TAHUNANUI NEWS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 1 February 1939, Page 5

TAHUNANUI NEWS

TOWN BOARD MEETS

ENGINEER’S RECOMMENDATIONS CONDITION OF HILL ROAD At the fortnightly meeting of the Tahunanui Town Board there were present Messrs C. H. Chamberlain (chairman), C. Palmer, L. Hayward, J. Logan and T. W. Roberts. FOREMAN'S REPORT The foreman, Mr R. M. Win, reported as follows: “The No. 13 scheme men have been working in Rawhiti and Moana streets and are at present cutting down the footpath on the west side of Golf road to come into alignment with the recently formed watertable, the gravel on most of the roads has been raked during the past fortnight and all the gravel at the depot has been used up. More is now required for patching and concrete work. If r.o new work is to be done on Parker’s road it will need a coat of gravel from the Main road to the aerodrome road. The traffic is now fairly heavy here and it requires more than patching up. “Edward street could do with four or five loads of gravel spread from the corner of Bisley avenue on up the hill, Bisley avenue needs four loads from Bell's corner to Edward street and three loads from the Main road to Tiller’s corner. Coronation road needs grading when conditions are favourable.” It was pointed out by the chairman that Parker's road from the Main road to the aerodrome was now under the control of the Main Highways Board and the board was no longer responsible for its upkeep. The chairman then reported on investigations he had made with regard to having Muritai street taken over as a secondary highway and stated that he had been advised that the Board’s best plan would be to form a deputation to wait on the Highways Board when next they visit Nelson.

Mr Chamberlain pointed out that ,<f the street was taken over as a secondary highway the specifications set out might be rather heavy and although there would be a 3 to 1 subsidy it might be cheaper for the Board to carry out a smaller programme on its own. There was the chance that if Muritai street was taken over the Board might have Parker’s road back on its hands. After resolving to arrange for a deputation the matter was left until a special meeting next Tuesday. CORRESPONDENCE A tender received from Mr P. F. Burn for supplying dog collars was accepted. Messrs E. H. Bisley and Co. submitted plans of sub-divisions for approval. They were passed subject to the approval of the works committee who are to inspect the property. The same company also wrote requesting the board to investigate the possibility of amending the by-laws requiring all building sites to be not less than one-fifth of an acre. The matter was held over until the next meeting, j The Public Trust Office advised an error in charging for clearing gorse on the Stansell estate. The matter is to be adjusted. A circular was received from the Main Highways Board regarding the improvement of dangerous corners. This is to be attended to at the special meeting. A communication from the Loans Board with regard to the water supply reticulation was received. ENGINEER'S REPORT The temporary-engineer, Mr G. Blake, reported as follows: “Since the last board meeting Mr Ford and I have covered the hill country which feeds the Main Highway drain from Toswells to the sea shore.

My investigation and calculations of this area have been handed over to Mr Ford. We have recommended to the head of the Public Works Department that a compass survey Q of the ridges be made, delineating the various watersheds, to attain great acreage accuracy. “Work that will probably evolve out of these investigations will be the removal of the iron flood gate at the seaboard and the substitution of an iron screen across the channel to collect the driftwood; a regrading of the ditch; cleaning and altering the alignment of the Annesbrook stream and also of Greenslade’s stream. This work has to be approved by the chief of the Public Works Department.”

“I have an idea that we are spending all our money on the flat and are neglecting the hill,” said Mr Logan after a discussion on the engineer's report. “Are we being fair to the ratepayers? It seems to me that we could well put

some men to work on the hill constructing a footpath from Cunningham’s corner on up the hill.” Mr Haywood agreed that nothing had been done on the hill. The chairman then pointed out that the main work on the flat would soon be completed and the men would then be free to go on with jobs on the hill. The b<\t'd did not want to appear to be devoting all its funds to the flat. Mr Palmer: “It is only a question of the subsidised labour. We have spent no actual money on the flat” It was considered by Mr Roberts that there was more important work than the footpaths. The roads on the hill were in a very bad condition. Of course the only thing to be done to them was to gravel them but they would always be a source of trouble until they were tar-sealed. The matter was then left till the next meeting.