BOROUGH WORK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 September 1938, Page 3

BOROUGH WORK

REPORTS FOR PAST MONTH. At last night's meeting of the Masterton Borough Council the Borough Engineer, Mr C. R. Mabson, reported as follows on work carried out during August:— Streets: Maintenance work was "carried out in Gordon, Raglan, Michael, Bentley, Blair and Cricket streets. Michael Street re-grading is proceeding satisfactorily and several men are engaged in grubbing-off grass along path line in High Street, from Vivian Street to South Belt, .on the eastern side. Johnstone Street path-formation on the eastern side has been completed, and the short length on the same side from River Road to the Borough boundary will be completed in a few days. The Colombo Road Bridge ex-tension-end pier has been completed, and a start is being made with the pier abutting the existing bridge. Apart from the loss of about 30 cubic yards of concrete gravel and the filling-in of the pier excavations, very little damage was caused by Friday and Saturday’s flooding. The pile-driving for the suspension bridge will be completed today. The thunderstorm Friday night caused general flooding in most parts of the borough, the town creeks being quite unable to cope with the rain that fell between 1.30 a.m. and 4.30 a.m., with the result that lower Essex, Cole and Perry streets were flooded and discharged their waters into Chapel, Queen and Dixon streets. Building permits: During the month 9 permits were issued having an estimated value of £1449 ss. the fees thereon amounting to £6 10s. For the corresponding month last year 18 permits were issued, having an estimated value of £2376 ss.

BOROUGH INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The Borough Inspector, Mr T. A. Russell, reported as follows:—Notifiable infectious disease: Diphtheria, 6 cases; erysipelas, 3 cases. The last case of diphtheria occurred on August 11 and the outbreak now appears to be definitely on the wane. A suspected case was notified this month but the patient has now been discharged from hospital as negative. Water supply: The catchment area was inspected and a report furnished by the Medical Officer of Health. Heavy traffic fees for the month amounted to £65 0s 6d. Twentytwo applicants for drivers’ licences were examined, 3 failing to .pass the test. Five persons were prosecuted for breaches of the regulations, a conviction and fine being secured in each case. GAS MANAGER’S REPORT. The Gas Engineer-Manager, Mr J. Douglas, reported as follows: —Gas manufactured: The total gas made corrected N.T.P. was 4,732,200 c.ft., being an increase of 138,200 c.ft. or 3 per cent over the corresponding period of last year. Gas sold per meter shows an increase of 18 per cent. The Government Inspector visited the works on Wednesday, August 24. Calorific value of the gas was 466 B.T.U. and sulphuretted hydrogen was absent. In conjunction with the Inspector of Machinery I examined the boiler and machinery on Wednesday, August 10. The inspector's report was not very satisfactory and he has reduced the boiler pressure by 25#b. The boiler is 31 years old and the amount of scale adhering to the tubes and plates in very thick. I understand that there was a stand-by boiler in use at the works but it was condemned about two years ago and has not been replaced. To give a boiler fair treatment, especially one that is working twenty-four hours a day all the year round it is necessary that the boiler should be blown down and chipped and cleaned every three months, but with only one boiler on the works it is rather a hard matter to do this and still keep up the make per ton of coal as the steam is used in the making of - the water gas. The condemned boiler should have been replaced and so enable the other boiler to have fair treatment. At' the present time I am paying strict attention to a descaling system at present used in the works and trust that the boiler will be in better condition when I examine it again in about two months’ time.