£107,000 For Capital Works in City

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 123, 26 May 1936, Page 7

£107,000 For Capital Works in City

Council Seeks Subsidy And Cheap Loans

SCHEME THAT WOULD EMPLOY NEARLY 200 MEN

Works ostimated to cost £107,000, and finding employment for nearly 200 men, may become part of tho programme of the City Council in the near future. The works, if undertaken, will carry a Government subsidy of £2 5s a week, and there may also be available Government loans at low interest rates.

The major plank of the proposal is a waterworks scheme to cost nearly £90,000, including the erection of a new concrete dam in the Tiritea Valley.

• The proposals were not debated by the council last evening, but wcro> unanimously adopted as a clause of the works committee’s report. The position now is that the council has expressed its approval of the scheme, which has been laid before the Commissioner of Employment for his sanction.

There was before the meeting a report of a conference between the Mayor, city engineer and town clerk and Messrs W. Bromley, Healey and Dane (representing the Unemployment Department). It was resolved that the Department of Labour, Wellington, be requested to state, in the event of the council deciding to proceed with the schedule of works submitted to Mi Bromley, the largest subsidy the department would be agreeable to allow the council and what rate of interest the department proposes to charge for loans advanced to local bodies.

A communication was received from the secretary, Department of Labour, confirming the offer mado by Mr. Bromley of a subsidy of £2 5s per week per man for the full time employment of registered unemployed married men in layiug out a reserve alongside the Sportsground. It was further decided that in addition to the works already considered application be made for a subsidy in respect of the proposed stop-bank to be erected on the riverbank adjoining the new golf links.

Following is the schedule of woi'KS which was submitted to Mr Bromley by the city engineer.

New Dam at Tiritea.

This work comprises tho construction of a concrete dam in the Tiritea valley, and laying of additional supply mains approximately four miles in length, at a total cost'of £59,000, the proportion of material to labour being shown in the summary below.

Kawau Branch Drain Cut Off.

This scheme involves the construction of a 4ft. diameter pipe drain, 49 chains in length and open cut of 12} chains. The object of the scheme is to cut off and divert to the ManaAvatu river the flood Avaters iu the upper reaches, Avith a aTcav to preventing the flooding of house properties in the loAver levels. The estimated cost is £10,660.

Kawau Stream Enlargement,

In this schcmo it is proposed to purchase laud and enlarge the carrying capacity of t'ho stream, Avhich is tho main outlet for tho discharge of flood waters from the city streets as well as a considerable area of county land on tho outskirts of the city. The stream is at present stop-banked and Avhcu in flood the water level therein being above the level of the surrounding country, floodgates are automatically closed and holding back of the street waters causes flooding of house properties. By increasing tho carrying capacity the water-level Avould bo reduced and local flooding obviated. Estimated cost £4,600.

Stormwater Conduits. (in Rangitikci and College Streets)

The former Avork is to provide drain, age for the street Avaters, Avhich at present are carried by means of open watertablcs and in time of heavy dowry* pours footpaths are flooded and inconvenience caused to pedestrians and shop-owners. Tho latter is to replace a dangerous open diaiu ou the south side of College street in the West End district. The estimated cost of these tAvo Avorks is £2,500. The estimated cost for each of these four projects is proportioned as follows between material and labour: —

Water supply: £39,000; £66,700, £22,300.

Ivawau cut-off: £10,650; £3,220, £5,440.

Ivawau stream enlargement: £4,600; £7OO, £3,900. StorniAvaler conduits: £2,300; £1,575, £1.225.

Low Interest Rate. Mr Bromley stated that there Avere 700 men iu Palmerston North on sustenance and that 200 to 250 of that number Avere capable of carrying out ordinary Avork; that he was prepared to recommend the maximum amount of assistance for Palmerston North, viz n a contribution of £2 5s Od per man per Aveek, being a little over half the Avages cost, and that the Government was prepared to consider granting loans at a very loav rate of interest to assist local bodies to undertake Avorks of a capital nature. The city engineer stated that he could absorb 150 to 175 men ou the proposed works and could start items three and four almost immediately. Mr Bromley further stated that the Government would agree to an additional 20 men being employed at the same rate of subsidy in extending the Sportsground by preparing an extra ground for cricket behind the Girls’ High School. Mr Bromley also intimated that the subsidy on tho waterworks item would £59,000, the contractor to employ SO per cent, of registered unemployed, and

£2 5s Od per man Aveek in respect of tho other items. He suggested that the council should submit the scheme of Avorks to the Commissioner of Employment for approval and make appli. cation to absorb 175 men on such Avorks, subsidy to be payable thereon as indicated.

The council did not debate the matter further last evening, but adopted the above report of the works committee without comment.