Patea Borough Works

Patea Mail, 5 April 1882, Page 3

Patea Borough Works

The Engineer expects to complete his report ami estimate of street levelling and formation in a fortnight. He has completed the surveys for levels in most of the streets proposed to be improved, including the main street from the railway to the town. The Works Committee can now take some of the works in hand, by getting authority for their construction out of ordinary revenue, leaving the larger works to be dealt with as part of the loan scheme.

The Works Committee. A report was presented to the Council by the Works Committee on Monday, as follows :—“ O’Mara and others have been occupied 86 days in stripping and spreading the gravel used on the main road, from the public pound to Mr James Lett’s residence ; and 14£ chains of gravelling will now complete the roadway to the northern boundary of borough. ..The: gravel-pit lately opened on Mr Tennent’s property has now been fairly tested : the lower seatn keeps dipping downward, causing about 15 feet of stripping through hard bine clay, the cost exceeding that of cartage. The upper seam has been tried and found defective. Tunnelling is now being carried on at the old pit near the Patea river, at a much less cost for finding. This will allow a greater portion of the superior metal to he used bn York street, which your committee recommend should be gravelled under the present arrangemeiit. yards of gravel have been delivered during the month, at a cost of £32 15s fid. Attention is called to a wooden drain placed across the footway in Lincoln street, near the bank of New Zealand, contrary to the 78th section of bye-laws.”

It was explained, in discussion, that the wooden drain from the new bank building is only temporary,-until Lin-coln-street is formed with channels.

The Mayor said that street,ought to be properly formed at an early date. The handsome new buildings at the the corner (one commenced), and the other ' good buildings in that street, should induce the Council to do something worthy,of the. surroundings. Mr Tennent’s letter, asking sixpence a load for gravel instead of threepence, was also discussed in this connection, and dealt with as reported. The Committee’s report was adopted.

PUBLIC MEETING & BALLOT. It is to be hoped, if the Engineer’s estimate of new works comprised in the loan scheme be completed within a fortnight, that a special meeting of the Council will be called to deal with the estimate, in order that a public meeting of ratepayers may be summoned to consider the whole scheme by the light of the estimated cost for each work, and that a ballot may be afterwards taken on a day to be fixed. The Council might them proceed, with the loan scheme without further lapse of time The preliminaries have occupied a longer period than was expected by most ratepayers, though it is not easy to see how the process could have been quickened. Ornmbling will serve no good purpose now ; whereas a united effort to push the place ahead is the right thing wanted.