Taranaki Herald. (DAILY EVENING.) WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1911. THE BOROUGH STREETS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 143647, 15 November 1911, Page 2

Taranaki Herald. (DAILY EVENING.) WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1911. THE BOROUGH STREETS.

At the meeting of the Borough Council on Tuesday night it was decided to instruct the borough engineer to submit a report and recommendation upon the question of placing surfacemen in charge, under the engineer, of definite sections of streets. Tho idea commends Itself as a good one and likely to have a good effect upon the condition and appearance of the streets. There is no denying the fact that in some parts of the borough the roadways and footpaths are in a chronic state of disrepair and untidiness. We are not going to blame councillors, or the engineer, or the workmen for this, but merely state it as a fact. A councillor cannot always secure attention to little matters that he notices want attending to, and so they sometimes grow into serious matters. The engineer has not time to frequently traverse every one of the many miles of streets under his control, and, even if he could do so, he cannot always spare a man from the larger works to put in that one little stitch which so often saves nine. While the surfacemen, under the present system, have simply to go where they are sent and do what they are told, though they may pass and repass daily little jobs which are in urgent need of attention. Tinder the present system we. often see a water channel blocked, and, for want of a man with a shovel at the right time for a few minutes, a footpath and road damaged to.an extent that may require two or three men and a horse and dray for a day or two to repair. We see a small hole in the metal, which a surfaceman would repair in a few minutes with a shovelful of broken stone, grow until it becomes necessary to use a horse and dray, or perhaps it is neglected until the whole street is broken up and entire remetalling becomes We do not know exactly what the mover in the matter at the council table had in contemplation, hut it certainly seems to us that if the borough were suitably subdivided and each subdivision were placed in charge of a competent surfaceman, who should he responsible under the engineer for the care and maintenance of the roadways and footpaths in his area, we should have much more presentable streets. Much, of course would depend upon the men selected, for it is well known that a really competent man, who uses his head as well as his hands, will maintain better roads at less cost than a man who neglects tho little faults, who allows a small hole to grow into a big one beforehe attempts to patch it, and storm water to find a new channel or flow across the street instead of removing an obstruction at the right time. We luiv.e in mind places where for want of a little attention at the right moment damage has been done which will take pounds to repair, and in the meantime residents have to endure great discomfort and visitors find something to scoff at. If the council cannot see its way to place the whole of the borough under such a system it might try an experiment with a section, and so ascertain how large an area a man can attend to properly. Of course it would be necessary to furnish other labour and horses and drag’s for the larger works, and

these should not he permitted to take the surfaceman’s attention away from his general work. But Mr. Skitrop has already displayed a good knowledge of his work, and wo have no doubt he will he able to submit a good workable proposal, which will tend to economy as well as to the better appearance of the streets.