MARTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9093, 12 March 1908, Page 8

MARTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

A special meeting was held last evening. Pi'csent- The IMayor (M!r .1. MoEldownvc), Ors. Lyon, Hilton, Gould, .Sutcliffe and Bredin. BUILDING BY-LAWS.

The Bui Mi eg Inspector raoprted. that Mesur. Abraham and Williams were putting up a building in Broadway without having procured a permit as required in the by-laws. The Inspector had warned the owners not to proceed u..til a'permit had been obtained. Or. Gould moved and Or. Hilton seconded, That a copy of the Building Inspector’s report be furnished to Messrs Abraham and Williams, and that their attention be drawn to the provisions of the Council’s bylaws prohibiting the erection of buildings in Broadway, having walls of other material than brick, and that they be informed that the Council is without prejudice prepared to waive the strict enforement of such by-laws, provided that the northern wall of the new erection is constructed of brick, in accordance with the by-laws provided ; also that plans and specifications of the proposed erection are lodged atjAhe office of the Borough Council in accordance with the by-laws. The motion was carried. PARK MATTERS.

Cr. Hilton drew attention to the necessity for repairing the Park fences on the eastern side. The borough horse was also allowed to graze there, and he suggested it should be removed until after the sports. The Athletic Club had rheon very generous in the past by giving donations towards the up-keep of the Park, and they should receive every consideration at the hands of the Council. The fences should he repaired before the day of the Sports. It was decided to refer the matter of fencing to the Park Committee with authority to have the work done at once.

The question of permitting private entrances to the Park on the eastern side was brought up and Council decided against granting such permits. WATER SUPPLY SCHEMES.

Mr Leslie Reynolds reported as follows: —On my recent visit to Marton to investigate sources of water supply for the Borough, the district was carefully inspected by myself and assistants, and I have to advise you that the only suitable supply for Marton within measurable distance of the town is obtainable from the Rangitikei river, or from a probable supply at the foot of the terrace near tire Porewa stream. I am satisfied that no inland streams nor lake water within a radius of 15 miles offer facilites for a high pressure water supply, as uot only do they dry up, during periods of dry weather*, but the water would be in no degree suitable for domestic purposes as the watersheds are at all times badly contaminated by stock. With regard to boring for artesian water I think this question may bo left on one side as it is very jjroblematical whether water can be obtained by this means in the district. If obtainable at all it would be at a very considerable depth and cost. Reverting to the Rangitikei river, the water at the time of my inspection was so charged with green weeds as to be unsuitable for water supply if taken direct from the stream and I have no doubt that, during freshes or floods it becomes heavily charged with silt. The only method of obtaining a pure sup]ily from this river is by means of sinking on the river’s flank ami constructing infiltration galleries, from whence the water would be pumped to a service reservoir of 250,000 gallons capacity some 200 feet above the town. The position of the reservoir would be on the Cliff road about a mile from Jefferson’s Line. Tha most suitable place to tap the river is”iu the vicinity of the Ouepuhi bridge which is approximately 200 feet below the town. Allowing 70 gallons per head per day, for a population of 3000 and pumping to occupy 8 hours per day. the rising main will require to be 10 inches in diamefer and the power required 90 b.h.p. The most suitable pumping plant would be High Lift centrifugal pumps driven by producer or suction gas plant, which with coke fuel procurable from the gsa works should uot cost more than £ls per month, and with an engineer in attendance at 10s per day, the cost would be £3O per month or £360 per annum. Except for the lower portion of the rising main where the pressure would be excessive I would recommend your Council to adopt the wood stave pipe similar to that now under construction for Hokitika, The pipes used in the work referred to have been tested up to a pressure of 3501bs per square inch with very satisfactory results, and I shall ask the manufacturers of these pipes at Hokitika to forward you an average sample. From the plan herewith, it will be noticed that practically all the streets in the town have been included in the reticulation. As the estimates give the cost per chain of the various sized pipes laid complete, your Council will bo able to arrive at a reduction in the cost of reticulation should it desire to curtail the extent shown on the plan. Should your Council not see its way to carry out the works, I would advise that the present reticulation be renewed and that the ratepayers depend upon rainwater for domestic purposes, the reservoir supply to be used in event of fire. The present reticulation is thoroughly unsatisfactory and should your Council uot inaugurate a high pressure gravitation supply from the Rangitikei river, I strongly recommend that the main from the reservoir be increased to nine indies in diameter and all side branches be six inches in diameter, wood stave pipes to be used throughout. I estimate the cost of a high pressure water supply from Rangitikei river at £17,139, and a 9in. main from present reservoir, reticulation, house service, plans and supervision at £7,606. Should the question of lifting, cleaning, re-tarring and relaying the present old cast iron pipes and reticulation be raised, I would advise that it is uot worth doing as apart from the cost, pipes once corroded cannot be effectively re-tarred. It was resolved that Mr Reynolds be written to stating that Council is of opinion that the scheme for obtaining a high pressure water supply from Rangitikei river is beyond the moans of "the Council and it, therefore, desires to ask Mr Reynolds for further particulars in connection with the alternative scheme par ticnlarly with reference to the following questions:— 1. Wfiat would he the difference in pressure between the proposed mains and those now in use, viz., (5-inch pipes?

2. Whether he would recommend raising the concrete embankment at the reservoir so as to increase storage capacity and if so would he give details thereof? 3. Whether by any device at the site of the present reservoir the pressure could be increased? 4. Whether for the purposes of fire extinction any auxiliary power such as steam tire engines would be required. 5. What would be the difference in cost between wood stave pipes and steel pipes throughout for the particular size that would bo required. 6. Whether he could suggest any scheme of infilitratiou for purifying the supply from the present reservoir? 7. Generally will Mr Reynolds furnish such further information as to the improvements of the supply from the present reservoir as wflli cover all points occurring to him, although not specifically mentioned above so that the Council may have sufficient details to place before the ratepayers such report to he furnished to the Council at the earliest possible opportunity? 8. Does Mr Reynolds consider the embankment of the present reservoir strong enough to hold the increased supply of water if it were further raised by means of a concrete embankment?