BOROUGH AFFAIRS

Grey River Argus, 9 May 1936, Page 2

BOROUGH AFFAIRS

The Greymouth Borough Council tit Thursday’s meeting, adopted the following Committee recummeii' dations:

That re a letter from the District Public Trustee, Greymouth, in connection with the estate of Thomas Joyce, the Council confirm the arrangement made by the Works Committee with (lie District Public Trustee, as follows: “Il was agreed by the Works Committee and the District. Public Trustee that the Council be given an easement over a strip of the land connecting the new road with the existing water race which runs between Joyce Estate and Rugby Park to permit of the stormwater from the culvert to be. insia:lt. th o 11.50 chain mark being deal! with and that the Council bear its one half share of the, cost of providing a closed drain from the street line to the drainage easement at the rear of the section. The estate agrees to provide an easement 6 feet in width from the street line to the rear of the section.

That no action be taken re an application from Bruce Culling to lease three sections in Preston Road, adjacent to the aerodrome. That two members of the General (’ommittee affix the seal of tho Connoil to an agreement for the sale and purchase of sections (Waterwalk) in the Estate of Charles Lloyd Alorice. forwarded by the District Public liustee, Greymouth. That W. Williamson be informed that the Council does not recognise any liability in connection with his claim for compensation for a window at the Regent Theatre, Greymolith, which it was alleged was broken during blasting operations while removing the Band Rotunda in Boundary Street.

That an application from Al. Brown, clerk. Gas Works Department, for an increase of salary, be referred to the Gas Works Committee tor a report. That a request from R. Wilkins and eleven others, that the Council provide access to their sections on the Kilgour Estate fronting Alarlborough Street, be referred to the Works Committee for a report. That in connection with the road dedication on Alarlborough Street, frontage to part sub-section 39, the Council accept Airs. Laing’s offer to give the strip required for road pur poses on condition that the Council erect for her a corrugated iron fence five feet six inches in height across her section on the new boundary. (See Engineer’s report 17/2/36). That reports from the Borough Engineer re formation and metalling of Alarlborough Street —Sinnott Road to Sawyer’s Creek and on quotations received for a motor footpath roller, be referred to the Works Committee for consideration.

That accounts amounting to £BB2 17/1, be passed for payment and accounts amounting to £4,215/16/10 paid since last meeting be approved. That the Treasurer’s statement (2) be received.

That- the Acting Gas Alanager’s report be adopted. That an application from Airs. AL A. Quarlerinan, 343 Tuani Street, Christchurch, for some relief in the matter of payment of arrears of rates on her properly in Arney Street, be referred to the Special Committee appointed to deal with outstanding revenue.

Air. p. Warnes, representing the Australian Alutual Provident Society ancl Mr. Andrews of the Colonial Alutual Life Assurance Society addressed the Council on the question of superannuation scheme "or the Borough staff. The Council thanked Alessrs Warnes and Andrews for their address and thev retired.

The report of the Engineer, Air. A. J. Fairmaid, stated. The first coat maintenance tar scaling of Cowper and Turumaha Streets has been completed, the total length of the work now attended to being 66 chains. Bright Street from 11 chains northwards of Newcastle Street to 21 chains southwards of Cardwell Street has been sealed Ist coat on a width of 18 feet a total length of 11 chains. Perotti Street has been sealed Ist coat to the same width, the length of the work being 8 chains. The asphalt placed some time ago on the hill section of Alurray Street has been sealed. The footpath in Turumaha Street between the Town Belt and Herbert St., ancl the footpath in Lord Street from the Opera House to Grogan Lane have received a maintenance coat of scaling. The culvert in Sturge Street having been completed, the disused drain on the northern side has been filled in, the old culvert removed, and the roadway built, up to the designed crosssection'. In Cardwell Street, between Bright and Fox- Streets the footpaths are being graded to determined levels and like work is proceeding in Ward

Street southwards from Sturge Street. ]n Shakespeare Street, the gorse has been cleared on the western side between Marlborough and Nelson Streets and the ground prepared for keeping in order by means of the mower. In Kilgour Road, eastwards from Shakespeare Street to the angle, the roadway is in course of preparation for tar sealing next season. In Arney Street, concrete kerbing has been completed on the western side for <8 chains from Gresson Street and channelling for 1.3 chains from the same point. In Bright Street on the eastern side, a commencement has been made upon concrete kerbing and channelling, the work being completed for 2 chains northwards from Cardwell Street, in the vicinity of the Memorial Bridge, and kerbing has been completed southwards from the same point, for If chains. Drainage. The culvert in Sturge Street has been finally completed and to discharge the flow from adjacent watertables into the culvert two sumps have been constructed on the northern side of the street, .and one on the southern. Sewer connections have been put in in Buceleugh, Herbert and Tainui Streets. The Reservoir has been kept full with an average daily pump run of 9} hours, a reduction of 21 hours as compared with the month of March. On April lith the electrically driven pump was dismantled and new runners and guide vanes fitted. The improvement in the hours of pumping is principally due to the increased efficiency of the pump, although portion of the reduction is ascribable to seasonal variation. Whilst the electrically driven plant was untier repair the stand-by gas engine driven plant operated continually for I!) hours with, the exception that one engine was closed down for half an hour to attend to a warm bearing. In Marlborough Street. eastwards from Ida Street, a 4in. cast iron main has been laid for 475 feet from the line of the eastern building line of that street. The exceptionally high gust of wind on Sunday the 29th March, damaged the buildings at the stable yard considerably. The road roller shed was demolished ami the western end of the roof of the stables was lifted off. Repairs were effected to the roof of the stable and the remains of the roller shed wen* removed, the re-erection of the building being unwarranted as the roller is now housed in the Gas Works Yard.

WORKS DEPARMENT. The Works Department annual report stated: The major features of the past year’s work have been the extensions in the water reticulation system, including, a 9inch main in Tainu Street in extension of the 12 inch main from the Pumping Station in the previous year, and a considerable area of tar sealed roadways and footpaths. The former work has comprised the laying of 2,400 feet of 9inch cast iron main from north of Chapel Street to south of the Town Belt North, the work just being completed as this report is being drafted. The. work 'was proceeded with rather intermittently towards the end of the job in order to free men for tar sealing work in progress. At Thompson Street a 4 inch connection was made to the existing 4-inch main in that street and with the 9 inch main stopped off additional pressure was made available in the southern end of the town. By means of the recording pressure gauge a series of pressure readings was taken at the corner of Raleigh ami High Strcots and the results, as compared with those taken in February, 1935 are as follow, namelv:

February, 1935, Alidnight to 6.0 a.m. lOOlbs; 8 a.in. to 2 p.m. 45 lbs February, 1936, Alidnight to 6 a.m. llOlbs.; 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. 75 lbs. It will be seen that the improvement has been considerable, but with a small connection to effect it.

The tar sealing programme has comprised two coat work as follows, namely: Winnie Street, Shakespeare St. to Kilgour Road. Kilgour Road, Winnie St. to angle east of Shakespeare St., Blackmore Street. Alurray Street to Rochefort Street, Alurray Street, Blackmore. Street to foot of hill. Lord Street, Opera House Corner to Gas Work's Gate, Paroa Road in vicinity of Australasian Railway Crossing, Paroa Road at intersection of Nelson and Shakespeare Streets, Alexander Street, Thompson Street to north side Town Belt. Preston Road, southwards from former work 11.9 chains, North, Guinness Street, Tainui Street to Boundary Street. Leonard Street. Tarapuhi St.. Tarapuhi Street, towards Boundary St. 12.5 chains—a total length of 103 chains varying in width from IS to 46 feet. And single coat work as follows. namely: Thompson Street. Tainui Street to Alexander Street, Town Bell north, Tainui Street. eastwards for 6 chains. Cowyicr Afreet, Afai'lborough Street to Franklin Street, a

total length of 5G chains of an average width of 21 feet. In addition the following footpaths have received u single coat, namely: Lower Gresson Street, Coakley Street, south side, Blake Street to Doyle Street, Alexander Street, east side C'hapel Street, to Alurray Street. Alexander Street, west side, Thompson Street to Shakespeare St.; Shakespeare St., Alexander St. to lleaphy St., Cowper St.; Franklin St., both sides, Cowper St. to Shakespeare St.; Bueeleugh St., both sides, Cowper Street to High St. Raleigh Street, both sides., a total length of .140 chains varying in width from 8 to 10 feet.

Concrete kerbing and channelling has been proceeded with steadily th rough out the year. The progress made has been as follows, namely: — Shakespeare St., eastern side, Alexander Street to Alarsden Road, 32 chains; Shakespeare Street, western side, Franklin Street to Bueeleugh St. 11 chains; Johnston St.. Richmond Quay and Boundary Street, 81 chains. —a total of 511 chains. This work includes the renewal of all watertable crossings encountered, necessary alterations to storm water drainage and the construction of storm water sumps, all of which constitute considerable additions to the straight forward work of plain kerbing and channelling. Works of less magnitude but of equal importance to the constant improvement of the Town may be classified as follows, namely: In Byron Street, from Shakespeare Street southwards, the roadway has been widened and metalled to standard width and footpaths have been formed and metalled on both sids except between Shakespeare and Nelson Streets on the western side. A commencement has been made upon the widening of the cutting on the top of Easson’s Hill, Alexander Street. This work had to be stopped as a. result of the men being transferred to the construction of the aerodrome. The .southern end of Blake Street, to its intersection with Reid S'reet. has been formed and metalled both as to roadways and footpaths.

Ln Swift Street the fences have been set back to the correct boundaries and via .this street and Reid Street a roadway around the western side of the aerodrome is is course of preparation. Asphalting of footpaths has not received the attention which it was hoped to give it but in Alexander St. the path on the eastern side was attended to between Thompson Street and the roadway on the southern side of the Town Belt North. In Preston Road, the footpath between Arney St. bridge and the Harbour Board railway crossing was surfaced using emulsified bitumen.

Beyond the laying of sewer connections to the street boundaries as required there has been no extension of the sewerage system except for a few short storm water connections.

Repairs to sewers were mainly of a minor nature, but the. reconstruction of the outlet of the Johnston Street sewer under the wharf was a somewhat difficult job, the ground calling for close timbering in tunnel excavated below high water mark, thus limiting the time available for operations.

Tn addition to the 9 inch main laid in Tainui Street, extensions to the reticulation system have been as follows: Elizabeth Street, Alarsden Road, southward, 260 feet of 4 inch main; Rochefort Street. Blackmore' Street eastwards, 453 feet of 4 inch main; Sinnott Road, Alarsden Road southwards, 142 feet of 2 inch main.

Cobden Area.—The following streets have been reformed along standard lines footpath widths and depth of metal on roadways receiving attention, namely:

Sturge Street. Bright Street, to foot of hill east of Ward Street, Fox Street, Sturge Street to Cardwell Street. In Cardwell and Ward Streets work is proceeding. Latterly particular attention has been given to the improvement of Bright Street. Taking in hand, first, the .section between Sturge and Stafford Streets, this being, the section lending itself most, readily to inqirovo men.t, the street has now been brought up to a. suitable cross-section and longitudinal gradient from the top of the rise north of Taylor Street to the top of the rise north of Newcastle, Street. Two other works merit special reference, namely: (1) The replacement of the old wooden footbridge over Range Creek in Clifford Street between Bright and Peel Streets by a reinforced concrete platform footbridge with wooden hand rails, (2) The construction of a reinforced concrete culvert across Sturge St. eastwards from Ward Street.