QUEEN – STREET REPAIRS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13234, 20 July 1906, Page 6

QUEEN - STREET REPAIRS

TRAMWAY COMPANY AND THE

COUNCIL.

TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT

REPAIRS.

Some matters connected with the repairs to the asphalt in Queen-street came before the City Council at its meeting last evening. .. '* ' " ,

, In the course of a letter regarding the matter. Mr. P. M. Hansen, managing director of the Tramways Company, said: — "Owing to the fact that we will have to drive, a large number of piles along Queenstreet, it was considered necessary to ascertain the present condition of the drain pipes under Queen-street, so as to exclude any possibility of my company being held responsible for the present condition of many of the drain pipes'." Mr. Hansen added that the company's chief engineer had reported that an inspection of the drains between Shorthand and Custom Streets showed that there were five blockages of pipes in that section. Between Shortlaudstreet and Wellesley-street there were six blockages. In regard to the timber , for the piles, he asked permission to Use ironbark in place of red-heart totara. There would he a great risk attached to the driving of Bin by Bin red-heart totara piles, arid in order to avoid such risk the company preferred to use iron-bark, which was a far superior timber. It was much more expensive, but the company, was anxious to do the work not only as quickly, but also as substantially as possible. , On receipt of a reply they would be ready to start the work in question, subject to the terms of the previous letter as to the Queen-street sewerage. The company's engineer considered that the work.would be completed within 14 to 16 weeks, provided the weather conditions were favourable.

The city engineer (Mr. Bush) reported that ho had made a preliminary inspection of the sewer in Queen-street, and would report the result to the Streets Committee. He saw no objection to the use of , ironbark in place of totara, provided it had the Government brand, but the Tramways Company must understand that the decision of the Council in this matter was final, that delivery must take place within three months.

u ,^' 16 Mayor (Mr. A. M. Myers) moved,. "That the letter be referred to the Streets Committee, and as far as the iron-bark question was concerned that a letter be cent in terms of the city engineer's report." The motion was carried. • THE TEMPORARY REPAIRS. The Streets Committee reported having received a report from the city engineer to the effect that the Tramways Company was at present repairing the holes within its portion of Queen-street, and that arrangements had been made with the Neuchatel Asphalte Company to repair all defective portions of the roadway it was responsive tor.

Mr A J, Entrica.n asked whether the .Neuchatel Asphalt© Company was not responsible for the whole of the street _ The town clerk (Mr. H. W. Wilson) said that the Asphalte Company was responsible to the Council for the sides of the street, and the Tramways Company for the other part. \ . Mr. C. J. Parr said that then the Council had two contracts—one with the Asphalte Company and one with the Tramways Company. Thus« there were two bodies responsible. ■

Mr. L. J. Bagnall: That seems to be responsible for no one doing it. Mr. Parr: That is about it. Mr. Hansen, writing in regard to the repairs to the track, stated that the company had already commenced such repairs, i and that it had received the city engineer's, assent to the same. . - °

In answer to Mr. H. M. Smeeton, it was stated that the repairs ' referred to consisted of temporary repairs at the sides of the rails with tarred asphalte. . • Mr. Smeeton said that in some places where the asplio.lt had been put down soft the holes were soon as bad as ever. The engineer (Mr. Bush) said he had approved of the repairs as a temporary expedient, and if it did not answer the purpose the company would be required to do the work in either the powder or mastic form.