BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 224, 15 September 1908, Page 4

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The Borough Cuunc.il held its usual meeting last night. I'resent: His Worship the Mayor (presiding), Councillors ■Boon, Bellringer, West, .Mills, jjorey, (Jattley, and Browne. A QUKSTUds OF CHARUES. Mrs. L. Dockrill, hou. seeretarv of the local centre of the St. John Ambulance Association, wrote regarding the Council's resolution asking a rent of 2s 'id per Week for the use of the old readingroom, and requesting that the Council I should reconsider the charge and allow ithe classes to have the room for one shilling per week.

Cr. Browne, moved that the matter be I again referred to the Reserves Committee. Cr. Morey seconded. Or. Bellringer moved that the application be agreed to. Cr. Mills seconded Cr. Bellringer's amendment, the motion was withdrawn, and the amendment carried. DOMINIUM DAY. The telegram from the Premier requesting that Dominion Day should befittingly celebrated in Now Plymouth was road, together with a second request to the citizens to make a display of bunting. His Worship stated that the Employers' Association could not recommend holding a holiday, but he understood that Messrs. Corkill and Gilbert, chairmen of the Central and West End School Committees, wero arranging for school celebrations.

Upon the motion of Cr. Mills, it was decided to to Sir Joseph' Ward the fact that Saturday was mar-ket-day in New Plymouth, and an inopportune day for a celebration of this kind. BUILDING BY-LAWS. Mr, A. Standish asked permission to I dispense with the erection of a brick! wall in the proposed addition of one; storey to, the premises in Liardet street now occupied by Mr. Hayden. The Mayor moved that the request be granted. Crs. Bellringer and Morey said that there had been no concessions in their own cases. Cr. Browne opposed the motion. Cr. West thought that a brick party wall should be insisted upon. Cr. Bellringer said that the.engineer had not thought fit, as an expert, to grant tihe permit. Then how could the Council do it? Speaking from the point of view of fire-prevention, the proposed end wall would be useless. Cr. Mills moved, and Cr. Morey seconded, that the letter he referred to the works committee. Permission was authorised, by live votes to four. WORKS COMMITTEE. The Works Committee recommended: —That the Agricultural Society be granted the use of water for tiheir annual show for the sum of 10s per anHum; tfcat the Council accept 30 cubic yards of crushed metal delivered at Browne street from Messrs. T. Parkin and Son in full satisfaction of its claim against them and the Carrington Road Board for damage caused to Pendarves street by the cartage oil metal; that as recommended by the borough engineer the, committee be authorised to purchase an extra eaH and horse for borough work; that Mr. Hodgson be informed that the Council cannot 6ee its way to find him employmeat, and that at the expiration of the notice already given him his ea-' gagement with the Council will cease; that the petition for a larger water main in Belt road to the railway reserve be referred to the borough engineer for his report as to cost; that the borough engineer be authorised to purchase 25 sacks of Garton oats as per sample from Mr. N. Ki;ig at 2s (id per bushel. Mr. Hodgson, custodian at the reservoir, waited on the Council and protested against the action of the Council in dispensing with his services and appointing a younger nian to the position. He complained -that now he was a greyJiaired man, he would find great difficulty in obtaining suitable employment. He had always carried out his duties conscientiously and with satisfaction to the Council. No other employer in the world, he said, would have treated him as lie was being treated. He would go away satisfied if he were told why he was being displaced. The Mayor said that the Council had acted upon the recommendation of the Works Committee, who had been guided by th-e fact that the duties in J eluded inspection of subterranean' chambers, etc., which was not suitable j for a man of advanced years.

Councillors having spoken, the matter was referred to the Works Committve for consideration, and their report was adopted. LLEGIIUCAL ENGINEER'S HEl'UliT. Mr. H. Black, electrical engineer, reported tliat the high tension'lines for the i'ltzroy extension had been erected to the abattoir and to the Waiwakailio bridge. T'hu motor at Mr. Lindstrom's tannery was connected and started irci 30th of August last. The shed for the 50-k.w. transformer at the abattoirs Jtad been erected and the transformer placed in position. The secondary lines have also been run into the abattoir building for the hoist motor and to the engine-room for the 25-h.p. and the 3-li.p. motors. The switchboard and connections for the two motors were in hand, and would be completed shortly. The necessary poles and wires for the arc lamp in Egmont had been erected and the lamp would be put in place in a day or two. New lamps as authorised liad been erected at James' lane, Frankley road (2), Gill street, and Belt road. Ttiere were still four lamps to be erected along the South road.' The report was adopted.

BY-LAWS. The By-laws Committee reported that instructions had been given to the borough solicitors to prepare by laws dealing with tlie following matters:—(a) To repeal that portion of tlhe cemetery by-laws wliidi require, the Council to keep grave plots in order for all time for certain fixed charges; (b) to extend by-law 00 (which requires plumbers to give notice to the engineer for water services, etc., installed) to include any alteration to the water service or additional taps installed subsequent to the service being put in; (c) to amend by-law 54 fixing the charge for outside water supplies from Is Id to Is 4d in the £ as from Ist April, 1009; (d) to"*provide that tlie by-laws shall apply to all waterworks and other borough installations outside the borough; (e) to regulate motor traffic; (f) to provide for regulation of extraordinary traffic and to provide for the licensing of traction engines, etc.; («) dogs not to be admitted to the Carnegie Library: (li) to repeal the words "roading and" in bylaw 349; (i) to prohibit the deposit of rubbish in tile cemetery other than at places set a |kirfc for tilat purpose and to prohibit the removal of survey pegs in the cemetery; the committee do not recommend the repeal of by-law 04. '>ut recommend that a new by-law should he framed to enable the Council if it sees fit, to require any consumer of water to instal a meter and to pav at the rate of !M pr thousand of water used. The report was adopted.

DRAINAGE COMMITTEE. Tim Drainage Committee recommended —That Mr, F. S. Johns be informed that the Council cannot see its way to extend the sewers up Standish Hill *s requested; that Mr. T. Francis be informed that the Council cannot see t* way to extend the sewers up Robestreet as requested; that in accordant, with the strong recommendation of the borough engineer, a sewer be laid in WeymoutU-street from St. Aubynstreet to Iline-strcet (estimated cost £23); that the borough engineer lie instructed to take immediate steps to expedite connection with the sewers. The report was adopted. ABATTOIR RETORT. Mr. T. J. Reakes, abattoir manager, reported that during August there were slaughtered for local consumption I'M cows, 18 calves, 551 sheep, 12 lambs, and 100 pigs. There were ISO tripes cleaned, 2 calves' heads and feet, ind •2 ox heels. Compared with the same period of last year tlicy show as follows: —Increases: Calves 14, tripes 2,5. Decreases: Sheep 101, lambs 5, pigs 41, cows Gd. There were condemned 7 cows, 1 celf, 1 sheep, and 2 pigs. Fees for the month were £lO3 5s lid. and rents £3 5s (id. The report was adopted.

BOROUGH ENGINEER.

The Borough Engineer, Mr. A. 11. Kendall, itported:— StiiJl" Reorganisation.—ln accordance with your instructions 1 wrote Mr. Hodgson, the caretaker at the waterworks, on '2nd September, 11108, as follows:—"Dear Sir, —111 connection with the termination of your engagement at Hit; waterworks, Mangorei, 1 beg to iufonn you that if you should care *o vacate the duties and cottage in connection with your present appointment at once, salary for the balance of the term and house rent to tlie value of Ids per week will be paid to you in lieu of tile balance of notice you liave al' ready received. iPleasc lot me have your reply to-day." To this I received the following reply:—".September I, ,11)08. Pear sir,—ln reply to your note, if you will carry out the agreements therein with these additional ones, vi/,., that you will guarantee me a job in my own capacity at the end of the two months, also that you will pay the cartage of my furniture when 1 leave, then 1 will go next Monday week. Let me have a reply, please.—Yours faithfully, .Jno. Hodgson." I replied to this letter to the effect that I would lay., the matter before your "Council. 1 have submitted to the Works Committee the proposed conditions under which Mr. Hooker will till the position of caretaker. Sewers.— The sewer in Molesworthstreet is progressing fairly well. Concrete Kerb and Channelling.—The weather now appearing to be somewhat settled, a start is to be made with the authorised work. 1 Gill Btrect—The authorised work in I this street also is now to bo.commenced. The report was adopted. GENERAL.

Subject to all papers being in order, Messrs. Webster Bros, were granted remission to aub-lease portion of part iub-di vision 3, storetiouse itseive (leased to them by the Council) to the United Insurance Company, and pa7t of the first iloor to Mr. J. W. Kurta. i fXMie Council decided to accord itsl patronage to a forthcoming Salvation Army entertainment. Upon Cr. Mills' motion, it was decided that tlie engineer's attention be drawn to the fact that the man-liole covers were above street level. Cr. West /drew attention to the disgraceful state of the Buller-Eliot street ■rossing, which was bumpy enough to cause an accident to any vehicle. The drainage from some cottages lodged there, too. —Referred to the engineer.