ST. KILDA BOROUGH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22654, 20 August 1935, Page 4

ST. KILDA BOROUGH

MEETING OF COUNCIL The fortnightly meeting of the St. Kilda Borough Council was held last evening, when there were present the Mayor, Mr H. H. Leary (in the chair), and Crs G. Glue, W. J. Davidson, J. H. Hinton, R. S. Brent, T. D. B. Roy, N. D. Anderson, J. C. Cherry, W. J. Lovell, A. D. Edgar, and W. Rutherford. ' FINANCE. It was reported that during the past two weeks receipts amounted to £263 8s fid and that after the payment of accounts totalling £569 17s 7d there would be a credit balance of £892 4s 9d. FOREMAN’S REPORT. The borough foreman (Mr J. C. jClyma) reported that during the fortnight ended ■on August. 10 streets and footpaths had been patched, streets grassed and channels cleaned. A total of 2 chains 42 feet of kerbing and channelling had ’ been laid down on Anderson’s Bay road. For the ensuing fortnight he recommended that footpaths to be tar-sealed this season should be, attended to, and that streets be grassed and patched where necessary.—The report and recommendations were approved. UNEMPLOYED CRICKET CLUB. A deputation consisting of Messrs M. Anderson and G. Hewitt, of the St. Kilda Unemployed Cricket Club, waited on the council regarding the club’s wicket at Culling Park.-—Mr Anderson stated that the club was granted the use of the wicket three years ago, and ever since it had kept the wicket in good order. Two seasons ago the Ocean Beach Club had been granted a second wicket at the park and this year it had been suggested that the two clubs should ballot for the better wicket. His club, however, claimed prior right to the wicket on which it had done so much work for three seasons.—ln answer to a question Mr Hewitt stated that there was not room for two good wickets on Culling Park.—After the deputation had withdrawn Cr Roy stated that it had already been decided to divide the park into two, in which case the wicket in the middle of the ground would cease to exist.—The matter was left'ln the hands of, Cr Roy to meet delegates of both clubs and bring the matter to finality. BOROUGH WATER MAINS. The report of the special committee which had been set.up at the last council meeting to consider the question of the water mains of the borough stated that the committee had gone fully into the question and the plumber’s report showed that the flow from the three-inch mains, of which there were approximately 16 miles in the borough, was seriously impaired by corrosion. A section of main had been cut out in Alexandra Park and the committee was relieved to be able to report that the pipes themselves were in good' order, being practically as sound as when laid down 40 years ago. Corrosion had, however, half filled the pipes, and they were so hard that no scouring or flushing could have any effect upon them. It was evident that in a very short time the pipes would be completely closed up by corrosion, the rate of increase of which would be of increasing ratio. It was evident also that the flow was rapidly becoming inadequate for household purposes, whilst for fire-fighting purposes it had already ceased to have any protective value. The committee’s first conclusion was that as the pipes were perfectly sound there was no necessity for replacement. The cost of replacing the three-inch mains with four-inch mains would have been £25,000. Its second conclusion was that steps should be immediately taken to put the mains into a condition to function properly, both for domestic and firefighting purposes. The committee had considered a system of repair, which consisted of cutting the mams at intervals of 300 to 400 feet, cleaning out, and dining them with cement to prevent further corrosion. The cost quoted was £350 per mile, making, the total cost £6OOO. To adopt the scheme would mean getting the ratepayers’ consent to a loan, the interest and sinking fund on which would cost about £350 per annum. The committee had also ascertained that the Invercargill City Council had had its mains cleaned at a cost of £1 10s per chain. On that basis it would cost the St. Kilda Council £2OOO to clean out 16 miles of mains, and it recommended that the council adopt this course and call for tenders. With regular, periodical flushings the mains should be kept clean once they were free from the corrosive deposit and should be in an effective condition for 20 to 25 years. By that time the borough would be out of debt by the accumulation of its sinking funds and in a better position to face a larger expenditure. Recommending the adoption of the leport and the authorisation of the expenditure of £2OOO, Gr Hinton stated that the work was unforeseen, but, as the borough was shortly to hold a poll regarding the question of amalgamating with the Metropolitan Fire Board, it would be ridiculous to join up if they did not have an adequate flow of water for fire-fighting purposes. Seconding the motion, Cr Edgar said that if the work were carried out the requirements of the borough could be satisfied for many years to come. Crs Rutherford and Lovell were of the opinion that further consideration should be given the matter before anything was done. In answer to a question by Cr Rutherford, Cr Glue stated that it was only the three-inch mains that were affected. The four and six-inch pipes were in good order. Cr Hinton stated that, while they all appreciated the urgency of the work, they were not going to rush it without due consideration of all aspects of the matter! All he wanted was for the council to affirm the necessity of going ahead with it. The report was adopted. TRAFFIC INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The borough traffic inspector reported that a total of 23 motor drivers’ licenses and four building permits had been issued during the past two weeks. —The report was adopted. WATER CONSUMPTION. During the two weeks ended yesterday the water consumption of the borough was 4,127,000 gallons, at a cost of £lO3 3s Bd, compared with a cost of £IOO 5s for the preceding period. WANDERING HORSES. Cr Roy brought up the matter of wandering horses, which, he said, were to be found in increasing numbers on the streets and parks of the borough. He understood they belonged chiefly to hawkers. —The clerk was instructed to employ someone to act as ranger.