CITY WORKS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 316, 1 October 1908, Page 7

CITY WORKS.

THE PRESENT POSITION. SUBURBAN DRAINACE. v STATEMENT BY CITY ENGINEER. . A number of local requirements were dealt with at a meeting at Kilbirnie on Tuesday evening, when tho formation of a Ratepayers' Association was decided upon, and a Dominion reporter saw Mr. W. H.' Norton (City Engineer) yesterday in order to ascertain the present position of the works specified. 'Matters of particular urgency'discussed wero tho drainage' scheme, the recreation grounds, and the baths. With regard to the drainago scheme, it was stated that the money had been raiswl some time ago and the ratepayers wero being.rated "to pay interest on the loan, but'so far nothing had been done of a tangible nature. Some two years ago, it was said, the Kilbirnie Recreation Ground and Baths were handed over to' the City Council on condition that tho local body would spend ocrtain moneys on thejr upkeep. In reply, the engineer said that the City Council had docidcd to,erect a bathing shed, not baths, at.Kilbirnie. Plans for the work wero now being prepared, and would be submitted to tho Harbour Board for approval immediately, after which the work would be put in hand.

Recreation Ground... Regarding tho recreation ground, Mr. Morton remarked that the sum of £2000 was raised,;by Joan towards this work, but this amount was much 100 little, and about £20,000 would be required. ; Practically the whole of the site has to be reclaimed from tho sea, and it is a big undertaking. He had been instructed to spend £2000 upon it, and tho money'.would 1 be utilised to the best advantage.-— ;/ ' On this subject Mr. C. J. Crawford suggests that tho spoil from the construction of the proposed railway oxtension to Miramar could bo used to fill in the recreation . N ground.' Drainage!-,/ Referring- to drainage, Mr. Morton explained that; a contract for the supply of : pipes . had" been let, but tho contractor was not bound 4 to deliver before October 16. After that 1 date, ho was'to supply a certain number of pipes monthly until the job was. completed. 'Ho had to be given time to make arrangements. The work at Roseneath jhad; been commenced, and about three Btreets'm Kelburne had been practically co'm- " and they woro now 'ready for' the ouse/fconnections. The work could not bo gotf g&irlg in full swing, until the' contractor . M'jisto. supply pipes to the requirements , specifications. Those portions which were'''boing • dono now wore being done with the'/'amount of material available, which did ■li'6|''admit of largo gangs of men being om- • ;b)pyed';or pushing the work on more rapidly, ij>uttlie ..preliminary work had been proceedlrigtjor a long time. The surveying, deAsigri?' for septic tank, outfalls, etc., were and ready for putting in hand. It must be understood that tho engineer could not take on every district at once, and he had taken in hand two smaller districts, which could be coped with bv the material on hand. Tho three principal districts'were Island Bay, Brooklyn, and Kilbirnie. It had not yet been decided which of the three ; districts to deal with first.