WORKS PROGRESS

Waipa Post, Volume 41, Issue 3187, 12 August 1930, Page 2

WORKS PROGRESS

WITHIN THE BOROUGH. ENGINEER’S FORTNIGHTLY REPORT. The following report by the borough. engineer (Mr W. D. R. McCurdie) was adopted at last meeting of the works committee and submitted for approval at Monday’s meeting of the Borough Council: — Drinking fountain: The new drinking fountain fox* the monument reserve has come to hand. The best place for it would seem to be the site of the present fish pond. The committee should fix a position so that the fountain may be placed in position. .It is a press-button fountain that runs only when the button is pressed. This-will effect a saving of water, and will not tend to a continual lowering of the pressure in town when water is scarce, like the old one recently reinstated at the post office. Teasdale Street: The asphalt has been widened on the rise from College Street, where cars in taking the turn were running over and doing harm. Jackson Street: The new formation on the footways, where soft, had been made very uneven by cattle sinking in it. At Cr Rainey’s request it has been rolled and made more comfortable for pedestrians. Nothing solidifies new formation better than this trampling on it for a while before any expensive asphalt is laid. -—'

Walton Street: The laying of the bottom course for a pex’manent asphalt surface for this street has been done, except one chain next Redoubt Street. The supply of screenings fx*om the quarry failed for the time, or the work would have been finished. The street may be used for parking in now as far as metalled. It is quite clean and comfortable to use. All the traffic that may be led to use it will do good in solidifying it for the final asphalt coat. It will be ironed out again by the steam roller before the asphalt wiork is done. Farrer’s well: In the interests of public safety the Guardian Trust has been notified to fill in this well before an accident happens. Its depth is given as 37 feet. The Trust now asks for offers for the woi*k of filling the well, and this is being attended to. Public baths: It has been the practice in past years to neglect the baths for the winter and spring months till the heat of summer invites citizens to bathe again. Men are then employed to root out the growth that has taken place and tidy up. The caretaker suggests that he might be employed to keep the place tidy all winter and spring, and prevent this growth, which does dome damage, he to be paid at the opening time an amount equal to the cost of the usual clearing up. The proposal deserves favourable consideration. To allow rank growth and then root it all out is a crude sort of management, and very bad for the area round the baths.

Street studs: The contractor for the placing of the aluminium studs along the centre of Alexandra Street proposes to start woi’k on Wednesday. I have lined off all the streets concerned in 60-foot lengths and marked all points with nails and painted circles. The centi'es of all circles at corners have also been accui'ately marked in the same way, so that the contractor will have no trouble getting on with his work and doing it accurately. Railway crossing: The distinct railway engineer writes asking that the Council should repair the asphalt at the railway crossing when doing asphalt work in the neighbourhood, and charge the Department. The traffic to the railway yard by the road is hard on the crossing, as it twists round to enter and bumps the rails at the same time.

Sheep yards: I have seen Mi’ Turned on the matter of the plan of the proposed yards agreed on last year with him as representative of the auctioneering companies. He said he would like to see the companies’ agents -again, as it apnears further alterations are suggested in the plan before he signs it. Progress will be reported again. q,mnW h Tuf hoo l drainage and water supply. The school authorities are not ratepayers; I therefore await instructions from the Council before connecting the new school to the drainage ?ank m Vh? 6 ° ld / C^ ol a septic tank. Tbe new drainage system will serve both the old and the new schools with one connection to the sewer in Teasdale Street. The builders have been given all data to work to, but the actual connections await the Coun- . ® s instruction. Government institutions are not allowed to pay

rates for watft* or sewerage, so that the work has to be paid for under some other name.

Stock routes: The attached plan shows in colour the presenft stock routes and the proposed new routes. The following are the streets along which cattle may be driven to the sale yards or through the borough; cattle originating on any street not a stock route must be driven to the nearest stock route, provided they must always be driven in a direction away from the post office till a stock route is met. The streets are: Pirongia Road from borough boundary to railway, Paterangi Road from borough boundary to Pirongia Road, Alexandra Street from railway to Tawhiao Street, Tawhiao Street from Alexandra Street to Mahoe Street, Mahoe Street from Tawhiao Street to or past the yards to Arawata Street, George Street from Arawata Street to Park Road, Park Road from Sloane Street to the borough boundary, Puniu Road from borough boundary to Fraser Street, Fraser Street from Puniu Road to Sloane Sti’eet, Sloane Street from Fraser Street to Park Road, Frontier Road from borough boundary to Mutu Street, Arawata Street from borough boundary to Gorst Avenue, Gorst Avenue from Arawata Street to sale yards, Tawhiao Street from Mahoe Street to borough boundary at the river. Stock roads proposed: From Mutu Street near Mangapiko Street to sale yards by borough reserves along the river bank; the length of -this route would be 9 chains; the cost of making it available for stock would be as follows: Fence both sides, leaving a strip for a walk along* river bank, 18 chains fencing at £2, £36; 50 feet of 24-inch culvert at 15s, £37 10s; earthwork, £10; total, £B3 10s. From Park Road to Gorst Avenue by domain i*oad, river bank, and lot 3 (church reserve); the length of this route is 28 chains; one side only need be fenced; the cost would be about as follows: 28 chains fencing at £2, £56; 50 feet 24-inch culvert, £37 10s; earth-work, £10; total, £303 10s. To this has to be added the price of lot 3 (Anglican Church land). Puniu Road: The excavation of the gutter from Battson’s corner to Wallace’s entrance has been completed. Asphalt will be laid in the gutter as soon as asphalting work is in hand again.