BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 211, 12 October 1909, Page 4

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Borough Council met last night. Present: His Worship the .Mayor (Mr. G. Tisch), Councillors Bellringer, Bishop, Browne, Uockrill, Gilbert, Hooker, Watkins West and Wilson. WORKS COMMITTEE.

The Works Committee recommended, inter alia, that a street light be erected near the entrance to the Catholic Church: that the Seaside Improvement Committee to give permission to retnov". the two iron buildings from Marslirid Hill.—The report was adopted. SEWERAGE.

The Borough Engineer wrote that during the past, half-year £l2O had been paid in fees for forty branch connections. In accordance with instructions he had 28 final notices served at the end of July, with a view to taking court proceedings to enforce connection with tlnr-sewers in about a dozen cases. Out of the number 2.) took steps, in one way or another, to comply with the notices given, and the work was in many cases completed. Willi the intention of making a larger selection of defaulters lie had issued 2li additional notices during the third week • in' September. These notices were also being complied with in .many eases. Three of those notified I in July last had not taken steps to comply with th(! notices.

Councillor Wilson drew attention to the fact that I lie drainage vote of £2OO for the vear had alreadv been exceeded by .137. Councillor Wilson also drew attention to the fact that some live years ago, before lite Council expended £ISOO ill metalling Devon Street, sewer connections were laid to the various properties. Recently the street was opened ill several places and the sewers connected with at fresh places, so that apparently the connection pipes then laid were no good. So it was quite apparent that il was not safe to conclude Hint the Council would get all its money back. The engineer stated that many of the connections in Devon Street had been laid in ridiculous places; just as ridiculous as the construction of the airvalves along the water mains', which had entailed a great waste of money—up to £5 ill many cases—and there were two or three hundred.of tliem. The Mayor said that was the fault of a previous engineer.' Councillor Wilson moved that informations be laid against three propertyowners who had not complied with the notices srj! out in July.—Seconded; by Councillor West and carried. •Councillor Belliinger Jniovod to (re. scind the resolution carried at last meeting authorising the laying of a sewer in Vivian Street, between Robe and Dawson Streets'.—Councillor Dockrill j seconded. —The motion was lost. [ THE ABATTOIR DISTRICT. The Filzroy Town Board wrote that they were not prepared to take inunction ill regard to the proposal to extend the abattoir district. Councillor Bellringer said he did not think the proposition had been properly understood, and it was decided to refer the. matter back to the Abattoir Committee, with a view of having it again brought before the County Council and Fitzroy Town Board. MOTOR-CAR TRAFFIC.

Councillor Gilbert considered it was time the By-laws Committee met mid devised some method ol drilling with motor-ear trall'ic in the borough. If (lie Council didn't move soon it would be forced to by some very serious accident at a street corner, caused by a motor-car whi/zi-.ig round at from' 30 miles an hour upwards.

Councillors discussed the mutter fully, it being pointed out thai the Council had power to prosecute persons driving cars at other than a reasonable speed. The dill'iculty was to arrive at a delinition of the word "reasonable." One councillor said the Council ought to insist on the ears turning corners at a walking-pace. F.ventuailv the matter wa-' referred to the liy-laws Committee to consider and report. KKUCITATIOXS.

.rust before the council rose, Councillor Hisbop eougratulaled the Mayor upon his success in piloting the Gill SI. extension and Powderhain Street bridge loans through. He-had succeeded where many others failed. The Mayor and the Viiianee committee were also deserving .of congratulation for placing the loan

at.such favorable rates. When the loan wa- lir-'l proposed (Im-i-.- were those i-.ho thought it was hut courting de-

feat, to ask the ratepayers to authorise the borrowing, ami worse still to attempt to raise the money. Hut. despite these dismal predictions, the loan had "gone oil'" at above pur. The Mayor thanked Councillor llisliop for his remarks. He considered the voting at the poll had clearly showed thai the ratepayer* had eonlidence in Hi' Council, which had no " white elephants'' to its credit, hut got full value for expenditure.