OAMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 6953, 31 January 1890, Page 3

OAMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The fortnightly mooting of the Borough Council was held last night, when there were present : The Mayor, and Messrs Hedley, Davidson, Annand, Jones, Moss, Emslie, Spence, Nimmo, Sumpter, and Brown. The minutes were read and confirmed. Mr Thomas M'Clurg wrote accepting the terms of the Council in regard to a cattle-crossing overthe race at Papakaio. Mr Gilbert Nesbit wrote asking the Council to reduce his rent for section 6, block 4, near Awamoa, to L2 per annum, m Li was too much for him to pay. The clerk, in reply to an enquiry, said the area wan two acres. Mr Davidson said the land had boon reserved for a quarry. The matter was referred to the Reserves Committee with power to act. Mrs Mary Nelson asked for permission to erect a sned on part section 12, block 4, at the corner of Tees and Wansbeok street*. As the application was not accompanied by the usual fee and plan it could not be considered. Mr J. 8. Holmes wrote enclosing a cheque for water service for Awamoa, and complained that for several months he bad not had a fair supply owing to there feting no pressu*^ lie had had to cart water during the time he should have been obtaining it from the Corporation It was decided to point out that the matter of the complaint was being attended to. A week's leave of absence was granted to R. Edward*, om of the race caretakers. . Mr 8. Bryce s application for leave to jay « pip© for storm-water from section at i oorntr of Ederr and Thames streets wat granted. M*ur§ Forrester and Lemon applied i*t permission to made additions to Mi BulWd'i premises. Th* application wif granted, aubject U th« usual conditions. Messrs Bosfo *a<i Tait applied for per

mission to erect an addition to Mr E. Grave's house in Wharf street. Qranted. The Engineer reported that he had obtained about 300 tons of stone from the birque Scottish Bard, for the cost of haulage, and he recommended th.it the stone-crusher be used for crushing the stono, and that the metal be spread on Thames street north. Deferred till next mw ting. The Engineer reported hh follows : As requested, I have tbo honor to report on the matter of the depth of water in the reservoir and my reasons for turning off the water-supply against tho wishoa of the Mayor. 80 as to make tho matter clear to thoso Councillors who may not bo thoroughly conversant with the systems that have becu and are in vogue for working tho watersupply, I will explain tho past and pretent working methods. At you are aware, the reiorvoir has ever lince its construction leaked, and some seven years ago burst, and tho repairs though they very connidorably lessened tho leaknge, ditl|not effectually fetop it. Mr Scott, the Borough Engineer, in his valedictory report to the Council, dated February 4th, 1885, recommended that tho reservoir should not be filled to a groator depth than 30 feet. Since the date of that report I have gradually raised the water in the reservoir about a foot or 18 inches at a time, and have had the leakage carefully guaged at each depth, and my last instructions were to fill it to the 39 feet mark. I understand that the Mayor stated that on Sunday, January 12th, the water was down 10 feet in the reservoir. ThU was not tho case, it being down o£ feet at 8 a.m., and 4J feet at 5 p.m. Owing to the race being turned off regularly the reservoir varies in depth, and the average depth for last month per day was 35 i feet. I would hero mention that throughout the summer months the consumers of wutir on the higher levels have not been inoonveuienced for want of water owing to the depth of the reservoir, and the only complaints made by the residents on the higher levels were from a quarter where tho pipes are too small for the draught. During this time of the year the consumption of water ia very great, consequent on the irrigation and garden watering that is going on, and this necessarily affects the pressure and supply, especially so where the pipes are of small dimensions, and it is an important question for consideration as to whether the running of open pipes for irrigation should be allowed, or, at any rate, minimised to some extent, until such time as the Council can lay larger pipes. In regard to the periodical turning off of the water race ; when I took charge of the works it was customary to turn off the water for 48 hours eack week, the object of which was to enable the caretakers to inspect the bottom of the race for, and make good, any leakage discovered. This turning off I have at different times reduced to 40, 34, and 30 hour* a week, and for the last six weeks I have given orders to turn off for 30 hours a fortnight. This periodical turning off is, I consider, necessary until the ground carrying the race is free from under* runners ; and the finding out of leaks before they become serious means a considerable saving to the Corporation. Beference can be made to the caretaker's diaries, which clearly show and bear out my opinion that there is a necessity for turning off the water. Considering the short time the water is off, the exposure of the race to the sun is not in the slightest decree detrimental. The race jn reality is only exposed to the sun for about 10 hours out of the 30, and experience shows that any cracks that occur take place on the outside of the r«ce and lead inwards. * In conclusion, I consider the method adopted of gradually raising the reservoir and reducing the time for the race supply to be turned off is, under tho circumstances, the proper one. The Mayor said th e reservoir keeper h ad told him the reservoir had gone down 10 feet, and he supposed h» knew what had occurred. He (the Mayor) knew that the small pipes on the hill were probably the cause of the want of a full supply, but if the reservoir were kept fuller there would be less cause for complaint. The race also suftered considerable damage through being allowed to run dry, much moro so than if it were running full all the time. It was also a strange thing that during the absence of Mr Fraser in Dunediu very little green weod came down the race, while during his presence on the race the weed occasioned a good deal of trouble. Mr Henderson had made the statement to him. Mr Davidson said Mr Henderson should have reported to the engineer as to the neglect of Mr Fraser. Mr Sponce said the men should be shifted about along the race. After further disoussion, Mr-Spence proposed, That the matter of the complaint against Mr Fraser be referred to the Water works Committee to make enquiry. Seconded by Mr Davidson, and carried. The Corporation Gardener sent in his annual report on the gardens, and com- 1 plained about flowers being taken away j on Sundays. He said if a gerdeners' j cottage were erected for him in the gardens it would put a stop to this. The Mayor said an untenanted cottage at the reservoir could be removed to the gardens. Mr Spenco moved, and Mr Sumpter seconded, That the engineer report on the cost of removing tht cottage and of putting it in a habitable state.— Carried. ■ Mr Davidson gave notice of motion that Ouse and Trent streets be repaired and metalled. The Finance Committee reported, recommending the payment or accounts amounting to L101 17s 9d. — Adopted. It was decided to hold a special meeting to consider the valuation roll, and the Council rose.