PORT CHALMERS AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 22366, 16 June 1936, Page 1

PORT CHALMERS AFFAIRS

COUNCIL MEETING The monthly meeting last night of the Borough Council was attended by Mr T. Scollay (mayor), C'i's Wiiimott, Jack, Forsyth, Smith, Watson. Mackie, Armstrong, and Farquharson. CORRESPONDENCE. The Town Clerk, Marton, wrote suggesting a conference in Wellington relative to wages, costs, and 44-hour week ns related to smaller gas undertakings in the Dominion.—The Chairman of the Gas Committee said it seemed to mean that a double shift would have to be worked at the municipal gasworks.—lt was decided that, owing to short notice, it was unable to take part in the proposed conference.

West Harbour Council forwarded estimates of upkeep of Port ChalmersDunedin highway for year ending March., 1937. < The Lyttelton Harbour Board forwarded details of a proposed South island travel association to develop tourist traffic, and suggested a conference of representatives of public bodies to (’ JKiUss the proposal.—Mr T. Anderson wrote suggesting something could he done to assist rather than embarrass the travelling public.—Resolved to receive the letter, the council’s delegates to report what the Expansion League was doing. The Hospital Board advised . that, pending approval of the board’s estimates by the Minister, the council could arrange to pay the board’s levy at the rate fixed last year.—Agreed to. The Napier Council advised that it was in favour ot forming a local body employees’ union right throughout the Dominion, and that one union include all such employees.—Cr Farquharson thought nothing should he done against the Government.—The letter was received.

The Minister of Justice acknowledged receipt of the council’s protest against the inconvenience of local residents having to serve on juries in Dunedin. The council’s representations were being placed before the registrar in Dunedin. with a view to improvements being effected.—A Councillor: Very satisfactory.—The Minister to he thanked. The School Committee, in conformity with a resolution passed at the animal householders’ meeting, asked that the water rate for the school bo reduced from ,£4 to the nominal sura of os per annum.—Resolved to accept the nominal sum.

The Secretary of the Harbour Board advised that a new transformer for the dredge Vulcan would be to hand in five or six months, and the dredging programme would then facilitate resumption of reclamation at Mussel Biv.—Received. The residents of Keynoldstown asked for improvements to the road leading to that locality.—The applicants to he informed that surfacing had already boon decided on. but the matter of a footway had hot yet been considered. ENGINEER’S REPORT.

The Borough Engineer reported:—No ■work lias been done on Dunedin-Port Chalmers Highway No. 225, with the exception of sweeping the screenings from the George street corner and the raking in of the shoulders. On Port Chalmers-Waitati (No. (142) no work of any sort has been done. On Port-Chal-rers-Aramoana (No. 043) the surplus screenings have been removed to another portion of this highway which has not been sealed, and this is the only work that has- been done since last report. The sealing shows signs of weakness in some places, and approximately 140 square yards of patching is required. The contractors have heen asked to have this work done, so that a final certificate of payment can be issued. The turn-out at Bradleys is practically completed, and the group that was working here has now made a commencement on the playground near the cemetery. We have covered the forination work at Brailoys with shells, and when these have settled a few loads of screenings will complete the construction. The following works have been carried out:—Quarry road footpath surfaced; handrailing erected on Watson's track ; Bellevue Place and Burns street steps repaired; Constitution street steps attended to; Eox street footpath treated with weed killer and all refuse cleaned up. The two matters now to be attended to are the leading of the stormwater into the Bcrnicia street drain near the pillar box, and the construction of a drain across the footpath near the Church of England. The Meridian street main has been cleaned, and both pressure and quality have been improved. Investigations show that the Mount street main was either not connected with the Ajax road main or else the whole system was blocked, and I recommend that the necessary work be done in order that these two lines of supply should be interconnected. By this means there would bo a better pressure at the foot of George street, and I believe it would materially the supply to .shipping. The reservoir is full, and from the information we arc now able to obtain the consumption of water during the last month averaged 118,000 gallons per day. WORKS COMMITTEE. Cr T. F. Mackie has been re-elected chairman of the committee for the ensuing 12 months. Authority has been given for the carrying out ot the tollowing works :—-That a sum of £2O be expended on the improvement of the Main Highway, No. 042 (Port Chal-mers-Waitati). That a footpath be formed on Beach street. 1 routing the cottage owned by Mr J. V. Fogo. That repairs be eflected to Wieklirfe J errace in the terms of the arrangement entered into with the Otago Harbour Board, which provides for the payment of a subsidy in respect to this work. That alterations to the water main connections be carried out at the junction of George and Mount streets in the terms of the report by the borough engineer. That a few yards of screenings be spread in the potholes in Magnetic and Harrington streets. The committee, has instructed the borough engineer to snomit a report and 'estimated costs to put the following streets in a reasonable state of repair:—Constitution street (from Magnetic to Scotia street). Bcrnicia street (from Wicklille Terrace to Magnetic street). Mary street, Currie street, Slant street, (

and the northern end of Harbour Terrace, also the estimated cost to improve the surfaces of the footpaths on each side of Burns street.—On the motion of Cr Mackie the report was approved. Cr Smith thought the Reynoldstowa people should see Scotia street for roughness. Cr Annan said he had seen the motor lorry waiting while grass was chipped.

Cr Jack moved that Scotia street he added to the list of streets to ba repaired. Cr Mackie said the committee had been concerned at the cartage costs. Cr Farquharsou said cartage had been large during the past threa weeks but great improvements were apparent, GENERAL. The General Committee reported: Cr D. Forsyth has been re-elected chairman of the committee for the ensuing twelve months. In the event; of tire borough foreman noticing any of the council’s property missing, the committee recommends that the foreman be instructed to refer the matter to the town clerk. Regarding trees in Magnetic street, the committee regrets exceedingly that its instructions regarding thetrees at the back of Campbell’s and Kncwstubb’s were not regarded. The fault was not with the committee or the acting town clerk, whose'written instructions were definite and clear. In view of the fact that the trees of two applicants have been topped, the committee recommends that the same treatment bo given to the third applicant, Mrs Goodyear, but is not prepared to consider any fresh applications. Tlie committee deplores the unworkmanlike manner in which the “ so-called topping ” was carried out. The gas manager, in his report for the month of May, 1936, states inter alia that 23 tons 16cwt of coal were carbonised, yielding 342,000 cubic feet of gas, an average of 14,250 cubic feet per ton. The manufacturing plant is in good working order generally, and all complaints have been attended to. As a number of owners of dogs have not yet registered their clogs for the current year, your committee recommends that a collector be put on to collect the fees ingCr Forsyth moved the adoption of this report. No instructions were given by the committee or acting town clerk to top the trees which were actually 11 hacked ” down. Thera had been a misunderstanding somewhere.

A councillor held that dogs in tha streets without.collars should be taken to the gasworks. Cr Watson held that Alsatians should not be registered in th® borough. Cr Mackie thought the cutting down of trees was likely to remain, a, mystery. The matter was not discussed bv the Works Committee.

Cr Watson said the trimming" of stumps had been confused with topping of trees.

THE ALLEN HIGHWAY.

In commemoration of the late Edward Giblett Allen, it was decided, on the motion of the mayor, to name the bus route through the town—including Grey. Magnetic, and Harrington streets, also the southern portion of Meridian street—the Allen Highway. The late Mr Allen, His Worship stated, rendered valuable public service to the town. He was mayor for a number of years, and the principal buildings. were a monument to his public spirit. As chairman of the Otago Dock Trust Mr Allen was instrumental in procuring the Otago Dock, which was of national service when Port Chalmers was the naval base of New Zealand during the Great War. Mr Allen also represented Port Chalmers in Parliament during the Richard Seddon regime. It was well that his memory should be honoured in the town he loved so well and served so faithfully. Cr Farquharson thought it would be a very tine tribute to an esteemed citizen of bygone days.