for a water connection which had never been put in.— Granted.

Sports Ground.—-The secretary of the Te Kuiti Sports Club wrote requesting permission to use the Doamin for a sports meeting and to charge one shilling admission to the ground. It was also requested that the council take steps to place the ground in order.—Request for ground granted, and the Domain Committee authorised to place the ground in order, ~t:~*

Awakino Road. Mr J. Nicholls wrote requesting that a culvert on the Awakino road be put in order.—Re ferred to engineer. Auctioneer's License. —An auctioneer's license was granted to Mr J. R. Graham.

Kerbing and Channelling.—The engineer was authorised to call tenders for the kerbing and channelling of Rora. King, Sheridan and Taupiri streets, as provided for in the £13,000 loan. ENGINEER'S REPORT.

I have to report on the wqrks of the | past month as follows: — Ward Street.—This road is nearing completion, 38 chains have been formed and spalled and 25 chains metalled. Blinding is required for the greater part of it, and when obtained the whole will be thoroughly rolled and finished off. Rora Steet.—Eleven chains of formation work have been done and six chains of this has been spalled. The Work is being pushed forward as rapidly as stone can be obtained in the quarry. I have drafted a specification for the concrete kerb and channelling in the main streets and propose calling tenders for the carrying out of the work. The timber for the extension of the culvert near the school grounds has not yet come to hand, although it i has been in order for the past three weeks. I expect.it any day now, and when it arrives the culvert will be extended immediately and the filling completed. Metalling Waiteti Road. As instructed at last meeting I have drawn up specifications for the work of metalling this road as far as the money avaliable will go. 1 have in eluded for alternate tenders for broken limestone and river gravel. The latter material will probably prove to be the cheapest method of carrying out the work, and if so, will allow for a greater length being done. Metalling Approach to Ahuroa Road. —I am preparing plans and specifications for this work and Will haye contracts ready for before next meeting.

Approach Road to Rimu Street.—l have inspected the two sections the owners interested in the making of

the above road havs the option of, and am of the opinion that the upper one is the most suitable for the purpose. A grade of about 1 in 10 can be obtained, the length being about four chains. The wo;k of construction would be considerably cheaper than on the lower section. The only drawback to this section is that at the Rimu street end the width is only about half a chain, and it is questionable whether the road could be dedicated under these conditions. I would point out that though the road is only half a chain at the one end still no frontages would be affected as all the sections adjoining have frontages to roads hav'ing the full width of one chain. Fire Plugs in Awakino Road.—The fire plugs in the Awakino road have now all been located and marked. I am gradually getting plates fitted to indicate the positions of all plugs. Crusher. I expect the rotary crusher to-morrow morning and will have it erected and got ready for trial at the earliest possible date. The Pelton wheel arrived to-day and will be fitted up in conjunction with the crusher.

Water Supply. I inspected the water supply on the 3rd in St., and found an ample supply for all purposes, nor does there appear to be any likelihood o f it failing even if the dry weather continues. The pipes for the repairs to the pipe line at Waitei have arrived and will shortly be put into position. Expenditure.—The expenditure for the period February 3rd to Mareb Ist inclusive, has been as under: Ward street £212 12s Bd, Rora street £76 6s 2d, King street £9 6s Bd, extension of water mains Awakino road £2 17s, maintenace of streets, water connections, etc. £26 8s sd, —S. B. DODGE, Borough Engineer.