POWDERHAM STREET CULVERT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 55, 14 June 1910, Page 8

POWDERHAM STREET CULVERT

COST OF THE WORK. The borough engineer reported fully to the Council last night concerning the expenditure on the Powderham afreet culvert. The contract price for the work was £1550. Extras to foundations on the east side cost £250 6s 3d, and on the west side £350 17s (id. Other small payments brought the total cost of the culvert to £2103 Ss 7d. The sale of the loan debentures produced £3003 10s. The cost of the bridge, poll expenses, clerk of works, etc., absorbed all but £702 lfis 7d, which is available for completing the bridging of the Huatoki stream. t The engineer reported that the contractors were bound by their contract to maintain the work until November 7 next, or for six months after the completion of the culvert. As a balance of £540 would be held until the expiration of the maintenance period, the contractors might be willing to make a reduction in the price if the work were taken over nt once, or at the end of one month from time of completion. *""•»» He submitted plana for the comple* tion of the work. He proposed to con* struct retaining walls on the street boun* daries and bring them to within ten feet of the street level. This would allow a roadway 37 feet wide. These walls and the necessary filling could be done, in favorable weather, for the amount available out of the loan money, but the metalling would have to be charged to the general account. Cr. Dockrill remarked that the engineer had promised a full-width structure for £3OOO. As regards taking over fhe contract, the Council was entirely itf the engineer's hands. They must do ,as :n'e advised. He wanted to know the I actual length of the culvert, which had originally; bee'n planned at 120 feet.

The Engineer; Seventy-five feet. Cr. Hooker disked what had become of the full-width . street that had been promised by the Mayor. Bis Worship said tnst the statement had not been made unconditionally. Cr. Wilson said the t'rooble wag all dtte to the fact that councillors had neglected to get the proper information at the right time. Had he known the culvert was going to he so troublesome, 'he would have supported the bridge scheme. Upon his motion, it was decided that as the engineer had recommended that the contract period of maintenance he limlced to one month, the Council approach the contractors to ascertain what allowance they were prepared to make for such release, and that the Mayor be asked to approach the property owners interested to see what conditions t'frey were nreoared to make towards the cost of building these wingwalls.