NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8136, 16 June 1906, Page 2

NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL.

At the adjourned meeting of tlio Now Plymouth Borough Council held on Friday night, there wore present; Kis Worship the Mayor (Mr E. Dockrill), and Crs. Monteath, Bellringer, Wilson, Brooking, Cjllis, Huwhen, Stolir, and B 'uviip.

A letter w!s ivad from Mr E, H. Gibbon to the effect that the Council could nit carry on with a wagos sheet of £2O per week.

Cr. M)nteath w mt.'.l to know who wis tliH head of ili< working staff? Who was responsible to the Council for the slreets ?

Cr Collis sii l of course the foreman was respoinible.

The Mayor thought that tho foreman should be left t> work liin staff, apart from any rec nnmend .tions of the lato engineer. 11 referred lo the report of Mr Gibbon i-kiug for an expenditure of a large am mnt on stroot maintenance. Tile requests were out of all proportion to the mouey available, and the Mayor considered it an anomaly that the engineer, whose term wa< almost at an end, should be asked to furnish such a report. The meeting -rn called to order by Cr Wilson after some irrelevant discussion.

Mr R. L. Mesta.-er, consulting engineer, wrote approving of the engineer's scheme of " rendering" the tunnol to stop tho present leakage. A letter from Mr Gibbon to Mr Mestayer, consulting engineer, stating that the Mayor's schemo of preventing leakage in tho tunuel by constructing a concreate wall was expensive; also that the Mayor had instructed him to stop ' rendering " the tunnel was road. '1 he Mayor denied both statements, assorting his scheme had not been properly presented to Mr Mestayer. A letter, signed by fourteen business firms, complained that tho electric light was practically useless to them, as it was not obtainable during the day. They required light all day in portions of their premises. The Mayor said it was impossible to comply with the request until the tunnel leakage was stopped. Cr Brooking: It's impossible. We haven't tho power. All the olectcie light committee could do would be to engage a third shift if the Council is agreeable for the light to be' supplied during the day. If these people want the light, the Council must give it. Tue Mayor: Tho matter must be brought under Air Mestayer's notice. We can't relieve him of his responsibilities.

Cr Collis moved to the effect that the tunnel leakage be stopped immediately, and that the Eloctric Lighting Committee be authorised to place a " day load " on at once. Seconded by Cr Browne and carried. Mr Geo. Livingstone applied for an auctioneer's license,—Granted Mr James Grant asked the Council to connect the footpath with tlie road in front of his residence in Courtenay street. —The Foreman will bo asked to report.

Messrs Bauchope & Webster, local agents of tho South British Accident Insurance Company, asked for tho Council s business lor the ensuing year.

Cr. Monteath moved that tenders be called, and that the Finance Committee be authorised to accept tenders Seconded by Cr. Stohr and carried. The General Manager of Railways wrote declining to allow the Council to view the plans of the proposed railway deviation.

Cr. Monteath moved that the department be asked if they will give bridges to the full width of the street wherever the line crosses tho streets.—Seconded by Cr. Bellringer, and carried. Correspondence was read from tho School Commissioners with respect to the exchange of sections for the purposes of the Western Park.

The Town Clerk (and borough solicitor) read a draft copy of tho Bill to be submitted to the House of Representatives at the next session, the transfer to be conditional on a payment of £3OO by the Council to the Commissioners.

The Mayor was authorised to affix the Council's seal.

Mr Stanley Smith wrote, absolutely 'declining all responsibility in regard to noxious weeds, etc., on reserves held by him under lease from tho Council. He alleged that the Council had absolutely insisted on having a registered lease, but now repudiated it, Cr. Hutchcn said this was a misstatement of fact, and that it was Mr Smith's owu suggestion to dispense with a formal and expensive deed. He moved that unless Mr Smith completes in a week on the Council's terms, the offer be withdrawn.

Seconded by Cr. Wilson, and carried. The foreman reported that a drain under Devoa street near the West End Fire Brigade station was blocked, and water was backing up on private land.

The matter was referred to the foreman and works eub-committee with power to act.

The Works Committee's report, as previously published, was adopted. On the motion of the Mayor and Cr Browne it was decided that the Town Clerk should attend the Municipal Conference in July next, as the representative of this Council. It was decided to dispense with brick walls in the proposed additions to Mrs Pearce's buildings in Devon street east.

The Electric Light Committee's report was adopted.

Cr. Collis moved the adoption of the Baths Committee's report, recommending that part of the furnace bo bricked up, with a view to economy in fuel; that tho saltwater baths bo opened only on two days a week (othor than Sunday mornings) to the end of June, and that the baths be closed during July and August; that electric light be installed, and a chimney be erected for the conyenience of the caretaker, and to economise in cost of gas. The mover remarked that 'no provision had been made to enable tho caretaker to keep warm at night whon he had to remain up till after midnight to see that tho baths were emptied. The Committee also recommended the repairing and extending of the retaining wall outside the building. The report was adopted, after a long discussion.

Tlio Electric Light Committco recommended that, subject to tlio approval of the Council, and provided the Carrington Road Board guarantee 20 private lighting consumers (at 8i pur unit, with a discount of 2d per unit) the Council offer to light Carrington road up to midnight for li miles from the borough boundary with twelve 32 c.p. lights for £45 per annum.— Adopted. Cr Wiison was given leave to with, draw his notico of motion dealing with the functions of committees, and the admission of the Press to the works committee.

TARANAKI PETROLEUM CO,

The prospectus of the Taranaki Petroleum Company, Ltd., is advertised in this issue. The capital of the com* pany is £120,000 in £1 shares, of which 6<l-,000 are offered to the public for subscription. We understand that the shares allotted for issue to Welling, ton and Auckland have noarly all been applied for, and that a very considerable number have also been taken up locally already. The indications at this Company's bore arc as strong today as they were the dny tho oil and gas reseryoir was first tipped by artilisial aircncy, and the How of oil shows no sign of abatement, or lessening of pressure. Ti.c directors have lost no time in proceeding with the further prospecting bores, that on the Prison Reserve being now under way. There is little reason to doubt that every one of the shares available for allotment in Taranaki, will be taken up in the course of a few days. Inspection of the company s oil well by intending investors is invited, and tho local broker is Mr W. Bewley.