PALMERSTON NORTH BOROUGH COUNCIL

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 146, 20 May 1930, Page 3

PALMERSTON NORTH BOROUGH COUNCIL

REPORTS BY COMMITTEES. A LENGTHY MEETING. The Palmerston North Borough Council met Last evening, the Mayor (Mr A. J. Graham) presiding. Others present were Crs. Eliott, Mansford, Tremaine, McLeod, Low, Fitzlrerberfc, Clausen, Guy and Hodgens. .It was a lengthy meeting. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr H. R. Farquhar wrote suggesting “Rangitnno Place” as a suitable name for the new street now being constructed through Sections 147 and 148 off Grey Street, the owners being G. and L. H. Collinson.—lt was decided that the name should be “Rangitane Street.” A letter was read from the Discharged Prisoners’ Aid Society, stating that it would appreciate a small donation towards its funds to be devoted towards the employment of discharged prisoners.—The council decided to make a grant of £3 3s, the same as last year. The secretary of the Central School Committee forwarded a resolution passed at the annual householders’ meeting requesting the council to place on tho current year’s estimates a sum of money for the improvement of the Campbell Strfeet playing area.—Tire council formally received the letter and decided to reply stating that it had no funds available. An application by Air H. Finch for permission to plant one or two trees on the footpath in front of his residence in St. John’s Avenue, was granted, subject to the supervision of the borough curator. RESERVES COMMITTEE. The reserves committee made the following recommendations : —That the Ladies’ Hockey Association be granted the use of the oval at the Sportsground for hockey during the present season; also on J une 3 tor the purpose of holding a seven-aside hockey tournament, and that they be authorised to make a charge for admission. That the curator be authorised to affix netting to the lence. oil the railway line adjacent to the band rotunda and the war memorial. That the Railway Department be requested to clean up and improve the condition of the ground on both sides ot the war memorial. —The report was adopted. MUNICIPAL LIBRARY. The librarian, Air F. \V. Christian, reported that during April, 70 new members had been enrolled and there had been 34 withdrawals, the membership at the end of the month being l2od. The figures for April last year were given as follow: New members 53, withdrawals 30, total 1001. During the month 123 new books were added to the library, including 100 works of fiction, 18 for the rererence department, and five for the junior department. in a review of the past financial year it was stated that tne number of members showed an increase of 212 from the corresponding period last year, that is, 1250 against 1033. Library receipts from all sources amounted to £7iß Os 7d. The number of books sent out into circulation during the year was 97,711, showing an average per month of 8142 books. The number of new books added during the year was 2301, comprising the following: —Reference department 388, junior 234, fiction 1739. A total of 744 old worn-out books were deleted and sold. The number of school library books sent out was 1006, to the usual five chief centres, Central, College, AVest End, Terrace End and Hokowhitu schools, also to two new centres, Aidson and Russell Street. The library committee made the following recommendations : —That all valuable reterence books be kept in a special case, the key to be held by the librarian. That the question of engaging extra assistance on Saturday evenings be left in the hands of the chairman and the librarian. That no action be taken in regard to the suggestion that one of the assistants be m attendance on Sundays. That the librarian be requested to procure a list of tho latest reference books from London, and report on any books required for the reference department. WORKS COMAIITTEE. The works committee made the following report and recommendations : That the two inside pillars at the Cook Street entrance to tlio Esplanade be removed, as requested by the Aiunawatu Automobile Association. The Returned Soldiers’ Association wrote advising that it lrad on hand a certain amount of money to be expended for the purpose ot employing returned soldiers, and enquiring if the council contemplated placing men in employment in the near future. It was decided to inform the association that the council would endeavour to provide work for unemployed returned soldiers and would grant a subsidy at the rate of 30s for every £1 paid in by the association. That tho culvert be extended in Feathefston Street East in front of Air W. B. Tennent’s property, at a cost of £2O, and that the engineer notify the owner accordingly.—The report was adopted. GAS AND ELECTRICITY. Submitting particulars of the operations of the gas department during the month, Air J. IV. Aluir said that the gas manufactured was 6,726,000 cubic feet compared with 6,885,000 cubic feet in April, 1929. a reduction of 159,000 cubic feet. The output ivas 6,731,000 cubic feet, compared with 6,885,0u0 cubic feet, a decrease of 154,000 cubic feet. During the period 14 new services were laid, and connections were made with 15' gas cookers, 2 coppers and 24 new meters. The total number of consumers was 4981.

The borough electrical engineer (Mr J. W. Muir) reported that tho following work was carried out by the lines department during the month: Meters tested 130, meters installed 117, services run 38. The inspector passed 95 jobs during tho month, including 55 extensions, making the' total number of consumers to date 5105. The total connected load, including street lights, is now 13,907 k.w. The peak load of 2162 k.v.a. was recorded at 11.30 n.m. on April 30. The lighting committee made the -following recommendations : —That the electrical engineer be authorised to carry out tho festoon lighting of tho town during Sliow Week. That £2OOO be transferred from the electricity account to the general account to be .applied towards the cost of tarring and sanding the footways. That subject to the approval of the Audit Department £4370 6s 3d, previously invested under tho heading of tho renewal fund account and recently transferred to the depreciation fund account, be re-transferred from the latter account to the reserve fund to be established in pursuance of the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Amendment Act, that

a further sum out of this year’s revenue bo invested in.the reserve fund.—The report was adopted. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer reported as follows: Street maintenance: Church Street West (from Pitt to West Streets); West Street (from Church to Main Streets); and Ferguson Street West (from West Street to Botanical Road) have been coated with bitumen and chips. Taonui Street has been excavated to the new formation level remetalled and consolidated for the first eight chains from Cuba Street. Six hundred and seventeen yards of river metal have been carted and spread on various roads throughout the borough and 06 yards of asphalt have been used on various streets for patching. Footpath maintenance: About three chains of Aroha Street, 105 chains of Grey Street and 39 chains of Rualiine Street have been topdressed. Eighteen chains of Bryant Street and 12 chains of West Street have been topdressed with local tar and sand. In Grey Street about 7\ chains near the Technical School grounds and some 6 chains near Ruahine Street have been metalled and given a coat of tar and sand. Manson Street has been prepared throughout both sides for topdressing, much of the patlj having to be entirely reformed. Mangaone Bridge : Taking advantage of the fine weather the contractor for the new bridgo over the Mangaone Stream on Boundary Road has made good progress. To date 24 concrete piles varying in length from 20 to 25 feet have been driven, leaving only three piles to complete this section of the work. The western abutment and central pier have been brought up to their full height which represents a total quantity of 87 cub. yds in place. Filter contract: The whole of the material for this contract has now arrived and been delivered at Tiritea, and erection of same is now under way. General: Following on the demolition of the sale yards in Boundary Road, the old post and rail fence which was put up some years ago to form a safety zone has been demolished, and the good material used in repairing the fence along the Foxton Line JDrain, which was in a very bad state of repair. A stormwater sump has been built at the intersection of Church and West Streets. Two men have been engaged on channel cleaning throughout the month. The floor and back of the seats at the grandstand at the Sportsground have been repaired. Waterworks. —During the 1 month 19 new services were installed, 1(3 old services replaced, and 21 services overhauled and repaired. A new four inch water main has been laid in Rangitikei Street from the end of the old main to Matipo Street, and in Matipo Street for a length of 16 chains. A two inch main has been laid in Miro Avenue for a length of 544 feet, and a one inch main in Matamau Street for a length of 284 feet. Five joints on the 12 inch and two joints on the nine inch supply mains on Fitzherbert bridgo have been recaulked and made good. —The report was received. GENERAL. Mr A. M. Spillman, abattoir manager, reported that during the month the following stock had been slaughtered : —Cows, 247 ; bullocks, 123; heifers, 40 ; calves, 57 ; sheep, 1554; lambs, 458; pigs, 1012. Stock condemned comprised 7 cows, 19 pigs and 6 sheep. The total fees received were £284 6s Bd. In his return for the month’s operations the poundkeeper, Mr G. P. Jarrett, stated that 24 head of stock had been impounded, the fees received ■amounting to £1 15 6d.