THE WATER SUPPLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14589, 27 January 1911, Page 7

THE WATER SUPPLY.

; CLAIM FOR ' COMPENSATION.

" A letter . was received from Messrs. dlipliant and Oliphant, claiming, on behalf .'of Mr. John Singer, of Henderson, Ihe sum of £48, as compensation for dam- ' age sustained by the blockage of a road by operations in-connection with the waterworks. It was desided to obtain legal advice', and in the meantime to deny liability. ' . The Water Committee report-ed that in consequence- of the difficulty caused by the road near the Waitakere dam being submerged, .the engineer had been instructed to report on the possibility of diverting the road to avoid crossing the reservoir. Mr. Michaels drew attention to ill© discolouration of the water supply, and urged that the Council should consider the installation of filter beds. The Mayor stated that the matter would come up for consideration later in another connection.

GENERAL ITEMS.

ENGINEER'S STATISTICS.

The citv engineer submitted a statement hf expenditure in the departments under his control for the nine months ended December 31. The statement showed the following gross expenditure: —Street maintenance, including stone-crusher and quarry expenses, £28,762 10s 3d, special works £7000 10s 2d—total streets, £35,763 0s 5d fin this case gross receipts reduced the expenditure to a net amount of £25,328 7s 8d); Shelly Beach, bathing shelter, £87 3s sd; Albert Park, including improvements, £1579 6s 6d; Victoria Park, ditto, £585 Ids lid ; Western Park, ditto, £336 3s 6d ; Bayfield Park, ditto, £111 16s 3d ; city reserves/ditto, £264 5s Id ; nightsoil depot, £1107 12s Id; conveniences, £863 14s lOd; street lighting, £1809 13s 8d; tree planting, £32 16s 2d Domain, gardens and grounds, £1325 9s 4d ; Cricket Ground, £410 6s; sanitation, £1406 Is sd; drainage loan, £6889 10s lOd; Grafton bridge loan, £10,938 Is 4d ; Town Hall loan, £19,186 Is sa; streets improvement- loan, £11,736 7s 9d (cross credits reduce expenditure to £10,001 18s 3d net); Symonds-street widening loan, £32 ss; High-street widening loan, £1369 9s 6d:; Customs-street widening loan, £94 12 4d; Freeman's Bay sower, £1885 16s Id. The Town Clerk submitted correspondence from .Mr. G. Dunnett, who asked the lowest price at which the Council "would be j•H'pared to offer £25,000 or perhaps £50,000 worth "of debentures in the Electric Power Loan in Melbourne. On the recommendation of the Finance Committee it was decided to offer the debentures at par. The traffic inspector drew the attention of the Tramway Company last month to the fact that a number of the cars now running had no oil lamps in them, and requested that the lamps be provided. The company wrote in reply that the lamps had been done away with some time ago by the Public Works Department's instructions,-and that all the more recent cars had been passed by both the Department and the Council without any provision for oil lamps at all. On the recommendation of the Electric Committee it

decided to communicate with the Minister for Public Works on the subject. The Parnell "Borough Council wrote in- , listing on conditions to control the supply of electric power in the borough. The Electric Committee recommended that the Council should reply that the proposal was - based on a desire to supply current at the lowest price, and on the same terms as it *?as supplied in the city ; and that if restrictions or concessions were made the • Council must either increase the price, or withdraw the proposal. Messrs. Williams and Jenkins wrote stating that. owing to the exigencies of • weather they had used more metal, etc. on their Richmond Road contract than the schedule specified. The total value of the extra work wa.; £546, and whilst they - Recognised that they had no legal claim w extra payment, they asked that the Council should consider the question of Paying the additional amount, seeing that the road was ranch better than it r. .would have been had the work,Jieeo... car-.

ried out according to schedule. The engineer reported adversely to the request. Ihe matter was referred to the Works Committee.

With regard to the request of the Auckland Carriers' Union of Employers for a uniform license fee of 10s for all carts or vans used for hire or for the carting and delivery of goods, the Council decided to reply that, it had no power to accede to the request. The I'M en Terrace Road Board wrote asking what proportion the Council would contribute towards a contemplated * bridge over the gully between the city boundary and Eden Terrace, at the bottom of Essexstreet. The engineer reported that he could not recommend the Council to contribute to the cost of the bridge. A reply was ordered accordingly. A largo number of shopkeepers a.nd residents of Victoria-street West, wrote atking for improvements in the system of cleaning, watering, and lighting that thoroughfare. The letter was referred to the Works Committee.

The Salvation Army was granted permission to take up a street collection oa April 15 (Easter Saturday) in aid of a new instrument fund.

An application was received from Captain Thomas for the free use of Victoria Park on March 15, 16. and 18, for the purpose of .holding a military display in aid of the Veterans' Home. The application was granted. Mr. Thompson complained of the unclean state of Queen-street during tho daytime, and said an effort should be made to keep it clean.