BOROUGH WORK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 March 1941, Page 8

BOROUGH WORK

PAST MONTH’S ACTIVITIES ENGINEER’S REPORT. MACARA STREET TAR-SEALED. At the monthly meeting of the Masterton Borough Council held in Masterton last night the following reports relating to work carried out in the borough during February were received:— The Borough Engineer. Mr C. K. Mabson, reported:—Macara Street tarsealing has been completed, from Bannister Street to Worksop Road. The metalling and consolidation of the Rue Block cul-de-sac has been completed, and it will be tar-sealed this week. Kuripuni Street 1 kerbing—west northside. from South Road to Grantham’s—has been compleed; the path being widened to 12 feet, and filling material has been placed at the back of the kerb preparatory to laying down grass verge. The kerbing of the west side of Sussex Street has been completed; also half the east side. The roadway at the entrance to Showgrounds (off Fleet Street) has been re-surfaced. Second-coat work tarring of the State housing block is proceeding, and will be completed this week. Water and drainage: During the month, 2 new services and 5 renewals were installed. Blocked services, in Renall Street and Upper Plain, were repaired; also tobys in Coradine and Bentley streets. The groynes at headworks have been repaired. and all races were cleaned and grass cut. Health Inspector.

Mr T. A. Russell. Borough Health Inspector, reported as follows: —One case of diphtheria was notified on February 27. Fifteen plumbing and drainage permits were, issued, the work being supervised in the usual way. Various owners and occupiers were required to carry out the following work: Plumbing and drainage repairs 6, cut back hedges and shrubs 15, clear noxious weeds 7, remove rubbish 3, provide adequate rubbish bins 3, abate nuisance 1. Rubbish was removed from 20 premises. A water sample from the town supply was forwarded for chemical analysis. The analyst’s report is not yet to hand. Milk samples were taken for general analysis. The analyst’s report proved that the milk is of excellent quality as regards butterfat and other solids. Arrangements have been completed for the taking of reductase tests to ascertain the keeping qualities of the milk and this work will be proceeded with. I attended the 7th annual conference of the Royal Sanitary Institute held in Auckland from February 17 to 21. The addresses given were of a high order and I trust the knowledge gained will be of benefit to the borough. Eighteen applicants for drivers’ licences were examined and all passed the test. This is the second time that all applicants have succeeded since the commencement of the testing in 1931. Heavy traffic fees amounting to £2O 13s 3d were received, making a total to date this year of £2172 Is. Abattoirs Report. Mr P. J. Wallace, manager of the abattoirs, reported that the work had been carried out satisfactorily during the month. Sunday killing finished on March 2. Altogether 64 cows, 32 heifers, 53 bullocks, 6 calves, 211 ewes, 340 wethers, 168 lambs and 156 pigs were slaughtered during the month. One cow, one sheep and one pig had been condemned. Killing fees were £lB2 Is 9d lower than those of February, 1940. To date they were £921 16s 2d lower than those for the corresponding period of last year. Park Custodian. Mr F. H. Knowles, acting-park custodian, stated that the work for the month had been carried out satisfactorily. Seed had been sown for the spring flowering annuals and the work of potting up the cyclamen had been completed. The Canadian maples at the northern approach to the town had received attention. A gale had damaged trees in Mawley Park. The work for the present month would be pricking out seedlings, attention to trees at South Park, maintenance work at Mawley Park and usual general park work. Municipal Library. The librarian, Mrs A. Cohen, stated that 6272 books, of which 5692 were fiction and the balance reference, were issued last month and 801 books were added to the library. Eleven ne;,v subscribers joined during the month, bringing the total number of subscribers to date to 607 (515 at the end of February last year). At February 28 there were 140 subscribers in the juvenile library. Mawley Motor Camp. Mr T. Bulloch, custodian of the Mawley Park motor camp, stated that 506 cars had used the camp during the financial period December 1. 1939, to February 28, 1941. Twenty-two cars used the camp last month. Ladies' Rest Rooms. “A total of 406 people, made up of 90 visitors, 204 country-people and 112 townspeople, used the rooms during the past month,” reported the matron of the Ladies’ Rest Rooms, Mrs G. L. Nissen. Flowers from the Park were appreciated. The committee room was used on six occasions. Sexton’s Report. The sexton, Mr C. S. Morris, reported that there were 19 burials at the Masterton Cemetery. During the month the usual maintenance work had been carried out. Band Activities. Mr B. Rickards, secretary of the Municipal Band, reported that four band practices were held during the month. The band assisted the Naw Queen’s parade on February 8; the Army Queen’s parade on February 15, and at the Interhouse Association’s display on March 18. Gas Manager's Report. The gas manager, Mr J. Y. Douglas, reported as follows: “Gas manufactured: The total gas made corrected N.T.P. was 3,145,60'0 cubic feet. The make per ton was 17,300 cubic feet of an average calorific value of 460. The Government inspector visited the works on Thursday, February. 20. The calorific value of the gas was 474 B.T.U. and the pressures conformed to Government regulations. The works are running very satisfactorily at the present time, and repairs and maintenance work have been carried out.” 951 bags of coke were sold and 1337 gallons of tar disposed of.