CITY IMPROVEMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8348, 7 February 1913, Page 10

CITY IMPROVEMENTS

RECOMMENDATIONS BY ENGINEER. STREETS AND WOOD PAVEMENT. Mr W. H. Morton. City Engineer, has submitted some recommendations to the council which he considers in connection kith the improvement of the city and for the better _ carrying out qt various municipal services. The engineer says : Of recent years no subject has _ been more carefully considered by municipal authorities than that of road construction. The old water-hound macadamised road is now considered quite unsuited for city traffic, this conclusion having been hastened by the enormous increaeso in fast-moving vehicles propelled by mechanical power. Tho necessity of some method of construction more permanent and creative of less dust in summer and mud in winter requires that city streets shall be impervious to moisture, more easily cleansed, and of such character as will lessen the nuisance and discomfort from dust, in Wellington, owing to climatic conditions and heavy cost of first-class, road metal, 1 consider |it essential that a drastic change should be made in this class of work. • , Wood pavements are in every way satisfactory, but the cost (IBs per superficial yard) does not allow of sufficient work being done every year with the amount of money available out of revenue. For streets carrying the heaviest traffic there is no doubt but that wood pavement and mineral asphalt© will continue to be considered most suitable, notwithstanding the cost. It is. however, the construction of streets of secondary importance to which i desire to draw attention, such as Upper Willis street, Cuba street, Victoria street, Tinakori road, Molesworth street, the wider portion of Featherstou street, Taranaki street, Tory street. Cambridge terrace, and others. The most satisfactory materia], having due yegard to economy, will I believe be found to be tarrdd macadam. In some cases this material could bo laid on the existing road surfaces, but in others, more particularly thosejon reclaimed land, should be provided with a cement concrete foundation. As instances of successful work of this description 1 desire to refer to Panama street, Brandon street. Grey street, and Allen street, which, except for occasional bleeding of surplus tar into the street channels, are quite satisfactory. PLANT AND MATERIALS. To do this work well .requires, however. that proper plant and materials are available. Of first importance is the quality of the tar- At present tho tar is prepared by boiling lor such lengtn of time as may be considered sufficient by the man in charge, who generally has had experience at the work. It is essential, however, that no rule of thumb methods .be used, but that the tar be reduced to the required condition by removal of the amimoniacal liquor and a proportion of light oils by distillation. This will permit the tar being always brought to the same condition without risk as at present. There should also he provided a means for drying the metal and screening on up-to-date methods, mechanical mixing of concrete and tar macadam, and also suitable carts for removal of the material to the work without undue loss of heat after mixing. A rough estimate of tho cost of the necessary plant required is £IBOO. • The improved appearance and cleanliness of the streets would, in my opinion, fully justify the expenditure. I estimate the cost of such work to be about tss bu and 3s 6d per superficial yard with and without concrete foundations respectively. . ORIENTAL BAT. I consider that every effort should be made to push on with the completion of the Oriental Bay esplanade. This place should be one of the ihost attractive spots of Wellington, and owing to its central portion, would be on© of those places most appreciated by citizens and visitors. This place, if occasionally brilliantly lighted, and music provided, would undoubtedly be moat attractive, and aquatic entertainments might be provided occasionally by the swimming and boating clubs of the city. Tip to the present very little money has been available for the completion of this work principally owing to the demands of the residential areas, but it is time that a more strenuous effort be made to complete the work from the baths to a point opposite the northern boundary of town acre 429. I would respectfully point out that it is better to concentrate efforts upon a work of some importance and from which a tangible result would be achieved in a short space of time, rather than in attempting to meet the numerous demands of all districts by work done in piecemeal fashion. WATERWORKS DEPARTMENT. I desire again to draw the attention of tho council to the necessity of providing a proper workshop and store in connection with the waterworks department at the corporation yard, Clyde quay- Since the extension of the water supply to all outlying districts has been completed the work of testing fittings has increased enormously and without any addition having been made to the workshop and equipment. CORPORATION YARD AND STABLES. The appearance of the corporation yard is most unsightly owing principally to the old and ramshackle buildings in use as stables and cart sheds. The stables are unsuitable, take up more ground than is necessary, and aro not of such sanitary nature .as should be expected from the municipality. Steps should he takeu as soon as possible to build new stables of modern character, to remove the galvanised fence along the boundaries—replacing same with a brick or concrete wall, and the provision of new cart sheds. The finance committee last night recommended that the policy and scheme be adopted, and that the amount required for the new plant be provided for in next year’s estimates. The city engineer is to submit estimate for the works at Oriental Bay, workshops for waterworks department, and stables at corporation yards. The council adopted the -report, appreciation being expressed of the thorough manner iu .which the engineer had reported on the matter.