New Plymouth Borough Council

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7899, 15 August 1905, Page 2

New Plymouth Borough Council

——o Foitnijntly Muting. The Now Plymouth Borough Couii-. til met on Monday evening, when thei e were present: The Mayor (Mr 11. Cock), and Crs. Ewing, Cliff, Wilson, brooking, Collis, Burgess, Stoh;, Browne, and Tisch. —Objectionable Trees.—

Mvssrs Praser, Paton, and Evans, residents of Penilurves Street, oiupiained of the bad condition of lhe street opposite their properties. Tina was ccuised by the pine trees standirn; on the northern side of the road shading the street. As the fmestion of ownership of the land on which the nees were growing was now alout to be settled, they thought the present a favourable time to make application to have them removed 'the hiiginecr said that these trees were a great nuisance, as the leaves shed choked up tho gutters and littere 1 the roadwjay. The Mayor said the Council could not order the removal of trees inside fences, but cpuld order that auy< l.mbs overhanging the footpath be lopped. Cr. Collis thought in the present > instance .an . amicable ai rangemo it might be made.

With this end in'view the matter was deferred. | Mr Alexander Mason, Bulteel Street, wrote with reference to cutting dowju two trees in. Downc Street. *

The matter was referred to the reserves committee, which is dealing with the qucstiion of trees thfat require removing in the various streets. —Noxious Weeds.— Messrs Govett 'and Quilllam advised on a claim made t>y Mr W. Peters for a contribution of one-quar-ter the cost, past and future, of keeping down weeds on part of tho Ngairo reserve. Tho solicitors star ted that the land was held by Mr Peters as assignee of several leases under tho Land Tituisfor Act. Tho leases contain covenants on the part of tho lessee to ''keep tho land when cleared and grassed down in good order and condition." At tho time when the Ngplre reserve was leased practically the only weeds regarded as noxious were furze, bramble,, and briar. Aft* setting out the law o\ tho subject, Vnc solicitors advised that with regard to furzo, bramble, and briar, they were of opinion that by the provisions of tho leases the sole duty of keeping the land clear was cast upon the lessee, and therefore the Council was not liable tt contribute any of the cost. With re-; gard to "ox-eye daisy," the matter was certainly noti free from doubt, but on the whole they were of opinion that the lessee's covenant "to keep the land in good order and condition" relieved the Council from responsibility. It was decided to inform Mr Petj ers that tho Council declines liability. —Filter Plant The Borough Engineer recommended payment of £-133 10s to Messrs Palmer and Co. in connection with the filter plant. The payment was authorised. —Racecourse Water Servico.

Messrs J. Paul, F. Watson, J. H. Hempton, and M. Fleetwood, representing the Taranaki Jockey Clu'b, waited on the Council to : ask that ihc water service he continued to the racecourse.

Aftor discussion it was resolved to instruct the Borough Engineer U continue the Cover Street main ta Wakefield Street, from which the connection will he made. This work will he done after th'at in progress in Young Street is cbmpletedu —A Liconse Matter.— Mr T. P. Hufjhson, proprietpr of tho Opunake coach, wrote that inf spito of the recent case, which went agjainst the Council, tho Borough Inspector continu&l to watch and shallow the drivers. Mr Hughsion pointed out the unfairness of siuch a levy as the Council wished to collect. Ho now paid £4O per annum to the County Council. He contended that (he service wlas a direct gain to' the

oorough. - It was explained that the inspector. was only carrying out his duty in openly watching tho traffic in vew of tho Co;;:'/-il procecdi\R with tho nppoal against 'he S.M.'s <lecißion. —Works Committee.— The W.irks Committee's- report was idoptcd with the exception of ' the ••Ihiiko reading : "That the Borough Kn.. inwr be instructed to lay a four ineli water main in Young Street," whijii was referred back lor furthc.'.•onsideratiop. Cr. Oollia then moved that before the resolution passed, authorising the the extension of the water service to tho racecourse is given effect Ho, on estimate of the cost.be obtained from tho engineer. It was only r%ht that Young Street should be first completed, being a matter of necessity. The Council were not aware at Wio time that tho Ctover Street extension might cost £SO. Or. Wilson deprecated tho-practice of discussing asiy matter in tht? presence, of interested deputations, as 1 it was apt to lead to Nasty conclusions.

The motion was agreed to. —Fi nances.—

The Mayor,reported that the loan account overdraft was £5551,. and there were in addition accounts to pass totalling £6OO. The ordinarj account was £2619 in debit, and accounts to pj\6s would increase the overdraft to £2900 14s 7d. The abattoir loan account had a credit balance of £lls lis Id, nearly all of which would he-absorbed, however, in payment of the cottage contract. —Reserves Committee.— The following recommendations of the reserves committee's report wore adopted :—That Messrs West ai »J Sons*' tender of; £6 8s for paint ins the sexton's cottage and entrance gates, two coats, lie accepted ; that the window nt the buck of the mortuary chapel be altered to enable it to be opened , («sWmal«l cpst £1 10s) ; that the •engineer be authorised to have tho cemetery paddock ploughed and laid down in ioats (oast o! ploughing £1 per acre, harrowing £1 10s for tlhse whoite |>addock)'.