THE MUNICIPAL YEAR

Southland Times, Issue 17231, 30 December 1912, Page 2

THE MUNICIPAL YEAR

A review of the municipal history of the town for the past twelve months Is always interesting at this time of year. Municipal politics more directly affect the people than do national politics, as j they, necessarily more intimately deal ' with the regulating, where required, of 1 the domestic lives of the people. The ; municipality has had a number of draw- | hacks to contend against during the i year. For instance there has been the ' world-wide stringency in the money I market, which has caused the City Ka- . liters of Invercargill, In common with ! those of other places, to frequently don j their thinking cups, and ruminate on the eussedness of tilings. Then t)ierc was a long, long spell of wretched weather, which caused pressing work to he hung up, .and which also meant 11ml work, which was managed to he put through, was performed with difficulty, not always satisfactory to those concerned, and yet at a greater cost than otherwise would have been the case. Despite these and other drawbacks, the business of the borough lias been carried on in a manner most commendable to all concerned, and the Councillors and officials are deserving of ungruding thanks for the manner in which they have managed the people’s municipal affairs during the past year. It Is, unfortunately, true that most people frequently indulge in a considerable amount of carping criticism at the expense of Town Councillors but it never should be overlooked that in the number of Its departments the Invercargill municipality stands first in Xew Zealand, and that the much-malign-ed Councillors perform the necessary work of managing this huge ebneern without receiving or expecting to receive payment of a single shilling for their valuable services. It says a great deal, in a commercial age such as this is, that public-spirited citizens of this kind can be so readily found. The drainage and water supply questions still remain unsettled, and the sooner these are faced the better it will be for tlie town and the people. It is impossible in a necessarily brief review to indicate more than a mere fraction of the work that has been performed, but the facts enumerated hereunder are sufficiently comprehensive evidence of the vast amount of work that has been done, and the workmanlike way in which it has been performed. As far as the Town Council itself there were only two alterations in Its personnel. Mr W. A. Ott’s second term as mayor expired, and ills place lias been filled by Mr \V. B. Scandrett, a sitting councillor, who defeated Mr Andrew Bain, another councillor with many y ears of creditable service on local bodies to his credit. In municipal matters, Mr Scandrett has for long been one of the institutions of the town, and it would be a mere painting of the lily to recapitulate them at this juncture. The vacancy caused by Mr Scandrett’s elevation to the mayoralty was filled by Mr Titos. O’Byrne, this marking the return of the pioneer Labour candidate to a seal on the Town Council. Subjoined will be found more specific information in regard to the working of the different departments: —-’Office Department.— As was only to be expected the work In the office has considerably Increased in proportion as the trading concerns and various departments of the Corporation have grown. There are meetings to be called, both of Council and committees reports (o be prepared, returns to be made up, balances to be got out, rates to be collected, minutes to be written up, licenses to be Issued, accounts to Vie received and receipted and accounts to be paid, and all the general routine work of one of the largest businesses, if not the '.argest business. In the city, so that altogether the Town Clerk and his staff of workers have had a very busy year. As giving some Idea of the large amount of work put through the office on a busy day. it is interesting to note that there has been in one day as many as 900 receipts Issued, and as much as £3OOO paid across the counter In payment of accounts. During the year 4 200 rate notices were sent out, 3360 sanitary notices were delivered and collected in eacli of the two half-yeais, or in other words. G720 sanitary notices for the year. About 3000 gas consumers’ accounts have now to be kept monthly. Added to this the office is the information bureau for all matters pertaining to the borough, and the number of enquiries which have been answered regarding property and valuations would run into thousands. Following are some of the licenses issued Dangerous goods, 22; vehicles, 64; boarding houses, 19; secondhand dealers, 4; auctioneers, IS); motors, 159; hawkers, 4; dogs, 450. —Town Hall and Theatre. — There has been a falling off in regard to theatre bookings, but from a theatrical standpoint the year lias been a good one, as all the leading companies have extended their visits to Invercargill, including the .). C. Williamson combinations and others. In regard to the Victoria Hall, all previous records wore eclipsed. Comparative bookings are:— Theatre. Hall. 1908 .. -- .. 138 430 1 909 Hi 4 38 1910 470 111 1911 Hi 3 562 1912 409 175 —Fire Brigade.— This department has had an exceptionally busv time, and lias maintained its previously highly creditable recofd in a manner that rellecls great credit on the officers and men, individually and collectively. The motor has proved its worth, and, although it has been subjected to many severe tests, it has never once failed. In so far as the number of calls made on the .Brigade is concerned. the year lias provided an easy record, and in comparison with last year the figures arc: — 1911. 1912. Fires 20 40 Chimney fires ..1 0 False alarms .... 9 IS Totals 30 70, It will he noticed that the false-alarm nuisance lias been greatly In evidence. The equipments of t.ue Brigade are all in first-class order, as also are the buildings. A few of the fires caused very little trouble, but others were of a serious nature. The chemical engine did good work and saved a lot of valuable property which otherwise would have been destroyed. The Brigade is composed of three officers. 17 firemen, and 2 messengers, and under Superintendent Hamilton Uioy work together harmoniously and well. They have laid a very strenuous year, and it is not too much to claim that as a Brigade they will compare favourably with any other in the Dominion. —The Harbour. — There lias been a further falling-off in the quantity of transhipped goods handled. This has been due to a great extent to ttie efforts of the Importers’ Association. whose members naturally, desire that their goods shall he landed at Bluff and forwarded from there by rail, which is a cheaper and more expeditious method. The local trade, however, continues to increase surely, which to some extent compensates for the shortage noted in the other direction; but present facilities at the jetty are quite inadequate to meet a large increase of trade. The Wharfinger (Mr A. Henderson) is of opinion that, had the reclamation operations been commenced near the jetty, they would have before now enormuosly Increased the harbour traffic. The following comparative table speaks for itself:— Imports. Kxports. lons. tons. I9OS 9.586 4 05 1909 9.6.1U N2O HUH 1 1.571 1.155 1911 10.930 THI 1912 HI. 150 860 The revenue derived from dues, berthage. and licenses iiniounie.l to £l7lO. —Wa lerworks. — On one occasion at least during the year the well received a very severe test, from which it by no means emerged with credit, thus once again exemplifying the necessity to a further supply being urgently sought for. It will be remembered that during the year 1911 the

Departments Reviewed

INCREASES ALL ROUND

ratepayers rejected a proposal to borrow ratepayers rejected a proposal to borrow to he gone on with. But the experience of the citizens during last summer show ought to. when the proposal is again brought forward, bo sufficient to cause a reversal of that attitude. Whatever line of action may he decided upon, there can he no gainsaying the fact that sometiling will have to hr quickly done, as the present condition of things is a reproach to a eomtmunity of the size of Invercargill. So mncli lias been written in this direction quite recently that it is unnecessary at tills juncture to labour the point. The following figures are,interesting;— 1911. Water pumped (gallons) .. 104.11 4.000 Dally consumption (.gallons) ..285,000 Cost of coal £561 7s 4d Cost of coke £358 9s Od Fuel cost per 100 gallons 2.12 d Xew services 57 Temporary services . 31 1912. Water pumped (gallons) .. 93,219.000 Daily consumption (gallons) 266.00 Cost of coal £BO3 19s 7d Cost of coke £583 9s Od Fuel cost per 1000 gallons . . . . 3.57 d Water sold by meter (gallons) 23,494,000 Xew services 54 Temporary services 26 Services renewed .. 25 Services extended 4 • The quantity of water pumped was considerably less than last year, and was also less than in 1909 when 95.824,000 gallons were dealt with. Towards this year’s total quantity, the well contributed 72.450,000 gallons, and 20.769,000 gal. lons were pumped from the 6-lnch bore. A 2-inch meter service, for which 4109 feet of piping was used, was installed In the Post Office buildings. —Valuations.— The area of the borough is 2549 acres, and the population 14.500 and including suburbs 16,700. Following is a comparative statement of the net valuations made by Hie Government Valuation Department. and on these the rates are computed:— 1911-12. 1912-13. Capital value .. £2.357,1 19 £2.476.417 Unimproved value £1,079.572 £1,075.806 Improvemens .. £1,277,547 £1.400,611 The foregoing do not include non-rate-able properties such as Government buildings. Following are the gross valuations:— Capital. Improved. Unimproved. £2,847,297 £1,578,206 £1,269,041 To show what advance has been made In the progress of the town, it may be mentioned tiiat in 1871 tlie rateable value of the borough was £10,500; in 1901, £61.606; in 1910, £112,583; in 1911, £147,026; and in 1912, £148,550. —Building permits,— The building permits issued during the year for new erections, alterations, and additions largely exceed, both in number and value, those of any previous year, and testify to the. confidence that the citizens have in the future of the town. The building trade during 1912 has been extraordinarily busy, and the buildings dealt with Include those of every possible description. Interesting comparative figures bearing on the matter are:— Permits. Value. 1906 8i 36,507 1907 109 43,824 1908 39 24,600 1909 67 31,436 1910 ]lB ’ 57,226 191 1 196 100,000 1912 297 128,200 —Employees.— The number of employees engaged is an indication of the extent of a business, and In tills connection the figures subjoined provided ample proof of the steady progress that has been made. They have been as follow: — Employees. 1906 go 1910 135 1911 250 1912 196 Last year the men employed in tramway construction work, and also other casuals, were Included in the total, and this accounts for the disparity in the figures. As a matter of fact the pay roll of 1912 exceeds considerably that of 1911. —Cemetery.— The first burial in the cemetery took place in 1861, and the number of burials since then has been 6395. During 1912 there were 236 burials, as against 180 in 1911. —Sanitay Department.— The large increase In new services throughout the borough, and the growing increase of fortnightly services in the outlying portions of the town, during the past twelve months has given the Sanitary Department a busy time. The burning down of the stables at Richmond Grove caused considerable trouble and expense; and the removal of the depot to Mill Road contributed further in this direction, owing to the distance being greater from town. To meet the extra work, two extra horses, also additional plant, had to be purchased. Mr McKenzie, owner of the farm, is building a 12-stall stable for the accommodation of the horses and the Council is erecting a spacious building for the accommodation of the night-staff. Included In the business dealt with was the following: Dogs registered 450 Horses impounded )80 Cattle impounded j.30 Xotices re defective sanitation .. .. 130 Xotices re noxious weeds 50 Xotices re dangerous goods .. .. 14 Xotices re inspection of buildings 9 A considerable number of Court prosecutions were made in respect of breaches in connection with the foregoing, and fines were inflicted in accordance with the nature of each offence, —The Quarry.— For tHe last sixteen months a contract has been let for the crushing of metal at the quarry, and during that period 18.400 tons of metc.l and rubble have been dealt with. A new crushing plant lias lately been installed, and everything is in first-class working order. —The Aobatolrs.— During the year plans and specifications were prepared and the contract let for extensive alterations and additions to the abbntoirs. A hoist driven with an electric motor has been installed in the beef-dressing portion of the building, the power being obtained from the tram trolly wire on Hie Xortli Road. These additions when completed will cost £I6OO. Included in Hie additions are two single cattle crush pens, and room for hanging 100 bodies of beef, besides a new offal room, which is a great improvement. The cattle yards have been covered in. and also boarded-up at Hie weather side, and four new pons have been added. The paddocks, having an area of SO acres, which have been leased to butchers, are all in good order, and Hie roads, fences, windmills, and troughs have been well attended to. The trees planted at the southwest corner of each paddock now provide good shelter for stock. The year has been a most successful one. and Hie increased consumption betokens increased prosperity and increased population. Following is a statement of stock slaughtered during Hie past two years:— 1912, 1911. Cattle 3,SSI -3.488 Sheep .. .. 24,809 23.1 69 Dumbs .. .. 2.268 2,154 Pigs 194 270 Calves 22 4 6 Totals .. .. 31,1 74 29.1 27 —Town Engineers Department.— It is impossible with the limited space at our disposal to deal 10 any great ex(cnl with the work supervised by the Town Engineer (Mr G. F. Ulapcott): hut the following will indicate some of the important jobs that he has at present on hand. There can he no doubting the fact that Mr Clnpcott is a very busy man. —Drainage.— Very considerable progress has been made In providing efficient house and

storm-water drainage in the various suburban areas, now part of Greater Invercargill. Approximately, six miles of piped drains have been laid, varying in size from four to eighteen Indies. Tlie expenditure under Ibis section has amounted to a very considerable sum. The drainage of Linciisfarne. Included in the above, is almost completed, and the sum allowed for this work (£1600) will not be exceeded. Formation and metalling work in ibis area is now in progress, and when completed, will cost, approximately, £3OOO. —Concrete Kerbing.— One hundred and forty chains of concrete kerb has been put down in various streets, replacing the old timber kerbing. —Asphalting.— In spite of the very unfavourable weather for carrying on this class of work, every opportunity was taken advantage of, with the result that, approximately, two hundred chains of asphalt pathways have been laid, and very extensive repair work carried out. Owing to the great extent of asphalted pathways throughout the borough (over sixly-one miles), maintenance work in this connection will during the coming year be very heavy. Street Maintenance. — Owing to the extraordinarily heavy iraflic. over the borough roads, arising through various causes, but particularly through the conveying of tramway material and the cartage of building material into the suburban areas, the cost of repairing and ro-grading lias been particularly heavy. The lotal quantity of metal and gravel used for this purpose has been 9000 tons, representing an approximate expenditure of 3000, allowing for cartage and spreading. At the present time 100‘ chains of private streets are under construction and forty odd chains have been completed by the Corporation. The cost of this work has been deposited with the Council by the various owners interested. —Private Streets. — At the present time 109 chains of private streets are under construction, and 40 odd chains have been completed. The cost of these Is deposited with the Council by the owners interested. —Sewage Works.—• A start has been made with this important work, the following contracts • having been let; —Manufacture and supply of steel, cast-iron, ana re-inforced concrete pipes, manhole crowns and covers, sinking and constructing sewage pumps, well, and screening chamber. These represent an expenditure of £4OOO. Tenders are shortly to be invited for other sections of this work., _ —Water Reticulation. — Early In the year a contract was let for the supplying of cast-iron pipes and fittings, including the carrying out of reticulation throughout the whole of the suburban area. The amount of the contract was £19,400. Tenders are now being Invited for supplementing the present water supply, and It is anticipated that this work will be in band early in the coming year. —Walhopai River Improvements.— Improvement works along the Walhopai bank from road are still being carried out. These Include the forming and gravelling of ninety chains of pathway, forming flood embankments, and erecting seats ami fire places. Pathways are to be cut through the bush reserve on the north side of the stream. These, when completed, will tend to add to the many attractions already possessed by this favourite resort. Early in the New Year a bathing shed is to be built on the southern bank of the stream. —Reclamation Work. — Steady progress is being made with this work, which is being carried out by prison labour under the direction of Mr M. Hawkins. Owing to the extensive repairs requiring to be made to the Otatara bridge, combined with particularly broken weather for many months past, work generally has been delayed. Given good weather, and with the present plant at his disposal, Mr Hawkins anticipates making rapid progress during the coming year. —Underground Convenience.’ — The underground convenience for women has been completed, and is now ■in use. This innovation was much needed, and its erection was a step in the right direction. —The Trams, — The following covers briefly, but comprehensively the work that has been carried out in connection with the tramways:—The amount of capital invested in the tramways is, in round figures. £90,000, in two loans of £75,000 and £15,000. The first sod was turned on January 14, 1911, ty the ex-Governor, Lord Islington, and Hie start of the construction was made in Dee street, on June 26, 1911, but tbe power house and car shed building had beer, in course of erection some months previous to that date. —The Plant.— The power-house plant consists of three Babcock and Wilcox patent water tube boilers, complete with integral superheaters and mechanical grate stokers; two Browett Bindley engines, 330 b.li.p., eacli of which drives a 225 k.w. generator, also 110 b.h.p. engine driving a 75 k.w. generator. The generators are compound wound, and the large ones run at 400 r.p.m. and deliver current at a voltage of 550 volts. There is also a 15 k.w. horizontal turbine driven generator, Which supplies the electric light for the power house, carshed and offices. The lights on the poles in Dee ami Tay streets are operated on what is known as the series current system, and obtain their power from it 4 6 li.p. motor, taking current from the main generators, and driving on the same shaft a 3 phase alternator of 30 k.w, capacity at 400 volts 50 cycles, thence the current from each phase passes through a constant current transformer to the lamps. These transformers automatically adjust the current at the lamps. The switchboard is of tbe latest type, and fitted with various instruments for recorcling and regulating the generation and consumption of current. The tower for cooling the condensing water a "Jarvis Patent Natural Draught Type," is. TO feet high, and lias a capacity for cooling 80,000 gallons per hour. It is the only one of its type in New Zealand. —Cars. — The ten cars have seating accommodation for thirty passengers each. The car bodies are fitted on a long wheel base truck, which reduces the pitching of the cars when travelling at a high speed. Each car is fitted with two 30 h.p. series motors, an air brake driven by separate motor, and a hand brake. —Carshed and Workshops.— The shed lias four specially designed pits, and capacity for lidding twelve cars. The workshop lias all the necessary equipment for overhauling and repairing the cars, the machinery consisting of one wheel turning and grinding lathe, one sin. lathe, two drilling machines, and one emery wheel, all driven hy a 10 h.p. motor. The permanent way consists of 9 miles of single track, which includes the length of double track in the main thoroughfares, extending from the hospital to Conon street. The rails are of the grooved girder type, and weigh 801h a yard. The points and crossings are of Manganese steel. The service was opened on March 26. 1912. by the ex-Mayor of Invercargill <\V. A. bit. Esq.), the two sections then being available were Wailiopai bridge and Georgetown. The North Invercargill line was opened on May IS: street, South Invercargill, July 6; Waikiwi, September 25, and the remaining part of South Invercargill, on October ]. Tliis was the last section to be ready. The distance of the various sections are as follows ; Post Office to Waikiwi, 2 miles 45 chains. Post Office to North Invercargill, 2 miles 6 chains. Post Office to Georgetown, 1 mile 57 chains. Post Office to South Invercargill, 2 miles 3 chains. The approximate number of miles covered hy the ears from March 26 to December 31 is 175,000. The approximate number of passengers carried, 1,500,000.. The approximate number of units consumed, 270.000. The lowest day’s taking was on May 17, and amounted to £ls 12s Sd. Tbe largest day’s taking was on December 11 (Show Day) and amounted to £169 15s I Od, —Electric Lighting.— A loan poll lias been taken for the raising of £IO,OOO for installing lighting

j plant at the power house, and for reI tlculating the town for supplying elec j trio current for lighting, power purposes, heating, cooking, and all genera. I uses to which electricity may he put. The system of supply will be four : wire, three phase, alternating current at ; -too volts between outers for power, and ■ 23.0 volts between any outer and the neutral for lighting. 1 The plant will be entirely separate from the machines supplying current for the tramways, which.is direct current, although It will be operated by the same staff and from the same boilers. A satisfactory service could not be given from the tramway generators, as the voltage is too high for house lighting, and the fluctuations of voltage too severe. Tenders have been called for the plant, and the contract lias been let for the building. It is anticipated that current will he available for all purposes during next winter. The stopping places throughout the tramway system are being lighted with 1 powerful electric lights at the present j time, the installation of which- will be ; completed about the end of January. Tlie-c will l)o a great convenience to the patrons of the tramways. • j —Corporation Gardener’s Work. — Fortnightly reports have been regularly published of the good work that is being performed by the Corporation Gardener (Mr Edglngton) and his but some of tfte principal tasks dbtiv may be summarised as follows Cororiatlon avenue lias beefi well drained and levelled, and the avenue planted with elms. The arena lias been formed, levelled.-and cut out and planted with elms. Both the avenue and arena hav« been sown down witli grass. Breakwinds. have been erected around the elms and a belt of three of four hundred shelter trees planted. Portions of a block in Biggar street have been stumped, ploughed, and graded ready for the Beautifying Society to plant. A block between Tweed and Ettrlck streets lias been grubbed, slumped, drained and ploughed. This will be put down in grass and trees planted therein. Several thousand trees have been planted round about the town, on the foreshore principally. —The Gas Department.— The Gas Department under the management of the Engineer (Mr E. Habbldge) has progressed wonderfully, and not only does it pay its way, notwithstanding a compartiveiy cheap rate being charged consumers, but it yearly provides a handsome amount which la transferred to the. General Fund. Branches of the department have been consistently extended, and in every Instance has success been achieved. The following table shows the all-round increase during the past five years : 1907. 1912. Gas sold, cubic ft. 29,900,000 54,580,000 No. of consumers 1,500 2,600 No. of street lamps 175 322 Mileage of mains 19 35 No. of employees 25 43 Price of gas (per 1000) 7/6, 6/8, & 5/10. 5/-& 5/10 During the current year, despite competition from the new electric light department, the increase lias been well maintained, the year having been a very busy one in ail branches. 1911. 1912. Gas made, cubic ft. 54.000.000 59,500,000 Coal carbonised, tons 4,200 4,600 Coke sold, tons 1,200 2,500 Tar sold, gallons 29,387 32,000 New consumers .. •. 190 New lamps .. .. 32 New mains laid, miles .. 4^4