N.P. BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 264, 14 December 1909, Page 4

N.P. BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The New Plymouth Borough Council met last night. There were present: I lis Worship the .Mayor (Mr. (!. Tisch) presiding, and Councillors Dockrill, Bellringer, Wilson, Watkins, Bishop, Hooker, • filbert. Browne, and West. Mr. A, L. Dixon, secretary of the New Plymouth Swimming Cluti. asked for free admittance to the baths of all actual competitors on the evenings of club races. As (he club intended to hold a race cacti week durine the season tlicv would considerably increase the takings of the baths, and therefore considered that the concession would be only fair to thswimmers'.

Mr. H. 11. lirown. of Kent Road, sc retary to the committee set up in connection with tlie proposed bacon company, wrote asking if, in the event of the company deciding to have its killing done at the abattoirs instead of the factory, the Council would make a reduction iu the killing charges.—Referred to the Abattoirs Committee, who will obtain a report from tlie manager. ELECTRICAL ENGINEER. The. electrical engineer, Mr. 11. Black, reported:—New consumers are being connected as quickly as the wiring contractors can get their work completed. All the local firms are 'kept fully employed. The total connections to date for private lighting, power, etc., number 480. Owing to the increasing use of Isram lamps our receipts' are not growing at the rate that might otherwise have been reasonably expected, but consumers arc getting a better light at lower eost. The report was adopted. BOUOUCfH ENGINEER. The llorotigh Engineer, Mr. A. H. Kendall. reported:— Streets.—The spreading of gaol gravel as authorised by llis Worship the Mayor in Devijn Street Wpst, from Morley

Street to Outfield Koad, is well toward completion. A considerable part of the order for gaol niital is now lying ready for collection, and I hope shortly to be able to use this up to advantage. All street gutters have had every possible attention. The cost of kerbing the footpath in Queen Street, from Si. Aubyn Street to the brewery gate, would be '£lo. The metalling authorised in CJill Street lias been put down. A considerable amount of labor has had to be spent on the necessary eradication ot noxious weeds.

Sewers. —The cost of a sewer to serve tlie section ill Courtenay Street owned by Mr. Griffiths would be £ls. Several sewer connections are under way, and 1 am preparing a list of all finished work to submit to your council, showing the progress that has been made in this direction up to date. There are nine houses already connected with the sewer in Vivian Street, between Dawson and Itohe Streets.

Water works.—The water supply has been carried along and across the licit Koad for the applicants camping in the reserve. This makes the s'eventh connection on the Belt Road, %-inch supply pipe. In connection with the letter from Mr. Edgecnmbe and others', I have looked into the matter and visited some of the houses on the higher levels while water was allowed to flow lower down. l found the pressure, as might he expected, very low, and totally inadequate in case of fire, but not altogether insufficient for purposes of domestic supply. There is no doubt that a large main would be a great boon should a fire break out in this locality. I have given instructions for all water mains' to Le scoured as much as possible every week. Building Permits—lt will be necessary to have a resolution from your council waiving compliance with the by-law re hollow walls in the case of the buildings proposed in camerated concrete for Messrs. Nolan and Co., and 1 should like an instruction from your council as to whether Mr. Nolan is required to give your council an agreement of indemnity in this matter before a permit is granted. Ten building permits' were issued during November for buildings to a total value of £1252 10s.

Asphalt and Tarring.—During the favorable weather progress has been made with tarring footpaths Powderhain Street Bridge.—The contractors are making "preparations for a good start with this work. I have submitted to his Worship the Mayor a full resume of correspondence, etc., I have had with the railway engineer and others on this matter.

Abattoir lload.—*A VQry bad slip took place some time ago on this- road—reducing its width—and I beg to recommend that your council authorise that the necessary steps be taken with a view to deviation or widening of the remaining portion of the road. The report was adopted. ELECTRIC LIGHT CO -1 .! MUTEE.

This committee recommended that W. Simmons be granted a further fortnight's sick leave. That his Worship the Mayor and the chairman of the Lighting Committee be authorised to obtain a report from a competent hydraulic engineer as to the capacity of the present tunnel, such report to be submitted to a later meeting of the committee. The report was adopted. DRAINAGE COMMITTEE. The Drainage Committee recommended that Mr. F. C. Griffiths lie informed that on his letting a contract and proceed! ig with the erection of two houses on his section in Courtenay Street the council will lay a sewer from Eliot Street to enable him to connect. The report, was adopted. | RESERVES COMMITIEE. This committee recommended:—That the tennis club he informed that the council cannot see its way to reduce tlie rent of the Powderham Street section, lhat Messrs. Russell and Son Ik- required to immediately replace the block pegs removed by them at the cemetery. That the borough engineer he authorised to employ a man to assist the sexton for not exceeding a fortnight, 'that the Museum he placed under the control of the Library Committee. That a letter of thanks he sent to Mr. 11. D. Skinner for his gratuitous services in "rearran"ing the library and bis comprehensive report thereon. That upon tlie borough solicitors reporting all papers in order, and all rent and costs paid, consent be given to the transfer of sub-lease of part store hous<c reserve from .1. W. Kurtu, to A. Bartlett. That upon the borough solicitors reporting all papers in order and all rent and costs paid, consent be given to the mortgages of, under lease, Hodgkinsoii to New Zealand Loan and -Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., and llodgkinson to liassford, of 'part Ngaric Reserve. That Mr. F. T. Bellringer, town clerk, be appointed as arbitrator for the couneii in connection with the renewal of the lease from the Taranaki School Commissioners of sections 853, 854, and 808, New Plymouth. That Mr. W. A. Collis be informed that the council will be pleased to accept tne mineral specimens offered by him, and will undertake to provide a case for such specimens in the Carnegie Library buildings, as requested, The report was adopted. WORKS COMMITTEE.

The Works Committee recommended: That Mr. lioy's letter re fountain be referred to the borough engineer to report upon. That the borough engineer bo authorised to permit any carter to cart gravel from the beach to the abattoir reserve at a lixed price per cubic yard, s'ueli price to be fixed by the engineer. That Mr. G. I{. Treeby's letter re footpath in Leach Street be referred to the borough engineer to give efiect to. That Mr. Buckman, having been granted permission to connect with the private main in Belt lload under a misapprehension, lie be given notice under the provisions of the by-laws that such supply will be disconnected unless lie obtains the consent of those w'lio originallv paid for the laying of the private main iu question, and that in the event of discontinuance lie be refunded the lee paid by him for connection. That the borough engineer be authorised to submit an estimate of the cost of oiling Devon StVcet, between Currie Street and Brou-'ham Street, when it is being rcmetallcd. "that Devon Street, at tile intersection of Brougham Street, be laid down in comerated concrete. That the borough engineer be authorised to give Kgniunt Street a coat of tar. That the council, being satisfied that a full compliance with the building by-laws will lie attended with great ioss to the oivne.without a corresponding benefit to the public, the borough engineer be authorised to grant permission to Messrs. Nolan ami Co. to ercft a building at the corner of Linrdet and tiill Streets in camerated concrete, the borough engineer to first obtain the indemnity mentioned in Mr. Nolan's' letter. That consideration of the borough engineer's report re Abattoir Road be deferred to enable the committee to confer with the Fitzroy Town Board on the subject. That ail encroachment fee of £2 per annum be charged to Mr. M. Jones for bis encroachment on Xing .Street on section 2.'!.1!). That the borough engineer be instructed to report re a urinal iu Brougham Street. That the borough engineer have the grass mowed on Marslaud llill and round the band rotunda. That the lamp at the Queen Street cud of the esplanade be moved two chains to the west, and that an extra light, he placed in St. Aubyn Street, near Queen Street. Tlie report was adopted.

Councillor Dockrill urged that tarniaeadam should be laid in Devon Street, between lirougham Street and Currie Street, where it would have tyie test of the heaviest traffic.—lt was pointed out that :his portion of the street, needed attention at once, and the asphalti.ig could 'ot possibly be done for several weeks. Tlie report was adopted. Councillor Bellringer moved to rescind the previous resolution deciding to frame by-laws to regulate motor tratlic.—Tlie motion was lost after some lengthy discussion, the mover and Councillors Wilson, Wpst, and the Mayor supporting it. and Councillors -Dockrill, Watkins. liisb--o|i, Gilbert and Brpwije opposing it.