BOROUGH AFFAIRS

Grey River Argus, 22 February 1947, Page 7

BOROUGH AFFAIRS

The Greymouth Borough Council at its monthly meeting received a letter from the Blaketown-Preston Road Ratepayers’ Association requesting that the council take steps to remove the growth of lupin and grass from Blaketown streets, and request owners of vacant sections to clear them in order to remove any fire hazard. The association also asked that steps be taken to increase the water pressure in Blaketown. The matter of cleaning the streets and sections was referred to the engineer with power to act. In regard to the water pressure, it was resolved to inform the association that a new water main for Blaketown constituted part of the loans proposals. Permission was granted the Greymouth Technical High School to hold its annual athletic sports on the Recreation Ground on Wednesday and Thursday, March 12 and 13. Permission was also granted for the use of the ground for the annual interschools athletic meeting on March 26.

A request by C. H. Jackson for permission to erect a concrete fence at the rear of his residence at 29 Town Belt North was referred to the Works Committee with power to act. A letter was received from the West Coast Council of Sport advising that Mr F. Williams (president), Mrs Rodgers, Messrs W. Meat.es, W. Nejvton and M. R. Bunt had been delegated to meet the Reserves Committee in connection with playing and recreation facilities within the borough. —On the motion of C'r Stokes the matter was referred to the Reserves Committee. ENGINEER’S REPORT In his monthly report to the Greymouth Borough Council at its meeting on Thursday night, the engineer (Mr A. J. Fairmaid), stated as follows: — Eight building permits for work to a total value of £4505 were issued during January. The seasonal tarsealing programme was not commenced until January 16, but weather has since been most- favourable and good progress has been made. Work on roadways comprised: Two coats in Shakespeare Street between Milton and Paroa Roads; a first coat in Lydia Street from the end of the old work through Geraldine and Bidrood Streets into Josephine Street; the same in Blake Street from southwest of Coakley Street to . Collins Street, and on the recently formed portion of Packers Quay between O’Grady and Collins Streets. Maintenance sealing work has been done on the footpaths in Kilgour Road, Devon, Perotti and Winnie Streets. On the north-western side of High Street, between Buccleugh and Raleigh Streets, the footpath broken up some time ago ago for re-construc-tion, has received its first sealing coat. The footpath on the southeastern side of Blackett Stieet between Bright and Ward Streets has been formed preparatory to sealing. The first coat painting of protective fences and bridge handrails on the southern side of the Grey River is nearing completion. Traffic lines throughout the town have been repainted. In doing this the paint as applied was dusted with white quaitz sand in an endeavour to lengthen life of the marking. The dusting had the beneficial effect of pieventing the picking up of paint by tyres which passed over the paint prior to complete drying Sewer connections have been made in Leith and Joyce Crescents, in Geraldine Street and in Paroa Road, five in all. Taylor Creek has been cleaned out between Newcastle and Bright Streets. The reservoir has been full by an average daily pump of 18.82 hours. With the onset of dry weather towards the end of last month the hours of pumping rose and have continued to rise this month with the continuance of warm conditions. With the rise in the general demand for water, pressure weakness has been accentuated in Blaketown in particular, and in Smith and Rochfoit Streets and Freyberg Terrace. The loan proposals submitted last August provided for Blaketown by means of a 6-inch main, at an estimated- cost of £2190. Smith Street has 3in. dead end reticulation and the position would best be remedied by a 6in. connection to Mawhera Quay, this then being available for continuation to the intersection of Chapel and Alexander Streets to effect a general improvement. The initial cost would be £5OO. Rochfort Street and Freyberg Terrace are supplied from the 3in. main in Murray Street, and a first step in improvement would be a 4in. main from the ThompsonAlexander Streets intersection, through Stratford Street to Blackmore Street. Further improvement required would be by connection from Freyberg Terrace to Tainui Street, via Frickleton Street. The 4in. main via Stratford Street would cost £l5O. Leith Crescent, too, has a deficient water supply, provision for this improvement having been made in the current year’s estimates, but the work has not been put in hand. The estimated cost is £lB6. Prior to the holidays the council was fortunate in securing the use of a mechanical shovel, and recently had this and a bulldozer in operation simultaneously. The latter is still in use. Being aware of the availability of the machines, work was concentrated upon preparation for them. The drain along the High Street side of the Recreation Ground was piped in readiness for the deposit of filling won by the use of both machines, and transported by hired lorries. The levelling out. was later carried out by the bulldozer. When preparatory work was completed on the Recreation Ground, attention was given to the completion of the Shelley Street drainage work, carried out before Christmas, by the diversion of the open drains to the piped drain, thus enabling the levelling of the area for the Climatological Station, which work has now been done by the bulldozer. Grassing and fencing of the actual plot, 50ft. x 40ft. will complete preparation for the station. Renovation of the large upstairs room on the library wing of the Town Hall hos been commenced by the replastering of the eastern wall. Work will be continued when the room again becomes vacant.