CITY STREETS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19867, 15 June 1927, Page 8

CITY STREETS

ESTIMATES ADOPTED PERMANENT WORKS DISCUSSED. After considerable discussion, during which it was proposed that the estimates for permanent road construction by the works and services department be reduced by a further £5,221, a reduction on the original schedule of £3,396. was decided on by the Wanganui City Council last evening when it adopted estimates for street, works totalling £49,007. Cr. C. H. Burnett said there was a proposal to delete the estimated expenditure of £5,221 for permanent street construction leaving £3,000 for footpaths, kerbs and channels. At some later date a proposal could be brought forward to do permanent street works out of loan money. Many residents were opposed to this class of work being done out of the rates. Wanganui was practically the only city in the •Dominion that had adopted this policy. Employees engaged in tar-seal-ing would have to -be absorbed in some other way. Putting Men Off. Asked for his opinion as to the relative question of employment, the engineer. Mr. N. C. Staveley, said that the position was somewhat complicated, as some of the work had already been done. If this further reduction were made, other men besides those indicated in his report would have to be transferred or their services dispensed with. The Mayor (Mr. W. J. Rogers): It would dispense with 40 or 50 men, would it not? The Mayor suggested that they should first tide over the present period of unemployment, and later go into the matter. Cr. Burnett said it was not only a question of saving labour but also material. Cr. John Morrison thought that most of the Council had not considered how far the unemployment loan of £6OOO would go. If they raised the money the 400 unemployed would take £2BO in one day or £1,680 in a week. This would mean that in three weeks and four days the whole of the loan would

be absorbed. Expenditure Too Great. Cr. Siddclls said that the Council was spending £14,000 more than it could afford, and although the Council would be willing to keep on men while times were bad, it would have to be understood that in the summer months, when work was plentiful, there would have to bo a tremendous scatter. Cr. W. M. Luxford thought that the matter of permanent street work done by loan money was one that should be seriously considered. He thought that a loan of £60,000 for this work would receive the support of the ratepayers as it would mean that a sinking fund of £l5OO would suffice instead of scratching around for a large sum out of annual revenue. Cr. Morrison did not think rates were intended for permanent street work. Cr. Burnett said that the estimates were £15,000 less than last year. Further, he drew attention to the fact that wages for men on the road amounted to £l,lOO a week. . The estimates were finally adopted with the reduction of £462 for metal and scaling work in Nelson Street above Guyton Street. The estimates adopted were as follow:—St. Hill Street: Guyton St.-Maria Place, metal, seal and sheet asphalt, 10 chains, £1,049; Wilson St.: Guyton St.Ridgway St., sheet asphalt, 22 chains, £909; Purnell St.: Railway to Jackson St., metal and seal, J 9 chains, £836; Wickstced Place, metal and seal, 7 chains, £282; Duncan Street: tramway block, sheet-asphalt, 15 chains, £495; Glasgow Street, metal and seal, 52 chains, £l,lBB. Total, 1 mile 76 chains, £7,157. Footpaths, with kerb and channel, 2 miles, £3OOO. Total, £10,157.