MUNICIPAL WORKS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 265, 1 August 1908, Page 5

MUNICIPAL WORKS.

TOWN CLERK'S ANNUAL REPORT "STERLING PROGRESS." PROGRAMME FOR THE COMING YEAR. The annual report of the Town .Clerk of tho City of Wellington is an interesting reviow of twelve months' municipal activity. From a civic; standpoint, says Mr. J. R. Palmer, tho Mayor, Councillors, and citizens of Wellington hare cause to congratulate themselves on another year of sterling progress. Tho area of tho city has twice been extended upon petitions from those hitherto outside its boundaries, which include the whole .of Northland. Tho total area of tho city is now 9500 acres, or nearly fifteen square miles, being an increase of 2040 acres, due to tho incorporation therewith of portions of the Onslow and Karori boroughs. The important question of drainago of the outlying districts (beyond the existing drainago areas) necessitated by tho great extension of suburban population during recent years, has been dealt with, and the work will be at once proceeded with under tho loan of £100,000 recently authorised. The gifts of a lion and several less formid' able, but none the less interesting animals, and a number of birds, etc., have ensured tho development of a zoological collection, provision for the proper housing and care of which is well under consideration. ■ The by-laws of the city have been thoroughly revised, amended, and added to as necessary, and such care has been taken to consult the best authorities on the various subjects dealt with, that there is little doubt that they will for some time to come servo as. model by-laws for the whole of tho larger boroughs of tho Dominion. -

The Harbour Board and the City Council have agreed to tho reclamation of a large area of Evans Bay to provide room for tha further industrial development of tho city, and a Bill is being submitted to Parliament for the necessary authority to obtain the requisite loan and to carry out the work. UNDER CONSIDERATION. ■ Some of tho items now under consideration, which promise development or fruition during tho coming year, are: — The purchaso of the undertaking of the Wellington Gas Company, Limited. Tho purchase of . tho Kelburne and Karori Tramway Company's undertaking. Tho control of the milk supply of the city. Tho construction of a new reservoir at Wainui, and. the duplication of the mains thorefrom to the city. Tho construction of a crematorium.^ The establishment of a public abattoir. Tho erection of the proposed Hutt water pipe and traffic bridge. _ i Tho oxtension of the Constable' Street tramway to meet tho Kilbirnio line. Substantial branch additions to the Fire Brigade to increase, its strength and efficiency. ■ Tho provision of a recreation ground for Kilbirnio, and of playground areas for hockey, tennis, and .other games. Tho markot question. . The not-to-be-long-dclayed proposal to take the tramway lino through tho Basin Reserve. CITY RESERVES. The formation of a recreation area commenced during the previous year at tho south end of Sydney Street, for which the sum of £8000 was raised by loan, has been completed and grass seed sown, and will soon bo available for play. At Duppa Street tho recreation ground being formed from a portion of tho Town Belt shows good progress, and its extent and valuo as a playing ground may bo gauged as the work advances. At Newtown Park a cottage has been erected for the custodian, and a set of swing-boats orooted foi the children, and copiers for hot water supply, and otner. requisites for; picnic parries, school outings, eto., have beon provided. At the Botanical Gardens the gulfy at the entrance has been culverted and filled in for planting purposes. Thtyarea thus formed will mako a very fine addition to . tho shrubs and plant soction, and effect an improvement to tlio entranco from Tinakori Road which will bo much appreciated. At Kent Terrace, tho northern portion of tho Southern section has been planted with trees and shrubs. RENUMBERING THE CITY. Owing to tho rapid growth' of the City, and the large number of now buildings in almost every street, the time was considered opportune for a comprehensive system of street numbering to be introduced, in order that very-little, if any, change will be necessary in future, whatever the building programme may be. Twenty' to thirty feot havo been set apart for 1 each number: in each street. Tho work has been placed in tho hands of Mr. Quinn, under the supervision of the City Engineer. Details for plans of each thoroughfare are supplied, which are recorded in tho City Engmeor's office, so that tho numbers allotted :to any vacant sections may be readily obtained by owners as buildings aro'oroctod; ; '. ' . i - ' BILLIARD SALOONS. "Complaints 'have been mado'from time to time that saloons were not being conducted according to law, and that, the ■ licensees -were more or less undesirable persons who countenanced gambling under covei of their licenses. Full and complete investigation however, undertaken by the police, has failed to establish the correctness of tht accusatiou, and tho inquiries of tho Council's'lnspector havo corroborated the police report. Nevertheless every precaution is; taken boforo licenses are issued to see that' the licensees are not connected with racing or gambling offices, and that they hold substantial, and independent loases of the j'ooms occupied. No license can bo transferred without tho consent of the City Council. There are twelve rooms liconsed, and they are under constant and vigilant inspection. Licenses may be cancelled by tho Council at any time'in the event of improper proceedings being discovered."

MUNICIPAL ABATTOIR. Plans for the municipal abattoir havo been prepared by the City Engineer, approved by tho Council, and sanctioned by the Agricultural Department. Its erection will bo proicoeded with as soon as tho loan of £15,000, authorised by Special Order for the work, lias been raised. •Tho proposal of tho Wellington City Council, with reference to tho njiik supply, is of a comprohonsivo character, and is tho only one likely to bo.of immediate and lasting benefit to tho community and financially profitable. To be effective every drop of milk purchased for tiso in the city must be under tho direct control of one local authority, ■whoso methods would necessarily bo' open to the severest scrutiny. A receiving houso would bo osscntial, whore all milk could bo oxamined, cleaned, and sterilised- if necessary. Owners of dairy herds would bo guaranteed that their supplier up to a given quautity would bo received,and if passing tho necessary teste, paid for at a stipulated sum, to bo agreed upon as circumstances aiid the season of tho year required. Tho Committee submitted a schemo which requires a capital expenditure of £31,000,* and an annual expenditure, in dealing with tho supply, in round figures of £25,000. The quantity of milk dealt with snnually would not bo loss than -2,190,00 gallons, or, say, 0000 gallons per day. Soli at 14d. por gallon, this would reprosent nn*incomo of £127,750 por annum. If paid for on an- average of Bd. por gallon, would lrave a margin of £5-1,750. The anrlual expenditure deducted from this would leave a net profit of over £29,000,' enabling the Council' to possibly cheapen tho supply to tho consumer, and by increased payments for /improved quality oncourago the dairy farrier in bis o[forts to maintain a high standaid of purity and value in his supplies; and,also provide a good margin for unforsoen expenditure and contingenoios. With determination' to ovorcqmo initial difficulties, there seems to bo no reason why this schemo should not prove a most successful field for municipal & -ti&iism in ono of tho most important noees'sarios of Jifo., Boforo proceeding further, the Council

have arranged that a conference bo held with the Health Department and milk vendors and othors interested in the milk supply of tho city, and arrangements are now being made to this end. - PLIMMER'S STEPS AND LANE. A great improvement has been made in the thoroughfare known as Plimmer's steps. 'The lano has been wood-paved, pathed," and kerbed, and an entrance crossing made from Lambton Quay. "The old steps leading, to Boulcott Street have been removed and new steps, erected on a much improvedplan, giving good entrances therefrom to the various properties oh tho sides. ;' Tho Wellington Publishing! Co.'paid the sum of £100 tp- ' wards the cost'of tho new steps, tho im- ; provement being one ,in which, they were interested to . a marked degree, the . new Dominion newspaper office occupying, the whole of the north side of tho steps. The resulfc;is a clean and improved thoroughfare, where previously it was almost impossible to maintain cleanliness, owing : to disadvan- , tageous circumstances resulting from old and '. crowded building conditions'." V WIDENING WILLIS STREET. The negotiations initiated by : the Mayor for the acquirement: of the properties of the ■ Jacob ■ Joseph Estate in Willis Street to enable the Council; to eventually complete a further portion-of the widening ;of • . this thoroughfare, ; were completed, and the property purchased for £48,000. _ Owing to the ' existence of certain'leases it is not considered desirable' to carry out the,, widening until after their expiration. - In a ;few years the Council will have it in their power to widen the thoroughfare as far as Mercer . Street- without the. presont furtherj expense of determining leases or additional [expenditure for. the purchase of properties. SUPPLIES UNDER ANNUAL CONTRACTS. Tho information under this head given last year for tho first time having proved useful to citizens indicating the value of business • transacted under tho various heads stated, is again included to show the amounts paid for tho year ended March. 31, 1908. Tho contractors are given in parenthesesßrass andzihe (C. Banks and Son), £330125. 3d. ; '. bricks and.lime (W. Murphy), £230 12s. 7d.; electric cables and fittings., (Turnbull and Jones, Limited), £892 6s. 5d.; cement, imported (J. Duthie ,and Company, Limited), £11,729 lis: 3d.; cement, colonial (Riley and ■ Holmes), £3605 10s. lid. ; chemicals (Kempthorne, Prosser and Company), £87 14s. Bd.; • coals, No. 1, household (Thompson Bros., Limited), £777 14s. lid.; coals, No. 2 (West- • port Coal Company), £1256 19s. 6d.; drain ■ pipes (H.'Hill), £M 18s.; • explosives (Ban- ' natyno and Company,' Limited), £1653 14s. ■ 5d.; gravel (G. T: Smith), £1449 175. ; 10d.; ironmongery and timber (Stewart Timber, Glass, and Hardware Company),;£sl97 4s. Id. ; ironfoundery, ,(S. Luke and' Company, Limited), £6-59 2s.V Bd. ;'_painters' materials. (R. and E. Tingey and Company), £382 7s. lOd.; stationery (Whitcombo and .Tombs, Limited), £899 4s. 4d.; . saddlery (W. Wiggins), £163 45.15 d. ; jarrah timber (Millar's West Australian Hardwood Company), £3799 ss. 7d.; printing and office boobs (W. J: Lankshear), £1040 4s. lid.; total, £34,896 6s. 7d. ■' „