HUTT BOROUGH COUNCIL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8351, 11 February 1913, Page 3

HUTT BOROUGH COUNCIL

The Lower Hutt Borough Council met last evening, when there were present the Mayor (Mr E. P. Bunny) and Councillors Hobbs, Ball, Boots, Clendon, Kempthorno, and Hodgms. Mr J. Ryan informed the council that he had made arrangements to purchase Mr J. O’Keefe’s carrying business, but had not completed the purchase and asked for a refund of a carriage license.—Fees to be refunded. The United Insurance Company stated that it was not prepared to pay firemenls watching time.—The clerk was instructed to approach the Underwriters’ Association on the matter. An application was made by the Rugby Football Union for the use of the recreation ground on the same terms as last year. An application was also received from the Northern Union League, who asked that consideration be held over for a few days to enable them to communicate with the executive of the league, when a substantial offer for the ground would be made.—Referred to recreation ground committee. A communication was received from the Petone Technical Board asking the council to nominate two members to the hoard. Councillors Roots and Hobbs appointed. The Railway Department intimated that it. was prepared to co-operate in respect to laying gas to light Melling station. A further communication came to hand from the Minister of Railways stating that the department considered the present railway time-table was suitable to the public, and that the 7.19 p.m. train could not be altered. Mr J. Dawson, designer of the Melling bridge, referring to the proposal of the council to re-deck the bridge, expressed the opinion that the threeinch planks proposed to be put down would increase the dead weight unduly, and that he could not accept responsibility should an accident occur. The borough engineer (Mr W. J. Roche) said that the decking proposed to be put on the bridge was three-inch bluegum, the present decking (2-inch bluegum) being worn through. Mr Dawson said the bridge would he stiffened, but the states and rods would not bear the strain. This, the engineer said, did not agree with his calculations. The present weight was between thirty and forty tons and the proposea redecking would only bring the weight to sixty tons. The rods would stand a strain of one hundred and forty tons. The cost of timber for redecking the bridge would amount to £6O. —Held over until an interview with Mr Dawson can be arranged. Th© engineer reported that 38J chains of the sewer in Park avenue had been laid, and it was expected to be finished by the end of next week. The concrete walls of th© additions to the reservoir had been erected to their full height, and the piers were now to be built in preparation for the roof. The cost to date was £365 9s Bd. The extension of the shafting at the pumping station was. almost completed ; so far the cost was £4B 13s 2d_. Tarring and sanding had been finished; £356 6s 9d had been, spent on this work.