OAMARU NEWS NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12737, 10 August 1903, Page 8

OAMARU NEWS NOTES.

(Fsosi Oon Own ConnEßro.»mM,'T.) OAMAIIUi August 9. Another special meeting of the Borough Council was held on Saturday. Councillors admitted that they allowed a rod herring to bo drawn across the scent on Wednesday last when a suggestion was made, and oven entertained, that tho' old gasworks should bo left a>ollo and now ones erected elsQwhore. At that meeting the gas manager stated that ihe present works would require considerable improvement in a lew yeara at a coat of £2500, end councilors wero\so taken aback at tho situation that they shrank from the expenditure of a .largo sum in protection'. Since I that meeting better, counsels'haro prevailed, and at the meeting on Saturday it was unanimously recognised that tho present works must be protected, for now ones could not be erected in lea than iaany months, and tho town might be in darkness in consequence of the- inroads of the sea meantime. The gas manager seemed, also, to have, considerably modified his attitude, for he now stated that the present works would, with the. expenditure of a small sum, stand for six or ten years without requiring radical improvement. Tho engineer recommended procuring eomo 300 trucks of stone from Port Chalmers, which could be used to protect the whole of tho council's frontage on the foreshore, of 12' chains, double the quantity to be ustxl in front of the gasworks. The cost of this he estimated at *52!>. in addition* to this, ho advised, proceeding wilh a certain amount of nrotccttoi' from tho local quarry at a cost of £594 This makes the cost of work £1119, and to it has to bo. added the cost of tho work already -,dono. When tho work started th< council was prepared to spend.some £700', but the total will now probably rcaelr £1300 In consequence of the sandy bottom at tin foot of tho, cliff, falls of earth near thgasworks still continue,