KERBING AND CHANNELLING.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4983, 16 April 1889, Page 4

KERBING AND CHANNELLING.

Bie, —His Worship the Mayor has overwhelmed my suggestions by quoting the estimates of Mr Dobson for kerbing and channelling the whole borough as part of a system of drainage and sewerage. But that is not a fair reply. I do not advocate the doing of the whole borough at once, any more than the mayor proposes the asphalting of the whole borough at once. The total cost to asphalt the whole borough would run up i into formidable figures, and that total might as well be quoted against the partial work being done. My suggestion is to do what little the rates will allow year by year, and make our borough gradually take on a neater and tidier appearance than it has at present. If we visit Ashburton, Temuka, and Waimate, we are nt once struck with the tidy appearance they present. This arises from the kerbing and channelling of their streets. What is the state of matters in Timaru ? Our main street is kerbed and channelled, George street is, past the Borough Council Chambers, but at the corner turning to the Post-office it stops. So also at the opposite corner turning into Barnard street; then it stops. We go on Barnard street and come on a piece at Webster’s corner. We turn up into Latter street and come on another piece at O’Discoll’s Hotel, and further on in North street a piece at Bush’s corner. We go to Church street and find one side done as far as Sophia street, and then another piece at Peacock and Geaney’s corner. Between these pieces are stretches of grass-grown and filth-retaining gutter. What I advocate is a beginning from the centre of the town and completing those blocks which are partially done, and thus gradually working out towards the extremities of the borough. This would at once make the borough assume an air of tidiness, and be doing away with an eyesore, a nose sore, and a health sore. As to the comfort supplied by the asphalt pavements, that is problematical. Where half the pavement only is done, as many, if nob'more people, will be found walking on the undone half as on the asphalted one, except on wet days. Wet days are, however, in the minority in Timaru, and even then our pavements are not so very much to be complained of. The chief difficulty and discomfort is in getting on to them through the grass and the gutter alongside. Let the kerbing and channelling within what is known as the “ inner area ” be done, and the mayor himself would be surprised at the effect on the tidy look it will give the borough. What an improvement the doing of that part of George street past the Borough Council Chambers was. It removed an eyesore which met every visitor coming from the railway station, and to show that this is not the first time I have taken an interest in borough improvement, I may state that more than one letter from me will be found in the back columns of the Heeaid advocating the removal of that eyesore before it was done. The present asphalting is only adding, I repeat, to the ragged, poverty-stricken appearance of the borough. I am, &c., A Ratepayer,