BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 89, 10 April 1900, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The Borough Couocil met on Monday owning. Present: His Worship tho Slayor (Mr. K "Dockrill), Ors. Brooking, Stobr, Ward, Oattley, Oollis, Avery, Glow, and Lealand. The Turncock reported that the , Waterworks and town plant was in good condition. He proposed shortly to make a house to house visitation in the town. Or. Oollis mentioned that a water plug in the vicinity of his residence was covered up. It was agreed that every plug should be easily accessible and ready for use in case of fire. The matter is to be looked to. The Sanitary Inspector reported the town clean. The Mayor said that the bubonic plague was likely to do good, and he referred to the Premier's remarks relative to the creation of Boards of Health, and his urgent advice that Health Officers should not be bound strictly by law, but should do the best i they could to. ensure proper sanitary measures being adopted, and that he would stand by and support them in 1 their efforts. ' A brisk discussion on live and dead rats and other niiisnniifia tnnlr riliinp thf

raw aim oiner nuisances toon: place, tne " Town Olerk pointing out the difficulty ) of proving the existence of nuisances. 1 The Waterworks Engineer reported 11 that the reservoir had been thoroughly cleaned out; he had thoroughly examined the bottom of it, " but could 1 find none." To all appearances it I s was in good order. New charcoal was 1 required. [The Town Clerk explained that this was ordered and would soon ' be supplied.] He recommended a new ' turbine wheel being procured as a re- 1 serve, also two spare belts. The river 1 had been at times to low that water did not flow over the dam. ' The Mayor explained that the extra expense for pumping had been caused 1 by the pulley breaking and only one pump being at work for part of the time; also that in the dry season there was always need of extra pumping. Cr. Avery drew attention to the waste caused by flushing water-tables, but it was pointed out that this was a necessary waste. Cr. Ward said he frequently heard water running to waste, and instanced a case of a duck pond being supplied . day and night. He advocated more i men being put on when gutters were cleaned out, as that would save at least 1 half the water now used in the opera- ; tion. ; Cr. Brooking said that a good flush

of water was necessary, but he thought some saving might be effected. The Health Committee reported: That the Huatoki and Mangatoki streams have all obstructions to the flow of the water, such as limbs of trees, logs, aDd ovtrharging leaf growth, removed from them, and that tenders be called for the work, and that the Works Committee be requested to allow the Foreman to supervise the work. A formal resolution was passed;— " That the sum of £1798 10s 2d, standing to the debit of the New Plymouth Borough Fund with the Bmk of New Zealand, on the 31st Marcb, 1900, be hereby made a liability of the Council's currett financial year." In moving adoption of the report Or. Cattley explained the necessity for the work. In answer to Or. Collis, the Mayor said that owners of property on botli sides of the streams could bt> called on to remove obstructions arising from their properties. Anything brought down the streams must be cleared by the Council. Cr. Stohr mentioned that the accumulation of rubbish shot into the stream by the Theatre Royal was very large. The Mayor advocated that the Inspector of Nuisances should give notice to the parties causing such obstructions! to remove them. I Cr. Brooking held that even in the case of trees, etc., brought clown the streams property owners were liable to remove the obstructions. The Town Clerk pointed out that the liability on this head was similar to that as to furze, etc., on roads. Cr. Cattley moved that the report be amended so as to include giving notice to property owners on both sides of the Huatoki Streams to remove obstructions.—Carried. I The report as altered was then] adopted. ] The Institute Committee reported : —That tenders be invited for a tenancy of the offices in the Town Hsll, two small front rooms on east side, and two large rooms on west side of the ground floor main entrance; no tender to be necessarily accepted. Cr. Collis, in moving adoption of the j report, referred to the necessity of redecorating the reading-room and library. Cr. Avery thought it was too soon to call for tenders for tenancy, and that the matter should be deferred till the approaches were made and the building finished, Committee. | Cr. Collis replied and stated reasons for not delaying. The report was then adopted. The Works Committee reported: Tfiat the application of Mr. Sanderson, for Mr. H, Weston, and of Mr. Messenger, for himself and qthers, to lay pipes in Currie-lane and in Vivianstreet be acceded to provided the pipes ' are 9-inch pipes, to secure effective : flushing, and that the pipes are placed 1 not less than three feet below the sur- ' face, the work to be done to the satisfaction of the Jtorough Engineer; that the Borough Surveyor be requested to allow the Borough Foreman to have the use of the borough level in his custody and not used by him; that owing to the scarcity and the difficulty of obtaining gravel for our own use the Committee cappotat pregpnt grant Mr, W. Bayly's request for gravel; that v'r. Sanderson prepare a plan for a portico to the front of the Town Hall, and an estimate for fences, etc; that , two belts be procured for tliQ waterworks as a stand-by j that Vivianstreet b-* brought to its permanent level between Kobe and Brougham streets and re-metalled and the gutter paved, and that the street l'rom I iJrouglmm-street to the river bo I ounded up; that the shed at "back, jf Town Hali be removed to Gill-street; yards ; that the pipes from urinal, etc., I at back of Town Hali be taken along j

Ariki-street, and that paient flushing f apparatus be affixed to w c.'s.; that the Chairman attend to Mr. Ward's ( request re Hine-street; that the Coun- ] cil cannot make any increase above the < current rate of wages, viz., 6s per day, 1 and that H. Crann be informed that ( his application cannot be granted; ! that the plan of Miss Jones' building I be approved ; that Mr. H. Weston be i allowed to lay a 6-inch pipe under the condition mentioned by him, but that • , all such pipes, etc., be a temporary , arrangement only, pending the adop- ; tion of a drainage system; that the , action of the Town Clerk in consulting , the Borough Solicitor re the letter received from the Railway Department j be approved; that the Town Clerk instruct Mr. Sanderson re repairs and 3 alterations to the Town Hall. 3 Cr. Brooking, in moving the adop- . tion of the report, referred to the f various paragraphs therein, particularly t with reference to the necessity of j rounding up Vivian-street between t Brougham-street ami Robe-street, y where Dr. McOleland lately met with e an accident. a Cr. Collis pointed out that by consenting to the proposed drainage asked d for by' Drs. McCleland and Walker a and others the thin end of the wedae

uuo UUlii »uu Ui WW weuyu would be put in for draining the town into the river, and that if drainage was allowed to some it should be to all. Cr. Lealand drew attention to the fact that not- long since the gentlemen who were now asking for draining had stated that they w.ere opposed to the very work now asked for. The Mayor explained that those who lived adjoining a town stream and were able to drain into it without j taking the pipes along a street could do [ so; the only control the Council had was by way of preventing drains being i laid in the streets. With reference to the Railway Department's plan tor altering St. Aubyn-street, he mentioned that the action of the Council was dependent on the solicitor's opinion as to the right of the Department to take the street. There were no two questions about the undesirability of the work being carried out as proposed. In answer to Cr. Collis, the Mayor said that the Council had power to drain into the river, but that consideration of public health rendered such a course undesirable. Or. Oollis contended that, as a matter of principle, permission for drainage should not be given to some and refused to others. Or. Oattley said that drainage going into the Huatoki showed the necessity For keeping the stream c! em. Already

it was in a filthy state. He strongly objected to having drainage emptied into the streams unless tbey were kept n clean, 6 Cr, Ward said that if the Council 4 gave permission for draiuing into the e river they would be bound to keep the 1 course clean, It appeared to him that 5 one loi f people were to be allowed to 1 drain into the river while others were refused. To that he oV jfscted on principle. It would nsver do for the town drainage to be emptied into the river. Cr. Lqaland coincided with the last speaker. Or. CI B>id that if the drains asked for were sanctioned, dozens of other applications would ensue. There was too much filth already in the river. Or. Collis then movnd as an amendment to the adoption of tho report:— , That the portion of the > oport do Jioi; with apple.tions for to l i\ drains into the Iluat jki bo d-detod, ami that the applications bo refused. . After a protracted and very informal discussion, the amendment was cani-d. and the remainder of the report ad jptrdOn tho motion of the Mayor it was t decided that the Railway Engineer bo , asked when it would bo convenient for him to attend the Council, and that a special meeting be held on a day to be | fixed. / Accounts amounting to .£195 17s lOd were passed. Cr. Cattley raised the question of t compelling vont pipes to be affixed to t drains and tho necessity for plumbers being licensed. After considerable , discussion he gave notice of motion to | the effect that all plumbers should be licensed. , The Council rose at 9.50, i i, i i i ,i