THE BOROUGH STREETS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 59, 18 June 1910, Page 5

THE BOROUGH STREETS.

THE EXTRA COST OF, UPKEEP. COUNCILLOR DOCKRILL CONTRADICTS THE ENGINEER. In a recent issue we published a report furnished by the .borough engineer upon the cost of street maintenance. In it he stated that during the past two years he had used 3SU4 yards of metal on the streets, besides 1500 vards of gaol gravel, and a . large quantity of earth tilling; whilst in the previous two years the quantity used had 'been 3275 yard* Or. Dookrill was interviewed* by a Trw News " rt 'P orter "Pon the matter, lie ilatly contradicted the report, and in support of his attitude stated that he had obtouned from the town clerk's offic« some time ago a return showing the actual amounts paid during several yearn past for royalties on stone procured for •treet metalling. That, he said, wa« the real test. That return showed that during the years 1000-HXtt, in which years he occupied the mayoral chair, the Council pud royalty on 5000 yards of stone, during 1909 royalty was paid on 1600 yards, and they had it from the engineer that during 1910 they had paid on 1750 yards. In addition, some tyards of gaol stone had been used last year. Thus there could be no doubt that a great deal more stone had been used in the years 1006 to 1008, under Foreman Hooker, than in the next two years, when the streets were under the charge'of the •borough engineer. At the same time the cost of street maintenance had increased enormously. Or. Dockrill suggested that these figures should be checked by application to the town clerk and in a very few minutes that officer had confirmed them as correct. Cr. Dockrill also stated that Foreman Hooker had expended far more money in his term on asphalting and tarriiK He had spent altogether £421 12g Ad, and of this £196 18s was spent m retarring the whole of the tarred paths of the borough. New work under this head comprised 744 yards of asphalt, and 2076 of new footpaths tarred. During 1910 the engineer spent £162 4s lid in asphalting and tarring (estimate £100) and in 1909 £75 (estimate £100). This made £237 4s lid for the two years, and he tarred no new footpaths, although there tod been very little new asphalting done.

Cr. Doekrill added that no previous foreman required extra horses on borough work, except when stone was being carted in from the crusher. Nowadays, it was a common practice, and the engineed seemed to always have one or more contractors' horses engaged on ordinary street work. Thus it would seem that Mr. Kendall had spent less money in metalling, or at any rate had put down less metal; done less tarring work in the borough, but had expended more in kerbing and channelling. This latter work was done out of a special vote. But he sipent £1750 more than the previous man in the street maintenance altogether. Had the money gone in the extra labor that he talked about in connection with making up footpaths, etc., for the extra kerbing and channelling referred to in his report? But was it a reasonable amount in thai quantity of work?

Cr. Dockrill said that he had always in the Council and out of it protested agpinst the use of gaol gravel on the streets as being a waste of money. Experience proved that this class of gravel would not bind. He had proved abundantly that very often it was blown away in a few weeks. In front of his own shop about three inches had been put down about Christmas time, and 'blown away in the first gale only a few days afterwards.

THE BOROUGH ENGINEER'S REPORT. The borough engineer on Thursday referred our reporter to a report presented by him to the Council in April, 1909, containing the figures supplied to him by Mr. S. Hooker himself. Foreman Hooker had complained that lie was not (being given credit for the full amount of metalling he had done, and he replied that if supplied with particulars he would ibe pleased to bring them before the Council. Mr. Kendall then reported to the Council that the quantity of stone placed on the streets from June, 1906, to March 31st, 1908 (Mr. Hooker's term) was 3275 yards. Mr. Kendall said that there was no getting away from these figures, for they were Mr. Hooker's own. Mr. Kendall went on to say that the total amount of kenbing and channelling in the streets of the borough when he took over the control was 221 chains. There were now 457 chains, so that there had been laid under his supervision 238 chains, or 15 chains more than had been laid in the borough during the whole previous half century of its existence. He remarked also that during his time such matters as the Devon street swamp in the west end, tinkered with for many year* previously, had been pioperly and "satisfactorily attended to. ANOTHER DENTAL The report regarding the 3275 yards of stone was brought under the notice of Cr. Dockrill, and its correctness denied. "I contradicted that statement in the Council," he said. "Hooker must have put down over 4000 yards, probably 4500 or 4600 yards, during tlte time he was in charge. I laid down 5000 yards of stone whilst I was Mayor. That 3275 yards of stone didn't include tie amount used in patching. No man can tell what he, used iu patching. Why, the engineer last year used 1500 yards of stone, and did nothing else 'but patching."