PALMERSTON NORTH CITY COUNCIL

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 303, 18 November 1930, Page 4

PALMERSTON NORTH CITY COUNCIL

CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTS. The Palmerston North City Council met last evening, the Mayor (Mr A. J. Graham) presiding. Others present ■were Crs. Eliott, Mansford, Fitzherbert, Termaine, McLeod, Low, CLausen, Guy and Hodgens. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr 0. J. Dolan wrote' suggesting “Manuka” and “Matai” as suitable names for the proposed new streets through sections 782 to 790, on the corner of West and Chnrcli Streets. The names Manuka Street and Moana Street were approved, it being pointed out by Cr. Fitzherbert that Matai would confuse with a street already in existence. Mr W. C. Duncan applied for the fiupply of water to his property at Fitzherbert, which is situated off the Manawatu bridge road.—Granted on the usual conditions. WORKS COMMITTEE. The works committee submitted the following report and recommenda-tions:—-That the Y.W.C.A. be granted permission to take up a street collection on Saturday.'December 6, being the annual Red Triangle Day. That the city engineer be authorised to include the council’s mechanical and horse drawn plant in the procession to be held on Wednesday in connection with the city celebrations. That an employee be advised that the council is prepared to grant him a loan up to £BOO to enable him to provide a home for himself, subject to the usual conditions being complied with. That Mr F. C. Johansen’s application for extension of water to his 2>roperty in Seaforth Avenue, Milson suburb, bo granted, provided the applicant pays the total cost of connection and the minimum charge of £3 per annum and 5s rent of meter. That with reference to the communication from the Commissioner of Crown Lands advising that the department is not prepared to accept liability for rates owing in respect to section 298, lots 63 and 64, 50A Bourke Street, it was decided that unless the department guarantees payment the water supply be disconnected. That the District Public Trustee wrote in reference to the land fronting Victoria Avenue and Church Street East, owned by the estate of R. P. Edwards, deceased, enquiring whether the council would be prepared to consider the purchase of the portion shown on the plan for £SOO, with a condition that the council construct a road 50 feet in width from Victoria Avenue to provide a frontage for four sections. It was resolved to advise the District Public Trustee that the offer is not acceptable to the council. That Mr J. W. Hodgson be informed that the work of re-conditioning the footway on the northern side of Albert Street from Broadway Avenue to Grey Street has been referred to next year’s estimates. That Mr L. Bourke wrote offering £5 per annum for the lease of two to three acres adjoining the Massey Agricultural College, and it was decided that the offer be accepted subject to the following conditions : —That the land be used for sheep grazing only, and that Mr Bourke undertake at his ,own cost any fencing required, and that the scouts, children and picnic parties shall have the right to use the land. That the residents who signed the petition requesting improvements to Donnington" Street be informed that owing to the heavy cost the council regrets being unable to do anything at the present time. That with further reference to Mrs Melville’s request that the road giving access to her property (Fitzroy Street) be gravelled, it was decided that the engineer be instructed to expend a sum of £65 in metalling the road as far as Mrs Melville’s gateway, and that unemployed be engaged to carry out the work. That the Government Loans Board wrote in reference to the council’s application for permission to raise £I4OO, being 10

per cent in respect of the waterworks loan of £14,000, and advising that it would appear that the works proposed to be undertaken under the supplementary loan are not covered in the purposes of the loan as_ set out in the voting paper, in which case it would not be possible to prooeed with the raising of the supplementary amount. It was decided that no further action be taken in the matter. That Mr 0. J. Dolan forwarded plans and specifications relating to the construction of the, extension of Nikau Street, and it was decided to grant permission to construct the extension, subject to the conditions relating to the construction of new streets being complied with in every respect, and that the owner deposits with the council 1 prior to the street being taken over the estimated cost of tarring and sanding the footways, and also subject to the issue of the Order-in-Council authorising the laying off of the new street of a width of 50 feet. The report was adopted. RESERVES COMMITTEE. The reserves committee made the following recommendations: —That the cycle track and the entrance from the main gates to the grandstand at the Sportsground be top-dressed, and a narrow asphalt path be laid down at the rear of the stand, total estimated cost £BO. That the new street through the reserve off Fitzherbert Avenue be called Palm Avenue and the street off Avenue Road be called Marne Street, bein°: a continuation of the thoroughfare now bearing that name. That the Counties Cash Cycling Club wrote asking for permission to use the Sportsground on Friday evenings for training purposes, and it was decided that the club be asked to make satisfactory arrangements with the Cricket Association and the Athletic Club, and in the event of the club making a gate charge the usual 10 per cent, of the. gross proceeds be payable, to the council. The report was adopted. . GAS AND ELECTRICITY.

The manager of the gasworks department, Mr J. W. Muir, reported that 7,036,000 cubic feet of gas were made during October. There were 403 tons of coal carbonised and 818 tons of coal in stock. New Zealand coal carbonised had amounted to 85.2 per cent, and Newcastle coal 14.8 per cent. “During the month we laid 19 new services, connected 26 cookers, 3 califonts, and 2 coppers. The total number of consumers ’to date is now 5094,” added the report. “The Railway Department has completed the installation of compressor plant and is now taking gas for its train lighting. So far they have used only 18,000 cubic feet, but from now onwards, I understand, they will be using larger quantities per month.”

Reporting to the lighting committee, the city electrical engineer (Mr J. W. Muir) advised that during October the following work was carried out by the lines department: Services run, 3; meters tested, 100; meters installed, 145. The inspector made inspections of and passed 74 jobs during the month, including 37 extensions, making the total number of consumers to date 5320. The total connected load, including street lights, was now 15089 k.w. The peak load of 2404 lc.v.a. was reached at noon on October 15.

The lighting committee made the following recommendations: That the gas main be extended in Rualiine Street to serve the property owned by Mr F. D. Kingsbeer; estimated cost £2B, estimated annual revenue £l4. That the power pole at the corner of the Square and Fitzherbert Avenue be removed and.the electrical engineer he authorised to lav an underground cable for a length of 94 yards at an estimated cost of £122. The report was adopted. ENGINEER’S REPORT.

The engineer (Mr J. R. Hughes) reported as follows on the month’s operations:—Street 'maintenance: . Several streets have received a thin coat of metal, approximately a total of 700 cubic yards having been carted and spread. Taonui Street: A length of 6 chains at the Cuba Street end has received the final coat of metal and topdressed with local tar. Maire Street, at the intersection of Rangitikei Street for a length of half a chain, has been metalled and rolled and top-dressed with local tar. Victoria Avenue, between Main Street and Manapouri Crescent, has been scarified and the old pulverised metal removed, and the whole remetalled, blinded and rolled. Albert Street, between Pahiatua Street and Ihaka Street, including the intersections, has received a sealing coat of tar and sand. - Footpath maintenance:

The following footpaths have been reconditioned and surfaced with local tar and sand—Linton Street, Chaytor Street, North Street and Pitt Street. Portions of Ferguson Street West and Featherston Street East have been repaired with asphalt. Both sides of Bryant Street extension and Cuba Street extension have received the second coat of tar and sand. Throughout the month a gang has been engaged solely in repairing various trenches. New footpaths: Park Road, south side from Fitzherbert Avenue towards Batt Street, a length of 15 chains of concrete kerb and channelling, formation and metalling of footpath has been completed. Septic tanks: The whole of the boulders, amounting to approximately 2000 cubic yards, have been removed from the old filter bed and one sludge tank has been cleaned out, necessitating the removal of about 150 cubic yards of sludge, and an old concrete partition wall dismantled. The whole of the floor of this chamber has been raised and graded to conform with the modified scheme, and for this purpose broken concrete and shingle has been utilised for filling; on top of same a stnrt has been made with the laying of the concrete floor. The concrete wall on the northern side of the old filter bed had been raised 3ft by the end of the month. Sewer, Jickell Street: As a relief measure for ’• the unemployed, work was commenced on October 8, laying a 9-irich sewer from the pumping station along Jickell Street. The average depth of the sewer is 14 feet and the nature of the excavation is such that absolutely close timbering is essential. At the end of the month eight chains of sewer and two manholes had been completed. Feeder mains: The whole of the branch connections in Featherston Street, the placing of surface boxes and valve covers in Rangitikei, Featherston and Ruahine Streets have been completed. Waterworks: During the past month nine half-inch, five tlireequarter-inch and one one-inch services have been installed, using a total length of 5J52 feet of half-inch pipes, 275 feet of threequarter-inch pipes and 18 feet of one-inch pipes. Five services were overhauled and repaired, while nine services were replaced. using a total length of 363 feet of piping. The one-inch main in Rangitane Street has been extended 97 feet. A one-inch main has been installed in College Street extension for a length of 160 feet, and Ngaio Street for 186 feet. Two meters were in. stalled where water is being used other tlxan for domestic use and. one meter disconnected. A joint on the seveninch main in the Square opposite the Kosy Theatre h.*s been re-caulked and made good. Two special four-inch water services to the Manawatu flour mills, Broadway Avenue, have been 1 installed. The report was received. OTHER REPORTS. The abattoir manager, Mr A. M. Spilman, reported that the following stock had been slaughtered during the month: Cows 158, heifers 19, bullocks 189, calves 27, ewes 865, wetners 1391, lambs 85, pigs 792. The stock condemned comprised 8 cows, 2 oxen, 13 sheep and 22 pigs. A total of £264 13s was received in fees.

The poundkeeper reported that 18 head of cattle had been impounded during October, the fees received totalling £1 6s.