ROAD MAINTENANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 225, 23 September 1898, Page 5

ROAD MAINTENANCE.

AN IMPOETANT QUESTION.

STATEMENT BY CITY ENGINEER

At the City Council meeting last night Councillor Becroft moved the following motion 'standing in his name:—'That inasmuch as the present system of road maintenance, cleaning, and repairs is inefficient and costly, and fails to give an adequate return in labour for the large annual expenditure paid in wages, a Committee be appointed consisting of one member from each Ward with a view of reorganising the existing method under improved conditions, and a more effective supervision over labour employed; or, as an alternative, to adopt the contract system in one or more of the Wards as facilities may offer to put such a system to a test, and if favourable to be generally adopted; the Committee to report to Council one month from date.'

The mover stated that complaints had been so numerous for several years past about the state of the roads and the efficiency of the service that he thought it time something was done in the matter. Something like £8,200 per annum was paid away in day wages, and he contended that the work done was not a fair return for the expenditure. He was sure that the smoking habits of employees cost the ratepayers a very large amount per annum, and he had noticed Council workmen standing about when they should be working. If the Council could let the work by contract they would get it done for £5,800 per annum.

Councillor Hewson seconded, but suggested that the motion should be altered so as to include every department of the municipal service.

Councillor Kidd: I can't see what is to come out of it. Councillor Hewson's suggestion has b.een carried out before, and I have never seen any saving effect. He held that the Council had never wasted money, and everyone who was acquainted with the finances of the Council knew that it was not the g-enera] account that caused the increase in the overdraft. As for the day-labour and the small amount of time wasted in smoking, there was a good deal of 'cinoke' in that. (Laughter.) He did not see that the little time a man took lighting his pipe was badly spent if the rest of his time was faitbfiilly>gives to the Council's service. He moved as an amendment: 'That the Streets Committee be requested to ascertain as to the working of the contract astern in cleansing the streets in largo centres and report.' He moved this as the best way of getting out of the difficulty.

Councillor Parrell seconded the amendment and remarked that 25 per cent, out of the 74 workmen did not smoke at all; another 25 per cent, did not smoke at their work; and the remaining 50 per cent, worked better when smoking. (Laughter.) The Mayor said the Council's workmen were'very good men indeed. They did their work well and the ratepayers got very good value for their money. As for the contract system, they knew that they got better results by doing the work "through their own men; they saved a-third of the price and got the work done quicker.

Councillor Kidd's amendment was carried.

During the discussion which preceded the voting- His Worship read the following report on the subject by the City Engineer: — 'Statements have been made that the expenditure in the maintenance of the streets oi the city should not be more costly now than it was in 1890, because there are no more streets to maintain now than there were in 1890.

'The street area, as regards maintenance, has not been largely increased during- the last 7 or S years, but an increase has taken place, especially in the western end of Ponsonby, and there has been a considerable expenditure in drainage, formation of footways, kerbing and channelling throughout the city; and a larg-e portion of this work has been executed by the Ward workmen, which, although charged against streets, has nothing to do with the maintenance. But there are other matters outside of day labour which have tended largely to increase the cost of maintenance of streets, and Avhich do not appear to be generally understood. 'The difference of cost of materials since IS9O and now is very marked. Through combinations agd rise of prices "in materials the Council are paying about £900 per annum more now than they were a few years since: also the Council have laid down about 250.000 yards of new tar footways in the city since 1890, and the maintenance of this costs about £500 per annum in addition to the old work; and all this has been done and is beingmaintained by the Ward workmen. Besides the general convenience and sanitary work has been considerably improved. 'We have now double the number of water-carts that we had in 1890, and the sweeping and scraping of streets is done much oftener than formerly. All this, of course, means extra expenditure. The public would no doubt like this sanitary -work further increased, and it certainly requires it, if there are means to do it. There is no difficulty in improving the service, but it all costs money. 'I have prepared a statement of the cost of maintenance of streets, which is appended hereto, showing in detail the number of men required on the different services, with the cost at current rates of material and labour; also a comparison of this cost Avith the annual cost during the last seven years. Should the Council feel disposed to reduce the annual expenditure it will be observed that the reduction per annum according to the statement would be fully £1,000. This, put, plainly, means the discharge of 11 men and the stoppage of small works that the Ward workmen have been formerly required to do, and simply attending to street maintenance and sanitary work. 'If the Council let the work by contract it could not be done with fewer men than mentioned in the statement, and the cost of materials are contract prices. It could hardly be expected that a contractor would do the work for the money stated. He would require at least £1,000 for supervision and profit. I cannot see where any saving could be made by letting the work; besides; we have control of day workmen but would have none if letby contract. Should the Council feel disposed to let the work as a trial I will do my best for them. —WM. ANDERSON, C.E. The Engineer's statement may be summarised as follows: —Statement of annual cost of maintenance of streets and sanitary works only (exclusive of small works now executed by waxd workmen): Sweeping roads, nine machines,

seven, men, 365 days at £5 18s 6d per day, £2162 12s 6d.

Sweeping channels, emptying and flushing- cess pits (six wards)," three carts, 17 men, 313 days at £6 7s Cd per day, . £ 1995 12s 6d. Queen-street, sweeping horse manure, one driver, one horse, one man, 313 days at 14s 6d, £226 18s Cd.

Watering roads, seven water-carta at 10s each, three hydrant men at Os, equals £4 8s per day, saj', four months at £ 4 Ss per day, £ 422 Bs.

Metal and scoria, three hydrant men, 10 tarring* men, 12,000 yards metal, 6000 yards scoria, ca.rtag-e, general repairs, per year £ 5772 4s,

Tarring* and sanding (old work only), 200,000 yards—total quantity asphalt footways, 435,870 yards, 10 men, four carts, 25,000 gallons of tar, 700 yards sand, say 36 days, £755 ss. General repairs to asphalt, two men, 313 days at 13s, £20S 9s. Total cost per year, £958 14s.

Miscellaneous, five ward foremen (sanitary and building inspectors), 313 days at 3Ss 6d,£0>02 10s 6d; one mason and labourer (drainage), 313 days at 15s, £234 15s; two smiths (steam roller and general smithing), 313 days at 15s, £234/ los; two carpenters, 313 days at 15s, £234 15s; one man (in charge of stonebreakers at Mount Eden), 313 days at 7s 6d, £117 7s Od; materials, £1000; total per year, £2424 3s.

General total per year, £13,962 12s Gd.

Number of men at present employed on the Works, 74. Number required to carry out the above scheme, 63. Reduction, 11 men; saving per year, £10333 ISs.

Cost of the work if 'done by contract,, say, £13,900; say 7A per cent, for contractors' staff and profit, £ 1042 10s; total, £14,942 10s.

Yearly expenditure from November, 1891 to' October, 1898: —

Year 1891-2— £11,406 3s Gd. Year 1892-3—14.051 14s. Year 1893-4—£15,032 3s 5d Year 1894-5—£13,130 18s 4d. Year 1895-6— £14,240 9s. Year 1896-97—£14.352 12s 3d Year 1897-8—£14,916. Average yearly expenditure for last seven years, £13,876.