NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8110, 15 May 1906, Page 3

NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL.

At the ordinary meeting of' the Council on Monday evening, there were present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr E. Dockrill), aDd Crs. Monteath, Wilson, Brooking, Gollis, Hutchcn, Browne and Webster. Cr Ewing's resignation as a member of the Council was accepted with regret Messrs Pikett and Wilkie forwarded an account for pulleys and lines used in the decorations on the occasion of laying the foundation of the. New Plymouth post office. These had been borrowed by the firm, and sent to the Council Chambers after the ceremony. Messrs Piketi and Wilkie, though notified of this, had refused to take delivery.—The Council disclaimod all liability. Mrs Crocker complained of the state of the road running; to the racecourse.

—Referred to the Works Committee. The Brash Electrical Engineering Company wrote with regard to a dispute between them and Mr Mestayer, the consulting engineer, for payment for electric lighting poles. They had icheduled the poles at £3 each, but Mr Mestayer had allowed only £798 17s or £ll2s 4d each for 499 poles, on the ground that this lump sum appeared in the schedulo. The polos could not he obtained from the forest at the reduced rate. The difference was £773, or enough to make a dead loss on the contract. They had made a clerical error, and asked the Council to meet them generously. In the discussion which ensued, Cr. Wilson said that had Ihe clerical error net becli made lh'e Brusk Company would not havo got the contract. There was nothing to substantiate the statement that the contractors had made an error. Ihcrc was no claim, ind he moved to embody this in a resolution. Cr. Hutchen said he had understood the schedule price was only for extras. He would like a full explanation'from the Electric Lighting Committee; Cr. Brooking said the committee could show that poles could! be obtained for less than the scheduled rate. Cr. Hutchen remarked that bcywould not like the Coancil to appear ti* take an advantage of a rleric.il error.

The matter was referred to the Electric Lighting Committee. The engineer reported adversely upon the proposal to dispense with either the turncock or his assistant.— Adopted. ' Mr Rowan, Stock Inspector, drew attention to the growth of noxious weeds on tie abattoir reserves, and on the Gladstone road near the Western Park.

The engineer stated that fully six acres had been cleared recently.

It was decided to clear half the area, as promised by the Council. An application from the borough engineer for a testimonial was referred to a special committee. Several letters, objecting to amounts of rental charged for encroachments, were referred to the Encroachments Committee. The Council decided to kerb the footpath as asked for by Mr J. H. Hobbs.

■ln- attßwer to the application of tlio Heaui Eoad Board, it was decided to Offer' then tke old iron lamp-posts at #1 web, and brackets at 5s each, f An account for £ll4 lis lOd from the Department (chargeable to tli • tu' account) for alterations of telephones, etc., to suit the electric lighting scheme, was passed for payment.