New Plymouth Borough Council.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7813, 4 May 1905, Page 2

New Plymouth Borough Council.

SWEARIHG-IH CEREMONY.

The Mayor on Works and Rating. The ceremony of swearing-in the new Council took ijlaco on Wednesday evening at the Council Chambers, there being a full attendance, vi/., the Mayor (Mr ]{. Cock) and Crs. (.'. Cliff, W. !•' Urooking, W. A. Collis, V. E. Wilson, G. W. Browne (rc-decteJ), W. N. Ewing, C. 11. Burgess, V. Stohr, and .0. Tiseli (nowly-elected). After the Councillors had taken the declaration, the Mayor was himself sworn-in.

The Mayor, in a speech appropriate to the occasion, expressed his pleasure ut welcoming the ie-ek , cLi.-.'i Councillors and new- members to tin Council table. Home of them hue . saved u long time on the Council land had done good work for the r 'town, and lie was gratified to lind j that the majority of the old Council had the conlidetice of the ratepayers in being returned unopposed. Ho took it as a great compliment; that he himself had been returned unopposed, although he thought a little opposition might have a good tendency toy more fully ventilating tho affairs of the borough. Continuing, he denied the statement that the old Council had applied , any money otherwise than to the objects for which it was originally voted. Ho had found on going carefully into the accounts that no money had been appropriated from the roads or other works for which tho money was first allocated. Tho figures of the rating revenue showed that the progress of the borough had been murked, and tho Council had handled considerably more money for works out of revenue, apart from the loans, than their predecessors. During the first year of the retiring Councils office tho Council hnd only had : £1286 available for day labour and metal, while on tho estimates for the ensuing year it was proposed to spend £'2!500, showing a large increase during the last two years. The whole of the figures laid before the Council that cvoning evidenced thnt the borough had made fairly rapid strides during the- last few years. The general rate last year produced £4400, while for the ensuing year the estimate was £4700. The special rate of lOd produced last year £2104, and for the ensuing year it was expected to realise £2240. This was brought about simply \,y the nature I increase in the value of property in the borough. The, o'd Council had a trying time during its term of office with so many important works in hand, and he anticipated that tho present term should be very much lighter on the members in regard to tho work ahead. When the . Council raised tho additional loan of £60,000 three years ago, Cr. Hrooking, as Chairman of the Works Com-mitU;tVvS-aid that if money was judiciously expeudod the ratepayers would .not bewailed upon to pu.\ an.x extra rate. jSjarly all that money had now; been expended, with the exception of tho ;electric lighting scheme allocation, and he (the Major) found on going into tho figures that there was really no necessity to increase the rates of tho borough (hear, hodJr). Though since Cr. Brooking made that statement, the amount set 1 /fptirt file day labour and metal had been risen from about £I3OO to

£2500 the Council would si ill be able to puy its way. During the vear the sewage churge would have to be fixed by the Council, but this would entail no additional cost to the ratepayers. They were now paying the contractor 24s a year for the removal of nightsoil, whereas water closets could be provided for about £l. He gave a comparison with the prices charged in Auckland in connection with water closets nnd water supply, to show that the charges proposed to be fixed here were considerably less. Proceeding, tho Mayor pointed out that the sewerage loan had been raised especially

for the benefit of the central portions of New Plymouth. The pco|>le liv'ng in isolated places like Cameron SI root, for instance, could not possibly get any benefit from it, but to a very large extent would still have to take the services of the nightsoil contractor. Therefore, as interest had to be paid on the sewerage loan and the people living in those localities had to bear an equal rate for a scheme which they did not get the privilege of, he considered they should tax thoso living where the drains wero laid so as to enable the outside ratepayers to have a little extra money spent in those localities. The Mayor, after thanking tho officers of the Council for their good work during the year, rominded tha Council thut the winding up of the waterworks contract must soon he sottled. The- contract was' considerably overdue, but that was a question for subsequent discussion. Thero was a sum of £3OO, the same as last year, set down on the estimates for lighting, but if the electric light schema was concluded early in the season the Council might save a little on" the item. He had, with tho Town Clerk, gone exhaustively into the estimates und expenditure, nnd thought the- proposed items of expenditure could not be greatly varied. He had estimated tho revenue \t £11,127, and allocated a similar amount for expenditure, setting down £BB for contingencies-. As compared with last year there'was n saving in the amalgamation' of offices of inspectors, dog tax collector, etc. He thought the- Council, on nig through tho estimates, would agree that the figures were sound, and that with the works nearly Complcled the Council would have ample revenue to work on for the ensuing year. Ho explained what was contemplated in regard to the (Sill Street extension, as previously published. Mr Berry had mado a now offer to the Council, which had come before the Works Committee, nnd it now appeared probable that the extension would not need to bo 6t>ft wide, but only 40ft, as far us Messrs Uurgess, Fraser's new building. He thought that the Harbour Hoard's olTcr to hand over certain land for £l5O, though the price was rather high, should be accepted. Mr Newton King's offer to allow his stable* to bo moved to ihe angle that would Iks formed by the septic tank works had removed an obstacle formerly in the way of the Council. Another scheme he had in view for the benefit of the borough was dealing w;th the -reserve adjoining the Council Chambers. He took It that the time would corns, even if not opportune now, when; they should leave tho present site nnd accept Cr. Drook-i. ing's offer. That would" necessitate a small bill through Parliament ns ho understood the Council could not ithtrwiso den] with the land or make an exchange. In conclusion the Mayor trusted that as the Councillors all had tho interests of the Borough at heart, the amicable feeling that had existed in the past would continue. During the past two years there had been verv little grumbling, in fnct, they had been a very happy family. He had not tho slightest objection to honest criticism of his actions. He rather liked a little opposition, and was sure no differences of opinion would bo carried 'beyond tho Council Chamber. (Hear, hear.) He again returned thanks for his re-election.

Cr. Tisch extended congratulations to the Mayor on his installation for the third uiine. Continuing, ho regretted that the estimates for the water and electric lighting schemes had been insufficient, lie understood that at least £OOOO would have to be made up, about £3OOO on each. However, he hoped nothing would h\< done to interfere with the lighting scheme, holding the view that a comprehensive and efficient scheme was essential for cheap lighting as originally intended. The fact that nn amount of £38.">00 of the loan was still uivfloalod was a matter oi great concern la the ratepayers. H* understood that the bank laid agreed to advance £34,000. at 5{ per cent There must be something wvong when they heard of other places getting money at 4 antl 4J per cent. Ho understood that one reason wns that the interest was payublo In Now Plymouth, and holders of debentures had to pay exchange. Ho was a strong advocate for new muni' clpal buildings as the present barnlike structure wns a reproach to New Plymouth. Ho thought the ratepayers would probably support a proposal to build proper municipul premises, provided with adequate offices, an up-to-date reading room, etc. He thought the municipal reading room should also have accommodation for a sort of young men's institute, as an attractive and instructive resort, in conjunction with n literary and debating society, for I tlie purpose of Raping the youths

of the town out of the streets, diving his viowa on other municipal matters Cr. Tisch thought the drain-age-»should be pushed along from time to time, also concrete channelling. The Mayor explained that Cr. .Tischs statement as to the bank's attitude on the loan was correct However, during the lust week the Council had sold £3OO worth of debentures in the ordinary way, and the bank had releasod them, lie wus satisfied that any time the Council could produce the money the bunk would release debentures. Ae to the non-fulfilment of the loan thtro hod been littlo difliculties in the way. Nearly all the municipal loans raised lately dad sinking funds. The A.M.I'. Society would lake up the loan 10-day if the Council had a sinking fund of wen i per cent. The fact of the interest being payable in New Plymouth had ulso a deterring elfict.

Cr. Cliff, after touching on the loan, congratulated the Mayor, an-! expressed his pleasure ut the foul;! of the old Council being re-elecle.i in view of their knowledge of the work in hand.

—Appointment of Committees.— Cr. l'.rooking, having at the Mayr's request prepared a list of committees, so as to apportion the work fairly, it Was adopted, after amendment, as follows :—Works committee, the whole Council ; llnunco committee, the Mayor, and Crs. Browne, Cliff, and Brooking :| bylaws committee, the Mayor and Crs. Browne, Collis, and Cliff ; reserves and cemetery committee, Crs. Burgess, Wilson, and Ewing ; electric light committee, the Mayor, and Crs. Ewing, Brooking, and Wilson ; abattoir committee, Crs. Cliff, Collis, and Tisch ; drainage committee, Crs. Browne, Ewing, and Cliff; baths (and baths reserves-) committee, Crs. Collis, Tisch, and Stohr, and Mr Newman ; east end bathing shed committee, Crs. Cliff, Ewing, and W'ilson ; Western Park Committee, Crs. Browne, Tisch. nnd Stohr, and Messrs J. C. George, Standish, jun., and Alexander ; Recreation Grounds Board, the Mayor and Crs. Collis and Burgess ; library and museum committee, the Mayor and Crs. Stohr, Collis-, and Wilson ; Gill Street extension committee, "the Mayor and Crs. Brooking, W'ilson, and Burgess.; encroachments committee, Crs. Brooking, Browne, and Stohr. Tt was also agreed that the Mayor be ex officio member of nil the committees on wlych he was not specially appointed.

SOCIAL GATHERING. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Council by invitation assembled intho Mayor's room, where refreshments were partaken of to mark the occasion. The town clerk, borough engineer, electrical engineer, and health inspector wore also present. Proposing the toast of '"The town of New Plymouth," the Mayor dwelt optimistically on the advance of the town and district. Although New Plymouth was under a slight depression, und the tradespeople wero complaining about tho state of finances, ho assured them from his ol> servatlons on the various' monetary institutions with which he was connected that there was more money lying idle in New Plymouth to-day than ho had ever known. They would be astonished if they knew how hard it was to pjucc money out on Investment, and in face of this H was hard to understand why the town's debentures were not rapidly taken up at 4 J per. conti His solicitors had- Informed him that they wero not able to find investment for his money. This spoke very well indeed for the district, when the s.ttlers and others were not borrowing. Money seemed to be short, and no doubt was short with the working class, but for all that, and he thought Cr. Burgess would bear him out in tho statement, no placo in N'ew 7jeuland had a sounder lot of tradespeople than New Plymouth. They might want a little assistance now und again, but going bncß ten years, there was no place in the colony of the size of New Plymouth where they would iiml so few insolvencies. Tho only people who came to grief were those who started business on promissory notes, and no legitimate tradesman had come to grief for many years. (Applause.) The health of the Mayor -was enthusiastically honoured on the proposition of Co. Brooking. The latter remarked that the Council would have to go "ennnie," but he did not doubt that they would complete tho schemes and get through tho year very well. The borough was prosperous, und the finances generally in a good sound condition. Mr Cock, having replied, iroposcd tho toast of Cr. Tiscli, whom ho welcomed back to the Council after his trip Home, and whose work, especially on the Hospital Board, he warmly commended.

Cr. Tisch responded, and the pleasant little function concluded.