TE KUITI BOROUGH COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 601, 10 September 1913, Page 5

TE KUITI BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinarv monthly meeting of the Te Kuitf Borough Council was held en Monday evening. There were present—His Worship the Mayor, Crs Graham, Matthew. Mabbett, Howarth, Somervi'iie. Walsh, Spencer and M. J. Jones. _ . Electric Light. - H- A. Ellison wrote asking when he could expect to get any benefit from the deposit of £b paid to have houses on the Bonny Glen estate connected with tr.e electric installation.—Referred to the Electric Light Committee. Insurance. —Mackay and Jones wrote concerning the insurance or tne borough against claims.—Referred to the Finance Committee.

Collection of Refuse. Tne secretary of the Ratepayers' Association wrote requesting the council to consider the advisability of procuring a horse and dray for the collection of refuse and othei work, and pointing out that refuse collection in many other towns Was done free of charge. It was suggested that ample work tor a horse and dray could be" found.—Cr Walsh moved that the letter be received. It appeared as though the Ratepayers' Association would be better conducting the business than the council. —Cr Graham seconded the mution. —Cr Mabbett said he any ratepayer or body ot ratepayers wiunn their rights in making a suggestion. He moved an amendment that it be referred to the Works Committee.— The Mayor said tho matter involved & question of policy. The subject had been considered on several occasions -not exactly with a view to refuse collection.—Cr Howarth seconded the amendment and said he had always felt the Question of the borough going in for a horse and dray should be seriously considered. —Cr Spencer pointed out that a contract for refuse collection had already been entered into.— The amendment on being put was carried.

Drainage Connections. Messrs Clapham and Co. wrote conrerning Mr Warmington's drainage, stating that in view of probable complications they were advised not to tender straight out for the work, as the subcontractors for the drainage intended seeking compensation. They suggested that either the council do the work, or have it carried out by a licensed drainer out-side the council at a charge of 15 per cent - on net cost. —Cr Spencer, in explanation of the'letter said there was a subtle undercurrent going on with the object of endeavourins to upset anything the council was trying to do. Tenders were caiied for Mr Warminetm's job in the usual manner and two tenders

were received, one of which was a few pounds below the other. The committee accepted the lowp.st tender. Mr Warmington then refused to t,ake the borough money and stated he could get the work cone for £SO, as compared with .-fIOS, the price of the successful tenderer. The committee waa"thus placed in a diismma and it was deemed advisable to get the contractor and Mr Warmington together. It was then suggested t'-.e -work should be done by the borough at net cost or get the contractor to do it at lo per cent, on his net cost. This was agreed to, but the letter was a new Development. Continuing, the speaker said if any more of this sort of thing went on the committee would recom mend the council to get its own drain layer.--The Mayor said he entirely agreed with Cr Spencer. There was no desire to enter into competition with contractors, but directly there was any suspicion the council was being exploited the council should take action.—The matter was referred to the Wurks Committee with power to act. Water for Sanitary Depot. —■ Cr Somerviiie said the committee had a»reed to recommend that a windmill be obtained for the sanitary depot, and moved to that effect. —Cr Graham seconded the motion, which wa3 carried.

Borough By-laws. -The following j motions of which notice had heen j given were moved and seconded:— I "That Section lo of Part 4 of the , Borough by-law?, viz: One-half of the j actual cost of the construction, kerb- j ing, channelling or tarring of any j footpath within the borough shall he a charge upon the owners of the lands and. buildings fronting of such footway, should be repealed." "That the following Lew by-law be adopted by the council and inserted after Caluse 4 :: Part 16 g, Building By-laws page 69- 'To the removal bodily of any wooden building erected before the coming into operation of in se By-laws, from one part of an allotment; provided that the position tn j which it is proposed to remove tne I building is not a street frontage, is j not of less distance from any existing I building than the position at present I occupied, and does noi increase the fire risk, and is in the opinion or the building inspector in a good state of repair and in a thoroughly sound portion/ "-The Mayor suggested the motions should he referred to a special committee, pointing out that it was not desirable that there should be continual tinkering with by-laws vihich had been adopted and by referring these motions to a committee the whole question could be gone into and a report submitted to the council. — Cr Mabbeit s;aid he thought the matter should be referred f» a committee of the whole council.— Cr Spencer said in vie?; of the great amount of business to be done die council should consider the matter_ of fortnightW sittings.—On the motion of Crs" Graham and Howarth it was decided to hold a council meeting on September 22nd to deal with the matter.

WORKS' COMMITTEE REPORT. The following- recommendations of: the Works, Water and Drainage Committee were confirmed : The committee report having examined and approved of Mr Cbeal's amended survey plan ol this subdivision- also having examined and approved of the of subdivision submitted by Mr A. F. Howard on benalf

[of his client. Mr E. Gough. Cr Jas, 1 Jo'ies was authorised to look throu.ua .the five sewerage connection? plans and specifications submitted to the committee with a view to including only that work which it i-i intended that the council shall provide the money; and as soon as the plans and soscifications are finally approver] of the clerk to advertise for public ten-

dsrs.- The committee resolved to recommend "thai; in connection with sewerage advances the coum-ii shall only supply the following sanitary fittings All water connections leading to flush w.c, waste pipes, flush cisterns, ail pans and seats, single angle porcelain urinal?, and si! drainage connections and traps. and concrete floors to w.c. and urinals"; "that the clerk he instructed to write to the District Railway Traffic manager and inquire under what conditions, if any, his department would allow the public to make use of the railway nrmals.'' The committee inspected Edward street in connection with the petition submitted to tho council at its ! last meeting, and report having in- | struefed the borough foreman to carry out temporary repairs to the footpath. The committee visited the Te Kumi quarry, and after inspecting the crusher and bins, resolved tu obtain ! tenders from Parker and Co., of Auckland, and Collett and Son, of Taumarunui. for the complete erection of the crusher and placing the same in perfect working order. That 50 barrels of tar be procured from Hamilton Gas Company at 5d per gallon f.0.r., Hamilton, and arrangements be made fur the supply of a further 250 barrels as soon as convenient, and that a tank be constructed to hold about 200 barrels so as to save the cost of barrels which become practically uselea by keeping in stock. Thbt the chairman's action in ordering five tons of 9inch cement pipes, and also 100 sleepers, be confirmed. That Mr Boddie be requested to submit a plan of his suggested sub-division so that tis committee may gain some information with regard to the size of water mains required. That Crs Walsh, Spencer, and the borough foreman be empowerpd to decide upon the beet ways and means of putting the crusher into working order, and that the chairman be authorised to proceed toTaumavunui for the purpose of visiting Collett and Sons, engineers, to make the best possiDle arrangements with them for carrying out the Work immediately. That tenders be called for taking the permanent levels of the borough in accordance with the original specification slightly altered. That tenders be called for the erection of the dam at the intake, in accordance with the plans already supplied: That a 9in storm water drain be laid underneath the railway line down Carroll street from Ward to Rora street. That the council take into consideration the 3awering of the low level portion of the town on the western side of the railway line, a distance of approximately 200 chains. Tenders were received for sewerage work? to the following properties:—E. J. O'Regan's shops, Rora street, Clapham £2l 10s, Young £2l 19s 6d; E. V. Warmington's shops, Rora stress, Clapham £6B 13s, Young £7O Is 16d; J. Sanderson's billiard saloon and shops, Taupiri street, Clapham £4O Bs. Young £43 lis 6d; E. V. Warmington's house, Taupiri street, Clapham £37, Young £3B 21s 6d; W. J. Black's workshop, Taupiri stre-t. Clapham £l9, Young £lB 15s. The committee recommend that the lowest tender in each case be accepted. The committee met on September 2nd for the purpose of discussing the proposal to erect the crusher by employing its own labour and purchasing the necessary machinery, plant, and tools, etc., required; but atfer going thoroughly into the matter resolved to adhere to the arrangement arrived at, at a committee meeting held the previous day. A vote of thanks was passed to Cr Walsh for the trouble which ha had taken in this matter. The committee report having instructed the foreman to place six or eight loads of pumica at the entrance to the headmaster's house at the schoolgrounds and charge cost of same to the Education Board.

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS' REPORT. Applications for the Supply of Electricity. Fourteen have been registered and 12 have been connected to the supply mains. Units Generated for the Month.— Including street and private lighting and units used on works, etc , 368. This is -an increase of 157 unit 3 as compared with last month, notwithstanding the reduction of the ordinary load, due to the days lengthening. Auxiliary Pelton Generating Set.— This has been erected and is supplying at station 12 horse power. The estimated saving in the consumption of kerosene is £2 12s 6d per week. Meters.—These have not yet come to hand, but I understand that about !-.'o of them are in Auckland, waiting to be unloaded from the steamer.

FOREMAN'S REPORT. Roads: During the month the ordinary routine work has been carried out, patching with crushed metal has been done where necessary, several places in the Dorough where the sides of the road were preventing the water from getting away have been lowered. There are several more places about

the borough which will be attended to J as time permits. Mr Tammadge's ; Road: As instructed by the council that road has been put in fair repair, and would like to recommend it be treated with a light coat of metal later on; cost of repairs, X 4. Footpaths: Repairs to footpaths have been carried out at various places in the borough; a footpath wns constructed in Edward street as instructed by the Works Committee, and has been great assistance to the residents living in that locality: the coat to construct same amounted to ,£S 10a; Water Main: T::e usual inspection of the pipe line was carried out on September sth and everything found satisfactory; the water main has been extended Vil chains along the Mangaokewa on the Espian- | ade, valve and fire plugs "having been

put in where Storm Water: To c-o;:.~ with the amount cf stagnant storm water which used to stand in Ward street it was found necessary to deepen the ditch on the off side of Rora street, and lay a 9io drain across under the railway line at Ward street. The drain has had o great effect, having completely taken away all the stagnant watersiorm water; cost of 9in drain, .t'l2 4s sd. I should like the council to consider the advisability of laying 9in drain across Rora street at the junction of Alexander street. The storm water at this point is very bad when it rains, making the footpath almost impassable-. This drain would always come in to carry storm water from the road when finished and therefore might he constructed out of loan money for this- street, estimated cost of lying same £B. Sewage: All the manholes and sewers in the borough have been thoroughly flushed out, and are now in a r=al good condition. the pipes being thoroughly clean. I intend to follow a regular systetn of flushing. Pelton Wheela: The gear having come to hand the Pelton Wheels have been erected in their new position at the King street bridge. Sewer Connections: As instructed by the council to obtain the number of premises to be connected to the sewage. I have made a careful examination of same and find there are 21 connections to complete the scheme.

HEALTH INSPECTOR'S REPORT.

Duncan's Lodging House, Rora Street: Two of the rooms used as sleeping apartments are unfit for same, one has no window to the external air, and both are kept in a very dirty condition with direct communication to kitchen of tea rooms; the sleeping apartments at back are not often enough washed out; on my last visit to them at 3 o'clock in the afternoon of Thursday, 21st August, they were not, even swept out and apparently had not been for some time previously; the beds were also unmade; this i 3 a common occurrence and I have warned him repeatedly. Pitzgibbons' Lodging House: There is insufficient closet accommodation, drainaga is unsatisfactory, diseharg ing- into street surface water drain, also an outhouse connected with shed at back is being used as a sleeping room. I would suggest that the bylaw with regard to licensed lodging houses be enforced, and —That all lodging houses be licensed, stating number of parsons to be accommodated; that no license be granted un less with the approval of the inspector; that times bn fixed for washing rooms, cleaning yard?, etc., and any other directions the council may think fit. Larger Boarding Houses: I have nothing to complain about with regard to the larger boarding houses, but this report has become iificasary owing to one or two keepers of smaller places who will not 1 eep up to the mark.