BOROUGH COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 38, 25 May 1910, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Borough Council was held last evening, the Mayor (Mr. G. Tisch) presiding). BOWDERHAM STREET BRIDGE. A petition was presented from 135 ratepayers', protesting against the curi'tailing of the width of the Powderham j street bridge, and asking that the bridge he constructed to (provide for a fullwidth street and footpaths out of the money specially voted for the purpose. —The petition had not been certified to, and was ruled out of order. GENERAL. Mr. C. E. Bellringer wrote that by ike end of September Hie would have complied with the building conditions in his lease of the Council's section on the Hosipital road.—Granted. j Mr. S. Breach asked permission to cut down some tall pines on Leach street, which appeared dangerous. —Granted, i A vote of thanks was passed to the| Beautifying Association for work done at Baine's Terrace. A vote of thanks was pass'ed to the Liedertafel for services rendered on Monday night. Messrs. T. and R. Parkin offered to cart metal from the Council's depot at the abattoirs to any part of the borough, with traction engine, for 2s 3d a yard, or 2s a yard if they us'ed the Council's trucks.—Referred to the Works Committee. ELECTRICAL ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr. Black reported:— Returns.—Returns for the year ended 31st March, 1910, have been made up.] Capital account shows an expenditure of £1338 7s Gd, which includes meters and transformers recently received. These have all been charged up to capital account and are, not included in stock on 'hand. Nearly all material purchased for construction work during the year, amounting to £539 8s 7d, has been paw for out of working account, and stock to this amount transferred from construction to maintenance to balance. The total payments from loan account for the year amount to £157 14s. There is a liability of £420 balance on land purchased, leaving a credit (balance of £-750 16s 6d.

Working Account. —. The estimate of revenue for the year, £4OOO, has been exceeded 'by £l9—an increase of £667 10a over the previous year. Goods som were not included in the estimates, and are not included in above figures. The expenditure has been kept as low ias possible, and is £.158 Delow the estimate, and only £ll3 6s lOd more than the previous year, although interest charges have increased by £lO2 5s 3d and there was an extraordinary expenditure of £99. on new turbine runners. Maintenance stock shows a considerable increase this year owing to transfers above mentioned, but this stock now t includes nearly all material for overhead lines, street lighting, stores, etc., so that there is actually a considerable reduction in stock on hand. The current registered at the substation was 307,410 units, an increase over the previous year of 39,050 units. This increase would no doubt have been 'greater but for the Introduction of metallic filament lamps, which are now toeing largely used, especially as smaller sizes are being introduced. These lamps may ncjw be obtained down to 25 candle power, which take about the same current as, an 8 c.p. carbon lamp. The use 'of electric radiators is steadily increasing, and electric irons are also becoming popular, especially the new typos. There have oeen enquiries for motors, .but as these are not stocked requirements are not readily filled. Wire.—Eight quotations have been received for the wire we are wanting. No local quotations are yet to hand. Vogeltown— Three applications have been received for light for residences on Hokl&worfchy road, off Carrington road. Two poles will be required for the third house. Two more houses are to be erect-, ed, shortly, and these could be served by this line without further extension.

Store.—A store for line material, etc., i 9 required. If there is timber and iron available from the buildings to be removed for Gill street extension, some o*f that would suit very well. A shed 20ft x 40ft should meet present requirements. I would suggest that this might ■be erected on land recently acquired in Liardet street, placed as near to the bridge as possible, so as to leave room for future requirements. I The report was adopted, with the ex-j ception of the recommendation' to supply current to the new 'houses in Vogeltown. ABATTOIR COMMITTEE. The committee reported that his Worr 1 ship the Mayor has been appointed chairman for the ensuing year. It recommends that the three horse-power motor at the abattoir be soid to Messrs. Smart Bros, at a price t o be fixed by the chairman, and that in the event of the sale taking place the borough engineer be instructed to order a five horse-power motor to replace the one sold. That the borough engineer be authorised to give effect to his recommendation for the repairs, painting, and whitewashing of the abattoir (estimated cost £135), and for th'e alterations to the mutton tracking (estimated cost £ls 10s). That the question of tne agreement between the Fitzroy Town .Board and the Borough Council with reference to extension of the abattoir district be referred to the chairman with power to act. That the brough engineer be instructed to prepare a plan showing the boundaries of the proposed enlarged abattoir district. The report was adopted. WORKS COMMITTEE. \

The committee reported that his Worship the Mayor lias l>een appointed chairman for the ensuing year. It recommends that consideration of Mr. W. A. Collis' letter suggesting that by-laws be framed dealing with the driving of cattle through the borough be deferred until the opening up of Leach street extension, when the council will consider the question of confining cattle traffic to this street; that the question of the encroachment of the fence of the Egmont Brewery on Queen street be referred to his Worship ihe Mayor and Councillors Browne and Bellringer to report; that the borough engineer be authorised to kerb and channel the footpath on the west side of Queen street from King street to Young street; that the borough engineer be instructed to submit a schedule of those footpaths most urgently requiring uerbing and channelling.: that the borough engineer be instructed to kerb and channel the footpath on the west side of Currie street between Devon and Gill streets; that the.Haroor Board be requested to have the buildings removed from Currie street extension, as the Council desires to put the street in order; that the seal of the Council be affixed to the certificate submitted by the borough solicitors that the provisions of section 116 of the Public Works Act, 1908, have been complied •with, 'and that his Worship the Mayor and Councillor Wilson be appointed to sign the certificate; that Mr. Maunder be informed that in view of the extra-

ordinary expenditure that will he required this year the Council cannot see its way to aeceue to his request for the metalling of tue Vivian street cutting; that in reply to the letter re Kawau street, the Harbor Board >be informed that the Council will take no action in the matter; that Mr. Lashbrook be granted permission to use kis hose for three months to drive a small Pelton wheel at his property in Vogeltowu, the charge to be fixed l>y the .borough engineer; that on Messrs. Brown and Co. commencing the erection of a dwelling in Morley street the borough engineer be authorised to continue the sewers in Morley street sufficient to enable their property to be connected; that his Worship the Mayor interview the directors of the Gas Company with a view of obtaining tar at a cheaper rate; that Mrs. Campbell be informed that her request for the repair of the footpath in Gover street, between Courtenay street and Devon street, will be considered when the engineer's report on the works reI quired for the ensuing year is being conJ6idered; that the stand for taxi-cabs be [in Devon street, opposite the A.M.P. | buildings; that one sum of £ls due by the East End Bathing Reserve Committee be remitted, and they be granted a £ for £ subsidy on the sum of £B, the whole of the money to be spent on the reserve; that the New Zealand Express Company be informed that the Council cannot see its way to accede to their request for permission to dispense with brick walls in the erection of their new stables in Liardet street; that the Executive Committee be authorised to fix the site and proceed with the erection of the new borough stables; that the application of the Taranaki County Council for a -water connection to their crushing depot at Mangorei be granted on their paying the cost of connection and an annual charge of £1 per an- | num; that consideration of the by-laws ] submitted by the borough solicitors be deferred to the next meeting of the com-' ; mittee, to enable the solicitors to be present as recommended by them; that the , letter frpm the Fitzroy Town Board I with reference to the erosion of Clemow road be referred to his Worship the Mayor; that in cases where storm-water from private (properties is damaging the footpaths the borough engineer be instructed to require the ■property-owners to provide a ipi-pe or culvert to carry the water under the .path to the street channel; that a clause be inserted in the proposed Racecourse Reserve Leasing Act to carry out the following intention: "That of the revenue to be derived from the .leasing of the said land the sum of £2OO shall be allocated to the upkeep of all reserves held in trust for the benefit of the inhabitants of the borough of New Plymouth in such proportion as shall from time to time be fixed by resolution of the New Plymouth Borough Council"; that Messrs. Sanderson and Griffiths be informed that the Council cannot see its way to accede to their request for permission to dispense with brick walls in connection with the additions proposed to Mr. Govett's buildings at the corner of Liardet street and Devon street; that the By-laws Committee be requested to have bylaws drafted dealing with the question of compelling adequate protection for skylights in •buildings and verandahs, and with the question of compelling provision to be made for the prevention of fire when gas stoves are installed; that the Council, in anticipation of revenue, borrow from its banker, the Bank of New Zealand, from time to time as required by way of overdraft on the district fund account the sum of £IO,OOO. or any sum not exceeding that amount, at interest not exceeding 6 per cent.