WEST HARBOUR COUNCIL

Evening Star, Issue 21709, 2 May 1934, Page 2

WEST HARBOUR COUNCIL

MAINTENANCE OF MAIN ROAD FUTURE EXPENSE T 9 BE LESS Over £SOO less will be expended on the maintenance of the Dunedin-Port Chalmers highway during the ensuing twelve months than during the period just -completed, according to a report submitted by the engineer to last night’s meeting of the West Harbour Council. Present at the meeting were the mayor (Mr A. Smith). Crs F. W. Venn. A. D Asher, T. F. Rodger, J. M. Kay, C. J. Hayward, W. Forgie, C. F„ George, J. Robb, J. L. Page, and F. H. Hudson. The' report stated that the total expenditure on the road from April 1, 1933, to March 31, 1934, showed that the maintenance'and construction-costs amounted to £2,907 5s 2d, paid in the following proportions by the local authorities concerned; —Main Highways Board, £1,885 16s 2d; Dunedin City Corporation, £5lO 14s sd; West Harbour Borough Council, £383 1s; and Port Chalmers Borough Council, £127 13s 7d. The expenditure in the various wards was:—Sawyers Bay, £1,194 14s 2d; St. Leonards, £6OO 12s 3d; Ravensbourhe, £426 13s Id; and Rothesay, £135 4s Id: In the Waikouaiti County £SOO 0s 9d had been spent. A considerable amount of work, amounting to £1,238; had been done by contract.. • The cost included a large programme of one coat of tar sealing, a second coat of bitumen on last season’s work, and repairs to the bitumen surface previously sealed. Several culverts had been renewed, with a permanent type of■ structure, so that; they ! should require no further attention for many years, i > ‘ It had been estimated that the expenditure Would, be £2,250. - but the. estimate.-bad been increased by £657 os 2d. ,due .to the offer of ,: the Main Highways Board to subsidise one coat of tar seal over the whole length of the road that had been previously untreated. Experience had proved that tar sealing was an economical work, and the council was indebted to--the Main Highways Board for in carrying out :that large programme. For the ensuing year the engineer ,re : commended that an effort be made to give all the road, previously treated with one coat of tar seal, a coat of bitumen with toppings. One coat of sealing was only the first step, toward the completion of a successful , pavement, and it was his object this year to preserve the work that had been done by giving it another coat, It should then require little, if any, maintenance for three or four years. The estimated cost was £2.385, to be contributed as follows: —Main Highways Board. £1,665; Dunedin City Corporation, £360; West Harbour Borough Council. £270; Port Chalmers Borough Council. £9O. The Borough Engineer also reported that the amount expended on the Dun-ndin-Porb Chalmers road between February 1 and March 31' was £239 17s 2d.’ The. amount to be found by the local authorities concerned was £B7 17s 7d, which- was to be contributed as follows;—Dunedin City Corporation. £43 18s 9d; West Harbour Borough Council. £32 19s 2d; Port Chalmers Borough Council. £lO 19s Bd. , Both reports were received. \ It was decided to hire the Port Chalmers Borough Council’s far spraying machine at a cost of £2 a week. Cr Rodger said that the hiring of the machine was the most economical means of doing the work at present in hand, although the council would later have to consider purchasing a tar sprayer of its own. Cr Hayward also advocated the purchasing of a sprayer at a later date. GENERAL. The new mayor and Cr Hudson (elected to fill the mayor’s vacancy as a councillor representing the Sawyers Bay ward) took the oath of declaration, after which Crs Venn and Robb congratulated the mayor on his election, and expressed the hope that bo and the council would work together as harmoniously as had been the case under previous mayors. The mayor thanked the councillors, and welcomed Cr Hudson, who briefly returned thanks. A St. Leonards resident complained of an unsightly rubbish tip which had been started at the side of the road near her property. It was believed that the rubbish was carried some distance to the tip. The council was asked to put a stop to the nuisance.— Referred to the town clerk to inquire into the matter. ■ A list of conditions relative to the recent transfer to the council of railway land- between Ravensbourno and St. Leonards for the purpose of road widening was received from the district engineer of the Railway Department.— Referred to the engineer for a report. WORKS. Reporting on works done in the borough during the month, the Inspector stated that Castle street had been finished. Stone had been removed from the main road, near the quarry. The usual work was going on at Sullivan’s, the recreation grounds, and Ravensbourne road. The zig zags had been cleaned, while the water tables in District road, Junction road, Castle street, London street, Royal terrace, Ascog road, Montague street, Inyerallan, and the Main road from Maia to Burkes had been cleaned. The road at'Maloney’s had been started, and the footpaths at Killarney and other places cleaned. The school grounds at St. Leonards had been attended to. The footpaths and handrail at Roseneath had been seen to. Other minor works had been done during the month, including the drain in Athol place. The following works had to be done: — Drains were to be laid at Sullivan’s main road and Burkes (two), the tar scaling of footpaths as passed at the

last meeting would be carried out, and the footpaths on the main road to St. Leonards would be top dressed.— Adopted. FINANCE. It was reported by the Finance Committee that during the month £476 0s 8d had been collected, and that after tho payment of accounts amounting to £416 0s 4d, there would he a debit balance of £283 9s 6d.—Adopted.