BOROUGH COUNCIL

Southland Times, Issue 20540, 17 July 1928, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING, The fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council was held last night and was attended by his Worship the Mayor (Mr John Miller) and Councillors W. Hinchey, J. Robertson, T. O’Byrne, G. R. Cooper, J. D. Campbell, J. H. Tattersfield, C. J. Brodrick, S. M. Macalister, C. B. Tapley, A. C. Ford, G. J. Reed and E. Sheehan. COMMITTEE REPORTS. The principal clauses adopted in the reports of committees were as follows: GAS, TRAMS, AND ELECTRICITY. Conference of Electric Supply Authorities: Recommend that the chairman and the borough electrical engineer represent this council at the conference of the Electric Power Boards and Supply Authorities Association of New Zealand to be held on July 25 and 26, 1928. Requisitions: Having authorized a requisition for the Gas Department for oxide of iron and gas appliances, £lB3 16/5. Drain from Gasworks: That the chairman be authorized io act with the Town Engineer in having the drain from the gasworks to the estuary put in order. Accounts: Having examined accounts amounting to £7,401, 17/8, and passed same for payment. PUBLIC WORKS. Footpath, Catherine Street: With regard to the petition of residents in Catherine Street, recommend that the footpath be asphalted during the asphalting season, and that the petitioners be advised accordingly. Troopers’ Memorial: Having no recommendation with regard to the suggestion that the corners of the Troopers’ Memorial should be rounded off or modified in some way to render them more safe to motor traffic. Parking of Motor Cars: Recommend that the following recommendations of the motor inspector re parking of motors be adopted: Forth Street Parking: That private motor cars be allowed to park under the usual parking conditions in Forth Street as under: Cars to be adequately lighted from one half-hour after sunset so as to comply with the Motor Vehicle Regulations, 1928. On the south side: from Nith Street to Conon Street. On the north side: from Clyde Street to Conon Street. North Road Parking: Re motor vehicles standing in Dee Street north for long periods, that section 42 of bylaw No. 9 be amended to include all those streets outside the inner traffic area where tram lines are laid and upon which tramcars operate. At the present time the inner traffic area as laid down by section 42 of bylaw 9 includes all streets bounded on the south side by Tay Street; north side by Gala Street; east side by Deveron Street; west side by Leven Street; and motor vehicles are allowed to stand for only 15 minutes in non-parking areas. Streets Maintenance Account: Recommend that the expenditure on streets maintenance be recorded in seven separate areas, similar to the system in force in 1922. Embankment across Fox Street: Recommend that the application of Messrs Wright, Stephenson & Co., Ltd., for permission to construct an embankment across Fox Street be granted on the following conditions laid down by the Town Engineer: That such bank be extended over the full width of roadway at a uniform gradient of 1 in 12 be formed on each side over the full width; that a drain of the size we require be provided on each side of the roadway at places indicated by us, such drains to pass clearly through the embankment and to be provided with flap valves at their western ends and sumps and gratings at their eastern ends; that the roadway be metalled with six inches of gravel. Telegraph Poles in Tay Street: Recommend that the Telegraph Department be requested to have the telegraph poles on the eastern corners of Tay Street at the Elies Road intersection removed at an estimated cost of £4l. Accounts: Having examined accounts amounting to £1,716 17/10 and passed same for payment. Road to Prison Farm: Recommend that the County Council be written to and asked if it Is prepared to agree for the future to pay half the cost of upkeep of the road leading from Stead Street to the prison farm; that the road is now in need of repair at an estimated cost of £6; and that the council will have the work done if the county council will undertake to pay half the cost. Tyne Street: Recommend that the portion of Tyne Street adjoining the National Mortgage & Agency Co., Ltd., be crossgraded and a kerb laid 4-ft. out from the building at an estimated cost of £B5. The Public Works Loan to bear £55 of Ihe cost, the balance to be charged to the General Account against the £3O paid by the company for railway siding fees. LIBRARY COMMITTEE. Old House, corner of Esk Street: Recommend that the action of his Worship the Mayor and Chairman in having the old house in Esk Street dismantled be approved and that the good material be sold; recommend that on completion of the work of demolishing the house that the section be handed over to the Reserves Committee in order that unemployed labour may be utilized in cleaning up the ground. Extra Books: Recommend that a limit of four extra books be allowed on each subscriber’s card. New Periodicals: Recommend that the Musical Times (London weekly) and the Chronicle (South Australian weekly) be added to the Library. Book Order: Recommend that an order for books, 160 volumes, to cost about £65, be sent on to the London agents. Accounts: Having passed accounts amounting to £lB7 1/9 and passed same for payment. BATHS COMMITTEE. Advertising: Resolved that Mr A. W. Jones and the superintendent have cards drawn up advertising the baths and printed and hung in the tramcars where space is available. Privilege to Stewart Island School Children: In connection with the visit of school children from Stewart Island between the 15th and 22nd. August, recommend that the children be granted free admission to the baths during their stay in Invercargill. Notice Board: Resolved that Mr A. W. Jones and the superintendent have power to act in having a notice board erected outside the baths showing the hours that the baths are open and the charges. Accounts: Having examined accounts amounting to £55 16/4 and passed same for payment. OFFICERS’ REPORTS. The following officers’ reports were submitted : TRAMWAYS. The Tramways manager (Mr. A. C. Carman, reported as follows: — Traffic during *he period has been quiet. Special cars have been run for theatres, and wet days when required. On June 25 a motor car collided with Car No. 5 at the corner of Tay and Conon Streets. On June 30 an unknown motor cycle collided with Car No. 8 on the North Road. No damage was caused to the tram in either case. On Saturday, June 30 two tramcars collided at the south end of Avenal loop, two windows being broken, and other slight damage being caused. On July 6 at 5.33 p.m. a motor car collided with car No. 5 at the corner of Tay and Conon Streets, the drawbar carrier and life-guard handle being broken, the motor car badly damaged and the driver injured. At 7.59 p.m. the same day a motor car and tram collided at the intersection of Dee and Leet streets. The tram had two windows and the headlight broken, and the motor was badly damaged, one of the passengers being injured. The permanent way gang have been fitting new check rails at Mary Street curve, lifting and packing and attending to defective joints in Elies Road south, attending track drains in Leet Street, and relaying track on North Road. Electricity:—One pole has been erected for extension of mains. Three phase mains have been extended in Avenal Road. The motor at the Abbatoirs has been overhauled,

and new mains run in Wallace Street. The poles for the extension of the street lighting are being distributed and erected. Nine new installations, and six extensions, have been inspected, tested, and connected to the mains. Nineteen premises have been measured for floor-space. Power House:—The units purchased for the weeks ending June 30 and July 7, were 136,500 and 132,200 respectively. For the month of June 557,400 units were purchased, and 2,000 generated. The units delivered to the lines were 528,540, as compared with 483,860 the previous year. The approximate cost per *OOll was .98d, and in June, 1927, Id. GASWORKS. The Gas Manager (Mr W. B. O’Toole), reported as follows: Services Laid: Ordinary 10, renewals 1, extensions 7. Meters: Fixed 24, removed 10, changed 33. Fittings Sold and Installed : Four cookers, three grillers, 7 gas coppers, one wash boiler ring, six fires, mantles, glassware, etc. Total value £163. (Last year £339). Requirements Attended To: Lights 79, appliances 116, choked services 13, leaks at meters 29, meters read (change of tenant) 66. Coal.—On stock 322 tons. On order to arrive next week 200-300 tons Westport smalls. The last two shipments of coal arrived at the works in a very wet condition and, as this has been the cause of much trouble and some loss financially, I communicated once again with the Railway Department with a view to having the trucks covered at Bluff in wet weather, and am pleased to be able to report that I am now advised that covers will be supplied on application at a charge of 1/5 per cover. This is to apply only to small coal. I am now going into the results obtained from Westport smalls to date, and will report at the next committee meeting as to the advisability or otherwise of reverting to Australian coal. Meter Readers.—l omitted to mention in my previous fortnight’s report that Mr Jones, who had been granted three months’ sick leave, finished up with us on the 15th ultimo to proceed to Dunedin to go into the Public Hospital where he was due on the following day. Purification.—As mentioned in my last report, the material in three of the purifiers has been changed recently, and the fourth is now being changed. As an extra precaution on account of adverse conditions, I have put 50 bags of lime in this purifier. ABATTOIR. The abattoir manager (Mr C. W. Wilson) reported as follows: The following stock were slaughtered at the City Abattoir during the month of June, as compared with the corresponding month last year:— 1928. 1927. Bullocks and heifers .. 344 358 Cows 137 138 Maiden ewes and wethers 1243 1462 Breeding ewes 321 373 Pi gs 74 26 Calves 23 36 Lambs v 41 2142 2434 There were condemned cows 4, sheep 5, and pigs 1. The stock slaughtered during the month were prime quality, except a fair number of good to fair quality. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Town Engineer (Mr E. A. Gumbley) reported as follows: £74,000 Loan.—l understand from the Town Clerk that at last meeting I was to have reported on the overhead costs in connection with the £74,000 loan, and also on how my estimate of the balance to complete was arrived at. This matter was not on the agenda paper and therefore was not attended to. On May 23, I reported to you giving detailed costs of the sand carpeting work. This matter, according to my minutes of your meeting of that date, and under the heading of “Engineer’s Report of Expenditure under £74,000 Loan” was: "Received and noted.” On the next agenda paper there was no further mention of the matter, nor was there on the agenda paper of your last meeting. I therefore concluded that the matter was finished with. Estimated cost completion £74,000 loan. The following is the detailed estimate of the cost of completion under the £74,000 loan, given you as £24,276: —Sand carpeting £13,343 12/-; formation work £7,327 0/4. Total, £20,670 12/4. Less: £ s. d. Already formed 985 19 0 Allocation Esk st. 1919 loan 600 0 0 Charge Railway Department Leven street 50 10 3 1,645 9 3 Plus: Overhead vost 4,261 6 3 Kerbing 330 chains .. .. 990 0 0 5,251 6 3 Balance 24,276 3 1 PUBLIC WORKS. Mr E. A. Gumbley reported as follows: £74,000 Streets Loan.—The eastern corners of Tay street at the Elies Road intersection have been altered and the fences moved back to the new boundaries. We are now waiting on the Telegraph and Electricity Departments to remove the poles. They were notified on the 30th ult. Roads and Footpaths.—Chelmsford street footpath on the north side between Windsor and Wilton streets has been reformed to grade and asphalted. There still remains some top-dressing to do before this work is completed. Before the asphalt had properly set a horse walked up and down on it from end to end and did considerable damage. A start has been made to form James street from Bamborpugh Road to borough boundary. Work on Victoria street footpaths will be commenced next week. The following streets have been scarified:—Yarrow street from Deveron to Elies Road, McMaster street from Yarrow street to Gala street; Mitchell street from Ritchie street to Lindisfarne Road; Lindisfarne Road from St. Andrew street, to Short street; Leet street from Leven street to Dee street ; Forth street from Conon street to Elies Road; Oteramika Road one block; Moulson street from Tramway Road to Brown street; Princes street from Martin Road to Tramway Road; Queen street from Martin Road to George street; Pomona Road from Centre to Hardy street; Tramway Road from Frederick to Brown street; Brown street from Tramway Road to Moulson street. Owing to the very wet weather very little gravel has been spread on the roads.

The following streets have been gravelled:—Esk street, Kelvin to .Doon street 69 yards; Yarrow street, Dee to Mary street, 84 yards; Ness street, Tay to Grace street, 33 yards. Total, 186 yards. Gravel supplied to yard for asphalt 42 yards. Total 228 yards. The amounts of gravel spread on streets and omitted from last report are as follows:—Earn street, Clyde to Conon street 33yds; Spey street, Kelvin to Doon street 66yds; Frederick street, John to Tramway Road 24yds; Doon street, Gala to Tay street 42yds; Teviot street, Clyde to Nith street 15yds; Ettrick street, Clyde to Nith street 12yds; Tweed street, Clyde to Nith street 21yds; Kelvin street, Spey to Gala street 36yds. Waterworks. —The plant Is operating satisfactorily. A small boy playing near the reservoir fell in and J. Pay, at considerable risk to himself, had to dive in to rescue him. Children are continually climbing the fence and it is impossible with the present waterworks staff to have the grounds constantly patrolled. To prevent children getting near the reservoir a high barb wire fence would be required. Sewerage System.—All pumping stations and sewers are operating satisfactorily. Municipal Baths.—As instructed the grounds around the baths have been cleaned up. Ettrick Street trimming:—A number of residents of Ettrick Street have engaged unemployed labour and are engaged in cleaning and trimming up the flanks of the street between Nith and Clyde streets. They have applied to me for permission to instal concrete kerbs, but I have referred them to you and you will doubtless receive an application from them.

Crossing over Footpath in Deveroft Street:—This crossing (used by the piecart) is being strengthened by the laying of concrete slabs.

Pump for Fire Purposes.—For fire fighting purposes the water used of course depends on the size of the fire to be combated. For a large fire in business premises as many as eight jets may be quite easily required. This would mean the consumption of round about 2,500 gallons per minute. The greatest pressure it would be advisable to put on the existing mains would be round about 1251bs per square inch. Assuming that a serious fire occurred in the neighbourhood of the junction of Esk and Dee Streets the greatest delivery (even if the mains were new) we could expect at the point given and at the pressure stated would be in the neighbourhood of 2,000 gallons per minute. However, the mains at the present time are foul and the greatest over flow we would be able to obtain would be, at a pressure of 1251bs per square inch, 1080 gallons per minute. It is apparent then that the mains are too small. Seeing that this quantity Is inadequate it is of no use installing a pump to supply only this quantity of water. A pump to supply the full amount of 2,500 gallons per minute must be installed. Again, a pump capable of pumping up to the above pressure, would render all our other pumps inoperative during the progress of a fire and provision must therefore be made for a pump not only capable of supplying the water for fire fighting purposes but capable in addition- of supplying the town during the progress of the fire which may last over a period of many hours. I estimate that the provision of this pump and the motor to drive it, with cost of installation will be £2,150.

Murphy Street, South Invercargill:—This street haw apparently been formed upon the natural surface of the ground without regard to stormwater gradients. The roadway itself is composed of about njde inches of gravel spread along the centre and the footpaths are roughly formed and spread with an uneven layer of cinders. Stormwater drains have been laid but no catchpits or manholes have been provided. It has apparently been constructed to the satisfaction of the South Invercargill Council before amalgamation and it is doubtful whether you can object to its dedication. The South Invercargill Town Clerk informs me that the work was completed during the month of February (and therefore before amalgamation) although the certificate was not granted until March. The matter is. I think, a legal question. The work would not by any means satisfy our requirements. Boundary Road from Stead street to Prison Farm. Small patch-work repairs are required on this road at a cost of £6. The roadway is a boundary between the Southland County and Borough and it is presumed that the county will bear half-cost of maintenance, although there is no agreement to that effect. I would suggest that the County Council be written to asking them if they are agreeable to pay halfcost, as is usual. Conon street extension. The south end of Conon street between Woodhouse and O’Hara streets is in a half-formed condition at the present time. To complete the work, with asphalt paths and kerbing, it will cost £614. To complete the work without asphalt paths and kerbing, allowing only for gravel paths, will cost £449. footpath by Salvation Army, Tay street. What, is required here is the asphalting of the whole width of the footpath. At present there is only a strip to the westward of their building on the inside of the footpath to be asphalted. This will cost £8 10/-, and is usually carried out at the expense of the owner and at his request. Tyne street—from Elies Road to Clyde street. The reformation of Tyne street involving the removal of the railway fence and the construction of a kerb in place of it, with the formation of a grass plot between the kerb and the railway line, as shown on the accompanying plan, and also cross-grading the road will I estimate cost £690. Tar analysis. I have received the following report from Mr E. Crow, engineer to the Restar Company, Limited:—“l have never encountered gasworks tar with 24.21 per cent of water. • The only possible chance of this happening is that the storage tank has no roof and the rain is getting in. The remainder of thp figures are typical and if the water and lighter oils are removed the residue should make a good road binder.”