Borough Council.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 81, 9 April 1904, Page 2

Borough Council.

WORKS COMMITTEE MEETING?, The Workß Committee met on Thurnday evening. Present: l!is Worship I lie Mayor, and Crs. CarUi', Browne, Ahier', C'ollis, Brooking, Wood and Wilson. Applications were raueived for thu lio.sii.ioii of assistant engineer at Hit; waterworks, as follows :—Frelwell, ■!'. 11. Harrison, M. Bridger, G. F. Monk, G. Thomson, I'eicy Revoil, H. Shirley and Atua. It was decided to recommend live council to appoint llr J'. Al. Harrison. It was further decided to accept Messrs Cock and Co.'s lander for oats for liorso f«ed. Messrs McWilliams and Andrews, contractors for the waterworks intake and tunnel, waited on the committee in connection with the letfek sent hy the council, informing' t.hwm that Denallies would be inflicted when the contract timu expired. Mr McWilliams explained the dillkullies under, which he worked. lie had lijeen of opinion all along that the work could not be done in the time specified. | The inspector notified the council to clear noxious weeds oil' the reservoir situ at Maifjoivi.—To lh attended to.

Air F, G. Hum* complained that there was mud on the footpath outside his house in Fulford-street. It was pointed out that the path was Ijjeing raised, and that wet weather hindered the work, which had since been completed. Councillors were indilgjnnnt, and eventually decided to receive the letter.

.Mr Mcstu.ver forwarded plans and specifications for valves, etc., in the water supply system. Plans lor thu reservoir are now ready. The Town Band was voted JuW for open air concerts, Councillors thought that in tl«e future the hands might use a little discretion in choosing nights for concerts. Very dark nights were unsuitable. Defter notice might l,:c given, too. The report of the committee who visited the council's Xgnire reserves on Faster Holiday was read. Notice will be sent to certain of the lessees to era'dicate noxious weeds. Unless these are destroy•'Otl the council will re-enter.

The engineer repoi ted that, tile conditions at the intake rind tunnel were unsatisfactory, very few men V-ing employed. The pump at the shaft had broken down, ami ten feet of water lay there. There was nothing more done at the intake, the engine lying broken at the road-side. Looking through the ollice correspondence, Mr Oribbon found that the work itself had been very unsatisfactory throughout. lie was of opinion that the council should relieve the contractors of Ihu contract unless some radical change in the methods of progression took place during the coming week. The amount of work done so far was worth £1349 3s ltd, and the contract price was £oo()5.

It was decided to telegraph to Mr Afcstayer, asking him to lie present nt Monday night's meeting, and the iiuestion of granting on extension of tints was deferred till then.

The engineer further reported that the ITenui bridge was progressing latlgfactorlly. Klngwstrcot culvert was nenrly com[ileted. the contractor having done good work. Extra work and fencing at tho abattoirs were now proceeding. lie Ijad a». ranged for regulating levels in Barrett and Moiioy streets. Pipes had been laid to the limit in He. oil-street Hast, iinil Currie-streei would be opened poxt. He had opened up the Government sewers, and found the pipe was on practically the same level as the proposed town service The alteration at the baths were being done. i'he chains were liemg shifted, and the soaco outside the entrance had been asphalted to prevent tho surface being blown awnv.

The next paragraph commence.! : " In' view of tho extreme importnr-cu of carrying on continuously portions of the various works the council is about to engage in, il is very desirable that authority should be obtained for me to cont.inn-, working not by any means favour workmg on that, day, but there me occasion's when the stability of a stiucvn-e depends on the coniinuance of the work. 1 had arrangid for loi.tinuons work on the Jlcmii b-idge fo< tiiigls, us it ; jwas urgvnlty miessary to get in the lower courses of the footings as oluickly as possible, so that in tho case cX a fresh me work would be safe. . . ." Cr. Brooking -;aid there was no power to give permission ie> Sunday work. 'l'he Mnf,isirr.te v"mild use discretion, though, if a charge were laid. Cr. Carter objected lo the council umploying men on Sundays. Ik looked 'upon iit as n very bad example to the public. Tho engineer said ho would draw His line at extreme urgency. Cr. Carter said that if the work had been pushed at the start there would have been no necessity foi the Sunday work. A voice : The council would suffi r. Cr. Carter : Well, tho council should stifle* rather than break a law. TKB Mayor said he knew there was no manner of authorising Stinduy work. The contractor couhl lake the risk. The rep&rt was further considered, dealing with the metal contract. Crs. Wood, Browne, ami Brooking v.ill assist the engineer in detailing the streets for metalling. Mr W. U. Heal ofl'erod to surrender Ins lease of reserves in Western Park for £133 on condition that he gets the land for two yearn free. It was decided to offer £i:!s for the bind for immediate possession. Tenders will be callKl (or grading rcingHdrpob. This concluded the business.