BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 February 1916, Page 5

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

JTEW STREET WORKS. A COMMITTEE TO REPORT, The Works Committee of the Borough Council met last night. Present: The Mayor (chairman) and Crs. J. S. S. Medley, ,T. Hayden, F. E. Wilson, A. H. Johnstone, W. A. Collis, W. F. Short, F. . .T. Hill, S. J. Smith, E. Griffiths, J. T, , Mannix, and E. A. Watkins. On the recommendation of ihe fellr gineer it was decided to soltar the portion of Courtenay Street between Liardrt, Street and Gover Street. The Mayor said the time hid arrived; ■ to decide what street works would be put in hand. He did not think it was right or fair that the engineer should have the responsibility of deciding what works should be done, and he would like to see a committee go into the matter and present a report to the Council., Mr. Burgess suggested that the committee should consist of three councillors and himself. Cr, Smith welcomed this proposal, because he felt that no time should be : lest in the repairing of streets that inquired attention. Cr. Watkins thought the matter should be left entirely to the engineer, wlio should recommend what streets should i 'be done. I The Mayor: I don't want to oppose this motion, but I hope that no one will second it. I think I haTe a right to ask for this committee. A committee consisting of the Mayor , and Crs. Smith, Short, and Hill was ap- ■ pointed to go into the matter and report to the Council. THE SOLTAR ROADWAV. Reporting on the difference in the original estimate and a later estimate . of the cost of the soltar roadway, the engineer .presented a lengthy statement, showing that on February 20, 1918, the late engineer presented an estimate for £IO.OOO. At a later date the sum of ; £I3OO was added for tarring and sanding tlie tram lines, which in the first in- - stanco was to have been done by the contractors with common tar as part of tlicir contract, and ft further sum of £I4OO was taken from the £42.000 loan for excavation work. The addition of these two sums to the original amount made a total of £12,700.

Proceeding, the engineer said it had been found out that on .September 1, 1915, out of the £12,700, the B um of £5093 had been expended on the worka, leaving £7607 only available to complete the same, The amount spent on soltarring and metalling, etc., £4092. The differences in the original estimates and the actual costs were a* follows: Excavations.—Estimate £I4OO, *co«t £3OOB. Metalling.—Smn allowed, £7200 9»r estimated sum required. £7009 4s. 661tav work.—Sum allowed, £3886 fl» 8d; actual cost, £5745 14a 4d. Totals.—Estimate, £12,700: actual cost, £1(1,795. The report continued: "Outside state* : ments have been made lately thai) it would have perhaps been cheaper to have had the work done by contract. The late Council obtained «' tender for doing the whole jf the woi\-. but aa It Wa» quite evident, in the jibsi-neo of plans ■' find specifications for the work at tie time (May, 1915), it would not be pOf- ; sible to tender a lum« sum, only '! schedule prices for the <. itero'l * were tendered. If the tender had been " accepted the cost for the work wciM h i«i e !s73 T » rk ' d out 'W 1 * ** '•' Tile