BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 313, 12 February 1910, Page 8

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

' !•:'!'!x::. The _\ew Plviiioum Borough Comr-il met- last night, when there were present: His Worship the Mavor (Mr. G. Tisch) and Crs. Dockrill, F. C. J. Bellvineer. V. K. Wilson. West, Watkias, Hooker and Browne. WOiiKS COMMITTEE.

The Work* Committee's report recommended that the letter from the Commissioner of Crown Lands relative to lis..- water meter and water elianres at Government Buildings be referred to the borough engineer for his report; that tlie lett-'T from M. A. Coleman le nuisance caused by the burning' of sawdust and shavings at the steam laundry in Gill street be referred to the borough engineer for "a report; that the Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society be informed that the Council has no power to contribute to the Society's funds; that the awara and appraisement made •by the arbitrators in connection with the renewal of the lease of sections from the School Commissioners be accepted by the Council (new lease, £2O a year); that Mr. Goodacre be notified that The Council cannot remit the charge of !)s 9d for water supplied by meter; that Messrs Sanderson and Griffiths' complaint re alleged nuisance arising from the sewer pipe in Currie street near the railway gate be referred back to the engineer for report; that the application ol the Railway Department to bring Leach street deviation under the provisions of the Land Transfer Act be referred to the executive Committee to take sucli steps as

they may deem necessary for the protection of the Council's interests in the matter; that a copy of the inspectors report re the aliened breach by Mr. J. W. West of the by-laws re 'bus timetable be sent to Mr. M. -Jones; that Mr. Iv. Webster's application for footpath in front of his residence on Carring'ton road be referred to the borough engineer for report as.to cost, etc.; that the letter from the Garrison Band, proposing to earn the subsidy for municipal eoieerts. be referred to the Band Committee to report upon.—Adopted. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Upon the reading of the engineer's report. it was decided to obtain estimates of the cost of installing electric light at the waterworks caretaker's cottage, pipehead and filters; to kerb east side of Queen street if funds are available, and to hold over consideration of the question of opening up Leach street and Young street; and to defer action in regard to Mr. Kendall's recommendation to have the Powderham street, culvert extended to the full length on the south side. ABATTOIR MANAGER.

Mr. T. J. Reakes, abattoir manager, reported that during January there were slaughtered for local consumption: Cows 113, bullocks 47, calves 10, sheep 51!), lambs 249, pigs 159, including two suckers; tripes cleaned, 130. Compared with the corresponding month of la.it year there was an increase of 65 sheep, 43 lambs, 20 pigs', and a decrease of 5 cattle, 4 calves, and 8 tripes. There were condemned 5 cows, 2 bullocks, 8 pigs, and 1 sheep. Fees due for the month were £ll9 17s, and rents £3 5s (id, giving a total revenue of .£123 2s fid —an increase of £7 15s 2d. ELECTRICAL ENGINEER'S REPORT.

Mr. H. Black, the electrical engineer, reported: Tarring Poles: During the past month good progress has been made in tarring poles at the ground line. AH poles along the transmission line, Vogeltown, line to Breakwater, Fitzroy, and nearly all the poles in the borough have now been done. Three poles were found to lie faulty, and these have been replaced by new pole?, the old ones cut down to 25ft and used elsewhere.

Osram Lamps: In accordance with instructions the following 32 s.p. street lamps have been replaced by 100 c.p. Osram lamps: Devon-s'treet east to ITenui bridge, 6 lamps; Devon-street west to Morley-street, 5 lamps; St. Aubyn - street from Queen - street, 3 lamps—a total of 14 lamps. One lamp in Devon-street at Baring-terrace would complete that end of Devon-street. Four more in St. Aubyn-street would complete that street as far as Cutfieldroad. It would also be an improvement if the lamp pole at the junction of St. Aubvn and Queen streets could be moved back to the railway fence, or better still, inside the fence. Ariki-street Transformer: This trans-, former has now been connected, a No. f) line run in Ariki-street and a No. 19.13 cable in Egmont-street from Devon-street to Ariki-street. All consumers in Egmont-street, part of Dewn .street, Brougham and St. Aubyn streets have been transferred to this line, releasing four smaller transformers and relieving our most 'heavily loaded circuit.

East End: Five poles witli wires, arms, insulators, and some fittings were lent for the recent entertainment at the East End bathing sheds. The fittings have been returned but the balance of the material has been left for the present. Substation: W. Simmons has sent in his' resignation, and desires to be relieved of his duties as early as possible. Mr. Crawley has been assisting in the office, pending the appointment of a clerk, and as the holidays for the staff at the powerhouse are about due, I propose sending him out to relieve. Inspection: Mr. A. J. Walker, inspector for the Fire Underwriters' Association. is at present in New Plymouth, ami is carrying out inspections and tests of installations connected to our main.

T have had a part of the station partit ioneu off as a, store, so that the material \vp hold in stock may he better arranged and more easily handled, but we are very much cramped for room, and require a store for line material.

tools, etc. This would probably be be-rt erected on part of the land recently ac- • quired by the Council for this department. E LECTUIC LIGIIT CO M ,\1 i TTK E. .The Electric Light Committee reported:—That the committee are unable to accede to Mr. Cattiey's application for ■permission to erect a sign on the elepTric light poles as it would create an .undesirable precedent: that the action of the chairman in lending certain poles [ ana liftings for the .Ea«t End bathing

mu\! br confirmed; that the electrical engineer i.v authorised to apply to the Railway Department for permission to .rect a pole and street light in the railway yards near the junction of Queen street and St. Aubyn street; that the resignation of W. Simmons be accepted; that consideration of the report of the electrical engineer with reference to the staff be deferred until Monday. 21st inst.; that the electrical engineer repovt to the next meeting what arrangements

he proposes to make with reference to carrying on his duties whilst he is I away on holiday leave: that the chair-' ! man and electrical engineer be authorI ised to employ extra clerical assistance i to bring the station books up to date j and get out the annual returns; that | the account of £27 15s against the Abattoir Committee for re-winding the ' motor at the abattoir be referred to i the Council to settle; that Mr. E, Holden be appointed clerk and meter- . reader at the distributing station upon the conditions of appointment posted in the town clerk's office.

The committee further recommended that Mr. Climie be authorised to call tenders for the construction of a tailrace at the power-house, in accordance with the plans and specifications submitted by him; and that the committee be authorised to acquire easements in connection therewith. These recommendations were made as the outcome of a conference with Mr. H. W. Climie, consulting engineer in the proposed waterworks and electric light extension.

- The reports were received and adonted. OTHER COMMITTEES. The Drainage Committee, having fully considered the matter, reported that it could no? recommend any reduction in

the charge made for connecting Miss Baker's private fyospital with the sewer. . —Adopted. The By-laws Committee recommended that .1 by-law he made to compel owners and occupiers of all premises in the borough to have all nightsoil, house refuse and other similar matter removed from their premises by the borough contractors and prohibiting the burial of any nightsoil, etc., in the borough.— Afloptea.

RESERVES COMMITTEE

The Reserves Committee recommended that the South African War Memorial Committee be permitted to erect a fountain on Marsland Hill, the cenr.re the fountain to be 25 feet from the eastern edge and 40 feet ftffffli. the southern edge of the hill, the wor'c to he carried out to the satisfaction of

the borough inspector; that the charge to be made to the New Plymouth Tennis Club lor the use of section 272, Powderham street, be 16 fid per weeic, the Council retaining the right to use .the section as n depot as at present. The Reserves Committee reported in •its inspection of the Council's reserves in the Stratford district. Ragwort, ov eve daisy. blackberry and docks wei? very noticeable on some of the sections. —Cr. Dockrijl considered there was a great improvement upon the condition of affairs* existing at the time of r.hfe ,previous inspection.—A vote of thanks

was passed to Mr. A. W. Wood for .:a----sistw-e 2iv»n in showing the committee nvef tTb nroperties. GENERAL. ' A letter from Mr. Brieknell. of TTa;wora. wns read recrardins the numher.ing of houses in the borough. and it was decided to inform him the Council hatl thp matter under consideration, propositi? to undertake the work itself.

The Council adopted the Mavors motion authorising steps to he taken to present a Bill to Parliament for th- purpose of 00tr.ir.1n2 power to render the iioronjh reserve OTipo=ite the racecourse a 'reveniio-prndiicinrr reserve, the sections to he l"ised for building purposes. —Cr. Doekrill dissented.