SEWER CONTRACT LIGHTING

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29339, 19 October 1960, Page 19

SEWER CONTRACT LIGHTING

Inspection By Board

When a Christchurch Drainage Board officer inspected contract works oh a recent Sunday evening to check on lighting and barricading provided by contractors he found that most of the measures were satisfactory, the chief engineer (operations). Mr H. F. Page, told the board last evening. In a few instances lighting was: insufficient and even some lights were not functioning, while in two or three cases the general precautionary measures were considered to be of an undesirably low standard, he said. All the contractors concerned had been written to drawing attention to the deficiencies. In all other cases appreciation of the attention given had been conveyed by letter.

Drainage Board Honorarium With the authority of its amendment bill passed by Parliament recently, the Christchurch Drainage Board last evening agreed that its chairman should be paid an honorarium at the rate of £4OO a year, the maximum allowed by the act, for the current financial year. The board also acted on its new authority to make advances for sewer connexions to Crown tenants or purchasers of Crown land. It agreed that advances to tenants bb handled by the secretary in the same way as is done now with advances to owners. “Around about half the amount would be sufficient,” said Mr R. H. Stillwell, of the honorarium. “We have the ratepayers to consider. and a lesser amount would give recognition to the great work the chairman does.”

Did other drainage boards have an honorarium for their chairmen? he asked. Mr E. V. Smith, chairman of the finance committee, said the honorarium for the whole year of the present chairman would be £2OO, which was not “overgenerous.” The chairman of the Auckland board received £5OO a year. It was not intended that the decision should be a ruling rate of £4OO, Mr Smith said, but on this occasion the board had authority to pay only from September 30. DRAINAGE BOARD SELLS VEHICLES Tenders amounting to £4440 were accepted by the Christchurch Drainage Board last evening for 12 vehicles—one van, five pick-ups and six cars—which have been replaced by new vehicles. Two hundred and twenty-four tenders were received for the cars, and in each case toe board accepted the highest tender, the top price being £502 for a 1953 model car.