SHANNON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 4 October 1929, Page 3

SHANNON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING. The'usual fortnightly meeting of the Shannon Borough Council was held in the Council Chambers on Tuesday evening. Present: The Mayor (Mr E. Butt) and Crs. A. E. Hyde, R. Downes, T.-C. Thwaites, R. Hook, Jas. Curran, junr., S. Anderson and Jas. Curran, sen.

REQUEST FOR SIGN POSTS. A letter was received from the Manawatu . Automobile, Association, replying to" the Council’s request for sign posts for the Foxton-Shannon main highway, that it was expected in a few days to have matter adjusted re sign posting with the Wellington Automobile Club, when the Association will be pleased to- render assistance in the direction mentioned —Received. URBAN FARM LANDS RATING BILL. The Feilding Borough Council wrote asking the Council to give very serious consideration to the Urban Farm Lands Rating Bill, which is to be introduced into Parliament this session. The-Feilding Borough has communicated with the member of Parliament for the district, asking that he request the Government to defer further consideration of the Bill for twelve months, to

enable it to be fully considered by municipalities 'generally and by the Municipal Association in particular. Feilding borough, asked that the Council take similar .action.—rAs councillors are not well enough acquainted with the Bill, the Town Clerk was instructed to procure a copy of the measure which Avill be placed before the Council at its next meeting. REMITS FOR MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE. .A letter was received from the Municipal Association asking that all remits for the next Municipal Association conference _to be held at Invercargill in

March, be in the hands of the secretary by the 25th November, 1929. Dealing with plant ordered from Great Britain, the Association considered a letter from His" Majesty’s Trade Commissioner which pointed out cases where plant and equipment had. been ordered in Great Britain under the impression that the-same would be manufactured there, whereas it was found that the plant was of foreign origin . The suggestion made by the Commissioner was that in order to prevent a repetition of such cases it might be advisable for a local body to specify in all cases, that the country of origiii of such plant, machinery of equipment ordered from Great Britain should be definitely stated bv the tenderers. —Received. ROADMAN’S REPORT. The Borough foremaii (F. Haley) reported that a start has been made with the widening of the Sheehan Street Main Highway. The filling in of the south side has -been completed . to Thpmpson Street and the drain from Thompson Street to. Mason’s shed has been filled i'ii. More soil is required on top to form a shoulder. Work is now in progress on the north side of the road. water main to McLean’s property is completed. The pipe line and galleries have bee if inspected and found to be in good order. —Adopted. PERMANENT SURFACING. Messrs A. J. Paterson and F. Ilemplemar, engineers, members of a wellknown road construction company, addressed the Council on the permanent surfacing of roads. In the course of his address Mr Paterson gave an illustration of the effect of traffic on the foundation of a read, showing how essential it is for the formation to be absolutely solid before the bitumen is put on. He stated that from experience the hot mix had proved better than the penetration system in obtaining a solid and lasting foundation, pointing out that under this method of treat meat there was no’chance of the stones slipping or breaking" after the surface had been rolled. Under the penetration method there was always a possibility of the gravel not being knitted together and thus causing a slide. Referring to the question of maintenance, he instanced the - Hutt road for which, he said, the ccst of maintenance had been £sll per mile for an'ordinary macadam road. Between four and five years ago this road had been treated in the, manner which he recommended and had since been carrying heavy traffic and as far as he knew had not'eost sixpence for maintenance. He also quoted a road at Cambridge which had been down for seven veers and had also, cost nothing for maintenance. There were several others, he said, in a like position. Asked what he considered it would cost to put down the main high way through the borough of Shannon under the hot

mix treatment, lie said that from the figures he had there would be approximately 27,000 square feet and on a basis of five years free of maintenance the cost would be £IO,OOO or thereabouts. This amount would provide for a road with a hot mix surface 18 feet wide with a bitumen spray on the sides. After answering” a number of ques-

tions during which the speakers promised to submit particulars as to their fee for providing plans and an estimate of the cost of permanent surfacing the main highway through the borough under the hot mix treatment, they were, accorded a hearty vote of thanks. After the speakers had retired, Cr. Thwaites said that several of the objections raised when the Gouncil recently discussed the question had been ex-

plained away. They had gained a lot of information from the speakers. Evidently councillors had been talking about something they knew nothing about. He then moved, “That this Council considers that the time is ripe for permanent surfacing the main highway through the borough and that if satisfactory arrangements can bo made the work be proceeded with.” This was seconded by Cr. Hyde.

Cr. Downes said that lie would move an amendment, “That the matter be held over until the Council see something in writing from the Engineers who had conferred with the Council

tliat evening.” lie said that he for one was not going to commit himself that, night that the time was ripe to go on with the work. The amendment was seconded by Cr I-look.

The Mayor: “The amendment is covered by the motion. ’ * Cr. Downes said lie did not c-onsidei it was. . "

Cr. Hyde to Cr. Downes: “Surely you will admit that the time lias ar rived to proceed.” Cr. Downes: Yes. Long ago. On a vote being taken the amend meat was. carried. *

GENERAL. ' Cr. Downes reported that the horse, the Council had on trial had gone lame ancl had been returned to its owner: He and Cr. Curran had since purchased another horse.—Their action was confirmed. 'Cr. J. Curran, jun., reported that a start has been made to fence the new plot in Plimmer Terrace. A space was being left by the monument to give the same size' all around the latter. This was to Vie levelled and sown down in grass. On the recommendation of Cr. J. Curran, jun., it was decided that the shed at the cemetery be lined and cleaned up Cr. Curraji said that in its present state it is an eyesore.

__ In reply to Cr. Anderson as to whether the recommendation to the Library Committee had been carried out, viz., That the books “Old Horowhemia” and “All Quiet on the Western Front” be purchased for the Library, Cr. Thwaites, chairman of the committee said that it was not their policy to purchase one or two books at a time. They had a suggestion book which they worked on from time to time. The books referred to had been entered and will be purchased with the next lot.