SHANNON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 21 September 1928, Page 3

SHANNON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

fortnightly meeting. The above meeting was held in the Shannon Council Chambers (m r^ ues^ aj ’ evening. Present: Crs T. C. Thwaitts .(chairman), R. Downes, E. J. S Spencer, Jas Curran, jun., Jas. C arran sdn/ A. E. Hyde and R. Hook. RESIDENT DOCTOR. Recently the Council advertised for a resident doctor for Shannon, with the result that four enquiries have been received. The' Town Clerk reported having forwarded the particulars asked for. A committee consisting oi Crs Thwaites and Hyde and the Town Clerk were appointed to deal with the matter., ~„T , T , T I„ BRIDGE IN -GRAHAM SIREET. Mr J. A. Wilkinson wrote drawing the Council’s attention to the state oi the bridge over Stansell’s dram leading to his property in Graham Street. He stated that the bridge was unsafe for traffic and that carriers refuse to cross it with a load.— Referred to the Road Committee to make an inspecSLABS FOR FOOTPATHS. The engineer of the Wellington City Council wrote in reply to particulars as to cost of concrete slabs for footpaths manufactured by them, advising that the slabs are made 24 inches thick and two feet wide in lengths to suif the widths of the footpaths, generally 3ft, 2ft 6in. and 2 feet. They are being made under contract at a- price slightly under 4/- per square yard.— The letter was handed to the Roac. •Committee with instructions to bring down a report. ' HEALTH OFFICER’S REPORT. . The Health Officer (Mr Huggins'; report for the month ending August 31st is as follows: —infectious disease cases investigated: Scarlet fever 1, pul nionary T.B. 1. Sanitary inspections: Habitations 9, food sellers’ premise? 3,'plumbing and drainage 1. General: He had investigated the complaint m. to creek pollution in the Borough. Thii was traced to the slaughter house, and assurances are now given by the proprietors that the pollution, which wat caused through a misunderstanding by temporary staff, will not occur again. —Received. ‘ RANGER’S. REPORT. ' The ranger (Mr J. Swindlehurst) reported that since his last report he has impounded one horse, while anothei was claimed by the owner when being taken to the pound. —Received. ROAD TO NEW BRIDGE Cr Hyde asked if anything could be done to hasten the completion of the new road to the bridge. The bridgi has been completed some time, alst the small bridge over the Otauru creek, but the use of them is held uj .owing to the delay in .completing tin road. All businessmen in the towf kno.w the inconvenience caused to per sons having to use the punt, which i: often out of action, thus compelling people to journey to and from Foxtoi via Koputaroa. He said he was fully aware that they had not a great dea of say in the matter, but a letter from the Council to the Public Works De pa,rtment might help to hasten tht work. , , .. Cr. Curran, jun., said he believed that a screening of metal was to gt on, when the present metalling con tract was finished.'' The Department should be asked to speed up the work as communication with Foxton ha: been practically jheld up for about fou .years. * •- Cr. Downes: “The road should haw been in readiness when .the bridge wa finished.• y It was decided to act on Cr. Hyde’ suggestion aifd write to the Pul.di Works , ]J>eparfcmehJ 'asking them 1 have the "work speeded up. ‘ . GENERAL. The question of putting in a draii. at the new plqt 'ijvPlimmcr Terrace t carry the water from the roadside w.. referred to the Road Committee.

ROAD MAINTENANCE DISCUSSED

SCHEDULE OF WORK TO BE

DRAWN UP,

The question of improving the Council's method of carrying out road maintenance raised by Cr. Hyde at the previous meeting of ~ the Council was dealt with and thoroughly discussed. Cr. Hyde said he had not brought the matter forward with the idea of finding fault with anyone, only that it had struck him. that the roads were deteriorating. He wanted to ask the rea son why. They had two men employed on maintaining the roads and as t member of the Roads Committee.it din not seem to him they got any non ideas carried out. To his mind the grader was not used enough. He did not pose as an authority on roads, but he contended that only by the use of the grader could the roads be properly maintained. The fine metal lying on the .'sides should be brought to the centre. At present the roads are full of potholes. In the past the grader had done good work on the streets and he thought that if occasionally the Council let a contract to give the roads a sprinkle of metal and the grader was used to keep it in order they would then have good roads and the maintenance would be less.

Cr. Spencer said the matter under discussion was one in which he had always been interested. He agreed with Cr. Hyde insomuch that the grader was not used sufficiently and the methods used needed rectifying. A road should not be allowed to consolidate to any great extent. If so, potholes appeared very quickly. The surface should be kept loosened and the grader freely used, if that were done they would always - have sufficient material to work on. But it was only by constant grading that this could be done. The best method-of using a grader was to work alternately from the crown out and from the edges in, thereby keeping the road in a uniform crown or grade. He

had noticed this was being done at Tokomaru, where the road was being prepared for tar-sealing. The grader should be taken out to the water table and the metal anjd certain spoil brought in and at a later grading this could be worked back. He did not agree with Cr. Downes’ remark that the grader was a tin pot one. rheie was no difference in the grader s blade to any other and if weight was required that could be obtained ov weighting the grader when in use. He contended that the roads generally had ample metal, instancing the road scarified in Grand Street- and showing at least nine inches'of metal. He said he felt sure that if they took the main road in hand in its present condition they could use the grader on it once every week. When tlu-y first bought the grader they were like a child with a new toy and used it freely. Roads taken in any condition were made perfect and lie had heard Cr. Downes re- i mark on the effect, but the grader had since been stabled too much, hence the conditions existing. Another thing that had an effect on keeping maintenance well in hand, was the use of the men for incidental work, such as bridge repairing, etc. He did not blame the workmen for the present conditions, but it. was essential that the roadmen should be competent to handle the grader properly. If .the metal on the roads was loosened and the grader kept at work the Council’s metal bill-would be reduced by half. The metal used must be of an even .grade and as fine as possible. Cr. Curran, sen. stated that during the last few days lie had motored along the roads in the adjacent districts, and he had found the. roads to be full of potholes and motorists needed a “pig net” over them to keep in their seats. The Shannon streets, he said, were ten times better than these adjacent roads. . , Cr. Curran, jun., was of the opinion that the roads required a coating of three inches of metal and then use. the grader and keep on using it. Cr. Hook said lie travelled over the borough roads as much as anyone and he considered the roadmen did good work. If the large stones were removed and the roads received a coat of metal, and the grader constantly used, an improvement in the condition should result. The Deputy Mayor suggested considering scarifying tne roads and approaching the Ilorowhenua County Council for the loan of their scarifier. Cr. Downes, chairman of Road Committee, replying to the opinions expressed, referred to the remark of Cr. Hyde that he had not been able to have ideas carried out, said that at the meetings of Hie Road Committee he had never received any from Cr. Hyde. Regarding the grader, lie still thought it was a toy and it would have been better to have purchased the Austin at £65. A large grader was required to deal with the roads efficiently. It was an utter impossibility to U3e the present grader on hard ground. It would not work, he said. He considered that the metal from the Shannon < creek consolidated too quickly, pointing out that loose metal on the road was recognised by every engineer as the only way to get a good liurface. This Council, he said, would.never have a good surface on their roads till crushed metal was used. The large stones tended to make potholes. . A ■screening of fine metal was required and this should be kept on the move. At present it was impossible to gej metal from the creek and the Council would have to consider purchasing metal elsewhere. In conclusion, he •aid, that taking into consideration the length of roads to be maintained by their two men, no two men in any jounty had as much to look after, and the way the roads were kept up they .’ompared favourably with any roads in the vicinity. The roadman (Mr F. Haley), in replying to a question, said there was very little gravel on the sides of the .■■oatls. The fine metal had disappear'd in many places and the big stones Were coming through and when the grader was put on they got into the day. The metal in the creek consisted if boulders and sand. All the dumps, with the exception of 50 or 60 yards in .Johnson Street have been cleaned up. Me contended that 100 days in the year was taken up by borough roadmen in attending to other jobs in the borough. Cr. Spencer then moved, “That the Road Committee schedule the work to be carried out by the Borough Foreman and any-work required to be done outside the* schedule be discussed by the Council.” Also the committee consider the question of purchasing metal. The motion on being put to the meeting was carried. The Deputy Mayor said the matter had been well ventilated and he thanked the. Council for the way in which they had discussed it. He thought it would be productive of good results.