LOWER HUTT BOROUGH

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 53, 26 November 1929, Page 12

LOWER HUTT BOROUGH

FUNDS FOR LOAN WORKS . REPORT BY COMMITTEE A meeting of the Lower Hutt Borough Council was held last night, the Mayor (Sir Alexander Roberts) presiding. There were also present: Councillors A. Mcßain, W. G. Meldrum, J. J. Boyd, A. E. Carver, F. Campbell, J. Mitchell, A. Grierson, and A. J. Hobbs. A letter from the Wellington City Council advised that the 1929 amendment to the Wellington City and Suburban Highways Construction and Hutt Road Act necessitated the appointment of the Lower Hutt Borough Council’s representative on the board, as the Act provided for the existing members to remain in office until November 30 next. It would therefore be necessary to make an appointment. The Mayor was appointed. A communication from the New Zealand Railways Department, in reference to the drainage at Moera, asked that, should the Department cut the drain from Randwick Road to the river, would the council be willing to lease the strip of land and maintain the flood-gate and drain, and also accept all liability for the future maintenance thereof, subject to deed of agreement. The rental, , if demanded, would be one peppercorn per annum. The suggestion was adopted. The Finance and Estates Committee reported that the Works Committee had advised that the funds provided for loan works had been insufficient for the following reasons: — “Bridge loan: Originally £BOOO was provided in two loans, one of £6OOO and one of £2OOO, for the borough’s share of the cost of this work. Certain charges which have not been estimated for and could not have been foreseen, such as surveyor’s and engineer’s fees, legal expenses and advertising, and additional cost of paving, will have to be provided for. “£7OOO sewerage loan: Over-expendi-ture on this loan amounts to £1720 and is accounted for by the fact that the estimates were based on the work being carried out in summertime, whereas it was actually carried out in the winter and to a considerable extent with unemployed labour. Throughout the whole length of the King’s Road sewer considerable trouble was experienced not only with heavy water but with the soil itself. Even though the trenches were close timbered the surrounding soil caved in for several feet outside the trench, disturbing the adjacent gas main and connections and destroying parts of the footwalk. The replacement of the gas main alone cost well over £lOO. Trouble was also experienced at Rossiter Avenue both with the lifting station and the sewers. The water met with here was excessive, the subsoil and foundations were running sand. The laying of rock foundations was essential, whilst wet weather caused the caving in of trenches on several occasions, necessitating replacement of fences and hedges which fell in. The big earthquake caught us with no bottom in the lifting station, and the violent oscillations caused considerable damage to it. and it has subsequently been found that due to this shake a considerable length of sewer in Rossiter Avenue has been upheaved nearly a foot, necessitating relaying. “£3220 Borough Improvement Loan: Certain sewerage work done out of this loan, viz., Waterloo Road and Witako Street, were also carried out under great disabilities owing to underground water and timber. The reduction of the crown in Main Stret also cost considerably more than was estimated owing to the excessively boggy nature of the subsoil, which had to be removed and entirely replaced lith rock.

“The committee therefore recommend that steps be taken to raise in the case of the bridge loan, £950; sewerage loan. £1720. The improvements loan is a 10 per gent, loan of the £42.000 borough improvement loan, and while it is doubtful if the Loans Board will sanction the raising of further money under this heading it is suggested that the possibility of getting an additional loan should be investigated.” - The report was adopted.