CIVIC AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 20780, 30 April 1931, Page 8

CIVIC AFFAIRS

FORTNIGHTLY COUNCIL MEETING Tho City Council met last night, tlioso present being the mayor (Mr It. S. Black), Crs Begg, Wilkinson, Marlow, Wilson, Campbell, Mitchell, Scott, Lawrence, and Sliacklock. WORKS COMMITTEE. Speaking to the motion for the adoption of the report of the Works Committee, Cr Mitchell referred to clause 2, which read: “A communication has been received from Air C. Taylor, of 122 Cargill road, drawing attention to the dust nuisance in Cargill road. The portion of this street referred to is between Anderson’s Bay road and King Edward street, and is at present subjected to a good deal of extra traffic by the closing of King Edward street on account of tho Drainage Board’s operations. The question of surface sealing has also been raised by tho correspondent, but it is pointed out that any permanent work of this nature is held in abeyance pending the construction of a storm-water sewer. During dry weather the street is sprinkled with salt water, which prevents dust from rising for a considerable time. Mr Taylor has been advised accordingly.” —Cr Mitchell said that some heavy metal had been put on the road and it was then scraped off again. It seemed a curious thing to do, and ho would like to know if that was a method of keeping down dust. Cr Alitchell also referred to tho St. Clair Baths, which were again full of stones,. Ho did not know if any of those present would bo at the next meeting, and he washed to make a final appeal to the committee to deal with that matter. He thought tho filling in of the baths was duo to the quarry work on the second beach.

Cr Scott, referring to Cargill road, said that owing to tho Wilkie road sewerage work Cargill road was carrying very heavy traffic, and he agreed with what Cr Alitchell had said regarding tho scraping off of the metal. Ho thought the council would bo wise to tar macadam all tho cross streets if it possibly could, because they were like tunnels.

The Mayor said lie had been trying unsuccessfully for two years to get Cargill road covered with a tar coating, and he considered that if it had been done two ’ years ago the people there would have had .a great deal more comfort and money would not have been wasted. lie would like the chairman to say that when the sewerage work was finished something would bo done, llcfcrring to Surrey street, the Mayor said that part of that street had recently been widened and heavy metal had been put down on the paths. He had been assured by a resident that if that heavy metal were raked off and soil put down the residents would sow it with grass and keep it cut. It would look very well for Surrey street. Cr Scott: Hear, hear. The Mayor added that ho thought soil could 'be obtained from a reasonable distance.

Cr Wilson, chairman of the committee, in reply to Cr Mitchell, said that heavy metal was put down and a good job made of it and a screen of loose metal was put on top. Otherwise the heavy traffic would spoil the good work that'had boon done. The engineer instructed that a certain amount of the metal bo raked off because rather much was put down. With regard to the St. Clair Baths, Cr Wilson said ho was not aware that the baths had been cleaned out. The committee bad been desirous of having them cleaned out, but the caretaker would not allow it to be done. Ho would consult the engineer to sec what could bo done to stop the metal entering the baths. The Mayor; It is a peculiar statement to make that the caretaker can stop the council from cleaning the baths out.

Cr 'Wilson said that the committee did not wish to do anything against the wishes of the caretaker. Regarding Surrey street, Cr Wilson said the street was not wide enough for town planning. Coming back to the sewer, Cr Wilson said the sewer was to ho continued eventually to the Anderson’s Ray road, and it was all a question of the finances of the Drainage Board. He would bring the matter before the engineer to see what he recommended, but it was uneconomical to asphalt the road and then break it up again. The Mayor suggested that the part of the road which the drain would not touch might ho asphalted, hut Cr Wilson said that that part of the road would bo very small. The report was adopted. GAS COMMITTEE.

Cr Marlow, in moving the adoption of tlio report of the Gas Committee, said the gas engineer reported that the contractors were, making rapid progress with the construction of tho new gas holder. Tho bottom and first plato. had been rivetted and tested with water preparatory to being lowered into position. Tbo tank, which was now fully assembled, was lowered on to tho foundations, and tho rivetting was in process of completion. Tho first lift was being assembled into tho tank. Tho report was adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE.

The Finance Committee recommended “ That tho rental payable by tho Kaitima Bowling Club (incorporated) in respect of its corporation leasehold property, being allotments 13, 14, and 15, Cattle Market Reserve, Dunedin, bo reduced from £45 to £25 per annum. This lease has just fallen due, and tho valuers advanced tho rental from £35 to £45. It may bo explained that when tho present lease began to run twonty-ono years ago tho rent was assessed at £35, and tho council at that time agreed to reduce tho amount to £lO. Tho configuration of the 1-ud and its liability to flooding make it a rather expensive area for tho club to maintain, and as tho area is used practically for recreation purposes and is open to the public, your committee is of opinion that tho proposed assistance to tho club in tho matter of rent reduction is justifiable.” On the motion of Cr Mitchell tho report of the committee as adopted. WAIPORI MATTERS Cr Slmcklock moved tho adoption of the report of tho E.P. and L. Committee, tho most important clauses of which read Geophysical Survey, Waipori.—With the view to obtaining tho most accurate

information possible regarding the structure and formation of the country along the route of the proposed pressure tunnel or pipe lines between the main station and surge chamber, negotiations were entered into with Messrs Geophysical Surveyors Ltd., of Palmerston North, as to their terms for making such a survey and furnishing the council with a detailed report thereon It may bo explained that the whole object of a geophysical survey, which is a modern development of science, is by the employment of various electrical and physical methods, which give reactions dependent on the formation, to discover the subsurface contour and geological conditions of the country hidden beneath tho surface. The department’s consulting engineer, Mr H. Vickerman, agrees that the survey will be comprehensive, much less expensive, and infinitely quicker than boring, and reliable to adopt. The terms offered by Messrs Geophysical Surveys Ltd., pro v.dc for payments by the council of (a) £IOO on date of commencement of work, (b) £250 on delivery of report, (c) £.350 on confirmation of report by boring or sinking shafts, and a final £3()U on further confirmation of the re port by the actual tunnel driving operations by the council. The terms are embodied in a formal agreement, and vim committee recommends that such terms bo approved. Boring at Waipori. The boring operations at Waipori are still in progress. Tho bore is now down to very hard rock at IKJft, and progress is therefore slow. In tho event of the suv ?sted geophysical survey being gone on with, tho matter of further continuation or postponement of boring operations will be dealt with. Cr Sbaeklock said that a geophysical survey was a now thing in this country, but it was anticipated that the survey would save much boring, which was slow and costly. Tho one bore that had been put down, as the report showed, nad reached a depth of 1115 ft, and tho cost was somewhere about £3SU, or about, £3 a foot. If the result of the survey would show exactly where the Judes should be put down and would reduce the number of holes to a minimum, it was money well spent. Cr Wilson thought the step to bo taken by tho department was a very good one. Cr Mitchell thought that on the face ol it it, looked like talcing a leap in the dark it was so new a thing even to engineers that ho thought it should have been investigated very carefully befor ■ proceeding. Another thing tho committee should- bo sure about was that the fee was reasonable. There was nothing in the report to show whether tho tee was fair and reasonable or not. Of course, they knew that it was loss than the cost of boring. The Mayor took it that the surveyora would put on paper the country which was not seen, and if tho holes put down agreed with' tho report it would save many bores.

Cr Marlow said tho commjtteo had gone very carefully into tbo matter. It was a scheme recommended by the council’s consulting engineer, and the people who had come to malco the report undertook to give reports of tho conhguration of the country m certain spots. Tho council could put down boros at those spots, and he wanted the council to understand that tho bore would have to bo put down there in any case, and in the event of tho bore not being in accordance with the sur vey tho surveyors would not ho paid, so, tho council would see that tho surveyors were taking a risk. Ho thought from ovc y point of view, that it was a satisfactory arrangement. Cr Shaddock, in reply, said tho fee was quite reasonable, and had been brought down to bedrock. Tbo opinion the surveyors undertook to give would bo quite Valuable, and even if it saved the drillin"' of one or two holes unnecessarily it would _savo the cost of tho report quite easily. Tho report was adopted.

TENDER. The tender of John .Duthic and Co., Wellington, was accepted for tho supply of fifty tons of three-inch cast iron gas pipes at £l2 2s a ton.