TE KUITI BOROUGH COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 618, 12 November 1913, Page 5

TE KUITI BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the Te Kuiti Borough Council was held on Monday evening. There were present bis Worship the Mayor, Crs Matthew, Graham, Mabbett, Howsrtb, Somerville, Walsh and M. J. Jones. Councillor Elected. —The returning efficer reported that Mr Elias Martin had been elected to the vacancy caus- ' od by the resignation of Cr Spencer. Furher Loan Money.-—The Advances Department wrote with reference to the additional ten per cent, on the £27,275 loan indicating that when the details had been fulfilled the money would bs available.' —The necessary resolution in connection with the signing and executing the documents was passed. Mr A. C. Johnson wrote offering to sell to the Council the property adjoining the Fire Brigade station. —Resolved that the writer be advised the Council has no intention of purchasing any more land at present. Railway Excursion Rates. —The secretary of the Ratepavers and Citizens' Association wrote requesting the co-operation of the Council in securing the extension of excursion rates on the Main Trunk night expresses to include Te Kuiti and Te Awamutu to Auckland. The secretary of the same association also wrote -uggssting the removal to other positions of the lights at the corner of Tawa street and Matai street. In connection with the letter concerning the lights the Mayor said the matter had been before the Electric Light Committee, and in due course the whole question of lights would be dealt with. A number of lights would probably require shifting, and some additional lights would also be necessary.—'The letter was referred to the committee to be considered when the whole question was being dealt with.

In connection with the application to the .Railway Department, the Mayor said it was a very desirable reform. It bad been tried for frequently, but there was no reason why a further attempt should not be made. He moved that an application be made as requested.—The motion was seconded by Cr Howarth and carried. Mr G. S. James waited en the Council with a view to securing an extension of the water mains to Lawrence street. He stated three houses would be taking the water immediately and two more were to be built forthwith. —The Mayor said it was a question of whether the streets in question were dedicated. —Cr Howarth said he understood portion of Nettie street and the whole of Lawrence street were dedicated. The mains would only require to be laid about three chains. • —The Mayor said the foremain estimated the work at about £4o.—lt was resolved that the matter be left mt he hands of the Works Committee with power to act. Tenders, The following tenders were received for sewerage connections: — Patison and Lockington, Flora street: Clapham and Co £lB Gs, D. J. Young £l6 7s 6d, accepted. A. E. Wright, Taupiri street: Clapham and Co, £lB 10s, D. J. Young £l6 12s, accepted. The Dam Contract. —The Finance and Legal Committee reported to the Council that Mr L. G. P. Spencer had duly signed the contract and drawings for the construction of the dam, and recommended the Council that a clerk of Works be appointed to supervise the work so scon as Mr Specner is ready to commence active operations, and that the Works Committee be given authority to call for applications for the poiition, to close in time for the next meeting of the Council. — The recommendation of the committee was adopted. FOREMAN'S REPORT. Maintenance: During tfc« month the general routine work ha 3 been carried out in the Borough. Various roads have been attended to, patching with crushed metal has been carried out where necessary. Waterworks: The usual inspection of the pipe line was raade on October2 7th, and everything found satisfactory. Water Extensions: The water main has been extended five chains up Tawa street. Mixing Asphalt: Mixing asphalt has been continued during the month, and there is now 200 cubic yards mixed ready for the road. Total gravel carted to Rora street to date is 214 yards, cost of same £53 10s Total expenditure on mixing tar 200 yards of asphalt—labour £46 17s 2d, tar £SO, grave! £SO, total £146 17s 2d* Kerbing and Channelling: Tea chains of kerb acd channelling have been completed in Rora street, from Sutton's coroner to Esplanade. This has beeen a litie more expensive than I anticipated, owing to it being a new job to the men, however, this has been got over, and better progress will be expected in future—total cost o? same £3l ss. FiEe Plugs: All firs plugs in the Borough have been marked with white boards. I intend to lift all the covers and put rising pieces on where necessary as work proceeds, so as to have them always acces3abie. Rora Street Formation: A start has been made with the formation of Rora street making a roadway 35 faet and a footpath of IS feet—total expenditure on same to date £ll 6s. Crushing: Crushing is proceeding with the steam roller at Te Eumi quarry, there are a few alterations to be made to the screens by contractors which, when, completed, should allow a good daal more metal through than at present. Sewers: These are being carefully attended to, and are being flushes and cleaned out every week. The sewers at present are in a very good condition. —T. Dix, Borough Foreman. ' ELECTRICAL ENGINEER'S REPORT. Sixteen more have been registered and seventeen have been connected to the mains, making a total of 159 registered an 144 connected with the supply mains. Supply: The Bupply has been maintained constantly throughout the month, with the exception of four instances, when the current has had to be taken off the lines for short inter-

vals, the cause being due in one instance to the lines being struck by lightning,and in the other cases by the 3 lines blowing together, thus causing 5 short circuits. I have communicated this matter to the consulting engineer, 1 Mr Crookes,asking for an inspection to ' be made. Pelton Wheel Set: Owing to the falling off of the water supply ' the PeUon wheel consumption has been ' greatly reduced so as to maintain a ' constant ga ige pressure of 102 to 1041 bb in the mains. Recommendations: That the matter of purchasing a further 70 or 80 meters be considered as soon as possible; also the advisability of calling for tenders for the supply of same. —R. H. Bartley, Engineer. WORKS, WATER AND DRAINAGE COMMITTEE. The following recommendations by the Works, Water and Drainage Committee were adopted:—That the formation of Rora street be made to a width of 35ft over all, and 7ft of lighter formation on either side, the width of the channelling producing the other foot; that considering the heavy expense of purchasing a water cart no action be taken in the matter at the present time; that the cender of . 7 . J. Niven and Co , of Napier, amounting to £4l 10s for the supply of a 30in by 24in reservoir pen-stock complete, be accepted; that the engineer to the Heathcote estate be allowed to place river gravel on the road formation through this subdivision on condition that all the gravel proposed to be used is approved by the Borough foreman; that the clerk be instructed to ; write to the Whangarei County Council, Hutt County Council, and the New Plymouth Borough Council, for detail information with regard to secondhand waggon trucks which they have for sale.; that the clerk be instructed to communicate with Messrs Broadfoot and Finlay and inquire if the verbal arrangement entered into with the native owners of the Te Kumi quarry property had yet been completed, and aiso whether the necessary document 1 was ready for execution by the Coun- i cil; that the clerk be instructed to : communicate with Mr E. M. Doi,aidson, Government road engineer, and give him ail the in form tion ns re- 1 quires with regard to the arrangements made between the native owners < and the Borough Council in connection with the road to Te Kumi quarry and . the water supply to the Te Kumi pah; ' that the Borough foreman be autho- 1 rised to proceed with the kerbing and channelling by day labour in connec- - tion with the plans submitted by him; 1 that the drainage plans of Pattison and I Lockington's shop premises, Rora i street, and A. E. Wright's house premises, Taupiri street, as submitted be approved of and tenders called for the £ work forthwith; that the question of the width of Rora street that is in- ( tended to be laid down with tar mac- f adam, also the question of the camber i of the road, be left to the chairman e and Cr Mabbett with power to act it 1 be matter, and to instruct the Borough I foreman accordingly; that the Borough c foreman be instructed to lay a 9in !: storm water pipe in Sheridan street, j also 6in storm water pipe up and down t under Rora treet; that Mr Spencer I be authorised to make and erect a 1 suitable gate at the entrance to the r site of the headworks; that the clerk c be instructed to communicate with s Collett and Son pointing out that i the crusher is not working satisfac- s torily, and request them to return and t complete their contract; that the com- i mittee report having considered the £ foreman's estimate of the work which 1 the Council has been petitioned to c carry out on the Awakino road, and t regret that they cannot recommend the Council to proceed with the. work i owing to the excessive cost of same and the fact that there is no money e at present availale for the work, v Only one tender was received in re- a sponge to public advertisement for the supply of general material and stores required by the Works Department, v and the committee therefore recom- I mend that no tender be accepted, and p steps be taken to procure the various x stores and material on the best possi- s ble terms. The committee having s gone fully into the question of the pur- i chase of motor waggons now beg to v report that they consider further tests a should be made, and if same prove 1 satisfaetory, the matter be left in the t bands of this committee to act. r

ELECTRIC LIGHT COMMITTEE. The following recommendations of the Electric Light Committee were adopted*—That the resigntiou of H. f. Khodes, assistant in the power station be accepted, and that applications be invited for the position of assistant electrical engineer at a salary of £125 per annum; that a copy of a lettef dated September 17th, 1913, ■from the Under Secretary, Public Works Department, Wellington, upon the subject of the license, be forwarded to Mr S. I. Crookes with a request that he intimate to the Council what he is prepared to advisa it to do in connection with the various matters contained therein, and specially with regard to item No. 1; ithat the Council agree to the terms and conditions stipulated by the Telegraph engineer, Auckland, in his letter dated August 29th, 1913, upon the subject of the Borough's cables being fixed to the Department's poles, etc.; that Mr Crocke's certificates dated October 13tb, 1913, in favour of A. and T. Burt, Ltd., £IOO for meters and £69 15s for poles, he held in abeyance until such time as further detail information has been received from him in conncetion therewith; that the engineer be authorised to obtain from A. and T. Burt, Ltd., ths necessary starter and switch for the purpose of driving the motor at the Te Kuiti quarry; that the clerk be instructed to commnicate with the contractor with regard to the omission of drawings showing the net work, etc. which the contract states they shall supply; that the matter of additional street lights on the Awakino road be held over till the commencement of the winter months, when this Council will carefully revise the whole of the street lighting system. The committee report having perused a lengthy

letter from Messrs Walker and McEwan, of London, dated August 14tb, 1933, upon the subject of the long delay in connection with the delivery of the permanent engine, and have instructed the clerk to keep a copy of game for future reference, and return the original to Mr Crookes as requested by him.