BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

Grey River Argus, 23 March 1928, Page 3

BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. The ordinary meeting of the Greymouth Borough Council was held last evening, there being present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. W. Green slade), Crs D. M. Robertson, J. McGinley. J. B. Kent, R. J. Williams, F. A. Kitchingham, J. O’Brien and G. Perotti. SPECIAL LOANS. The Council confirmed the resolution of the special meeting on February 1(5 as to th • liquidation of the special gasworks loan of 1909, falling due on March 31st next, by borrowing £7OO and imposing a special rate being ten-fifty-ninths of a penny in the £, to produce £lOO yearly. The Town Clerk (Mr F. 11. Denton) stated authority had that day come to hand to increase the interest rate on the special loans from 54 to 6 per cent., which meant increasing the special rates. Cr Kitchingham therefore moved the confirmation of resolutions as to the loans at G per cent, interest, and as to the rates, in accordance therewith, namely, for a rate of eleven-eightieths of a penny in the £ to provide interest and sinking fund on the loan of £l4OO for the relief of unemployment, and for a rate of four-twenty-thirds of one pen nd in the £ on the £7OO special loan over a period of seven years. Cr Williams seconded the motions, which were carried, as also one for the fixing of the seal of the Council to the debentures issued. The Mayor explained that small loans were not negotiable at 5J percent., but for larger loans they hoped to secure a lower rate of interest. BLAKETOWN NEEDS. A letter was read from the Blaketown and Preston Road Citizens’ Association re water supply, footpaths, etc, in Blaketown and Preston. Road. On the request for extending the drainage and sewerage system to these localities the Mayor said it would come up under the loan proposals. On a request to clear gorse from reserves in Blaketown, the Mayor moved that the Works Committee should report, as they did not know what area was meant. Cr McGinley said they had been waiting ten years for a report from the Town Clerk on their reserves in Blaketown which could be made revenue producing. Cr Kitchingham said only three or four sections were available for leasing. The motion was carried. A request for ex-

tension of the water main in Reid and Doyle Streets was held over. It was complained that nothing had been done to raise Hie level of Preston Road in front of the places of Mr J. Goodall, Air Webster and Mrs Mosley. It was stated the Engineer had reported on this work, which Cr Williams said would bo fairly costly. Cr Kent said the Works Committee went there, but though a member of it, he hail not been informed. A motion by Crs Kitchingham and Perotti that the Engin eer make a report on the matter was carried. The letter finally complained that new bungalows had been erected, but the owners were unable to secure a line for their ami asked that tin* footpath should be surveyed. Cr Kitchingham said it was not for the Council to survey private properties. Cr Kent said the Council was legally bound to give the house owners the correct street level, and he moved that the request be granted, the motion being seconded by Cr McGinley and car-„C-V •" -■- r. - THE BRICK AREA. Griffen and Smith, Ltd, applied for permission to erect a building of corrugated iron in Johnston Street for the purpose of housing a petrol waggon. It was stated that the Oil Coy would erect a suitable depot as soon as they obtained a location for same. The shed would be IS feet by 9 feet, with 9 feet studs, and the waggon carried a GOO gallon tank. The applicants had no fixed agreement and did not want to incur expense. Cr Kitchingham said this was a case where a point could be stretched, as a brick structure would replace the iron one later. They could ask a bond for £2OO that the shed would be demolished within* one or two years. He moved that the request be granted under a covenant to guarantee removal within one year of the shed, under a penalty of £2OO. Cr O’Brien thought £2OO was too much to ask, and that £5O would meet the case. Cr Kent said at £5O it might pay them to forfeit the amount and keep the shed. Cr McGinley asked were they consistent, seeing they had obliged Mr Kennedy and another from proposing to build at the old Presbyterian Church site, to use brick? Cr Kent asked how did benzine housing here comply with the Dangerous Goods Act? The Engineer said he recently saw a very stringent and unexpected inspection made here. Cr Williams seconded the motion, saying the Vacuum Oil Coy concerned was negotiating for a site* near Arney Street, and he did not think there was any inconsistency allowing the shed, as the firms refused permission to use wood and iron previously had meant to build permanently in “such material. The Mayor said the applicants had. spoken to him, and he could see no inconsistency in granting the application, as the shed would be only temporary. The oil people would soon do away with an agency. Cr McGinley said there were even many buildings that were condemned which had not been demolished. Or Williams asked that the time allowed be two years instead of one. Cr Kitchingham said they need not be paid for a. month or two. The motion Mas carried, Cr McGinley dissenting. Air J. E. Robertson applied for permission to erect a balcony on hisnew premises in Tainui Street. The Mayor said the bye-law only allowed architectural embellishments. Cr Kitchingham said there was the Power Board’s objection to balconies. The Engineer said the balcony here would not interfere with any other structure. He gave applicant verbal permission to start the part of the structure that was m order, but told him the balcony matter must be decided by the Council. Cr Kent said they had to consult the Public ‘Works Department and Power Board, on balconies, about the ones already in existence here, but no report was yet available. The Mayor moved that tne request be granted, stating the applicant would not have rebuilt if he were not satisfied permission would be given. Cr Kitchingham seconded the motion, but said the applicant should not have • started the building without a permit. In future, anybody landing in such a difficulty would have to get out pt it

in his own way. The motion was carried. Messrs Fairhall and Campbell wrote requesting permission' to hang a sign outside their shop in Mackay Street. On the motion of Crs O’Brien and Perotti, permission was granted, Cr McGinley suggesting thatldhc sign should be made as shallow as'possible. The Director of Town Planning, Wellington, forwarded particulars of the system of notation to bo adopted for illustrating the. particulars to be shown on the Town Planning Maps. GENERAL. In reply to Cr Kent’s inquiry, the Mayor stated that a water connection had" been, supplied for Mr Sullivan’s new residence, as decided last meeting, but that no report as to sewerage in that, locality had been yet prepared. Cr Kent said it was useless passing motions for reports by the Engineer if they wore ignored, just as frequently as the Works Committee ignored them. The Mayor said the Engineer could have a report for next meeting. The new regulations for the safe storage of petrol and fixing the charges were reported by the Engineer to differ very little from the old ones, except for an increase in the fees from £5 to £lO, and the provision of larger and safer storage tanks. The regulations were forwarded for the Council’s acceptance, and it was resolved that they be adopted. The Medical Officer of Health, Christchurch, advised that it was to the Council’s interest to adopt the regulations issued under the Health Act from lime to time, in 1' u of making bylaws, instancing the matter of the recovery of fines under the Health Act by local bodies, instead of their going as heretofore into the Consolidated Fund. The Clerk explained that the police were instructed so to prosecute that fines went to the Consolidated Fund. The Mayor said the Council had already adopted the Health Act Regulations as to plumbing, but not as to pure foods, etc. On the motion of Crs Kent and Perotti, it was decided that the regulations be circulated among the Councillors before deciding as to their adoption. At the Town Clerk’s suggestion, the twenty-thirds of one penny in the £ piece of land taken from the Perotti estate signed by Crs Robertson and White, in lieu of Cr Perotti, as an interested party, was endorsed. The New Zealand Railway Department wrote requesting permission to connect, the new engine depot at Elmer Lane with the Borough water main, stating 10,000 gallons daily was required and asking the terms. The Department would pay the cost of laying a four-inch main to the depot from the Town Belt. Cr O’Brien moved that the request be granted, the rate to be the present one of 2s 6d per 1000 gallons and the work to be done at the expense of the Railway Department. Cr Kent seconded the motion, which was carried. Messrs A. L. Fevre and A. L. Rohloff requested the Council to connect the water and sewerage services to their sections on the Town Belt North, on which they intend to build. It was stated the houses would be located on the Perotti estate area. The Engineersaid that at present they could be given the water supply, but a sewerage connection was not feasible. Cr Williams said he would like to see the houses up before doing anything. Cr Kitchingham said it was useless seeking there for a sewerage fall into Tainui Street. The Mayor said the requests were reasonable, and the Engineer should see if they could be granted. A motion by Cr Kent and the Mayor that the Engineer report on the matter was carried. Mr J. Cullens, Engineer of Christchurch Drainage Board, wrote regretting that owing to pressure of work he could not accept membership on the New Zealand Plumbers’ Board, as this Council’s representative. It was decided, on the motion of Cr Kitchingham and Perotti, to nominate Mr Galbraith, of Christchurch, to the Board. The Hannan family wrote thanking the Council for expression of sympathy in their recent bereavement.—Received. i The Government Statistician. Wellington, advised completion of the Local Authorities’ Handbook, and wishing to know the number of copies required by the Council. It was decided, on Mr O’Brien’s motion, to order half a dozen, at 7s 6d each, tile mover stating three Councillors secured copies from another local body.

ENGINEER’S REPORT. The Engineer, Mr A. J. Fairmaid reported as ioHow’s: Streets. —The tarring aud sanding of Heaphy, Turumaha jaircl Herbert Streets has been completed. Buecleugh from Palmerston Street to High Street is now in hand. Griffen’s Hili has been metalled and blinded and will be rolled. Water tables in Alexander and Thompson Streets have been cleaned. The tractor with two trailers i-a now at work and with the drays working as much as possible from the beach it has been possible to keep up the supply of sand for street tarring without employing outsidif assistance. Drainage.—One sewer connection has been put in and another is in handThe Winnie and Perotti Street drains have been cleared of growth and those in Marsden Hoad, Palmerston and Marlborough Streets are also receiving attention. Milton Road drain has been completed. Relief of Unemployment Loan Works. —The four inch water main in Marlborough and Palmerston Streets has been completed and the house connections made. The new gas main will be laid in Marsden Road as soon as the pipes have been made available by the laying of the new gas main in Cobden across the Cobden traffic bridge. The six inch sewer in the southern end of Boundary Street has been completed and one house has been connected up, the first to the newly-laid sewer. Bridges.—The Marsden Road bridges have been completed except for the painting of the handrails and the asphalting of the decks. Broken deck planks on the Shakespeare Street bridge have been replaced and th same work is in hand on the Arney Street bridge. . Waterworks.—With a view to im provoment in the town water sure, on Thursday the Bth mstant the flow of water from the pump was reeled into the town mam so that a y

excess pumped over and above town requirements, might pass into the reservoir through the ros 0 on the end of the town main. Thus any growth or accumulation on tne rose* would be swept aside and allow freer - egress for the water from the reservoir. This was without effect, either to increase town pressure or to make the water iu town dirty, as it ‘would have been had there been any accumulation of si.t near the rose. On Monday the 32th at ndbn, the fjovi of the pump was directed straight into the town mains, the valves being closed so the flow from the pump could not enter the reservoir. Th e pressure at the pumps rose about 17 pounds, but the tow/u pressure benefited <to (the extent of Z or 8 pounds only, thus making the improvement in pressure, to bo derived, practically negligible and the cost of the improvement out of all proportion to the benefit to bo obtained.

The track to the reservoir has been clearSU and like work has been carried out around the reservoir. The dry weather had caused a shrinkage in the filling at the back of the concrete in. a number of places and these have been made good by filling and ramming. Th reservoir has been kept full with an average run of llhours per day, but from 7 a.m. on Wednesday, the 14th instant, until mid-day on Sunday the 18th instant, there ’was difficulty in keeping up the supply. Neap tides »omo six inches below normal, combined with _tho river at the lowest level recorded this season at Dobson Power House, left, but a small supply available for pumping. Every advantage ■was taken of the water available but the, reservoir was down to 11 feet <?n Friday evening.

Herbert sou Memorial Rest House. Tenders, closing at 4 p,m, on Wednesday, the 11th April, have been called for this work. That is, the tenders will be available for the nex meeting of the Council. IMPROVEMENTS IN MINOR WATER RexxCULATIONTb.p Engineer reported as follows: — It is recommended that 4-inch cast iron pipe be laid in the following streets to take the place of the existing inadequately sized pipes. For improvement in Marsden Road it is re* commended that a 4-ineh main he laid from the 6-inch main in High Street up Buecleugh Street to Palmerston Street, thence to Marsden Road and outwards via that road paralleling the existing 3-ineh main and beyond th? end of the latter so far as is required to a total distance of 52 chains. This pipe would be connected into the existing reticulation at intervals, the house connections remaining on the old main, but the fire plugs being placed on the new one. The effect of this work would be to place the equivalent of a 5-incli main through the centre of what will bo. before many years, a fully occupied area. In Palmerston, Nelson, ATarlborough, Cowper. Devon, Lydia, Shakespeare, Alexander, Blackmore, High, Blake and Reid Streets Milton and Paroa Roads Packer’s Quay and Town Belt North where there are at present pipes 1-inch in diameter and smaller and in some cases no water at all, for a total length of 148 chains, the laying of 4inch main is necessary to meet resuirements. That is, a total of 200 chains, or 21 miles of minor reticulation is required to afford adequate household supply and fire protection. This work will afford but little relief until such time as the major improvement in the town water works undertaking, as reported on previously, is carried out. The estimated cost of the work is as follows. —Material £1972, construction £BBo—total £2852; contingencies, 10 per cent. £2B5 —grand total £3137. The report was adopted.