PAPAKURA.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 455, 7 March 1919, Page 2

PAPAKURA.

WATER SUPPLY WANTED. NEW SCHEME SUGGESTED. The need for a water supply far Papakura is at present strikingly apparent as the result of the recentprolonged spell of dry weather, ana at last Monday's meeting of the Town Board, Mr H T. Markwick, a member of the late Board, was in attendance, and urged that an ade- t quate water supply was very essential. He was the e, he said, to suggest an economical scheme, which would supply the Town district, the cost being not more than £4,000. He suggested that the Rev. H. Mason, of Otahuhu, should be asked to carry out teste in the immediate centre of the village *o see if water could be got there, as he believed it could If so, they oould • bore and erect a windmill and an auxiliary engine and pump from 6 to 8 li.p. He estimated the cost as follows: — Three miles of 2in. pipes, £1,782; one mile of lin. pipes, £800; good big windmill and bore, $278; auxiliary engine (8 h.p). £6O; tower and tank, £450 ; total, £3,370. Mr Markwick claimed that his scheme could be worked profitably, He suggested a charge of la 6d per IOOOgaL for water. He added that when a bigger scheme became necessary the pipes, as laid, could be utilised. A question was raised at this stage as to whether water from a bore j would be suitable for drinkuig pur- j poses, Mr Campbell giving his opinion in the negative. Mr Markwick reported that the water from the bore at Mr Willis' bakehouse was very good, and it never ran dry. They could, he continued, erect a tank large enough to hold from 30,000 to 40 OOOgals. of water, and also a tower 50 or 60ft. high with steel girders and rein forced concrete. That would give a pressure, if the site was at the rear of the Methodist Church, of about 50lbs. at the trough. J Dr Brookfield remarked that to |j supply 800 people, each consuming 30 gallons a day, would mean that 16 gallons a minute would need to be pumped. Mr Markwick stated that he simply had the welfare of the district at heart, and was sure that if a water supply was obtained the district would go ahead. The Chairman thanked Mr Markwick for his suggestion, and said the matter would receive consideration later on. PAPAKURA TOWN BOARD At the fortnightly meeting of the Papakura Town Board held last Monday evening there were present Messrs D. W. Jonee, (chairman), T D. Campbell, E. D. McLennan and Dr A. W. P. Brookfield with the Town Clerk (Mr Harold Wilson). miscellaneous It was decided to obtain a quantity of carbide for the purpose of lighting the street lamps. The chairman was authorised to have the old saleyards corner formed. The matter of kerbing and channeling the same was being deferred. A proposal by the Chairman for the Board to order a supply of scoria or shell for laying on the was deferred until next meeting in order that quotations can be obtained. The need for beautifying the ceme'erv was urged by Mr E. D McLennan who thought that native shrubs or trees of some kind should be obtained. This, he added, would mean the beautifying of the cemetery. It w decided to obtain a price list from the Forest Department. The tender of Mr Waldo Smith, plumber, for overhauling and connecting the lighting plant was accepted Tnree applications were received for the position of lamplighter and Mr Gordon Wilson was appointed at a salary of 25s per week. The tender of Mr H Blank, Papakura, at £177 7s, for the work in Cook street, was accepted, the engineer's estimate being £l9O. Other tenderers were —Messrs A P. Brodie, Mt. Albert, £210; and W. K Patterson, Papakura, £225. FINANCE Accounts amounting to £B6 10a id were approved and passed for payment. The Clerk submitted the financial itatement for the period ending Feb■uary 28th, 1919, which showed the lalauces of the various accounts to >e as follows General account, lebit. £298 Is 5d ; hospital fund ccount, credit, £ll4 2s lOd; library nnd account, credit, £5 19s 4d;

cemetery accouut, credit, £25 I7s9d; interest account, credit, £2B 5s 2d. The overdraft at the Bank of New ZealasdAis shown at £l2B 18s Bd, while was a credit balance of 4*5 2s ickin the Post Office savings bank.

The report was adopted. DEVELOPING PAPAKURA. ROAD LOAN PROPOSALS.

The existing unsatisfactory condition of roads in Papakura again received attention from the Town

Board at its meeting last Monday, I when the recommendations of the < Board's engineers (Messrs Lockie Gannon and Macduff), as recently detailed in these columns, were read by the Chairman (Mr D. W. Jones.) Briefly, the engineers' proposals are that the Great South road, for the full distance within the Board's j district, should be constructed in I concrete 16ft. wide in centre, the portion in the business part of the J town to hive metal on each side of j the concrete strip; aa \ also f>r work i on certain other roads. I The Chairman, after veadiug the i engineers' report, stated that he proposed to ask the. ratepayers to ■sanction a loan of £13,000 (a baljfeyce of £1719 over the engineer' plitimate of £13,281) to provide for f metalling Marne road and a part of t Stock road, which he thought would .>* be ample. The present valuation of pi Papakura, he pointed out, was :: £IBO,OOO (or possibly more), and the total rates amounted to one and ninetwentieths of a penny in the £. As snming that the Board was authorised to borrow £15,000, the rate would be increased to two and seven-t .entietbs of a penny in the £ He proposed to reduce the present general rate of IJd to Id. Tbis would then mean an increase of ninetenths of & penny in the £ ov r The piesent rate. The interest and sinking fund on the money would be 5J per cent per annum, tr £825. That w mid mean the striking of a rate of one and one tenth of a penny in the £. The scheme, if sar.ctioned by the ratepayers, would result in;h< four main roads in the district—viz , Great South, Marne; Settlement, and Stock roads— being put into first claaa order. Dr Brook field and Mr McLenuan favoured the motalling of the Great South road on m tea uf tho 16ft strip of concrete. Mr Jones: The ques ion is ire we, as a Board, prepared to ask the ratepayers to Minction % loan of £15,000 for roadiog facilities ? Mr McLennan thought the wiser plan would be to submit a definite scheme with provision for so much metal on both sides. J)r Brookrield said he did not ' .. CMrove of the 1 tut. of concrete unthe road was metalled on each side of the concrete strip. He con- ' sidered 16ft.-too narrow ior vehicles to pass. Eventually the matter was deferred ' for further consideration until next \ Monday, when a special meeting of the Board will be held, but the | Chairman was authorised to take the necessary steps to arrange for a meeting of for the scheme to be eiplaJJMJihem The ratepayers' me%9K.s exoeottfrto take place aboignKfwceJga^faext. .0 ' f~\— •