PETONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 122, 17 February 1920, Page 8

PETONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING. A meeting of tho Petone Borough Council was held.last night. The Mayor (Mr. J. W. Ml3wan) presided. The engineer (Mr. A. Cowie) reported that tho part of the Hutt Road on which the roller had been used was -.already showing signs of wear, through tho heavy motor traffic. It had been covered with shingle, and would be dressed with tar this week. Good progress had been mado with the tarring of Jackson Street. He recommended that in view of recent decisions of tho Court, tho streets being tarred should be closed for traffic during operations. People using them then would do so at their own risk.' Tho troublo lately experienced with the clock was dun to a broken circuit, which had been repaired. The minimum pressure at the waterworks had been .1011)., maximum 811b., and average weekly consumption 2,713,000 gallons. A good deal of waste was still being caused by garden hosing, but the critical period was past and no troublo was expected. Time had been spent re-grading gas services, sinkage having been caused by the sewerage operations where the service crossed the sewer trench. The service became filled with water, which blocked the gas, and this was only discovered when the consumer became short of gas. Jt would occur in all cases where they crossed. Nine house drains had been laid by the plumbing department, and seven house services completed. Building permits for two houses and one other building, to the value of .£ll2l. were granted: the fees accruing wero £3 10s. The total value of building nermits granted during the v?ar wns JMI.-MK, and the fees collected .KM 10s. It was decided to hold a special meeting on March 8 to consider, .claims from employees for increases of wages. The Invercargill Borough Council wrote drawing attention to the necessity of providing safeguards in respect of railway crossings, and asking tho cooperation of the council. Tt wns decided to support the motion of the InvercaTgill Council. Several councillors expressed tlii> opinion that it was high time something was done, and instanced tho danger of the crossing at the Grand National Hotel. The employment of caretakers and the erection, of automatic gates wero among the remedies suggested by.councillors, who went to some length in pointing out the dangerous nature of this particular crossing. A long discussion scorned likely to ensue, when Councillor Hay cailed the council's attention to the futility of too much talk about ways and means. It was finally decided to support the Invercargill motion and to draw attention to the crossing mentioned. In answer to a question from Councillor Anderson concerning the gas dispute between the T.owpr Hull and Petone Councils, the Mayor said (hat nothing more had been heard from the Board of Trade. Tt was decided to ask the board to expedite the conference between the two bodies concerned, and. to reply slating what its intention is in this connection.