Borough Council.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7923, 12 September 1905, Page 2

Borough Council.

The fortnightly meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council was held on Monday evening. Present: The Mayor (Mr R. Cock) and Crs. Monteath,' Ewing, Wilson, Collis, Stohr, Browne, Tischiand Burgess.. -Trccs.rMr N. K. MacDiarmid, executor in the estate of tho late Mrs Small, wrote that he was agreeable, in compliance with, the Council's request, to the removal of six pine trees standing on the frontage of sections 1619 and 1620, the cost of removal to ho borne toy, the persons making tho request. The engineer was instructed to have the matter attended to, the trees to be carted (away as firewood without expense to the Council.

—Screens and Signs.—

Mr H. J. Hofybs wrote asking permission to erect a moveable canvas screen over his shop at the coiner of Morlcy and Devon Streets in place ol a verandah.

Mr J. Dearc desired permission to erect canvas signs in front ol his shop, The engineer did not recommend the request being) acceded to. Canvas signs (tapped about, and besides being dangerous for horses made a street look untidy^ Cr 4 Stohr raised an objection to the first application, on the ground that it was unsightly and against the by-laws. The building itself was no credit to the town, Cr, Tisch' considered tradespeople should be allowed to erect sun; screens in Iront of their premises, so long as no obstruction was causedj 'the Mayor said this had been tho custom in town, but lie did not know the terms of the permission granted by previous Councils.

It was explained that Mr Hobbs' application was for what was known as a Spanish screen s Cr. Collis said that unless it wasi 10 feet above the footpath it was against the by-law. He moved that it be referred to the engineer for report as to whether it was in accordance Willi the by-law, After further discussion an amendment by Cr.. Wilson was carried that a permit be granted on the usual terms, provided that it should be revocable, by the Council at any time.. The second application was granted,, subject to the usual payment.. —Engineer's Report,—

The engineer reported that the,cost ol work at Standish Hill, as far as Bullot's ■ Itoutfdiary, had teen £lB 13s Id, while the amount authorised to give Mr ,liullot access was £ls. The cutting down -which was now in progress was entirely for filling and raising Queen Street where the culvert was recently, built. In connection with this matter, an arrangement had been made with Mr Montefiorc that he should supply a sufficient quantity of earth irom the Mount F.liot reserve lo fill in the western side of. Queen Street, and in return he supplied with an equal quantity from Standish Hill, deposited on his allotment in Vivian

Street. This arrangement had been much to the advantage ot the Council, through less wear and tear on the roads, and a shorter distance to cart the material. It was decided, subject to the permission ol owners being obtained ior the deposit ol earth on their sections to widen the footpath in Queen Street and erect a fence at a dangerous place near the culvert. In reply, to a question, the engineer said- that the storm waters causdamagc by running from Hobson Street down Devon Street'into Brown' Street. It would be advisable to ask Mr Sole to allow a drain to be laid on his property, midway between Hobson and Brown Streets, in order to carry the water 'through to the gully. The cost would be very small.

Cr, Ewing said that the Water was washing the formation away. On the motion of the Mayor, Crs. Wilson and Kwing were appointed to interview Mr Sole on the matter with a view to having the work done.

—Abattoir, Matters^— Mr Tisch (Chairman) presented the report of the abattoir committee. After inquiring into the matter the committee were averse to any reduc-. lion being made in respect of Mr G, S. H. Murtagh's application. In reference to a letter from the master butchers regarding the paddocks the committee recommended that the butchers be informed that the Council accepts no liability for stock except those branded and delivered at the starving paddock. The cost of grubbing (urze would i"ac £7O or £BO, and as tire committee considered the work very necessary, they recommended the acceptance of the lowest tender of £3 5s per acre. If deferred for another year the cost would probably he increased by 25 per cent., on account of extra growth. Cutting the furze was regarded as a waste of money. The Mayor said that after the payment of accounts the abattoir account would be £22 4s 5d in debt, exclusive of fencing work, which would come out of the annual maintenace grant. An amendment, supported by Crs, Kwing, Browne and Burgess, was carried, deleting the clause regarding the I furze, on ground that the money was not available. The other recommend dations were adopted^ —The Drainage Question.

Regarding the Sash and Door Co.'s application for the extension o( the sewer in Liardct Street to enable

their factory to be connected, the Mayor and Cr. L'wing, the only members of the drainage committee who had made the appointed inspection, presented a report favourable to tint work, as the drainage would anso serve other premises. After some discussion Cr. Wilson moved that the drainage committee be requested to bring in a general report as to what funds are available, and the most necessary work. Now that, the septic tank was,, completed the committee should go into the whole question, otherwise the money might not be expended to.the best advantage., Cr. Collis, in seconding, said the Council should know the exact amount of money ihey had available. The Mayor agreed that this was a desirable course, and the motion was carried^ —Works Committee.—

The report of the works committee , was adopted. —Electric Plant.— As the Brush Company's material was insured, in Sydney, it was deckled to make a progress payment of £151)0, a further, payment of £SOO to jiile made on the production of the policy s I —East End Bathing Shed.— ! Crs. Wilson and Ewing, to whom the question of removal of sand at the East End bathing shed was referred, recommended that no expenditure be inpurred in this work. The report.wis agreed to/ -Building liy-laws.-In connection with the application of Mrs West for permission to dispense with brick walls in erecting two cottages in Liarilct Street, Cr. Wilson urged the, enforcement of the bylaws, and that the Council: should make a fresh, start under the new by-laws by refusing the application. After discussion the Council decided to refuse |he permission asked foi'i

—Finances.The general account was reported 1 lo be £2943 19s 3d in debit. Pro-gress-daymen Is amounting to £lOl, ami accounts totalling £l7O 5s were passed, leaving the bank overdraft at I £3219 5s od, —Disputed Account— The Gas Company complained that It certain item had been persistently struck off their account by tho Council, and asked lhat payment he now 'made.. The Council passed the amount, less

£2 9s (]d deducted for lour bane's of inferior tar supplied, upon which, site engineer stated, the company had previously agreed to make an allowance, but had not done so 4 The other amount, £2 Bs, had been considered an overcharge, but it was pointed out in discussion that formerly there had liccn no fixed agreement regarding, prices.

—Cld Waterworks Site.— In reply to Cr. Collis, the Mayor said that until the new water scheme and electric lighting scheme were in .thorough working order and a fair lest made by time, it was considered advisable to retain possession of the old waterworks site. He, thought the Council.should ultimately sell their rights ; perhaps . the Government would be willing to -acquire the reserve for sct-ncry preservation purposes. For the next twelve months, however, it would be .as well for the Council to have the waterworks as a stand*y and lease the reserve out a grazing area. Cr. Collis agreed that the Council should do nothing in the way of dismantling the works for the present. This would not interfere Willi the grazing rights, and he would sureest a five years'lease. As to picnic parties, the reserve could still kc available.

-Water Supply By-Laws.-Uns'ideration was deferred of a motion by Cr. Collis to rescind portion of certain |by-laws, and fix the charges for outside supply other than domes-ticus-c either, toy meter or toy special arrangements'with the Council Tho mover explained that the object was to obviate any imposition on the Umncil possible under the present reading of the by-laws, pe '