BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 315, 14 January 1908, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The New Plymouth Borough Council met last night. Present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr E. Doekrill), mid C'rs. Boon, Bcllringcr, Coleman, West, Collis, Mills, Morcy, Cattlcy, and Browne. THE HALF-HOLIDAY".

His Worship said lie had been ap proached by several people who laid re eeived notices from the Inspector o Factories to the eli'eet that if they di< not turn their employees away al oik o'clock on Saturdays he would have it take aelion against them. These gentle men were very wrath about the mailer for they thought Parliament had met the dillieulty last session. The Town Clerk had looked up the Factories Act and ascertained the position, which was that the Council could take a poll upon the question of fixing the day of the holiday if requested, to do so by a tenth of the burgesses. And if a majority of the poll were in favor of having Saturday or any one day for shops, ofliees, and factories, there would be only the on e holiday. The Act also provided that tliß poll should he taken after receipt of the requisition. The Tradosmcn's Association wrote asking the Council to fix Thursday as the day of the holiday. The Mayor moved accordingly, and upon Cr. Morcy seconding, the motion was carried.

PROPOSED TANNERY. Dr. Frenglcy, District Health Officer, telegraphed that he had visited the site of the proposed tannery (o he erected on the Mill road hv Mr (J. TT. Lindstiom, and had also had the opportunity of consulting with the Tnspeetor-Oneral of Hospitali). and he eoneurred in the eonelusion arrived at that it was rmflesiraole that any offensive: trade he placet? I so near the puhlie hospital.—Referred to the Works Committee.

WORKS COMMITTEE. The Works Committee recommended: —That the borough foreman bo authorised to purchase a set of Blakc-Marsdcn stonchreaker jaws for the crusher at a cost of £l2; that the Council in conjunction with the local bodies interested take immediate steps to obtain from the Government the terms upon which they will permit the old railway line (including the railway bridge) ' from Watson street to Paynter's lnne to be used as a cattle track; that the Taranakl County Council he informed that the Works Committee is prepared to meet their committee with reference to the Avenue road bridge as soon as the county supplies the necessary section and locality plans and particlars to enable the committee to consider the quesiino: t hat the quotations submitted by the electrical engineer for motors for crashing and hauling lie referred to the borough engineer to report upon the best means of dealing with the question of stone-hauling and crushing at the abattoir reserve; t hat notice be mven under section 252 of "The Municipal Corporations Act. inon » to Mr AVilliain Nichols requiring him forthwith {o fill in the holes along the Devon street, boundary of section 1415. New Plymouth, and thereby remove tho danger to persons nassing a Ion? the streetthat the chjgfcmnn be authorised to purchase two second-hand drays for tho sum of £3 10s each; that the foreman he authorised to construct concrete in Devon street, both sides, from Linrdet street to Brougham street (estimated cost £155); thnt the borough engineer submit an pstimate of the cost of lowering Liardet street about three feet at the intersection of Pendarves street the earth to be used in the filling arranged to he 3one at Mr Webster's" peetion; that in view of the exceptional circumstances the prize money won by the Council's horses at the recent agricultural show he not claimed; that the chairman he refunded the sum of "-S5 for tratnfare and other expenses in connection with the visit of the deputation to Wellington re Molesworth street ex-

tension: that the borough engineer rcnnr on the eost nnd the for (he erection of urinals and drinking fountains in the town.

Some discussion took place concerning the need for concrete channelling in Devon street. It was pointed out that the footpath should be cut back to give a wider roadway before any permanent work were done in this connection.— There Mayor said there would soon be great need for widening in new of the possibility of the electric tram proposals materialising. The street was crowded now. He urged that no work of a permanent nature be attempted just yet, and moved to delete the clause.— Cr. Browne seconded.—Cr. West opposed. The street was wide enough for the requirements now and for the next 25 years. With regard to the electric ears mentioned by the Mayor, there was no chance of their coming to New Plymonth, for the Times ran half emptv even now. The work- in the side-chan-

nels was necessary.—Cr. Collis said "the side-channel was disgraceful. The channel was full of 'little stink holes.' It made him sick' every time he looked along the street there.—Cr Boon urged the necessity for straightening the kerbs, and asked the committee to formulate some business-like scheme.—Cr. Mills thought the matter should he referred hnek to the commitee, which, they saw, was equally divided upon the point.— Cr. Bellringer thought it absolute non-

sense io attempt to cover the present cobblestones with concrete. '"lf you put this back to-night you are going to stand in the way of the interests of the town, i . . I am surprised that men calling themselves progressive men should object to the scheme, and draw across the Scent the red-herring of moving back the verandahs." To do that would require a big loan, and was Cr. Browne game to stand up before the ratepayers and advocate that? he ask-

ed.—The Mayor said any work in the side-channels there would have to be, ripped up when the electric trams came, nnd he honed that would not be long.— An amendment to refer the matter hack to the committee was carried by sis to four.—The report, with this alteration, was a'dopted. K DRAINAGE COMPLAINT.

Cr. Collis said several complaints had been made that in the central ward, with the sewers iajsLjn the street, people were usinjj--triepajf system. There were live places in the very heart of the

town, in Devon street, between Brougham street and the Government Buildings. And the nightsoil man culled at several places in the same struct between Currie street and Guvcr street.

The Mayor said Cr. Collis had been correctly informed. The Council could not press the work if the owner could not afford to connect with the drain,

The drainage committee was now arranging to carry out these works on easy terms for those who were unable to pay. Then the committee would pre-s the work, and make no exceptions. —Cr. Collis said he could not imagine that the owners of the properties in lk L von street could not afford to connect. There were complaints of favoritism, nnd all should lie treated alike—Cr; Boon said that if people knew the Couneil was in earnest there would be no delay in making connections.—Cr. Mills said the whole thing would soon be in a nutshell. If the owners didn't do the work the Council would do it and charge the cost to the owners. THE PREMIER'S VISIT.

Councillor Collis. said he understood that the Premier was to visit Taranaki during the summer months, and he moved that the Council should invite Sir

Joseph Ward to visit the North Egraont Mountain House. He thought the Chamber of Commerce and the Borough Council should join hands in encouraging the tourist traffic and to get the Government to help. Mount Egmont was becoming increasingly popular, but better facilities were required.—Cr. Bell-i ringer seconded. It wag the duty of the Council to assist in developing ' the. I mountain tourist resort.—The motion wns carried.

STREET IMPROVEMENT. Councillor West suggested that to mike a decent job the Council should nelal to the full width, kerb and chanicl Liardet street from Gilbert .street [0 the Recreation Grounds.—Cr Mills Seconded—The Mayor and Crs. Boon, lirowne and Morey opposed the channelling. The metalling proposal was adopted, but the korhing and channel, ling is to be reported upon by tbri Works Committee. ENGINEER'S REPORT.

The engineer reported that the workin connection with the Cutfield road contract was now well on towards com-! plction. Messr.s Boon Bros, were milking fair progress with their contract at the cemetery, and Messrs West and Sons had made a start with their contract at the saltwater baths. The concrete work in connection with the chilling room construction was proceeding as fas.t as possible, while allowing for the

work to set. At the cemetery the thorny acacia had been eradicated as far as possible. The progress of drain- ' laying work had been considerably ham- ' pcred by the difficulty ill obtaining the - necessary material, which had not come > forward as fast as desirable. A houseto house inspection of backyards bad been made by the inspector, Mr Evetts, and revealed a satisfactory state of affairs. There had lieen a case of scarlet fever (a Maori) brought into tlie town from Parihnka This patient was taken to the hospital and all precautions taken. THE ABATTOIRS. The Abattoir Committee recommended that Messrs J. B. llacEvvan and Co.'s quotations for meat-tracking and counter shaft for the cooling chambers at the abattoir be referred to the borough engineer to report upon; that the borough engineer bo authorised to construct a drain through the abattoir swamp in accordance with bis report on Xoveniber 9th, at a cost not exceeding .CIOO; that the abattoir manager be authorised to pay W. Walsh, assistant slaughterman, the sum of £3, one week's pay, for the three weeks he was absent through illness, and that, in future the manager be authorised to pay not exceeding one week's wages to cover the whole time any member of the staff | may be away from work through sickness; that the electrical engineer be authorised to indent a 25-h.p. and a 3-h.p. motor for the abattoir at- a cost not to exceed £300; that the borough engineer report as to the winches formerly used at the abattoir and now stored at the borough sheds. The abattoir manager reported that during December there were slaughtered for local consumption:—Bs cows, S5 bullocks, 14 calves, 470 sheep, 321 lambs, and 144 pigs, including 10 suckers; tripe.' cleaned. 87. There were condemned Cattle, two for tuberculosis;: sheep, one for septic pleurisy: pigs, two for tuberculosis and (wo for septic pleurisy. Compared with December, 1000, the totals showed as follows:—Cattle, equal; pigs, an increase of 30; decreases, sheep 23. lambs 28. calves.", tripes 2. There were slaughtered for export:— .■>o cow.=. one bullock', 50 bulls; total 107: an increase of :"3 head. There were nine eif tie condemned for tuberculosis.

The total fees for the month worn C 1.32 17s !)d, and rents ".-G3 5s fid an increase of £l2 15s lid in the revenue, as compared with the previous December. The .staff had had to work' on four Sundays dnrine month on account of the hot weather.