THE HUTT BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1087, 28 March 1911, Page 6

THE HUTT BOROUGH COUNCIL.

ENGINEER OVERWORKED. The ordinary meeting of the Lower Liutt Borough Council was held lost !voning. Those present were: The Mayor (Mr. E. P. Ilunny) and Councillors Ualdivin, Macnskill, ■ Roots, Kemptliorne, Hayes, Pearce, Clere, and Hawthorn. The Public Trustee acknowledged a resolution appointing him commissioner in connection with the JC20,300 loan. Councillor lialdwin was authorised to tign the resolution. The Guardian Insurance Office were appointed to take the council accident risks lor the year. Mr. Saunders inquired whether ho could have gas supplied at his house iu I'ilmuLr Street, lieierred to engineer lor report. The Unit Fire Brigade asked when the hose gallows would be erected.—The engineer slated that the work would/ lie dono ill a fortnight. Professor Von Zedlitz wrote statins that, since the western Hutt culvert had been constructed, lie had given the council permission to make use of his ground for carting spoil, and that the permission was now terminated. Oil the motion of the Mayor it was decided to inform the writer that the council had been acting under Section 177 of tlio Public Works Act. Mr. Foster complained of offensive odour arising from a stagnant: pool, oil native land, at White's Line East. Tlio engineer stated that he had inspected the spot, but could not detect the smell complained of. The place, however, required attention. A committee, consisting of Councillors lialdwin, Roots, and Hawthorn, is to report 011 the matter. The Borough Solicitor advised to the ell'eet that the road known as White's Line East deviation could not lie claimed by (ho council. It was decided that the engineer should proceed with the work of constructing a new road on tlio south side of the existing highway. Several of the council's employees wrote asking permission to offer tenders for the drainage scheme. Referred to Works Committee. The Town Clerk, Wellington, forwarded a scheme of superannuation for the council's employees. Referred to the staff lor consideration and report. Dr. Hector again drew attention to a drain on his premises, and asked that certain work in connection with it should be done at once. Received. Councillor Baldwin moved that a clauw in the resolution passed at the last meet, ing, providing that the drainage works should be done bv contract, lie rescinded, and the undertaking proceeded with at once by day work. Carried. The engineer reported that the liui Road'had lieen cleared of slips, and reniclalled, the cost (to time Df last pay sheet) being JM2I 175.. Clearing up after the recent storm had been completed. The sewerage drain in Ilautana Square was progressing expeditiously. The engineer, in the course of a special report, called the council's attention to the fact that a largo amount of office work was coming on to his department. This was owing largely to the increase of book-keeping that had been originated on the recommendation of Mr. Clarke's report; also councillors were continually nsking for Teturns of various kinds, and reports and estimates. Since he had been in office 110 work, however small, had been undertaken without an estimate. He did not object to this, as it was a proper precaution, but it usually involved taking levels and measurements and sometimes making plans. Recently the preparation of the plans and specifications for contracts for the sewerago work had taken up so much time that, for several days he had not been able to leave the office at all. and both Mr. Gardner and himself had had to come back and work each night to get the work forward; also on Sundays. The water supply, too, had caused considerable anxiety —not the quantity of water available--but the amount which they were able to pump up was at times barely in excess of the demand. If work was sometime? apparently delayed it was not necessarily neglected, but only postponed owing to pressure of other w.ork. . Clearing up after the recent storms, for instance, had caused many of the works to be temporarily abandoned. If the. present pressure, was to. continue ■he must ask the council to give him an assistant in tlio office. Councillor Baldwin, said that the position of the pumps was serious'. _ Evidently the pumps had suddenly failed. Four months ago, so far as lie was aware, they were alright. 011 the motion of the Mayor, it was decided to refer the latter part of. the engineer's report to the "Works Committee. The engineer (in reply to Councillor Baldwin) stated that it was not a question of the sudden stoppage 1 of the pumjjs. but that they had more to do now. The Works Committee (with the engineer) will make an inspection on Wednesday afternoon.