RUNANGA BOROUGH COUNCIL

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 September 1939, Page 3

RUNANGA BOROUGH COUNCIL

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING The Mayor (Mr. R. McTaggart) presided at last evening’s meeting of the Runanga Borough Council. Also present were Councillors F. Oakley, E. Kennedy, Y. Rutherford, S. Morris, G. English and J. McTigue. The Waterworks Engineer reported as follows tor the period ending September 19: “All work was concentrated on the intake end of the contract for the monthly period, and by working on Sunday, August 27, and Monday, August 28, the contractors completed the pouring of concrete in the intake. On August 29, after an exceptionally heavy rain storm, it was found that with the exception of 18 feet of the east side, and the foundations, the intake had been .washed away in the flood. We consider that the collapse was due to (1) The green concrete not standing the weight of water, and (2) a tree was discovered among the deprip. which came from above the intake during the flood. It is probable that this tree struck the intake in its green state, doing the damage mentioned. This damage set the work back three weeks for completion. On September 18, with the exception of the screening chamber, [the intake was completed once more. | The reservoir’ should be completed [within the present, week. The fourI inch main has been extended to Inverness Street, as authorised by the Council. There are at present ten men engaged on the work. The report was received as satisfactory.

In reply to Or. McTigue, the engineer stated that he did not think there was any danger of the new intake "being carried away by floods. When the intake was carried away by floods it had not been poured for more than 24 hours, and had not had time to harden. The intake was partly reinforced by iron rods, although he did not consider this an essential, because the dam which was only three feet high was three feet thick at the bottom and two feet thick at the top. and the bulk of the dam itself would be sufficient. In reply to a question, the Engineer stated that with good weather, there should be water in the pipes in three weeks’ time. The Railways Department applied for water to be supplied to »the Sta-

tionmaster’s residence. The request was granted. The Town Clerk reported that a permit for 72 gallons of petrol a month had In mi granted by the authorities. Mr. S. A. O’Neill’s request to have the water supplied to his property was granted. Mr. S. A. O’Neill’s application for assistance in the laying of stormwater pipes near bis property was referred to the foreman, for a. report.