PORT CHALMERS BOROUGH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23223, 22 June 1937, Page 12

PORT CHALMERS BOROUGH

MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING The monthly meeting of the Port Chalmers Borough Council was held last night and was attended by the Mayor (Mr T. Scollay) and Crs D. Forsyth, H. Watson, J. Annan, F. C. Smith, J. Farquharson. T. Armstrong, E. Rouse, T. Willmott, L. G. Jack and J. Williamson. CORRESPONDENCE The Port Chalmers Marine Band wrote expressing appreciation of the council’s support.—Received. The Port Chalmers Fire Board submitted its statement of receipts and expenditure for the vear ended March 31. —The Mayor remarked that the position of the board was a little better this year.—Received. PASSENGER SHELTERS

The New Zealand Railways Bus Department advised that it was prepared to supply materials for the erection of passenger shelters at Carey’s Bay and Mussel Bay if the council would erect them to specifications provided by the department. It was decided to select suitable sites for the shelters and instruct the engineer to proceed with the buildlng' HOUSING SURVEY

Cr Forsyth referred to the necessity for going on with the housing survey required by the Government. They had only a short time in which to carry out the survey. It was decided that the committee which had been set up to deal with the matter should be instructed to take immediate steps. COST OF DRAINAGE

Cr Watson, chairman of the Works Committee, said he would like to draw the attention of the council to one item on the expenditure side for the year ended March 31. He referred to “drainage £ll7 10s.” This, he said, was not for new works, but was spent in patching the present system. which through old age or perhaps faulty construction had “ gone wrong.’ Investigations showed that in the construction of some sewers only clay joints were used, while in others there was no jointing substance at all. In the very old cases this is excusable, but since cement was known 50 years ago he felt that some cement should have been used in the borough at that time. In a city, this amount would not be considered very large, but in a small borough it was a serious matter. This year had started oil' badly. With only two months gone £SO Os 6d had been charged to the works account under the heading of drainage. To this must be added the cost of replacing the stone wall in Grey street, the collapse of which was caused by a faulty sewer. Ratepayers would see that if so much of their” rates went in underground services, it would be difficult to make any great improvements to the surface requirements during this year. WORKS COMMITTEE The Works Committee submitted the following report for the month;— The rainfall registered at the reservoir for the month of May was (5.35 inches, with rain on 16 days. For I lie corresponding month • last year the rainfall registered was 2,38 inches, with rain on 10 days. The engineer has provided a report on the question of making provision for bringing in a larger supply oi water to the residential area of the town. The committee has given authority to the engineer to continue his investigations and submit an estimate of the cost of the proposed works set out in his report. The report was adopted. GENERAL COMMITTEE

The General Committee submitted the following report for the month;— • The gas manager in his report for Mav states, inter alia, that during the month 25j tons of coal were carbonised, yielding 349,300 cubic feet of gas, an average of 1.1,900 cubic feet per ton. In a recent report the committee drew attention to the state of the retorts and the fact that the matter of providing a new setting would soon have to be considered. A recent examination of the retorts gives clear indication that the present sotting will very soon have lo be scrapped and a new selling provided in its place. The committee accordingly recommends that it be given authority lo proceed forthwith with

negotiations for the provision of a new setting of retorts. It is proposed to utilise all the ironwork on the present setting with the exception of the furnace doors, which will require to be renewed. The remainder of the plant has worked well during the month with the exception that on May 5 a blockage occurred in the vicinity of the compensator. This was cleared, and no further trouble was experienced. . . , In the terms of the regulations issued by the Minister of Transport, the committee is arranging to have pedestrian crossings defined on the street intersections at King Edward square. It may not be generally known that motorists and other vehicular traffic must give way to anyone using a pedestrian crossing, and no vehicle is to speed over such a crossing. The provision of ditches and drains to take away the storm water at the recreation ground has now been completed, and these are giving satisfactory results. , . Cr Forsyth said the renewal of the gas retorts was an urgent matter. At present there were holes in some of them. Fortunately, the renewal fund was in a healthy state, and the renewal would not involve much expense from the general fund. The report was adopted. ENGINEER’S REPORT

The engineer (Mr F. J. Williams) reported as follows: — Main Highways. —Very little work has been done on any of the highways since the last report. Some holes were repaired on the Port ChalmersAramoana highway, and screenings are being spread on the unsealed portion. Attention was given to the DunedinPort Chalmers highway. Application has been made by the Main Highways Board for the allocations for the ensuing year, and these will be rendered in accordance,, with instructions received at the last meeting of the committee. Cooinbe Hay Terrace.—The kerbmg at the intersection of Coombe Hay terrace and Harbour terrace has been raised to the new alignment, and the path has been surfaced. A group of men is cleaning out the water tables, and when this w'ork is completed metal will be spread on the roadway. FSuI Sewers.—The defective sewer in Constitution street, referred to in the last report, has been repaired, and only such work as was absolutely necessary has been done. The railway tunnel sewer required cleaning, and a sewer in Laing street was previously repaired. Relief Workers. —The men employed under the No. 5 scheme have been engaged in improving the drainage in the Recreation Ground, planting trees in Rangi Park, cleaning up the cemetery and slips on Cemetery road, cleaning water tables in Reynoldstown and Carey’s Bay, clearing a slip on Watson’s track, and cleaning up Beach road.

Work in Hand. —This includes the erection of the Grey street wall, the completion of the Coombe Hay terrace work, the metalling of Kloogh’s road, and painting white lines on streets. The report was adopted.