STREETS AND PATHS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 6 December 1929, Page 6

STREETS AND PATHS.

COUNCIL AUTHORISES WORKS. £IOOO TO BE EXPENDED IN NEXT FOUR MONTHS. IMPROVEMENT OF RESIDENTIAL AREA. A programme of street works to practically absorb the unexpended balance of about £IOOO of the estimates was submitted by the Streets Committee and approved by resolution of the Borough Council on Monday evening. The Committee reported having gone into the question of streets finance for the current year, and presented the following statement and recommendations: —

(Shillings and pence omitted). The Committee had decided to expend this balance as follows: Top-dressing- Alain:! Street, completion work, £sl. Cambridge Street South, completion work, £SO.

Cambridge Street. North, completion work, £3O. Wilton Street, regrading, £SO. Victoria Street (path), new work, £SO.

General maintenance, £l5O. Supervision, £11(5. Winchester Street (Hath Street to Queen Street), new work, £SS. Salisbury Street (Queen Street to York Street), £240. Oxford Street North (top-dressing),, maintenance, £3O. Queen Street West (Weraroa Hoad to Princess Street), new work—kerb, channel and path, £l5O. Total, £OOI. In placing the report before the Council, Cr. Goldsmith (chairman of the Streets Committee) stated that the first three items were works that had to be completed. Wilton Street had already been decided on by the Council. In Victoria Street the path referred to was for the small length at the western end on the north side of the street. It was proposed to do that first. With regard to the recommendation in connection with Winchester Street (Bath Street to Queen Street), the Chairman said he believed 'there were three bitumen roads leading on to Winchester Street in that direction, and this small piece, which greatly wanted doing, would practically complete that section. The distance was about ten chains. With'reference to Salisbury Street, the Committee had had considerable discussion. At the beginning of this year it was thought that it would He as well ;to do the footpath from Devon Street to York Street, but the Committee had evidence that it would, be very much better if they could form the’ street right from Queen Street to the end of York Street and let Hie footpath go. If was a metal street, but it cost as much to repair as any street in the Borough—more at times. Cr. Hue: There are not many people living up iu that direction. Cr. Goldsmith: There must be, because it costs more Ilian other streets to repair. Cr. Balloon: Wh<frc does it get the traffic from’

Cr. Goldsmith: I don’t know; it there, and it is proved by the street getting more patching than any otli.'istreet.

Cr. Hoc: 1 will oppose that. Continuing, Cr. Goldsmith referred to the recommendation for Oxford Street North, which he stated, was maintained partly by the Highways Board and partly by ••the Borough Council. The amount, of £3O which the Committee had set down for top-dressing represented the Council’s share, the Board contributing £2 for £l. Dm street, was to be top-dressed from York Street. The work recommended in Queen Street West was now work which had been authorised by the Council, and, in the opinion of the Committee, the piece mentioned was the work that should be done this year if funds permitted —and it appeared that they could just about do it. Cr. iloe: What side is it? Cr. Goldsmith: The north side.

Cr. Roc: A path you are forming? Cr. Goldsmith: With kerb and channeling. We have one on the south side. The adoption of the report was moved by the Chairman. Cr. Hannan seconded the motion. He said that, as far as Salisbury Street was concerned, he assumed that the Committee thought it would be in the best interests to form the road. If they could bitmneuise any of the road out of maintenance, they would be saving expenditure on maintenance, and they could do that work piece by piece. That was why he was in favour of doing the road in Salisbury Street, in preference to the footpath which was recommended in the first place. Witn regard to the proposed Queen Street West footpath from Weraroa Road to Princess Street, there was a waterrace on the north side, and anyone who went down there must recognise that the portion on the outside was in a very bad state. That northern footpath was one of the worst in the Borough. Cr. Falloon said he noticed that m the estimated expenditure no provision had been made for the water races. He asked if the races were to look after themselves for six months. Cr. Goldsmith:. The bulk of that will come out of the general maintenance. If that work is put in hand and the staff is employed on it, the general maintenance will be very light. Cr. Parker: What about boundary roads ?

Cr. Goldsmith: They arc in fair condition just at present and there are only four months to run. Cr. Falloon: You seem to be a little light on general maintenance and supervision. Cr. Parker: For water races, boundary roads and everything.

O. Roe said that some time ago ho brought up to the Council the question of Keepa Street. “They did go down,” he continued, “dug up a bit of a channel, threw the stuff against the people’s fences, and made some 2ft. tracks to their paths. 1 think they might have given that some little consideration. We were told it would bo done later on, -but, as far as 1 can see, it is going to be Ictt like it for some considerable time. The sooner the people at that end make up Iheii minds to perhaps have a place formed into sections to bring it into wards, the better for them. In Seddon btreet the water race is covered up and water runs on to the path. I hat end ->s neglected altogether. The Streets Committee should have given that a little considerat ion. Or. Parker asked, if there was any outstanding account with the County Council for .Beach Road maintenance; he thought there would be. That road was constantly requiring maintcimuce. He wtis concerned about the boundary roads maintenance. In the i ommittee’s estimates there was no provision for these or for water races or for sundries that would crop up. The Town Clerk stated that the Comity Council owed the Borough Council more than the latter owed the former. Cr. Balloon: Have the Streets Committee laid out any definite plans as to what work they are going to start: on and how they are going to carry it out? . . , ,

His Worship: It is worked on a system as a rule, and this worn will be no exception. It may be a'l finished by the end of this financial year. We ail know there is less than four months: to the end of that year. Estimates will be framed, work planned, and so on, and the work mentioned will be taken in hand. 1 rather lane exception to Cr. Hoe’s remarks that the southern end has been neglected. It gets a square deal. (Jr. Hoe: I. would like to know where.

His Worship: I think that that can be taken as closed, all tilings considered. W'aile we admire Cr. Hoe’s zeal in the interest of that end, we cSnnot take it on ourselves as a body that eve are neglecting that end of the town. When the Mayor was about to put the motion that the work, as outlined by the Committee in their report, be gone on with, Cr. Balloon said he would like to move an amendment.

His Worship: “You have spoken twice. ’ ’

The motion was then put and was carried on the voices, Cr. Hoe voting in the negative. A good deal of discussion took place on the Streets Committee’s recommendation that Mr E. Lyeette bo appointed to the staff permanently as from January Ist, 1930, as recommended by the Overseer. The debate was much on the lines of what occurred in ;i similar case earlier in the year, in the present instance the Committee’s report contained a note that Cr. Hannan was against the recommendation on the grounds that he considered that this, being a public position, should be publicly advertised. In the Council lie moved, as an amendment to the ' adoption of the report, that applications be called for the position. He made it clear that he had nothing against the employee himself. Cr. Barker seconded the amendment, stating that lie did so on the principle of calling applications for vacancies. The Mayor said he did not think that the position was of sufficient importance to warrant applications being called outside for it. After further discussion, the amendment was lost on the voices, and the Committee’s recommendation was adopted.

r y o Tci O .5 c: CZ <■* >—i Streets — £ £ £ Wages 000 474 421 Overseer’s salary ass 224 112 Materials • ■ • • too 440 n Carting 173 151 fv> Water ' races .. .. i 0.) 41 [13 General construction 4oU 14 440 ;£l >34S £1447 £1000