BOROUGH WORK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 October 1939, Page 8

BOROUGH WORK

REPORTS FOR PAST MONTH. i HALF-YEARLY BUILDING PERMITS The Borough Engineer. Mr C. R. Mabson, reported to the Masterton Borough Council at its meeting last night that maintenance work was carried out in Donald and Short streets, and metal-crushing operations were continued during the month. The patching of asphalt streets had been attended to. including numerous gas, water and telephone cable trenches. A quantity of asphalt was also mixed and stacked in readiness for patching. Alterations to the main office were put in hand, and were progressing satisfactorily; also the new truck shed at the Hope Street yard had been started. The Public Works magnetic truck sweep was employed to go over the whole of the borough streets, and approximately of nails, staplesfbits of iron, wire, tins, etc., was collected. During the month 11 new services, and 5 renewals, were installed, Repairs were carried out to the roof, spouting and sink waste at the Park Custodian s house; also IJ-inch service and the tap at the Band Room was repaired. During the month, 5 building permits were issued, having an estimated value of £1,650 14s 6d, the fees thereon amounting to £6 10s. For the corresponding month last year, 7 permits were issued, having an estimated value of £2,803 10s. The estimated value of the permits issued for the six months ended September 30, 1939, was £15.546 4s 6d, as compared with £24,477 14s for the corresponding period last year, the latter amount included the Knox Church Sunday School and Hall, valued at over £ll,OOO. Permits for 9 new private dwellings were issued this half-year, as against 7 last half-year (1938). The Borough Inspector, Mr T. A. Russell, reported that during September the only case of notifiable disease reported was one of pulmonary tuberculosis. Three sewer connections were installed and 16 plumbing and drainage permits were issued, the usual testing and inspection work being carried out. The following requisitions were served: Plumbing and drainage repairs 9. abate nuisance 1, remove rubbish 3, provide rubbish bin 2, and 5 dogs were destroyed. Twenty-seven applications had been received from persons wishing to sell ice creams and as the premises are in order, he recommended that a licence be granted in each case. Heavy traffic fees for the month amounted to £507 17s Bd. Ten applicants for drivers’ licences were examined, one failing to pass the test. Seven persons were prosecuted and convicted for breaches of the regulations. A considerable amount of night patrol work had been carried out in conjunction with the police, and there appeared to be quite an improvement on the part of motorists and cyclists as regards the observation of regulations and bylaws. The gas engineer and manager, Mr J. Y. Douglas, reported that the total gas made was 4,019.700 cubic feet. The loss in stock was 9,400 cubic feet, making a total output for the month of 4,029,100 cubic feet, a decrease of 163,500 cubic feet or 3.8 per cent over the corresponding period of last year. The works are running very satisfactorily at the present time. During the month the pumping plant to the Bannister Street holder has been overhauled and a new bearing fitted. The station meter inlet and outlet valves are being overhauled and while this work is in progress the meter has to be shut off for about a week and the amount of gas made during that time can only be estimated by the amount of coal carbonised. Twenty-seven meters were changed, seventeen services were cut and cleared and five services were renewed. Sales totalled sixteen, of which eleven were cookers. The librarian (Mrs Cohen) reported that books issued totalled 4,646, of which 4,117 were fiction. During the month 63 fiction and six non-fiction books w r ere added to the shelves. At the beginning of the month the subscribers amounted to 492 compared with 409 last year. The total subscribers at the end of the month was 487 as compared with 408 last year. Receipts amounted to £4 9s 6d. The Park Custodian, Mr H. Sturgeon, reported that the painting of the playing apparatus at the South Park, painting of bird cages, hoeing of paths and drives, sowing of seeds for spring planting and the cleaning up of Mawley Park has been completed. The Band Committee reported that practices had been held on seven evenings. A programme was rendered in the Park on the afternoon of September 17. In connection with Recreation Week the band assisted by rendering items at the hockey grounds on the afternoon of September 30. Mr C. S. Morris, sexton, reported that during the month 16 burials took place. The Ladies' Rest Room report showed that a total of 364 persons had made use of the rooms during the month. Of these’ 64 were visitors from beyond Masterton, 250 came from the country and 50 from the town.