HOKITIKA NOTES

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 March 1926, Page 2

HOKITIKA NOTES

BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETING.

(Our Own Correspondent.)

HOKITIKA, March 27. The Hokitika Borough Council met last evening. Present: The Mayor (Mr G. A. Perry), Crs. H. M. Coulson, Jas. King, A. R. Elcock, J. Lloyd, W. Jeffries, S. F. Orr, G. Heinz, H. T. Parry, H- Blank. The District Council of the Main Highways Board wrote asking the Council to supply statistics and refusing to make certain payments asked for. W. Berry and Son Wrote agreeing to conditions of Council re drainage of section. W. Robinson wrote, objecting to the reduction of the side of a drain in Sewell Street, and stating that he would hold, the Council responsible for any damage done to his property through flood water. Cr Blank moved that no action be taken. The intention of the Council wag published in the paper, and the objector should have put in his objection before. He (Cr Blank) said an 18in pipe was quite large enough to take all the water. The tidal water was the chief trouble. He did not like this sort of thing. No sooner was an important work undertaken than some ratepayer wrote in that fashion. Cr Lloyd seconded. The Mayor said he thought that the pipes being put in were large enough. By putting in a secton and testing it for its capacity to carry the water they could see if the 18in pipe were blig enough. If not they could connect, with Tancred Street.

Cr Heinz considered the 18in. pipe big enough to take the storm water.

Cr Jeffries said he had confidence in the Chairman of the Public Works Committee, and if he thought it all right, why interfere? The Mayor thought there was sufficient doubt to wait and test the pipes. Mr W- Robinson, who was present, asked to explain the position. He said the large drain at present in use took, away the water quickly, but he was quite certain that an 18in pipe would not carry, the flood water away. The motion was carried. H. Park wrote asking for gravel to be put on the path near his residence in Fitzherbert Street. 1 Ltd. wrote asking f°r permission to erect a kerb petrol pump. —Granted. W. Gaylor wrote applying for his annual leave.—Granted. W. Connor wrote asking for a fortnight’s leave.—Granted. The Treasurer reported receipts £629 15s, payments £246 3s Id, debit £206 16s lid. Cr Loan Account £236 10s 2d. Accounts amounting to £lBO 18s 3d were pasesd for payment. Ci' Jeffries asked the Mayor what were the speed limits for motor cars within the borough. The Mayor replied that 8 and 12 miles were the limits'fixed.

Cr Jeffries said 'it? was gratifying to the Council to see the police endeavouring to regulate the motor traffic. There was too much speeding incur streets by people who ought to know better. There were a number of road hogs about who were a menace to people’s lives, and it was time something was done. He diid not wish to comment on recent cases, but the police should be congratulated on their action, which was the concensus of opinion about the'town.

Cr Coulson said the position was daily getting worse in the borough. He agreed with Cr Jeffries and the term he applied to the offenders. If the police could see some of the speedometers they would read 30 or 40 miles an hour- He was not referring

to the cases before the Court recently! Cr Jeffries moved that the police be congratulated on their efforts. Seconded by Cr King, supported by Cr Heinz, and carried. THE GARAGE FIRE. An echo Of the redeiH fire at Baty’s Garage Wils heard hl the Borough Council meeting Inst eveiilhM oil the receipt of a letter from the Hokitika Fife Bohrti ailll! another from the Hokitika Voliiiitobf Fife Brigade. The Fire Board askeii that Hiorie responsible for turning oii Wdtdr lie cohiieeted With telepliOhd. Tlitl Elite Brigade drew attention to the lack Of pressure in the pipes oil Sunday morning last when the lite broket out.—Tt was resolved to make thd telephone connections referred to and on moving the receipt of the second letter, Cf. Collison said that as representative bf the Council on the Fire Board, he was iii duty bound to remark that he Was astounded to hear a representative of the Council on t(ie Board make such very serious allegations against the Council. The Chairman, in fact, had said that the £5OOO loss at the fire was attributable to the system or lack of system of the Borough Council. It should be made perfectly clear that it was no fault of the Borough Council.

Cr. Jeffries: “That is a matter of opinion.’’ Cr. Coulson, continuing: Quite so. At the Fire Board meeting he said the delay was probably due to a fault in the telephone ’system. On Wednesday night he went up the clock tower to test the fire circuit and found the surmise wao correct, viz., that the circuit was at fault, and caused the delay. If the alarm had been right, the water would have been there as soon as the brigade. Something had already been done to strengthen the alarm but the telephone engineer is to go into the matter thoroughly. It might be said that if the water were left on there would be no necessity for a turncock, but if the water is left on there would soon be no water. The Council had done all in its power and the delay was certainly not the fault of the Brigade. He thought it regrettable that a representative of the Council on the Board should make such an allegation. Cr. Lloyd said if there was 9ft 6in of water in the reservoir why turn it off at night? The Mayor said that in common with other Councillors, he was much worried over the water supply. Undoubtedly it was a defective system. They found they had to conserve the water fox' fire purposes. The Council some time ago in ordex* to improve the supply, connected up with the Penstock at the Forks. The time, however, was coming when a new system will have to be put in. A new system at the present price of things would cost about £40,000. The Council should consider the matter.

Cr. Heinz said that the only time when any supply came from the Penstock was when the Kanieri Electric Coy.’s race overflowed. The Borough foreman had made a hole large enough to let sufficient water through to fill a 6 inch pipe, but the Company nailed it up. The fluctuation of the pressure in the pipes by letting the water on and turning it off was having a bad. effect on the pipes and causing leaks. The Borough staff appeared to be half its time working on the pipes repairing leaky pipes. He considered the Chairman of the Fire Board was quite right. He thought the supplementary supply should be given a chance, and he thought they would get more water than they required which would get over the difficulty for the time being.

Cr. Jeffries contended the fire was a blessing in disguise because it proved the inefficiency of the water supply. The Chairman of the Fire Board was quite right in his remarks. What he (Mr. Jeffries) wanted to know was „why the water was turned off at night. The Council should adopt the suggestion made by the Mayor and face the position. If they don’t it might cost more than £40,000 by wiping out the town by fire.

Cr. Blank said Cr. Jeffries was at the Council meeting when it was decided to diminish the pressure at night. It was no fault of the Council that the telephone was weak, but the Fire Board’s. Cr. Coulson said it seemed to him that there were two distinct issues which had been confused. It was infinitely better to have a sufficient water supply and have it turned on full. The turncock generally got the alarm before the firebell rang, but on this occasion he did not get it. The large number of fires in Hokitika was not the result of an inefficient water supply. Supt. Braddon had said that on previous occasions when the alarm was properly given the water was there as soon as they wanted it. This was the only occasion there was any delay. He continued the Council was not to blame, but should be given credit for conserving the water. The motion was carried.