CORRESPONDENCE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5334, 24 January 1906, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

From Matthews and Son, asking for permission to open up the street opposite their shop and to turn the water to give them an opportunity to repair the tap. — Permission granted. From A. and T. Burt, stating that it would cost as much to repair old valve as to supply a new one, for which they quoted.— Referred to Water Works Committee with power to act. From F. J. Williams, renewing his application for formation of a gravel footpath facing his property in Pladda-slreet. — Referred to Public Works Committee to report. From the Treasury Department, advising that £20, payment of water supply to railway station, had been paid to credit of Council. — Received. From J. C. Browne, on behalf of the Tuaneka Brass Band, applying for permission to fence in that portion of Boun-dary-street lying to the east of the Gabriels Gully road and adjoining the Volunteer Reserve. — Referred to the Reserves Committee to report at next meeting. ACCOUNTS.

;head surfaceman's report. The head surfaceman reported as follows : During the past fortnight I spent one day on the water-race, fixing the steps at Mr O'Leary's gate ; I cleaned out the worst portions of the water-tables in Obanstreet, Harrington-street, .and Thursostreet, and filled in the ruts in Adclrossanstreet; and lam now engaged in tarring the edge of the water-channels in Ross Place. Oban-street. — Cleaning water-channels, 12s 6d. Harrington - street. — Cleaning waterchannels, £1 6s 6d. Thurso-street. — Cleaning water-channels, 15s. Addrossan-street. — Filling in ruts, 15s. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE'S EEPOKT. His Worship the Mayor reported that the Works Committee had inspected Beaumont road, and recommended that sufficient metal be procured to metal it for a distance of nine chains from Burrow-street and for patching the worst plaoes beyond that to the town boundary. The cost of this, estimating the metal at 7s 6d per yard on the ground, Avould amount to slightly over £60. — In connection with Mr Caskie's complaint at last meeting, re broom and gorse on the roadline leading to his property and his request for a few loads of gravel, he said the Stock Department was attending to the first and the Committee had no recommendation to make in regard to the request for gravel. There was no formation, and, the traffic being so slight, the grass simply grew up amongst the gravel, and the benefit of it was lost. — In connection with Cr Robertson's complaint re the dangerous condition of the upper end of Whitehavenstreet, the Committee had inspected this and had come to the conclusion that, while it required some attention, Cr Robertson's description of its dangerous condition was slightly exaggerated. They recommended that the surfaceman attend to it later on. Cr Robertson denied that there was any exaggeration in his description of the state of this portion of Whitehaven-street. It was so bad that he had instructed his man to fill several of the worst holes during the dry weather. It still urgently required attention, and he offered to assist the Council by ploughing the sides to enable it to be thrown up in the centre. His Worship said that no doubt Cr Robertson's explanation accounted for their not finding the road in so bad a condition as they had expected. He pointed out that, the Committee lifvd no "w isli to deliberately ignore any portion of the town. They had spent a considerable amount on that street last year, but the funds at their disposal had not permitted them going beyond the hospital. Cr M'Kinlay said they had done a lot in Whitehaven-street during the past year, spending more than they had received in rates. He hoped, however, to see the piece of the street referred to by Cr Robertson improved before the winter came i on. L Cr Robertson said that it would have been of more benefit had the money spent on Harrington-street, which lay to the sun and was not subjected to heavy traffic, been put on Whitehaven-street from Haggitt's corner to past Moss's. It was resolved that the recommendation of the Committee be adopted and ( that sufficient blue metal be ordered to carry out the metalling on Beaumont Road. WATERWORKS REPORTS. The following report was read from the race caretaker : — I have the honor to report that I took charge of the water-race on the 28th November, 1905, and found things in pretty bad order, but they are gradually getting better. The greater part of the leakage is through rock, and principally at the back of the race, which I cannot get at. The clay part I will do to the best of my ability. I have repaired the boxes in Farrells Gully, proped boxes in Quartz Reef Gully, and cleaned out some parts of race ; also, cut 1 some by- washes, but will cut a good many more. I went to Mr Johnston's, where repairs were being made to his garden, and we stopped five holes in the race at the back of his place. I propose to go on as fast as I can with the cleaning and clearI ing of the race in the bush part of Gabriels } Gully, but I cannot get the full complement of water into the race until something is done to the head. I would suggest : that a double wall of small logs be put in and puddled with clay between. In coni elusion, I may state that since I got water » through the race has been practically full , all the time, and often water going through ■ by- washes which the race would not carry. • — Yours, etc., A. B. Henderson, Race Caretaker .

In reply to Cr Askin the Mayor said the dam was at present within 4 inches of being full, and had been in that condition for some time. ' On the motion of Cr M'Kinlay, seconded by Cr Arbuckle, it was resolved that the recommendations of the caretaker be referred to the Waterworks Committee with power to act. A report from Mr John M'Hattie, who had been employed to superintend the' putting in of the syphon in O'Leary's Gully was also read. This stated that the work had been successfully carried out, but that the job had, through the hardness and depth of the track on the south ' side, taken longer than was anticipated. i The Mayor explained that the total cost of putting in the ' syphon was £51^ 12s Bd, Avhile their estimate was £50. There had, however, been several small extras, which accounted for the slight increase in the cost.

The following accounts were passed f< •ayment : — A. M'Coll ... ... £1 14 3 Browne 8r05. ... ... 14 14 9 S. P. Askin ... ... 3 17 5 J. M'Hattie ... ... 2 2 0 D.J. lioughan ... 1 3 6 11. M'Millan 0 9 0 A. M'Nicol & Co. ... 0 5 0 for or R» M'flnfcr.hßon 1 S 0