NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1931, Page 3

NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH

MEETING OF COUNCIL HELD REPAIR OF SEWER EXCAVATIONS. EAST END COMMITTEE PLAINT. The New Plymouth Borough Council met last night. Those present were the 'Mayor (Mr. H. V. S- Griffiths), Crs. T. P. Anderson, F. Amoore, R. J. Pentecost, P. E. Stainton, J. W. Darby, J. Brown, F. J. Hill and R. W. D. Robertson. The Taranaki Jockey Club was granted permission to close the dead end part of Wakefield Street west of Gover Street on race days in the season and the use of the borough stables for the autumn race meeting. Letter* of thanks are to be sent to Messrs. E. Zumbach and I. Watkins for donations of plants to the beautifying committee.

The Returned Soldiers’ Association asked the council to consider making a grant towards the cost of hire of loudspeakers used in Pukekura Park on Anzac Day. In the past, the letter said, the association’s expenses had been ‘defrayed but this year the association made no claim. The request was referred to the finance committee.

The Department of Lands and Survey advised, that the Land Board had considered, the position in reference to the expiry on June 30, 1932, of an education reserve lease of two sections comprising part of the Hobson Street yard and used, as a metal dump and decided to offer a renewal for a further term of 21 years at an annual rental of £6. On the recommendation of the borough engineer the council accepted the offer. ROADWAY TO EAST END. The East End bathiifg’ reserve committee again requested the council to repair the unfinished state of the roadway near the front gates of the reserve in Bullei; It ‘was pointed- out that as a result of’sewerage excavations three inches of dust formed, thejroadway. 1 x The borough engineer reported that it had been found inconvenient to transfer the staff and plant to the work at present. The work required in this case in his opinion was not urgent, the road surface being in fair order but dusty. As the whole of the filling recently made against the protection walls was also dusty he failed to see how the gravelling of the comparatively ■ small area of driveway would greatly improve matters in this respect. The work if weather had permitted would have been carried out on Thursday last and would probably have been completed before the matter came before the council. On the recommendation of the works committee the council' decided, that no alteration be made in the charges for dog tax previously fixed. In pursuance of the provisions of the Arbitration Act the council resolved that repairs to existing fences, erection bf divisional fences and boundary fences, erection of sheep and cattle pens and repairs to existing pens, swamp drainage on land including new _ drains or cleaning of old drains, cleaning of the exterior and interior of the abattoir buildings and other repairs preparatory to painting, to bo carried out on ,the abattoir reserve should- be relief works within the meaning of the Act. c Consideration of the letter from the borough engineer intimating that the time for completion of sewerage contract No. 4 (liquefaction tunnel) expired on October 31 last was deferred pending a further report from the engineer. A letter from Mr. W. N. Stephenson relating to damage to his section in Beach Street alleged to be caused by sewer construction work was left in the hands of the engineer to deal with. The engineer waa authorised to repair the bridge in the East End reserve near the croquet courts at an estimated cost of £l5. RATEPAYERS’ REQUESTS. Consideration of a letter from Mr. J. N. Morris regarding tar-eealing Mill Road from Dawson Street to the bridge was deferred. . , 2■, The engineer wjs authorised, to place a lorry at Sister Gill’s disposal for half a day free of charge for cartage in relief of distress. ■ _ The engineer was authorised, to hire the tar-spraying plant to the Inglewood Borough Council at a date suitable to him, probably in February next, upon terms to bo agreed to by the Inglewood Council 1 , , . . ■, Mr. J. P. Whelan is to be informed that it is impossible for the council to provide work to enable ratepayers to work out the amount of their rates in arrear. . ' In accordance with his recommendation the tramways manager was authorised to effect the road surfacing between tram rails and: repairs to permanent way with his own staff. The work is to be so arranged, that it will be kept well ahead of the borough engineer’s tar gang. For the past month the New Plymouth library issues were 10,570, including an issue of 978 in the children’s section, a daily average of 423, reported the library committee. During the period 26 new subscriptions were registered and 48 subscriptions cancelled, a net loss of 22. The borough engineer, Mr. C. Clarke, reported that in the cemetery and reserves cleaning up had been carried out during the month. Thirty-five chains of new 'water main were laid as follow: Mangorei Road, 7 chains 60 feet of 10in. main; Devon Street, Fitzroy, 27 chains, 56 feet of Bin. main. Twentysix services were re-connected to the new main. The old spiral pipe in Manjrorei Road and Devon Street had been lifted as the new main was laid. Fourteen new services were laid and two re-laid. The water supply to the abattoirs had been altered as required.

STREET AND FOOTPATH WORK. The footpath in Tukapo Street from Clawton Street to Omata Road where kerbed and channelled had been graded and gravelled. Frankley Road footpath from Standish Street to Frankleigh Park had been re-gravelled and drains installed at the foot of the big bank on the hill to cope with water. The staff had nearly all been engaged upon sewerage work, Fillia and Gover Streets having been completed. The laying of the 9in. pipes through the tunnel in the park was nearly completed. After the hst heavy flood in the Waiwakaiho River on November 2 a large quantity of good river sand was deposited on the river bed at the abattoir flat. Of this 350 cubic yards was saved and had been dumped .ready for use for tarring footpaths. Alterations to the abattoirs were being done as instructed. All relief labour had been concentrated on the stock route, th® council having employed on an average 50 men daily on this work. The section of Waimea Street from Tukapo to Frankley Road was nearly completed and a start had been made on the next section, Frankley Road to Govett Avenue. While the good weather was holding every effort was being made to get this work completed. On sewerage contract No. 8 good progress had been made, the contractor having now completed reticula-

tion of the area south of the railway line. The main sewer in Sackville Street and Barribal Street was proving exceedingly difficult on account of the treacherous and wet nature of the soil, but the contractors were making the best progress possible under the circumstances. Good progress was being made on contract No. 7. On contract ■J. No. 4 the contractor had completed the valve chamber except for fittings and was at present laying the portion of the outfall sewer between the chamber and the cliff face. Every endeavour was being made to get on with the outfall sewer, but as yet.the weather conditions had generally been adverse. Better conditions should enable the work to t y be proceeded with and completed before the end of next autumn. ELECTRICAL SUPPLY. The electrical engineer, Mr. W. H. Huggett, reported that the number of applications received for a supply ot electrical energy was 23, additions and alterations made to existing installations 69, and new connections added to the system 22. The Waiwakaiho River was very high for the first part of the month, reaching 18ft. as measured at the intake on the 2nd and falling very low during the latter part of the month, when it was again necessary to obtain assistance from the Taranaki Power Board’s system on three days, when 24,255 units were delivered to the power station. The levels of the Mangamahoa lake had been maintained between 24 inches over and 16 inches below the spillway. The Diesel engine was started on six occasions, with a total running time of 118 hours and generating 35,405 units on a fuel consumption ot 2392 gallons. The main south transmission line was tested out at midnight on December I, 8/nd placed in commission on December 2, and a constant supply up to 1000 k.w. had been obtained from the Governments / sub-station at Hawera, which-had beea satisfactory in every way. The contractors had completed the new penstock pipe line, which was tested on th* / 16th and was placed in regular commission on the 27th with very satisfactory results. The erection of the new turbine unit was well in hand. Much •of the concreting had been completed and the generator to complete the set had been delivered and was being assembled? , Th* greater portion of the ~ Government sub station steel work and metering equipment had been erected and the transformers fixed in position. The duplication of the transmission line between the power station and Tarahua Road had been completed and placed in commission and a further section of the system changed to 11,000 volts.

: RELIEF WORK. Th* relief workers had been employed in cleaning up among the young trees and improving the tracks about the hydro lands. The number of new installations and alteibtions to existing ■ installations dealt with by the inspection department was 92, and 106 reinspections had been made. The maximum load recorded at the power station was 2800 k-w. and the greatest number of unite generated in any one day was 46,688, with a total of 1,295,475 for th* month, 'as against 3000 k.w., 47,125 and 1,293,812 units for the corresponding period of last year. The whole of th* plant at the sub-station and at the powerhouse, with the exception of a slight mishap to the Diesel engine, had operated satisfactorily. ■ 1 Mr. G. J. Wyatt, tramways manager, reported that the tramway revenue earned for the month, £l2lO 12s 7d> showed a decrease of £217 9s 5d from the figures for the corresponding month, of last year and the passengers carried 158,952, a decrease of 7507 from the same period. The revenue earned by the buses, £l9O la 4d, showed a decrease of £36 16s 4d from the figures for th® corresponding month of last’ year and the passengers carried, 23,025, a decrease of 1931 in the same period.

Building fees to the value of £4426 were issued during November, reported the chief inspector, Mr. R. Day. Five cases of infectious diseases wer® inquired into. Two were scarlet fever two diphtheria and one tuberculosis.