BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 103, 9 April 1884, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council was held in the offices, Lowe Street, last evening. Present:—His Worship the Mayor (Capt. T, W. Porter) in the chair, and Councillois Townley, Lewis, Joyce, Hepburn, Kenny, Brown, Smith, and Tucker. The minutes of the previous meetings were read and confirmed. Outgoing Correspondence. The following outgoing correspondence was then read: —To C. McDevitt, re acceptance of carting contract; to Birch, re nightsoil contract ; to B. Sheriff, re footpath; to Sinking fund Commissioners; and to J. Cresswell, re audit of accounts. Finance Committee Report. At a meeting held to consider a letter from the Sinking Fund Commissioner, asking if payment of the mortgage of £750, in the name of Mr. W. S. Greene, would be received if offered within the next six months, it was resolved, “ That in the opinion of the Finance Committee the Council had no power to receive payment before the due date, viz., Sept. 18, 1885.” The report was adopted. Public Works Committee Report. The meeting was called for the purpose of receiving the annual estimates, and assisting the Engineer in allocating money for streets and roads for the coming year. The following statement of estimated income and proposed expenditure for the year 1884-5 was read:— Receipts. Rates unpaid .. .. .. .. £2OO Licenses .. .. .. .. .. 660 Rents .. .. .. .. .. 200 Taxes .. .. .. .. .. 150 Valuation of Borough for 1884-5, on £27,047 45., at Is. in the £ .. 1,352 £2,562 Expenditure. Overdraft .. .. .. .. .. £769 Special loan liability .. .. .. 700 Salariess64 Overseer and labor on streets .. .. 200 Turanganui bridge .. .. .. 500 Fire Brigade 80 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. 200 £3,013 Schedule of proposed expenditure on public works in the Borough for the year ending March 31, 1885: — 1— Read’s Quay—from Childers Road to Nesbitt Road ; forming, metalling, and wattling .. .. .. 100 2— Roebuck Road North—fill up drain, form and metal road, and divert water from Gladstone Road .. 170 3— Childers Road — form and metal from Carnarvon Street to Stanley Road .. .. .. .. .. 350 4— Palmerston Road—raise eastern end and improve drainage throughout 150 5— Cleaning out drains .. .. .. 100 6— Roebuck Road South—Childers Road to Gladstone Road, form and metal 120 7 — Repairs to side streets .. .. 150 £1,140

Cr. Townley hoped the report would be adopted, as it would enable them to form and metal the worst road in the borough, It would be noticed that they had to start with an overdraft of £769, but he had no doubt but what they would be able to wipe this off before long. The Committee had given the matter the fullest consideration, and he hoped that they would not knock any of the proposed expenditure off as the whole was most necessary for carrying out the work. Cr. Smith whilst desiring to see the roads improved as much as possible, would, before going any further like, to have the matter of the overdraft arranged. If this was done, and he could see how they were to get through next year, he would support the penditure. Cr. Townley could not see that the Borough was any worse off than in former years. Of course if the Bank put a veto on the over* draft they had no alternative but to reduce their expenditure. It would be folly to ask the Bank for the necessary accommodation until they knew whether they wanted it—until the report was passed. The Chairman remarked that it had been agreed to go to £l,OOO overdraft, and now it would require one of £1,500 odd to carry out the proposed works; but he thought they had better accept the report. Cr. Lewis remarked that the bridge was ft large item, and Childer’s Road certainly must be done, If it had not been for the bridge he certainly should have advocated spending more on the roads. He thought the very best had been done and had much pleasure in moving the adoption of the report. Cr. Kenny, in seconding the motion, said he thought the Public Works Committee deserved great praise for the manner in which they had dovetailed things together. In putting the motion, which was carried, the Chairman remarked that the rates would be increased some £3OO this year. Engineer’s Report. The Engineer reported:— Neic Works.— The schedule of proposed works for the coming year has been prepared and revised by the Public Works Committee. It will be laid before you this evening. Turanganui Bridge.— l have submitted ft report with designs and estimates to the Public Works Committee, and by their instructions now lay it before you. I may draw attention to the fact that the estimates give the bare cost of the work without any provision for contingencies. The usual allowanc3 would (10 per cent.) bring the lowest estimate above £3,000. The report above referred to was then read as follows:—

Having made the necessary surveys, I have lately been considering the designs of this bridge. The original design seems to me to be objectionable in some points, and I have prepared sketches and estimates of two other designs which are, I think, more suitable to the site. The original design is a pile bridge, with 25 spans, and a roadway 20 feet wide, having a draw-span of 76 feet, which would leave a clear opening of 28 feet. Any obstruction to the current here will interfere with the scour at the wharf and the bar, and I think that a bridge of this sort would probably have an appreciably bad effect on the channel below, especially as the piers are placed on the square, and not in a line with the current, I, therefore, propose a trussed bridge, with the piers placed in the line of the current. This will make the bridge on the skew—angle of skew 69|deg. The length of the draw-span to give a clear opening of 30 feet will be about 90 feet. Three 80 feet spans, or four 60 feet spans would make the length of the bridge 330 feet. The abutments may be placed this distance apart without materially encroaching on the stream. If 80 feet spans are adopted the roadway must be carried on the bottom booms of the girders, and the structure stiffened transversely by long joists braced diagonally to the top boom. Very long piles (over 40 feet) will be requisite in the deep part of the channel. But if 60 feet spans are adopted the roadway may be carried on top of the girder. Diagonal bracing may be placed between the girders; shorter piles will suffice; a handrail will be necessary. The soffit of girders would be Bft. above the highest known flood. As no great quantity of timber comes down the Turanganui in flood, I do not see any objection to th s esiga which for stability and appearance I prefer to the 80 feet spans. I give herewith estimates of the cost of the three designs. TURANGANUI BRIDGE. I.—Pile Bridge as originally designed. Earthwork and Metalling .. .. £212 84811 feet Totara (planed and fixed) at 4051696 69206 ft. kauri (planed & fixed) at 80s. 1038 14549 lbs. ironwork at 4d243 Turning gear .. 100 Sheathing 101 piles at £1 .. .. 101 £BB9O 11. — Eighty Feet Spans, Roadway on Bottom Boom. Earthwork and metalling .. .. £212 50422 feet of totara at 40s1008 76846 feet of kauri at 80s1158 19905 lbs ironwork at 4d. .« «. 832 Turning gearloo Sheathing 40 piles at £1 .. .. 40 £2845 111, Six Spans, Roadway on top of Girdebs THREE FEET OF IT THREE I’EET ABOVE THE HIGHEST FLOOD. Earthwork and metalling ~ .. £212 50983 feet of totara at 38s. .. ~ 968 75246 feet of kauri at 8051129 23721 lbs. ironwork at 4d. .. .. 895 Turning gearloo Sheathing fifty piles at £1 .. 50 £2854 The Chairman said there were the three plans to choose from, The first one being’ beyond their means might be discarded and the other two were the only ones to be con. sidered. They were within a few pounds of each other, and it had better be decided upon which they should accept so that the plans could be forwarded for approval and tenders called for without delay. Cr. Kenny thought it best to give the matter more consideration as it was a subject of some importance. He himself should certainly like to have a little further time to think over it. Cr. Joyce agreed with the previous speaker and did not see any great need for hurry. The Chairman thought it a pity to delay the matter unnecessary and thought they could take the Engineer’s opinion. Cr. Townley pointed out that the County Council Engineer should be allowed to inspect the plans and give his opinion. He did not think there was any hurry for a week. He would propose that a special meeting of the Council be held next Tuesday evening with a view of receiving the engineer’s opinion, and in the meantime the County and Borough Engineers confer together as to which is the best plan.— Carried PAYMENTS. The following accounts were passed for payment:—S. Doleman, £l2 95.; J. Adams, £1 Bs.; H. Lewis, £1 15s. 5d.; Parnell and Boylan, £3 Is. 2d.; J. W. Nolan, £5 55.; Poverty Bay Herald, £l6 13s. 3d. EXTRAORDINARY BUSINESS. Cr. Kenny said his attention had recently been called to a small matter which needed correction. It was that people were in the habit of driving over the footpath opposite Mr. Bennett’s house in the Childers Road, and had made it very bad to walk upon. Now he did not wish to take any one by surprise in laying an information against them, and as they all no doubt read their papers—or at least should do so—he thought the mere fact of bringing the matter forward would act as a deterrent without resorting to any further measures. STREET LAMPS. The Clerk called attention to the fact that a motion had been passed for storing the street lamps for six months, and as the time had expired he wished to know whether they were to remain longer in store or not. On the proposition of the Chairman, the further consideration of the matter was adjourned.