NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 32, 28 January 1908, Page 3

NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL.

At the fortnightly meeting 0 f the Bo- - rough Council last night there were U. JJockr.ll, pending, and Crt 800, Be lr.nger, Coleman, West, Collis, Uorey Cattley, and Browne. ''

-., , ETEBAXS' GRAVES. The letter from Mr W. h. Skinnci concerning the dilapidated state of th. ve Cans graves at Tc llcnui (as pub lislied, was read and considered Inc. Mayor said h c thought it wn, I duubt ul it the Council coSi, legally | subuduc the Government grant for I hetft.r'.^r 1 " 08 - the le ter be referred to the Reserves Committee with power to act.

I HARBOR Hume. 1 ,v. r. CUa . ml ' cr uf Commerce thanked with rr f °, iU olfer t0 «-""«te with the Chamber in any action to pre,l tent as far as possible diversion of traf'ailway. tLC harU ° r t0 ** SUBURBAN WATER SUPPLY Residents on Stanley road, Yoecltown, petitioned for the extension of the water mains along that street. this matter, and certain enquiries concerning the extension to Wcstown, , were referred to the Works Committee with power to act.

ENGINEER!? REPORT, the engineer reported on the proposed extension of Vivian street formation; hat stripping the metal and lowering Liardct street at its intersection of Pendarves street and re-metallin» could be done for £75; that the cost of forming, metalling and channelling Currie

street extension would be £197 10s; that gorse grubbing and draining were proceeding at the abattoir reserve. He suggested sites for drinking fountains and public lavatories. COMMITTEE'S REPORTS. The Electric Light Committee's report was received. Cr. Bellringer thought the committee could not stock much electric lighting material, such as motors, electric irons, radiators, etc., for £l5O. The committee should not be limited.

Cr. Browne said the idea was that the Council should stock the goods, supplying them only to the trade. The idea I was to popularise the light and power. Cr. Collia suggested that the Council should fit up a show room to give people an idea of the utility of electricity. Cr. Browne said the committee was limiting the expense to £l5O for a start. He hoped that there would some day be need for very much bigger stocks.

The report was adopted. The Works Committee's report, as published, was received. Cr. Browne moved to delete the clause proposing to kerb and channel Devon street from Liardet street to Brougham street. The llayor said he believed that anywork in this street should be permanent. In a few years electric traction would demand a wider roadway. Cr. Bellringer said the Council was unanimous in the need for improvement, but divided in the method of doing it. The foreman's report was before them, and the foreman was a thorough expert. That official recommended concrete channelling. Cr. Bellringer said that no satisfaction could be obtained by rendering or covering tile cobblestones with concrete. He did not think it fair, either, to ask lie foreman to do such a job. The footpath could be straightened now at little expense, for only two verandahs would need to be shitted to any great extent, and those were in need of renewal. For the sake of the progress of the town he hoped the Council would not authorise the narrowing oi the footpaths, for the width of them was a matter of frequent favorable comment. The concrete channels would save expense in cleaning, etc. Cr. Morey would support the concrete channelling of this section, with a view of bringing the whole of Devon street up-to-date. He did not think there was any need for shifting the verandahs. Cr. Boon objected to the perpetuation of the blunders of the past. The line of the footpath and verandah was no credit to those who put them there, but evidently they sufficed for the man of that day. He believed the footpaths should be made the same—now one was 16ft and the other 14ft wide. And fourteen feet was too wide. Six feet too much was wasted in the paths, and it would be better in the roadway. He believed the proper thing to do waß to plaster the present cobblestones with concrete.

Cr. West thought it ''a lot of rot and a waste of time" to talk over the matter as some councillors were doing. The streets were wide enough for a town of 20,000. The work could be done whilst the Council were talking about it. There were only two or three verandahs to be moved into line, and he thought the owners would offer no objection. Cr. C'atlley considered it would be waste of money to plaster the present channels with concrete. Cr. Browne instanced the expenditure of large sums of money in the cities for the widening of the streets for tramway installation. In Auckland Queen street was quite blocked with traffic He hoped New Plymouth would not experience that

Cr. Bellringer: You never will. Cr. Browne considered the Devon street footpaths from end to end should be only twelve feet wide. At present the south side footpaths were two leet wider than on the north side. The amendment was lost, Crs. Bellringer, Coleman, West, Collis, Morey, and Cattley opposing it. The clause was retained, and the committee's report adopted. The reports of the abattoir, drainage, and by-laws committees were adopted. DOG-TAX.

Cr. Browne moved that the resolution of December 23rd fixing the amount of the dog-tax be rescinded. The motion was carried after considerable discussion, and the differential rate adopted. GENERAL. Mr. H. Spurdle, to tihe Waitara Regatta Committee, asked if the Council could' arrange for the business people to close their premises at 11.30 on the date of the regatta.—Referred to the Employers' Association for their favorable consideration.

Mr. C M. Tapper, secretary tn file Hospital Board, thanked the Council for setting aside a piece of ground in the Te TTenui cemetery for the interment of the inmate* of' the Old People's Home. The Board intended to place a concrete wall round the plot, and nsked that the high pine- iclose by should first be topped.—Referred to the Reserves Committee. Dr. J. P. Frenglcy. District Health Officer, wmte approving of the granting of permission to Mr T.indstrom to use a portion of the abattoir reserve as a tanI nery site.