BOROUGH COUNCIL

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2340, 11 October 1921, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING

The ordinary monthly meeting was held last night, in the Council Chamber.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Correspondsiee was read and dealt with as follows:—*

From Mr Pulley, Paten, offering the services of a capable man for the erection of the gas engine. Decided to accept Mr Pulley’s offer.

From Mr Ed. • Newman, M.P., stating that it was futile to attempt to get an interview with the Minister of Finance re loan matters at present. —Received. From the Department of Health, in connection with the recent outbreak of bubonic plague, asking the Council to increase their activities against rn ts. —Received. GAS MANAGER’S REPORT.

The Gas Manager’s report was as follows: —“The amount of gas manufactured during the month of September shows a decrease over the corresponding period of last year. Fifty-three tons of coal was carbonised, and we sold 13 tons 15 cwt. of coke, representing £34 7s Gd. There were four meters not registering this month, and two of these were five-light connected to gas engines; as we have not repaired ones at the works, I ask that we purchase two five-light meters, at a cost of £8 10s Od, at Wellington. During the month, five meters were changed, and four services were cleared of water and sand. One new service was put in, and a house fitted up. The ground round the new purifier has been graded off and asphalted; this will allow a good area for purifying the old oxide. Some fresh t holes had developed on No. 1 holder, and as the plate was in such a bad condition that they could not be plugged, it was necessary to let the hokkC down in the water. The top and side above the water have received a good coating of tar paint. The stokekouse roof over the bed of six retorts is in a bad condition, and I recommend that we purchase twelve sheets of galvanised iron for same.” Cr. Smith said that there were one or two big gas lights in the Main Street out of jrepair. He understood that the owners had made application to the Manager of the gas works to have them repaired some six or eight months ago. This, he contended, resulted in a loss of revenue. In connection with the repairs to the roof of the gas works, the Mayor said that he understood that the roof was repaired a little while ago. Cr. Coley said that the bad parts of the roof had been attended to, but since then the other sheets had rusted. The report was adopted. POUNDKEEPER’S REPORT.

During the month seven head of stock had been impounded by the Ranger, driving fees to the amount of 5s collected. —Adopted. Cr. Whibley asked if it was right that if stock was sold at a loss the poundkeeper had to make good the deficiency; if at a profit, the Council receives the surplus? It was pointed out that the statement was not correct; one was placed against the other. RANGER’S REPORT.

The Borough Ranger reported that during the month four cows and three horses were impounded; also he had “arrested” nine cows and one horse, which were released to their owners. Driving fees to the amount of 4s were collected, and paid to the Town Clerk. —Adopted.

Cr. Martin said that under the “arresting” arrangement people could receive their stock before they were impounded by paying only the driving fees. Some people were continual offenders in this reepeet, and yet were not prosecuted, or their cattle impounded. He also said that he had noticed that a certain miller was in the habit of sending a horse galloping up Union Street, unattended, to a paddock, at live o’clock each night. He considered this was very dangerous. It was decided to enquire into the matter. ROAD FOREMAN’S REPORT.

“During the past month the road staff have been employed on the following works: Mixing asphalt in Council yard, discharging limestone screening same, mowing and cleaning Triangle, Main Street, patching ruts in Union, .Johnston and Duncan Streets. Coley Street has been graded from Gladstone Street to Hillary Street footpath, and the limestone put on ready for lopdressing. We had to leave this work and attend to .Johnston Street, where .owing to the drainage works, the road was getting dangerous. We have trimmed in sand and metal over trench, and time worked and material used has been charged against water and drainage account. These deep trenches will neeif attention from time to time, as. the soil sinks. The sand from Duncan Street section Is causing a good

deal of annoyance, and I intend covering this with the growth we remove from side of roads and water tables. Moutoa Road has developed some bad pot holes, and needs half a dozen trucks of metal. I understand that we could get metal for this ‘boundary road’ from the Manawatu County Council. As we have not a great stock in the yard, I think it advisable to get some from them. Twelve trucks of Belmont screenings have been V ordered, and have come to hand. This will be mixed with tar as op-

portunity offers. The screenings now arriving are more suitable than the last we had, being much finer, but it is more difficult to get them dry enough to take the tar.”

The Mayor stated that in his opinion the borough was in a very satisfactory state of repair. He considered the borough was progressing. The footpaths were in a much better state now. He thought the next footpath to be done should be Jonstone Street. The report was adopted.

ENGINEER’S REPORT. .

“During the past fortnight the engine foundation has been laid down, and the excavation for the collecting tank made. The foreman, Mr Read, reports that he has been able to get the bottom of the tank put in, using only the diaphragm pump. The tank is built on a solid shingle stratum. The engine has come to hand in good condition as far as can be ascertained before erection. The services of a compe-r tent fitter and' erector are required for the erection. We herewith submit plan and specification of engine house for which tenders are to be called.” Cr. Ross said he did not think the Council would get a much better man than Mr Hatch, of Patea. He considered his terms were quite reasonable. r ’**

In connection with the well, he asked if it Was down as far as possible, as each foot deeper meant a greater llow. Mr Murray said that it was not absolutely as -far down as it was possible to go, but as far as was necessary to get the greatest benefit from it.

It was decided to adopt the report, and that Mr Hatch’s services be secured to erect engine and producer, at a wage of £1 a. day and railway fares, and that tenders be called for the erection of engine shed. Also that an iron, partition be put in in lieu of the asbestos one.

POUND COTTAGE

The Mayor reported . that the room was finished, and that the work wa_s very satisfactory.

It was decided that Mr Cowley’s offer to scrim and paper the room, as per quote, be accepted, Cr Coley voting against the motion.

STANDARD WEIGHTS,

Cr. Coley moved that all metal supplied to the Council be paid for according to Government weighbridge tickets, calculated as per -standard weight..

Cr. Cpley said that he had with him several books on weights and a letter from a well-known contracting company in Wellington, which lie produced.

These books all took 11(1 lbs. to the square foot. He said that this was not the first time he had brought the matter up. He had been at it for ten years'or more. lie was certain that the Council had been receiving metal in a very slip-shod manner, lie,knew of a case where metal had arrived on the Ist.of July, and the account had not come to hand until Ist of August. By that time all the metal had been used, and nobody knew where it was, and no check had been taken of it. He had been in conversation with several engineers, and they had always been in the habit of putting a rule over their metal and booking the quantity accordingly. If the Council were to order 1,000 yards, under the present circumstances they would not receive 000 yards. He mentioned the shortage there had been when the new gas holder had been erected. The Council had lost over 50 yards there. In future, contractors will have to contract in accordance with what is decided on at this meeting. If the Council buys by the ton, then they are entitled to have it weighed. He asked for the letter, produced, from Messrs Tank and Andrews, contractors, Kilbirnie, concerning standard weights, to be read. He said that they worked 100 horses, and were in the habit of carting 75 to 125 yards a day.

Cr. Thompson, in seconding the motion, said that he had been accustomed to take 28 cwt. to the yard. That was recognised as .standard weight in his time. Cr. Bryant agreed with Cr. Thompson, but said that the motion was not worded rightly. The Mayor moved as an amendment that any metal supplied by contractors, except Belmont, be distributed at an even depth in each truck, and the Borough Foreman be instructed to take the cubic, content of each truck on arrival, and supply such measurements to the Town Clerk, delivery to be at Foxton. He said that he was pleased that Cr, Coley had brought the matter up again, but he thought it would be difficult to get men to supply to a standard weight, also that they might easily supply wet metal.

Cr. Martin said that he made enquiry, and found that trucks that came from Terrace End were weighed in Palmerston, and the weights were 6 tons 14 cwt. to the truck, which worked out at 27 2-5 cwt. to the yard. To try and set a standard weight was a compliment to the intelligence of the Council. The weight of metal varied with the atmospherical conditions. There were not tsvo metals alike in density . It would be a waste of time to try and consolidate the metal in the trucks. Cr. Ross sgid that he could not agree with the Mayor. There was no check at present. Some method of checking the weights was wanted. He considered the measurement system was the simplest. No contractor WQuld object .to supply byweight. In connection with the Mayor’s remark about wet metal, he did not think men would incur in-

convenience by digging metal out of water.

Cr. Whibley said that he did not like either motion or amendment. If it rained then, if using standard weights, 'the metal would weigh more than it should. He would support the amendment until it became the motion.

Cr. Coley said that it was all “rot” about not being able to get men to contract to standard weight. If it was in the specifications the tender would be on that basis. The amendment was carried, the Mayor and Councillors Bryant, Whibley, Smith, Rand and Martin voting for it. The amendment then became the motion, and was lost, the Mayor, Councillors Smith, Rand and Bryant voting for it. RUBBISH DEPOT.

It was decided that the written consent of the lessee of the Railway reserve be obtained to the Council carting over the reserve to the new rubbish depot, and that tenders be called for carting, as recommended by the Public Works Committee, - tenders to close on the 24th October, at 4 p.m.