BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2527, 9 January 1923, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting- of the Borough Council was held last night. • GAS WORKS. ’ The gas works manager reported that he had the small holder in working order again. It required 11 new plates and .3,000 rivets. The inside of the holder and roof were thoroughly scraped and coated with oxide to be finished with tar. Now that the holder is in use again it will give a reserve of 8,000 c.ft. The cost was approximately £2O and no extra labour was engaged on the .iob. The -holder should last for a considerable time. The new retorts are working satisfactorily and giving excellent results as to_ make of gas' and quantity, of coke. Re pelton wheel, a test indicated that 3,900 gallons of water per hour would be required to produce 2A h.p. which for a 12 Qiour run per day would account for 46,000 gallons of water. The cost of the pelton wheel and construction would approximate £4O. The pelton wheel in the eumstances was not recommended. The Mayor said the new retorts had been justified by results. About 600 c.ft. more gas had been manufactured besides, extra coke. He paid a tribute to the work done by the manager -in reference to renovating the holder and said that Mr Downes had proved to be one of the best managers he had met.

Complimentary references to the manager were a,lso made by Crs. Smith and Ross, f

ROAD FOREMAN’S REPORT. The road foreman reported that /during the past- month the road staff had been engaged on the following works: —Patching footpaths, Clvde and Whyte Streets; repairing roads, Lady’s Mile and Duncan Street: repairing river bank, Harbour Street; dischaging Belmont screenings; mixing asphalt in Council yard; mowing grass and cleaning round graves at cemetery; mowing and clearing Victoria Park and general maintenance. We have now sufficient asphalt mixed to complete Avenue Road footpath and the work of grading path and laying asphalt will he proceeded with. Six trucks of screenings have come to hand during the month but it will be some time before enough tar is available for mixing this. There will he a fair quantity of old limestone ' {rraded off the path in Avenue Road aiuT this can he used for repair work on roads or for blinding when we put Belmont metal on Johnston Street. Should like to draw the attention of the Council to spiead of noxious weeds in the boroqgh and also to overhanging trees and bushes on footpaths. Cr. Thompson called attention to the disgraceful state of Howan St. He said the Council had agreed to repair the street if the settlers kept down lupin and gorse. The Council had not kept faith in this connection. The report was adopted i<ml it was decided to instruct the inspector to serve notices on property owners to remove noxious weeds and to cut back overhanging hedges and trees and that the foreman’s attention be drawn to the condition of Howan and Whyte Street- extension. FINANCE.

•The treasurer’s report was adopted. In speaking to same, the Mayor said that it was impossible to get further advances from the Advances to Settlers office on loan until after the end of the financial year. Money had to be found in the meantime to continue the water and drainage scheme, which otherwise would come to a standstill. Deposits at 6 per cent for six months had been invited and he was pleased to report that £3,500 had been subscribed by local people which' had kept things going. _ The Council would receive up to £5,000 which would be repaid when the advance on loan was received. The Town Clerk said/that a further £l,lOO was in sight. The Mayor’s action was endorsed. The Finance Committee’s report .was adopted. , WORKS COMMITTEE. The Works Committee reported that it had gone into the question of footpath construction and that there was no funds available at present ..for- such work but provision had been made to tar seal the ; south end of Main Street. In speaking to .the report the • Mayor said that ~ £1,200 was all they received"'for maintenance for the ,year l and of this £944 had already been expended. When provision was made for wages and Belmont metal an amount of £SO was left for incidental expenditure to the . end of the financial year. WATER AND DRAINAGE CON- - . ' NECTIONS. An application for an extraordinary water supply for the Bowling Club was agreed to subject to a meter being installed within fourteen ■ days from date and that notice be served on property-owners where similar conditions obtain. Several, Councillors pointed out that certain persons axe using an extraordinary supply and steps are to be taken to have this remedied at once. ELECTRIC STREET LAMPS. The Horowhenua Electric Power Board. submitted a plan showing position qf street lamps. The Mayor said the cost of street electric lamps would cost about £4 each, per annum including erection and maintenance. A general discussion ensued as to the ,comparative cost of electric and gas lamps. It was pointed out that the electric light would be less costly but the Council would lose

a /.small amount per annum in gas revenue. It was decided to agree to the erection of 45 street lamps for ct start. DRAINAGE CONNECTIONS.

It was resolved that where two adjoining buildings are owned by the same person two lavatories may lie connected to one line of drain discharging into the main sewer.' It was also decided that a similar concession be made to adjoining owners provided the work was sanctioned by the health officer. A letter was read from the Fire Board and received stating that the Board was not responsible for any unauthorised statement which may have been made to the Council concerning its administration.