BOROUGH COUNCIL

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1074, 22 July 1924, Page 7

BOROUGH COUNCIL

ORDINARY MEETING. CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTS. 'I ho ordinary mooting of the Borough Council was hold last- night, the Mayor, Mr E. ,T. Nathan, presiding. Others present were: Crs Graham, Jackson, West, Eliott, Canton, Hodgens, Fitzherbert, McLeavey and Oram. CORRESPONDENCE.

hrorn the Gorge Board of Control, forwarding statement of estimates for maintenance of Gorge road for the current year, showing that the council’s quota amounted to £lB6. The board also wrote stating that its members intended waiting on the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Public Works with a view of ptirsuading the Government- to declare the Gorge road a Government road, and asking that the notion of the board be supported in tlie direction indicated. Resolved to support the action of the board. b I'oni the Discharged Prisoners’ Aid Society, making application for a donation towards tbc funds of the society. —Resolved that £lO bo given, subject to the money being available out of unauthorised expenditure.

From the superintendent, of the State Advances Office, acknowledging application for loan of £SOOO for roading purposes and stating that the application had been recorded and the, council would bo advised when the department was in a position to consider the matter.—Received. I* rorn Harper and Merton, intimating that Mr I*\ (). Amos had accepted the council’s offer of £2 per chain, being compensation in connection with laying of sewerage pipes through his property. — Received.

From the Minister of Education, with reference to the sale of the old Campbell Street School site and suggesting that iUc first payment cf £4OO be made on August Ist next, and that subsequent payments be made on the same date in each successive year.—Received.

I*tom (G. Ilart. drawing attention 10 the bad stale of the fences between his property and the waterworks reserve, and offering to perform the necessary work if the council would pav half the cost.— Received.

From residents of Onklcv street, making application for the installation of an electric street lamp in place of the gas lamp recently removed.—Referred to electrical committee.

!• ro;n the Manuwnt 11 Bowling. Tennis and Croquet Club, advising that it was not prepared to accept the conditions under which tiio council was willing lo gram u new lease of the Fitzhorboi't street greens, and that a special committee of the club had been set,

up to deal with the matter and to wait upon the reserves committed in connection therewith.—Referred to reserves committee. From \\ illium Park. asking that the piping of the open drain in College street west trom Bait street to Moerangi street be included in tin- stormwater drainage proposals.—Referred to engineer for report. ,I' renn the municipal solicitor, stating that the transfer of £2OOO from the gas account to general account was quite legal and was covered bv section 125 of the Municipal Corporations Act. 1920.—Received.

From T. T.. Arnolt, objecting to pay any proportion of the cost of a proposed footpath in Grey .street utiles, it was constructed the full length from Russell lo Ward street.—Received.

From limes and Oakley, stating that in August, 1920. Dunk and Pringle deposited £499 for the- tarring cf footpaths and laying of sewer in Rongopai street, neither of these works having been carried out, and they were instructed that unless the council carried out its contract, their clients would be compelled (o consider what legal stops would have to ho taken to enforce compliance.—Received. GAS COMMITTEE.

'1 he gas committee reported : That, with regard lo the resolution carried on November 21st, 1921. granting to I urge consumers of gus used for power purposes whoso monthly consumption exceeds 60,000 cubic feet a special discount of lOd per ICOO cubic led, the committee recommends that the concession be now made to apply to consumers of gas used also for lighting and heating; that the manager he authorised to dispose of three drays and two horses not now required: that, owing to the inadvisability of installing a tar-treating plant owing to the output being insufficient to warrant such an installation, the committee recommends that an oiler to enter into a contract for a period of live veins for the purchase of the tar at 3d per gallon to the works be accepted; that the following temporary appointments Le made: —C. Dawiclc, mains and service foreman, salary £312 per annum. E. Ed.vvean, foreman in charge of fitters and maintenance men, salary £312 per annum, same as at present, and, if the work of both employees is performed in a satisfactory manner during the ensuing three months, the appointments he made permanent ; that the manager be requested to dismantle the old retorts, Main street west, clear the section and dispose of the material to the best advantage.—Adopted. ELECTRICAL ENGINEER’S REPORT. Tlie electrical engineer, Mr J. W. Muir, reported (inter alia) : The work carried our, by the lines department during the month was as follows: Service wires run and connected, 125; underground services laid. 30; making a total of 798 overhead and 126 underground —u combined total of 924 lo dale. Polos have been erected in the following streets: —Moore, Douglas, Thompson, Park road, Willis, Domain, Chelwood, Iluia, Ihaka, Pahiatua, South, \\ ollsbourne. Pulemies, Short, Cuba, Ruahine, Ivanhoe, Roy, North, Cook, Terrace, Clifton, College, Terrace, Aniiandale and Rangitikci streets. Poles completed with wires have been erected in the following streets: —Martin. Summerhay, Rangitane, Scandia street to pumping station, Cuba, Short and Snelson streets. Underground cable has been laid across the road in Main street to connect Cook street sub. with Cuba street mains. The inspection staff made inspections and passed 154 jobs during the month, making a total of 598 completed connections. There are 103 completion notices in hand for jobs to be tested. Permits issued to date number 951. an increase for the month of 169. Group jobs in hand number 122, making the number of assured consumers 1073. The power station plant- has given satisfaction considering the load asked of it without having any gas storage capacity to draw on. "I he peak loud during show week was 450 k.v.a. It dropped away again for about two weeks, but was up lo 450 k.v.a. again at 5 p.m. lust Friday. This is an increase of ICO k.v.a. for the month. The Power Board’s peak load to date was 96 k.v.a. The units generated during the month were 77,838, making 144,974 to date. Since show week it- has been necessary to run two engines from 4 p.m. until about 9 to 10 p.m. The sets synchronise and run in parallel without giving uny trouble. The shut downs, cat'll of about 15 minutes dixgt-ion. that occurred during thq month were both due to gas troubles. The completion of the holder, will, I hope, remove this trouble. The wiring contractors arc all busy and work is being put through at a fair rate of progress. The motor load is growing. There are 38 motors totalling 168 h.p. installed to date. To deal with

the tar water from the gas plant it lias been necessary to put in a settling tank. This will tuke (lie tar out of the water and wo are ut present sinking a sump holo on the gas department’s site into which we will run the waste water or effluent. This method has proved satisfactory with the gas department, and if satisfactory will save the cost of a drain to the river, which 51r Hughes estimates will cost from £IO2O to £I2OO. Good progress is being made with the work of installing the bulk switching apparatus. Some of this gear has still to come to hand. I have been m touch with the manufacturers’ representative and he advises me that we will receive same this month. —Received. GENERAL. The council decided to support the Sports Protection League in regard to its daylight saving proposals. Mr G. W. Healey, manager of the gas department, in the course of his report, suggested the appointment of a lady demonstrator in regard to showing the advantages of cooking by gas. The appointment could he made either whole or part time, say for three days a week. Bv having such a demonstrator on the staff, her duties would not only include the periodical demonstrations to the public hut she would be required to visit any of the existing consumers, who required her advice and services, 10 enable them to make better use of their gas apparatus and to he shown how to use the same to obtain the best results. This would be to the mutual advantage of both the department and the consumer, and each new cons tmer could, if desired, bo shown how to use the cooker as soon as it was installed. This would inspire confidence, and would, he felt sure, lead to increased business. In this connection the gas committee recommended: That a female canvasser. demonstrator, etc., be engaged to give demonstrations of cooking by gas once a fortnight, salary to commence £2OO per annum, with annual increments of £lO until £250 is reached; that the demonstrations be given in the new showroom, and if found to be sufficient in size, the supper room at the Opera House be used for the purpose. The recommendation was adopted without discussion.