BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 92, 14 September 1914, Page 7

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

COMMITTEE'S AND E.VGIXEEE'S I! E PORTS. The following reports will bo presented to the Council at its nieetiiu' tonight:— WORKS COMMITTEE. The Committee recommended that the Council cannot see its way to waive its requirements that a wire rope ladder !>■■> provided at the Girls' High School; that Messrs. Anderson's, Limited, he informed that the Council cannot see its wav to alter its decision to refund their deposit on specifications for contract Xo. 2; that in view of the exceptional oir- ; cumstanccs, and provided contracts for the street formation and metalling, etc., arc let within three months, the Council waive its requirements for the laying of 4-inch water mains in connection with the sub-division of Mr S. \V. Shaw's property, South Road; that the Mayor, Councillors Johnstone and Collis ■ be appointed a sub-committee to confer with the General Laborers' Union in connection with the proposal for the renewal of the industrial agreement with the I'nion; that consideration of Mr. Ellis' letter of the 2nd inst. with reference to Mr R. Johnston's stables, Karanm street, Fitzrov, he deferred until after the proceedings against the builder have been heard; that consideration of the application of the East End Bathing Committee for financial assistance to extend the bathing pavilion be deferred, and that in the meantime the Committee be requested to submit plans of the proposed alteration, and to set out in writing their proposals as to borrowing from the Council, and terms of repayment; that the plans of Mr. Roebuck's dwelling on the. Avenue road be approved; that the. Borough Engineer be authorised to lay down kerb and channelling in the following streets:—'- Gill street, from Cover street to llobson street; Courtenay street, from Watson street to Currie street; Nine street, from Mt. Edgecombe street to Belt road; Powderham street, from Mt. Edgecombe street to Morley street; that application be made to the Harbor Beard for permission to remove boulders from th? iieach between the Municipal P.aths ajji Breakwater, and that in the event of permission being granted the boulders be hand broken, with the object of providing work for the* unemployed; that the Borough Engineer be instructed, as a matter of urgency, to kerb and channel the footpath on the south side of Lemon street between Eliot „ireet and ITobson street; that tuft Eoi'frtlgh Engineer be instructed to call tenders for formation and metalling of Mahoo and N'gaio streets. ABATTOIR COMMITTEE.

The Committee recommend that the previous resolutions fixing charges for extraordinary traffic through the abattoir reserve, and that in future the charge be Is Od per load, or, at the option of the contractor, a lump sum of £lO per annum for each contractor irrespective of number of carts.

ELECTRIC LIGHT COMMITTEE. The Committee recommended that the petitioner* for electric lighting at Brooklands road be informed that the Council regret that it is unable to accede to their requests at present; that tenders be invited for supply of ironbark poles for transmission line in accordance with the specifications prepared by the electrical engineer; that the- application of the Mangorei Dairy Company for electrical power be referred to the chairman, CouneilloVs Maunder and Smith and the the Electrical Engineer, with power to act; that a Committee consisting of the chairman and Cr. Smith be appointed to negotiate easements in connection with th° transmission line.

TRAMWAY COMMITTEE. The Committee recommended that in view of the circumstances. Messrs Dick Kerr and Co. be not charged the amount | of the deposit in connection with the tramway plans and specifications supplied to them and afterwards returned; that Messrs Plant and Co., the British Electrical Company, and Messrs Anderson's, Limited, be. informed that the Council cannot see. its way to make any refund of the deposits made by them respectively for plans and specifications supplied; that upon it being shown that a quotation from the London principals of the Australian Metal Company was included in one of the. tenders of another firm as stated, the Company be granted a refund of the deposit paid on plans and specifications for Contract No. 3; that consideration of the letter from the Bank of New Zealand with reference, to the £55,000 loan be deferred until after the date of the. electric light loan poll.

ENGINEER'S REPORT. The monthly report of the Borough Engineer, Mr C. Skitrop, is as follows: The weather has been fine for the past two weeks, and a considerable amount of street repairs and metalling has been carried out. Twenty-five chains of streets have been metalled and 542 cubic yards of metal ami gravel used for repairing streets and roads which are now in good condition. Approximately, 000 cubic yards of boulders have been 'carted from the river, some of which have been used for foundation and some for broken metal. Boulders suitable for broken metal are becoming vcrv scarce at the crusher site, and J would respectfully suggest that we Council go into the, question of new boulder supply at the earliest opportunity as a considerable amount ol stone will be required during this com-

ing summer. Footpaths.—Twenty chains have been reformed and covered with screenings and gravel. Baths—The outfull from the septic tank has been carried seaward, and provided with a (lap valve, which is working satisfactorily. The outlet from the tunnel has been cleared out, and widened, and it is now possible to empty the baths completely at low water. Several leaks have been repaired. Waterworks—The can-taken reports even-thing working satisfactorily at the filters, and suggests cleaning out the reservoir. This is done periodically. Intake—About nine chains of this race have been concreted. It should be ready for use within ten weeks, if the weather continues favorable. Powderham street retaining wall Tin- northern wall is now complete except posts and handrails. The old wall on the southern side has been underpinned and the foundations are complete, and the framing for the addition of this wall is erected. The whole work should be completed within three weeks. FormaUon.-AVatson street formation should be. complete within four weeks. llobson street is just about complete. Fitzroy road has been commenced. 11.) chains of footpath s Jiavc Jjecn formca

street to Jit. Edgecombe street. Morley street kerb and channel is now being laid on both sides from Maiigaotuku stream to Devon street, and the. west side from Devon street to Vivian street. Fifty crossings have been put tn. Water mains.—The following watermains have been laid:—Liardet street, from Courtenay street to Gilbert street; Lemon street, from Liardet street to (lover street; Belt road, from licit road to railway crossing; Moturoa road, from refinery to Pioneer road; Whiteley street main is now being laid. METALLING WORN STREETS. I submit two schedules, the first contains those streets and roads that arc beyond repair, and which can-,- the greater portion of the traffic of the. town. In my estimates of the cost of the work included in the first, schedule, I have allowed for Oin. of broken metal to be laid on a foundation of boulders Oin. thick, but if Soltar is used, 4in. of broken metal will be sufficient. When the tramline is being laid, the greater portion of the through traffic would be diverted into Courtenay, Powderham and Gill streets, and if is therefore necessary that the metalling of these streets should be taken in hand as | early as possible. I would recommend that small portions of roadway be treated with various preparations in order to discover which will give the Ix'st results. At the present time I am of opinion that soltar, if properly laid, is the best roadway preparation at the price, but T think it is wise to try other materials, provided that they are within our means and have some prospect of success. In carrying out the. work, included in the, first schedule' I would recommend that no street be metalled without first

laying a foundation as suggested, and that the following streets be treated with Soltar until a better preparation is discovered:—South road, Belt road to Cutfield road; St. Aubyn street, Cutfield street to Brougham street; Egmont street, St. Aubvn street to Devon street; Devon street, Morley street to Waiwakaiho bridge; Powderham street, Robe street to Drwson street; Dawson street, Powderham street to Hospital gate. The cost of treating with Soltar will be 25 per cent, on my estimates. The cost of a concrete roadway will be-100 per cent on Cese estimates, plus the cost of removing the sewer and watermains to the footpaths. When Devon street central is being laid down, I think it will be found necessary to lay that portion between Egmont street and Currie street in concrete, as I fear the foundation of tliis portion wi'l not carry the traffic. The cost of laying the sewers and watermains on the footpaths on this length will be approximately £-100, and is a work that will have to" be undertaken sooner or later. The total amount of metal required to carry out the work included in schedules No.'l and 2 is approximately 1)0,000 cubic yards.

FIRST SCHEDULE. Streets that will require re-mctalling within 18 months, or as soon as the is laid: — South road, Bayly to Cutfield road, £040; St. Aubyn' street, Cutfield road to Brougham street, £1020; Egmont street, St. Aubyn street to Devon street, £300; Devon street, Moi'lev street to Waiwakaiho, £3'.100; total, £O2BO. Other streets that require metalling as soon as possible: Courtenay street, Watson street to Currie street, £S!il: 'lVwderham street, Currie street to Cutfield road, £10110; Gill street. Hobson street to Brougham street, £810; Vivian street. Robe street to Dawson street. £240; Dawson street, Powderham street to Standish. street, £540; Standish street, Dawson street to Wallace Place, £30(1; Liardet street, Devon street to Courtenay street, £120; Liardet street, Leach street to Pendarves street, £130; Clemow road, Parkins' gate to crusher site, £200; Brooklands road, Shortland street to 20 chains south, £250; Wallace Place, Tuhapa road to Belt road, £100; Tarahua road, Brooklands to Avenue road, £225; Brougham street, Devon street to Gill street, £18!); total £11,389.

SECOND .SCHEDULE. Streets and roads that can be repaired by scarifying and covering with a light coat of "metal, and then should be attended to within the next three years. Eliot street, Devon street to John street, £240; Avenue road, John street to Tarahua road, £275; Cover street, Gill street to Devon street. £3O; Cover street, Gilbert street to John street, £125; Cameron street, Lemon street to Fliot street. £llli; Lemon street, Watson street to Liardet street. £210; Pcndarves street, Elliot street to Carrington road, £100: Gilbert street, Cameron street to Liardet street, £80; Molesworth street. Hobson street to Kawau street. £143; lline street, Mt. Edgecombe street to Cutfield road, £112; Young street. Queen street to Morley street. £4B; Fulford street, Robe street to Dawson street, £45; Wallace Place, Standish street to Tukapa road, £7O; Tukapa road, Wallace Place to Boundary. £2i;o; Frankley road, Standish stre'et to boundary, £31)0; Govett Avenue Franklev road to boundary, £100; iQu'een street, King street to Young street £B4; King street, Egmont street to Dawson street. £4B; Ariki street, Egmont to Brougham street, £08; total, £2508. ELECTRICAL ENGINEER'S REPORT.

Mr IT. Black, electrical engineer, reports that the past month has shown a gradual decrease iu the. peak lead on Saturday evenings. Owing to the continued ilvv coof weather, the river is lower Hum it has been since last summer and lower than is usual for this lime of the Year. The necessary poles for a primary line in Gill street have hren erected,' ami the wires are now being run.