THAT CRACK IN THE WALL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 209, 13 December 1910, Page 8

THAT CRACK IN THE WALL

THE POWDERHA.M STREET CULVERT. '

At the meeting of the Borough Council last night the engineer reported that he had fixed a temporary post-and-wire fence for the protection of the traffic which is going, and has gone for over two weeks past, over the new worfo at Powderham street.

On the engineer's report (as published yesterday morning) being taken, ,

I Cr. Dockrill said he considered the Council should get an engineer's opinion on the crack. It was not for any layman to give an opinion. The crack might be more serious than the engineer thought, while it might he readily repaired. 'Whatever pressure there was at present would be immensely increased when the winter came on, and he knew personally what effect it would have on such a cracTc. He moved that an engineer's opinion be obtained on the Powderham street culvert, and particularly on the crack in the retaining wall. His Worship said he thought it was a very trifling matter; he understood that the crack was only about wide enough to admit a pen-knife. Cr. Mannix: It's worse than that now. The Engineer: It has opened a little more.

(Jr. Bellringer thought the difficulty would be got over if His Worship gave his word to have the matter brought up before the Works Committee. He had not seen the crack, and before going to any expense 'he thought the members should see if there was a crack of that sort.

Cr. Dockrill: If Cr. Bellringer thinks that a crack in concrete is not a serious matter, he does not know much about concrete.

There was no seconder to the which lapsed. Cr. Clarke then moved that the engineer be instructed to bring forward a report. The crack was larger now, and there might be some danger. Cr. Dockrill's motion was really one of want of confidence in their engineer. While the Council paid their engineer, they should get him to do their work. If he was prepared to move a motion like Cr. Dockrill's, he would be prepared to dispense with the services of the engineer. "This 'put-off' business to the Works Committee is no good to me," said Cr. Clarke. "The crack in a month's time might be really dangerous." (Hear, hear.) Cr. Clarke moved that, the engineer do what lie thinks necessary to prevent the crack extending further in the concrete wall. Cr. Mannix sec-ended the motion, and said he had inspected the crack, which had appeared to be at least three-quar-ters of an inch wide from top to bottom, and the wall inclined slightly outwards at the top.

Cr. West: I fail to see any cause for alarm.

Cr. Watkins agreed with Cr. West; and the engineer, in reply to Cr. Browne, said he had been watching the crack closely, and it had got very slightly worse. It was not so bad at the°botitom. It .was decider', to add to the motion thc'.t the Council \iow the retaining wa'l in the morning, and the motion was agreed to.