BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 18, 22 January 1916, Page 4

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Taihape Borough Council was held last , evening, there being present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr. A. L. Arrowsmith), and Councillors W. McLennan, G. Wrightson, J. Joblin and Dr Barnet.

The Secretary to the Treasury advised that the approval for the loan of £3,500 for the purpose of installing machinery in connection with the water scheme, etc., was gazetted, and advice was also received to the effect that the approval of the loan of 2,312 for installation of water and electric light was gazetted. The Mayor stated that they were now in a position to take a poll of the ratepayers rg the loan of £3,500 to buy machinery so that the town would not be at the mercy of a dry spell. The expenditure of £3,500 would put them beyond that and would - enable the Council to extend the supply and so increase th c revenue. The loan would be covered by the increased revenue, no rate would b e pledged, and so non:: could be’ levied,, and he believed the people would vote for the- ioan to- a man. It was very satisfactory that the Council had been able to get the approvals gazetted.

A letter was received from Mrs. Alice Rogers re drainage in Kaka Road, and on the recommendation of the Works Committee, it was decided to defer consideration of same untir thcf next meeting of the Councils, and the Acting FcVemau was instructed to submit a report on the mattei. Mr. V. Bartosh wrote asking for a footpath to be formed on the western side of Carvel' Street, and on the recommendation of the Works Committee it was resolved to reply to the effect that at present the Committee’s employees were fully employed in connection with the erection of the po—-er-house, and no other wcCk could bo undertaken for the time being. A letter was received from Messrs. J. Murray and S. Dunbar re an open drain causing a stench near the railway line. It was resolved to advise the writers that arrangements liae been made between the Council ana the- Railway Department in regard to laying' a sewer in this road. , Mr. E. Gohns, Inspector of Factories at Wanganui, wrote stating tnat his Department were desirous of appointing some resident in Taihape as an Inspector of Scaffolding, and t:u-y would like to know if the Council would be agreeable to the Borough Building Inspector being appointed, th e Department to pay a fee of say, 10/(5, for each each scaffold inspected.

On tbe recommendation of t* e Works Committee, th e question was deferred until the next meeting of the Council.

Mr. D. J. McLennan applied for permission to erect a stand-pipe Ni front of his auction rooms in Tui St., for the purpose of obtaining wafer for watering the footpath fronting his premises, and on the recommendation of the Electric Light and Waterworks Committee th e desired permission was granted. TEEASUEEE ’S EEPOET.

The Treasurer reported that the baianaces of th e various accounts were as follows:-—District Fund Account (dr.) £3,005 16/1; Interest Account (dr.) £l7O 10/4; Temporary Loans Account,. £640; Loan Account No. 1 (dr,), £661 1.3/9'; Loan Account No. 3 (dr.), £l9l 8/9; Oval Domain Account (cr.), £35 6/8. On the recommendation of the Finance Committee, the report was adopted. - Accounts amounting to £268 14/10 were passed for payment. ELECTEICAL ENGINEER'S EEPOET.

The , Borough Electrical Engineer, Mr. J. S. Burgis, reported as follows :

"I have the honour to report that work is proceeding at the new powerhouse site as fast as possible with the number of men available. With the permission of the chairman of the Works Committee', Mr. Kirby has been put in charge of the excavation and concrete work. The road has been cleared of slips, and three chains metalled. The piers hav e been built for bridges, and the site of powerhouse has been excavated on the average to within two feet of depth required. The excavation of englnsbed is now being proceeded with and the concrete will be put in at the earliest possible moment. Arrangements for unloading the plant and carting same have now been made. Th e small pump has been supplying the (requirements of the town since it was installed, and there is 14 incbc>. of water in the reservoir. The belt drive to high lift pump has proved a difficult matter, and the use of other drives has been considered, but I am advised by makers of gear that such a drive would not prove satisfactorv. A belt is now being made which should give satisfaction, and this should be dc-livcrcd in the course of a few days., "Owing to shortage of labour tlie wiring department very little wiring lias been carried out during the past month.’ •’ The report was adopted on the recommendation of the Electric Light and Waterworks Committee. '• i