SHANNON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 7 September 1923, Page 3

SHANNON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council was Weld in the Council Chambers on Tuesday evening. Present: The Mayor (Mr Murdoch], and Crs. Beard, Gunning, Garter, Curran, Hyde, Butt, Gardner, Murray, and the Engineer (Mr Edwards). CORRESPONDENCE. The following letter was . received by the chairman of the Housing Committee from Mesdames Hardie, Vaughan, and J. V. Bunns:—“We, the undersigned, will esteem it a favour, if you will kindly bring this letter before the Council on .Tuesday next, with a view to you asking your engineer, if he can see his way clear to reduce his charges in connection win. the three loans just granted us. The high cost of building and the other expenses have made these houses very expensive and then to add 2J per cent, on the, capital value of a Government loan is excessive. For' your benefit, we would, like to point out, that in other Boroughs granting the use of Government money for house building to ratepayers, the GovN eminent Inspector has done 'the necessary work of inspection at 12s 6d a visit, three visits in all, not at 2| 1 per cient. on contract price. When we applied for these loans, we were written to by the Town Clerk, saying our loans would be approved, subject to- section being transferred “ to the Council to be the value oi 10 per cent, ol whole house and section,, which has been done, work an; material to the satisfaction of the

engineer. Welt, all buildings have been built to the satisfaction of the engineer in any borough, land there was no mention of any 2i per cent, for engineer and also no mention.of any £lO odd for office administration. We think, under all circumstances, and as your letter of. the 7th February last did not convey that there would be any of these extra charges, we are due for some consideration. In the case .of Mrs Burns, as an example-of the three loans, the loan was for £836, now with extra charges which were never mentioned or anticipated the capital value of the .house is £866, and legal expenses yet to be added, an increase' of just on 4.per cent. Trusting you will see the justice of these few remarks.”

The Council were or the opinion that the applicants were aware m the extra charges to be made and., it was decided the letter be received. C. E. V-eale wrote stating Mr Grumwaid had made no attempt to remove his bees as notified by the Council, and asking, the Council to move m the - matter.—The Town Clerk, to take action against Mr GruimvaJd at once. The Clerk of the Horowhenua Electric Power Board, advising that the Board is prepared to enter into an agreement with the Borough for street lighting for. a period ol seven years on the following terms :—(I) The price per lamp per annum to he £3 12s 6d for the first 100 lamps anu thereafter £3 10s per lamp net, m each instance. This includes installation, electricity and maintenance, and the hours to be from sunset to midnight. For an all-night service untn daylight, an extra 5s per lamp per annum will be charged; (.-■) -lbat 1( per cent of the total number ol lamps supplied to any town may be increased to 150 candle power, provided tha such totally increased candLe powet shall average within 100 candle powei per point installed. —The Council approved of the terms set out and an agreement be entered into as requested

ENGINEER’S REPORT. The Engineer UMr R. Edwards) reported' ‘that the tenders of the Spira: Lock Bar Steel Co. and John Duthie and Co. have now-been finally ad •justed for the supply of 8-meh, 4-mei and 6-inch pipes lor the water- supply. The materials to- be defiveae, within four months, approximately. “I now require your authority to order the fittings, to be selected from the lowest tender in hand. Many o. the fittings will be wanted as soon as the first lot of pipes come to hand System of progress: As soon as Wit easements are completed i propose t< commence to prepare the pipe--track for the line of 6-inch pipes from the intake to the site of the reservoir. Before this work is actually starter complete levels will have to be taken and adjusted to fit in with the new site of the reservoir. The next work will be building the reservoir. I suggest that the line of pipes reierreo to and the concrete reservoir be done by day labour, which for this class of work is the best and most economical I now require your authority to call tenders for the supply of cement and other materials and also lor caitinq of all materiai. I confidently expect the material arranged for to come to hand within the time specified. The arrangements are so made to enable the work to proceed economically and smoothly, and no labour will be employed until everything is ready. I am arranging the work in such, a- way, that there will he no overlapping by commencing at such points that will pave the way lor the subsequent work. The dates of the arrival of the material wilenable me to get the head works and the wet parts of the main pipe lme completed in the dry months. “Be- the- sewerage scheme lor Shannon I Wave made the first inspection of the positions for the sites of outfall sewer and the septic tank. As lar as I caii seei at the present tune the lay of that portion of the town between the Manawatu riv.er and George street will provide a suitable site to include all portions of the Borough within the drainage area, the exact position will be determined Infer according to levels, which will be taken some time next week. The report was adopted, .and the engineer was instructed to advertise for, tenders for cement. Cr. Garter: Can.the work ol bmidima the reservoir he commenced immediately the material comes to -hand, or will 'we- have to- wait, about four months to get a start-? The engineer Baid the work could be started when the material arrived. GENERAL.

Cr. Hyde moved that the Reserve Commuteei be| authorised to purchase a lawn mower for. use on the plot OP-POsite the station—Carried. Mr \V. Butler was appointed temporary ranger. It- was decided that a second road-

man be appointed, wages to be 15s per day on days worked. The lender of Mr J. Swindlehurst was accepted for cleaning out the Ota urn stream,'a.t 18s per chain, from the concrete tunnel to the -railway and from, the railway to the old concrete -at, 23si -per chain. Accounts totalling £3B were passed for payment. •