Borough Council.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7869, 11 July 1905, Page 2

Borough Council.

lliii New Plymouth Borough Council mot on Monday evening. In Die absence of Hie Mayor, Cr. Brooking, as senior councillor, was voted to the chair. There were also present: -rs. Tisch, Browne, Stohr, Burgess, Coll is, Wilson, Cliff auri JSwing. -Water Tables,Thc BarrcU Road Board wrote calling attention to the water tables from PowUerham .Street to Devon Street, and St. Aubyn Street to Hine street, on the Borough side of Outfield Road. The Board tcquested that they lie cleared, with a view to preventing the surface water runDing over the road and em-roaching on the Board's district. The matter was referred to the engineer for report. —Building By-Laws.—

Cr. Clif! moved to the Mlcct that the plans for additions to Morcy aw'. Moore's premises in King Street In passed, without the enforcement, of thi! by-law relating to brick walls. The Chairman pointed out that the Council had a clause empowering them to r clax the buiklinp; by-laws i were considered a hardship upon the ratepayers.

Cr. Ewiivg : When arc we going to enforce the by-laws '.'

After discussion the motion was carried by five to two, Crs. Wilson and Ewing being in the minority,. —lnspector's Report.— The inspector (Mr Kendall) reported on a variety of matters in his department. He had inspected several lodging houses and restaurants, and the back yards of same, and asked for the removal of refuse wherever necessary. Several notices with regard to the removal of overhanging trees had been attended to-

Since last meeting he had, in accordance with the Council's consent, visited the Bell Block dairy factory. He hoped his visit would result in the best method of 'dealing with the drainage from the factory. Waste water had been stopped in several places, notably in Robe and Devon Streets.

Through the Town Clerk lie had received instructions lo deal with a complaint re cattle ami horses being driven over the footway in Eliot Street. He hail paid attention to this matter, ami intended to make an example of the first offender he could apprehend. The report was received. Attention was drawn by a councillor to the state of the verandah in front of thp Red House Hotel, which, he stated, needed guttering to keep the rain water from Howling'the footpath. The matter was left to the inspector.

—Finance The Finance Committee reported bank overdraft on loan account, £25,(180 8s 4d, and recommended progress payments of £1!17 and accounts £lB4 3s 4d. On the ordinary account the bank overdraft was £22113 9s 3d, and the committee recommended payment of accounts £133 Is, and progress payments £255 18s 3d. —Water Charges.—

Cr. Collis said he wished to make a protest against some of the water charges, before the by-laws were cunliimed. He spoke especially in regard to the Central Ward, holding that the charges for water closets, etc., were too high. The people hail been told the charges under the new scheme would be very cheap indeed, yet in some eases the charges now proposed indicated a rise of 150 per cent. He had been spoken to on the matter by several ratepayers, who considered the Council had broken faith with them.

Tltc Council decided to go more fully into the matter at a later date, before confirming the by-laws. —Dog License.— Cr. Collis moved in accordance With notice, "That the County Council lie asked to confer with Ihc Borough with the object of arranging for a uniformity in the dog tax fees." He explained that the different fees led to great confusion and difficulty. He understood that the County Council had moved in the mattv: somo three years ago, but nothing eventuated.

On. a vote being taken the motlti' was declared lost on the voices. —Electric Lighting.—

The Electric Lighting Committee recommended that a reply to Mr Mestayer in connection with the delay in erection of the power house be sent forward; that the high-ten-sion lino from the power house lo the borough be kept entirely to tltc road line ; that one-half the cost of the intake tunnel be charged to the electric lighting scheme ; that the Henui Road Board, bo asked whether in the event of Hie Council extending the wires to Fitzrov they will require any energy for "street light-, nig purposes.

On Cr. Cliff's motion the third clause was amended that only one iHiird the cost of the tunnel itrc debited to the scheme.

The report was adopted