A BUSY YEAR

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 153, 26 December 1914, Page 8

A BUSY YEAR

MUNICIPAL PROGRESS WORKING FROM REVENUE AN EXCELLENT RECORD. Though there have been no outstanding works undertaken by the Corporation this year, the twelve months just closing have been a very busy period. The Mayor having left for Napier, The Post was unable to obtain from him a statement regarding tho activities of the municipality, particularly with reference to policy questions, on which he alone can speak with authority; but the City Engineer (Mr. W. H. Morton) was preailed on to give a brief summary of tho works carried out during the year. DRAINAGE. Practically no loan work has been done, the only, work undertaken outside revenue being the extension of the drainage system to Lyall Bay and Mara* jiui dibtnet. Other small drainage extensions have been made in other pails of the town where building operations have rendered them necessary. ON THE BELT. There has been an immense amount of work done on the Town Belt in the way of tree-planting, gorse-grubbing, and general improvement. Tho outstanding work has been that at Central Park, where the first part of the impioVement I scheme has been put in hand. Trees have been planted all round, and paths made, with a great deal of levelling and drainage extension. There will now have to be a Bhort wait before much further progress can be made. At tho end of Mem-street also important improvements have been effected. Gorse has been cleared and trees planted on the Tmakon Hills, and at the present time the eastern slopes of Mount VieI torn _ are being cleared preparatory to planting. Trees planted are doing well on the whole notwithstanding the dry winter and spring. There has been a further extension of the Kilbirnie Recreation Ground, and another two acres of land have been reclaimed. STREET WORKS. Th© Wood-blocking of Lower Cubastreet from Manners-street to Jervoiequay has been the most important street work undertaken. Another wood-block* ing extension almost completed is that on tho portion of Featherfctott-etreet, from Lambton-quay ta the Post Office. A large storrawater culvert has been constructed from Lambton-quay to the harbour, and it is hoped that this will prevent the periodical flooding of the quay during heavy rainfall. A storm^ water drain hae also been laid at Newtown to prevent flooding at the intersection of Daniel and Constable-streets. The Island Bay culvert is being further extended from Cornwall-stteet to Tamarstreet, and it is hoped next year to com" plete this work right to tho recreation grcmul. Usual street improvement works, such as the asphalting and extension of footpaths, have been carried out, and ranch progress has been made in the outlying districts. TRAMWAYS. In the tramways department there have been the extensions at Lyall Bay and Mansfiekl'street to the Zoo gates, with the construction of a loop-line and siding for stand-by cars at the former place. The benefit of the Mansfieldstreet extension has been experienced during two or three, large gathbrin'gs at the park. An additional area of ground has been levelled at the car depot, and new repairing shops have been built there. Further extensions of this character will shortly be required. The greatest work undertaken during the year has been the conversion oi cars to the " Davey " type. This increased the work of the car depot to an enormous extent, but ears have also been built so far as the capacity of the shops permitted. i There are no»v 102 cars in use, and it is the t policy of the Council to continue building for some time to come. The work of taking out centre tramwaypoles is being proceeded with gradually. All in Lower Cuba-street have been removed, and at present some are being taken out in Courtenay-place. The department sustained a loss during the year in the regrettable death of Mr. Stuart Richardson, electrical engineer, who had been connected with the tramway system from its ihception. His death cast a gloom over the whole service. LIGHTING. In the electric lighting and power department the principal matter of note to the public has been the reduction in the price of electricity. A reduction has also been made in the price of power electricity, and this has led to an increaso in the use of electric power, radiators, etc. The number of, light consumers has also increased considerably. The principal working alteration has been the provision of bji additional Parsons turbine. The two turbines now installed will meet the requirements of the city for some time to come. WATER SUPPLY. Notwithstanding the unusually dry winter and spring the position of the water supply has been and is at present very satisfactory. The new Karori Reservoir is Bft below overflow level, but all other reservoirs arc full and, owing to a good rainfall last week, there is now a good stream flowing through at Wainui. Tho benefit of duplicating the greater portion of the Wainui main has been well established. No complaints of scarcity of water are now being received, even from the high levels, except in isolated instances where pipes on con-" sumers' premises are old and' corroded. Old and, badly corroded pipes which are proving too small for the districts supplied are being replaced. Extensions have been made in all. districts to cope with requirements. The construction of the balancing reeetvoir at Bell-road has been of , inestimable benefit, as on one or two occasions' where breaks have occurred in mains the supply for the city has been fully maintained at ordinary pressure. ! HUTT-ROAP. Air. Morton expressed regret that something satisfactory had not been acromplishM logardihg the rwH'htenancfl of the itutt-roAtl Steps Are now being taken which, it is hoped, will lead to a settlement of the qupsiioo. The road is wearing badly now in some places, and will shortly lequire the expenditure of a laigo sum of money to bting n to a proper sUto of repair. The road at the head ot tlio harbour, connecting tho bridge with th? l.owiv Bay-road thtouph the Giaufield Ks>tate. is now almost completed. \ FOR THE KUTUBK. In conclusion, Mr. Morton lemmked that quite a number of large and^ important works had been under cotmderation and reported upon during the year, but it had been intended to include them in a lo"an proposal to be placed before the ratepayers. These mußi necessarily remain uncompleted, owing to the difficulty which would face the Mayor and Council if they attempted to raise a loan. H wduld appear to bo impossible to carry out these wotks out of revenue, but within tho means provided by revenue steady progress would • bo maintained in all works of improve* meat and maintenance.,