BOROUGH WORKS

Waipa Post, Volume 32, Issue 1780, 8 July 1926, Page 4

BOROUGH WORKS

ENGINEER'S FORTNIGHTLY REPORT.

The borough engineer (Mr W. D. R.' iMc'Curdie) submitted the following report to last meeting of the works committee and the latter's recommendation for adoption was dealt with at Monday's meeting of the Te Awamutu Borough Coumcil. The plumbing about the dental clinic has been brought up to date and' propelrly connected with the gully trap on the fire station side of the Town Hall. The drain is now properly trapped and, will not henceforth discharge the smell of 'the inside of the drain into the operating room, as formerly. The plumber may now be paid.

The two houses in Jackson Street, one already up and the other about to be erected—have, on the order of the Council, been provided with connections in Jackson Street. The allotments occupied by these houses had been provided with connection points in Sloane Street, as it had originally been intended to build on the Sloane Street frontage. These allotments will therefore be provided with two drains eachi later on. The sub-divider has authorised Miss Lawriy to extend the drain from her allotment 18 in Henderson's" sub-divi-sion to the sewer at the corner of lots 19 and 17. Miss Lawry complains of the expense she is being put to to construct so long a drain to provide for her allotment. Purchasers are warned to look into the drainage questioin before committing themselves or parting •with their money in purchasing any allotment. Information on this subject can always be obtained! from the engineer's office for the asking. Preparations are being made for the moving of the tree~ at Mr F. J. Gilbert's crossing in Alexandra Street. The ground has'been opened round the roots to make ready for the removal of the tree. '

The entrance crossing giving access to the Te Awamutu Co-operative Dairy Company's premises from Pirongia Road has been excavated and metalled to the permanent level on the terms arranged on the ground with the committee on 31st May last. The rise from Te Rahu; Road' metal to the cemetery gate has been metalled and made safe for all weathers for the future. The two elbows on the way jup and the clay at the upper gate have been made safe for the time being with a slight sprinkling of metal. * Sand, has been sold from the Council pit at the price fixed by the Council,* namely 3s per cubic yard. The revenue collected from this source since the purchase of the pit i s £lO7 2s. The Council cannot keep a man at the pit. to sell the sand and keep tally of what sand is taken; neither would it pay to send a man on full pay to th-3 pit to allow a load to be taken. It is usual, therefore, to take a deposit of the worth of the sand asked for, and to give the key of the pit to the applicant. This is the best that can be done without heavv loss in men's wages, but it is not a" good business arrangement. The quantity of sand in the pit is a limited amount, and the Council will need it all in the course of years. It is suggested., therefore, that the Council consider the advisability of stopping the sale or removal of sand by nrivate person's, and that the pit be kept for the Council's exclusive use. Levels have been taken for the drainage of allotment 6, Raeburn St., to the junction in the niain provided for the allotment. This allotment is m a hollow. The main in Raeburn Street when laid was specially lowered so as to give reasonable facilities for drainage for lot 6. When a buildling is proposed on low ground special care should be taken by builders to make sure of the drain levels before commencing work. For the Council to lay drains deep enough to drain the lowest part of all ground on the low side of a street would put the Council to untold expense in deep excavation for all the sewers in the neighbourhood. All the five garages in the borough are busy on the bulk petrol supply problem. Two have pumps erected, and one is now selling petrol from the pump. Two more are busy on the •underground work; the fifth has his on the ground l , but is held up for the want of a pump, as it appears that the supply of pumps of the brand required has run out in Auckland. iMr Hawkins has been notified that his fence and gate are huilt on the ground of Herbert (Street where it joins Sloane 'Street, and he has been required to move the obstructions so that the corner may be tidied when the time comes. . ~

In preparation for the augmentation of the water supply which will be required at an early date, as the demand for water increases, correspondence has been carried on with the Lands' Department and with the Department of State Forests with the object of securing an adequate catchment for the future isupply, 'and! with the object of keeping the whole catchment free from settlement, so that the drinking water may remain unpolluted.