KAPONGA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 18 February 1927, Page 6

KAPONGA.

(From Our Own Correspondent)

CIVIC AFFAIRS. TOWN BOARD MEETING

The monthly meeting of the Town Board was held on Tuesday evening, there "being present: Commissioners A. R. Bates (chairman), C. E. Betts, A. J. Herbert, D. J. Kehely, R. A. Raw, J. S. Charters and J. P. Gibson. WORK FOR THE MONTH. The electrical engineer (Mr T. B. Mer.son) reported as follows on the month’s operations in his department: Power Houses.—Both plants have operated satisfactorily and continuously during the month. The steady progress that is being made with the reticulation is proving beneficiail in maintaining an improved supply to com sumers. Headwords. —The continued dry spell we are at present experiencing is causing a decided decrease in the stream flow, and in order to conserve as much water as possible, 1 deemed it advisable to erect temporary flash hoards on the lower dam. These boards have increased the head by two feet, besides providing a pondage that has been more than adequate for our requirements, even during the driest spell, so far met with. At present lam having flash boards erected on No. 2 dam) and with the increased pondage these will provide, I do not anticipate a water shortage for some time to come, even should the present dry conditions continue. Lines. —The line construction gang are making good progress with the maintenance programme. Consumers’ Installations. —There is still considerable activity completing new installations, besides numerous extensions. FOREMAN’S REPORT. The foreman reported completing tarpatching on Eltliam iaiul Manaia Roads, with the exception of a small section of the Lower Manaia Road which will he completed on receipt of a further supply of chips. The cemetery has been cleaned throughout and one of the concrete posts at the entrance gates (destroyed by a bullock dray) has been replaced, in position. He recommended that during the ensuing mouth he should concentrate on cleaning up water tables. Mention wias made of . the practice of many residents, of piling hedge clippings on the roadsides and leaving them there for an unreasonable time. (The clerk was instructed to write drawing the attention of offenders to the boards by-laws.) VICTORIA PARK. The Victoria Park Committee reported that the .levelling and grassing operations had been entirely satisfactory, there being a, fine sole of grass, which, with the first heavy rain and subsequent -rolling, would fill all requirements necessary, for the forthcoming 'Easter football 'tournament and sports meeting. The park surface was never before ,in such splendid condition. Mr. R. E. Williams had donated a supply of special -manure for top-dressing patches on which the grass showed signs of weakness. Members of the athletic club recently devoted much of their spare time- to top-dressing of the cycle and running track with excellent results.

The chairman commented very favourably on the efforts of Or. A. J. Herbert as supervisor of operations on the park; the success of the undertaking

was largely due to his voluntary labours. The chairman's motion that the board’s appreciation of Or. Herbert’s services should be recorded on the minutes was seconded by Or. Charters and carried. GENERAL. The Egmont National Park .Board’s request for the annual subsidy of £2 was granted. The chairman (Cr. A. R. Bates) ■and Town Clerk were appointed to represent the board on the South Committee of the Egmont National Park Board. FOOTPATH TARRING. During the month the Town Clerk waited upon Mr J. Sturrock, Hawera, under instruction from the board, with the object of ascertaining expert methods of footpath tarring likely, to be successful iu Kaponga, where the purchase of expensive plant is not at present a practical proposition. The clerk reported on advice furnished by Mr Sturrock as follows: The material to be used should be, if possible, river shingle put through (a) a three-quarter inch screen and the residue through (b) a one-eighth inch screen, the resultant shingle to be used for the purpose required. This shingle to be laid out in flat beds and sun dried, the dry top being raked off from time to time ancl stored under cover for use. It is essential that the shingle he thoroughly dry.

Mr Sturrock further recommended that the hoard use a bitumen product prepared by tlie Texaco Co. known as Coldpateh. This product is a mixture of bitumen and naphtha; the naphtha .is added to the bitumen to render it at ordinary temperatures fluid; by exposure to the atmosphere the naphtha evaporates and the bitumen hardens to 'its natural texture. These qualities enable Coldpateh to be used at any time of the year without the application of heat, as its fluidity can at any time be increased by the addition of further naphtha. The Coldpateh is. mixed with the dry shingle approximately 15 gallons to every cubic yard of shingle, and is then left in the yard until, by the evaporation of the naphtha, it has attained the right consistency at which to lie laid on the footpath. r The earth surface of the footpath should be carefully graded and rolled to a perfectly solid foundation. The macadam mixture should then be placed on to a depth of one and a half inches and rolled solid, being left for a few days to harden. It should then he swept clear of any grit that has collected on it and painted with a bitumen mixture —Mexphalte for preference—and isanded in the usual manner. PETROL PUMP LICENSES. It was decided to levy a license fee of 17s per pump in respect of all petrol pumps installed under the board’s jurisdiction, and to require in each case a deed and public risk policy indemnifying the hoard in the event of accident accruing from the use of petrol pumps on the public highway. FINANCE. A statement submitted by the clerk showed an expenditure of £SBB 19s 4d for the month, the principal items being. Electrical supplies £434 5s sd, cinema £4l 19s sd, salaries £Bl 6s 8d; receipts £557 13s 7d. The sale of electricity £446 15s lOd) and cinema return £(75 12s) were the main contributing factors A comparative statement of receipts for -the town supply of electricity for December, 1926 and 1925, showed £67 3s 2d and £73 5s 8d respectively. |