TWO REPORTS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15196, 17 April 1917, Page 6

TWO REPORTS.

BY TRAMWAYS AND BOROUGH ENGINEERS. ANSWERS TO EFFICIENCY BOARD. HOW WANGANUI IS AFFECTED. At the request of the Borough Council the Tramways Engineer (Mr P. P. Talboys) and the Borough Engineer (Mr N. Crofton Staveley) have made reports on the questions submitted by the Efficiency Board, asking in what manner the national efficiency of the Dominion can be increased temporarily during the war conditions and permanently when the war shall have ended. The idea was to have reports which may tend to increase efficiency in Wanganui, and especially in connection with (a) *vorks of maintenance, upkeep, and repair; (b) new works that may be in progress; (c) proposals for new works: (d) tabulation of schemes for desirable works. CONCERNING THE TRAMWAY DEPARTMENT. EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN SUGGESTED. HOW TO AVOID DISLOCATION. Concerning the Tramway Department, the engineer and manager (Mr Talboys) has dealt with the clauses consecutively as follow's: Reduction of Maintenance Work. —As we already work with minimum staff, no reduction can in my opinion be effected without interfering with the running of the system. With our present running we are able to do little more than make revenue meet expenditure, the loss involved in curtailing the existing service could only be faced in case of urgent need. New Works in Progress.—The new plant contracted for more than a year ago is not yet to hand, and probably will not be delivered until after the war. We cannot, therefore, be said to have any new works in progress.

Proposals for New York. —The only proposals capable of being carried out at present for new works are of a minor character. These are the proposed extension of St. John’s loop into Glasgow Street, a distance of about 20 chains, and the construction of a balloon loop at Castlecliff terminus. These improvements ought not to be postponed, because they will make the working of the syste measier and workable with less skilled labour than is at present required. Schemes for Desirable Works. — We are well situated in this respect and can have in readiness works requiring both skilled and unskilled labour to be carried out as soon after the end of the war as material becomes available. I refer to the proposed extensions to Aramoho and to St. John’s Hill, the new plant for these extensions, and plant to supply light and power in the Wanganui district.

Employment of Women. —It is undoubted that as need arises women could be employed to replace men in the office and as conductors, and probably in the capacity of motormen. The Tramway Department now employes two men clerks, 18 conductors, and 19 motormen. If shortage of men is going to render recourse to female labour where possble, it will be advisable to look ahead, as a good deal of reorganising will have to be done.

Remarks. —If the calling up of rae:i is to be effected with as little dislocation of ordinary business as possible, the Government ought to supply the following information at once as to the policy they intend to adopt: 1. Is it intended to increase the age limit for single men before calling up the Second Division. 2. What classification of the Second Division is intended? 3. Could approximate dates be given for the calling up of each class? 4. Could Second Division men be examined by the Medical Board at as early a date as possible, so that all men of military age could be classified eithei as eligible or ineligible for military service. The possession of such information, which the Government ought to be urged to give, would enable employers to make arrangements for tue future reletse of a? many men as possible with a minimum d.slurbauec of business.

BOROUGH ENGINEER’S REPORT. OPERATIONS AT A MINIMUM. REDUCTION OF RUBBISH COLLECTION. The Borough Engineer (Mr Stavcley) has reported on the above matters as follows ; Works of Maintenance.—After careful consideration of the whole of our street and other works, 1 have come to the conclusion that the only direction in which reduction is possible is the rubbish collection, and while in the interests of sanitation this is not altogether advisable, still it might be done as a temporary measure, by making the trips fortnightly instead of weekly in the outer suburbs, namely Upper Ararnoho, the scattered districts of Wanganui East, the hill section of Durietown, and the whole of St. John’s Hill. There is an objection to this in that householders are very liable to miss the collection when it only comes once a fortnight : even with the weekly system eases occur whore the bin is not put out on the proper day. The saving by doing this would be represented by 34 hours of a man and horse in each alternate week.

New Works in Progress.—The principal arc the Taylorville bank protection, the Mangahoropito tunnel, the College Estate sower, and the public conveniences. The first of these cannot bo

abandoned at its present stage, it having just reached what might be termed the “payable point.’’ Possibly in six months or a year the necessary security against further damage of the bank having been reached, the remainder might Ik? held over, but even then probably at some financial lose. The Mangahoropito tunnel for auxiliary water supply is so urgent that no comment on same is necessary, and the same remark applies to the sewer extension in progress. With regard to the conveniences, the contract for these is already let, and further progress is in the hands of the contractor. This applies also to the Durie Hill elevator, with which, though a private work, the Council is immediately concerned. The Sarjeant Art Gallery is also a work in which the Council is directly, though not financially, interested, and which is on the point of commencement. Already authorised. —Sewer extensions in Wanganui East, Sehvyn Street, and St. John's Hill; water reticulation, as soon as pipes are reasonably procurable; the construction of the second section of the Westmoro reservoir; tar-macadam and lowering of the third block of Victoria Avenue; and the short length of concrete road on Taupo Quay. Of these, the first is undoubtedly urgent; the second and third are, and might well remain, stationery for the present. With regard to Victoria Avenue, bad though it is, it is not likely to become worse, and I would advise delay, at; any rate until the Taupe Quay job is completed, when we will probably find it advisable to adopt concrete in this case also. This course will entail a delay of three months, or more if found advisable. Schemes and list i mates for Future Works. —Some of these arc indicated alu ve, aud more will materialise in the course of the expenditure of the water and draiw&ge loan. In addition, there are proposals already suggested for: H.) Deviation, overbridge, re-grading, and widening of the Great North-west Road aud Glasgow Street. (2.) Ee-grading of Tavlor Street, Durie Hill.' (t.) Filtration and softening plant for waterworks. hi.) Improved water supply for Durio and Bastia Hills. (b.j Further improvement by concrete or otherwise of main streets. (fi.) Subdivision and reading of the pro]X>sed “garden suburb” at Mosstown. The data for most of those are in course of preparation, and their vigorous

prosecution is probably only dependant on suitable financial conditions. It is therefore apparent that, taking a general view, the operations of the borough are already at a minimum compatible with a reasonable standard of maintenance being attained.