BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 55, 14 June 1910, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary monthly meeting ol the Borough Council was held last night. Present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr. G. Tisch) presiding, and Councillors E. Dockrill, F. C. Bellringer, F. E. Wilson,, J. West, A. E. Watkins, J. Clarke, J. F. Hooker and G. W. Browne. WATERWORKS RESERVE. ] Mr. S. J. Smith wrote, in reference to the waterworks reserve. With all uue respect to the borough solicitors, he still maintained that the Council was responsible for the fencing around the old reservoir, seeing that the Council had admitted ownership by accepting his offer co repair the fence on a previous occasion. .Besides, it was understood between them that the Council would require a certain area outside the lence for the purpose of depositing silt, gravel, etc., which area tbey had used continually without asking his consent. He was '"surprised at the Reserves committee raising any objection in this matter, as the solicitors' costs would almost cover the cost of repairing the fence, out probably .the chairman wants to get one on to me in lieu of my refusing to clear bush lawyers, which he considered noxious weeds." Cr. Bellringer, chairman of the .Re-

of street whioh needed attention—the footpath in Devon street between Eliot street and the sub-station. The inner portion of the path had been asphalted, and now, owing to the want of kerbing, the outside of the path had worn very low, and the path was very dangerous. to pedestrians. This was not even mentioned hi the engineer's report. Mr. Kendall, in reply, said that for| some reason or other the asphalt crossings had not been a success lately, although he had the usual staff. , He had noted the fact, and was endeavoring j to locate the cause, but didn't care to report to the Council until he had got to the bottom of it. Regarding the channelling at Scrivener's store, and the work outside Bond's, this had been delayed owing to various causes, one of which was that at this season' of the year it was inadvisable to cut up streets. Regarding the Hist of concrete channelling submitted, the work mentioned by Cr. Wilson was provided for, but the report was ambiguously drawn. In reply to Cr. Wilson's further question, the engineer said that although one or two of the workmen had been changed, the same man was responsible for these crossings as had been in charge of previous crossings which had been a. success.

cover the cost of repairing the tence, out| Cr W ji soa sai(l that , he was not Wamprobably.the chairman wants to get one; ino . the en g; neer for the faults, but he on to me in lieu of my refusing to clear| gh » uld luive repor t e d. bush lawyers, which he considered nox-J Cr- «D o clcrlll was gratified to notice ious weeds. y Councillors were beginning to take Cr. Bellringer, chairman of the He- not j ce of things that were going on m serves Committee, said that the! the borough> He had been accused of committee was merely enforcing: bel the ou]y one w](o Ud uken ex . the terms of the lease and acting upon ce „tion to what was going on, and that the advice of the borough solicitors. As| he had been , actuated .by sinister mofor bush lawyers being a noxious weed, tives> The theol . y of tlle ' en , g j n . eer that he expressed the opinion that Mr. Smith y, e petrcileum fuel used by the Gas was evidently a bit of a bush lawyer Company had had the effect of spoiling himself—Referred to the Reserves Com- the tar , sl i d >plied was simply absurd, mittee, with .power to act. The petroleum was lost in the atmosA MATTER OF PRINCIPLE. phere, or in the gas. They couldn't get Mr. BL Dabb asked for the remission *f r out ° f Pf'oleum any more than of ft charge of 14s made upon him lor fche y <f ld g et tar out of shale. In the cost of repairing electric light wires ? f , , th f argument that the tar broken by him in felling a tree. He *»»» n S h \ he >' efer ! ,e<l th « Councillors pointed out that it was purely an acci- to %Wt, street, where ,it had acted dent, and that the trees were there be- successfully. There the men had hapfore the wires pened to use the right quantities ot tar Cr. Browne, "chairman of the Electric a f d aveL If f le ] en f in . eer ™ uW em " Lighting Committee, reported that only ploy the.men wha had done tins work the actual cost had been charged. AnJ *<* the <&*-*} /or years past, and remission was for the Council'to de- ; work had stood for over twenty- • d • five years, earning favorable comment Cr. Wilson: But what does .'the chair- .'»** visitors, there would be no more man say?-What do' you say'? m ! s , ta f" Tll f 1 faul * W,th reg "J d t0 TZ Cr. Browne said he wouldn't let *lr. * was u f d T wwlist Dabb off with less than half the amount. ff en 7* lhad ™\ m * tn T~ (Laughter 1 eluding his 'remarks, he doubted whether Cr. b Wilson expressed his surprise, that J"* ™' s rec T n f its * air the chairman of the committee was de* sh f e of the >rbing and channelling ing with this matter in Vote ' a " d r he ?**?, for f a ? e J ? , fashion. He was tired of itf&e diam the actual ex P endlture man never seemed willing to, .gfre thi >• v^°\Sfe,.*» , . , • . ~ Council a lead. Cr. Browne admittel protested against the that this damage had been caused J}?* e^ n S . tt " lns V emal *- H + e : through no fault of the <M«#s, and didyUi&XbeaTJng Councillors advocat-, was he doing his duty to "g.;^? 8 *?™ 8 ' ™ n } . f . or the { ™ n > or to any section of m g ! ing this remission? To te-sttthe feeline oAhe Council he moved that no remit B ?M nt ,f 11 th,S SOTt ° f , sion be granted. j mr , " absentCr. Hooker seconded, and Cr Wilson's ,ng Jttm. Works Committee! proposition was carried. , meetin « s and t'hejr._eoming_ along to the . . ■, j Council 'meeting to criticise the cum-! . ABATTOIR COMMITTEE';'; I m ittee*s actions, in open meeting, for' The Abattoir Committeev<reeom- the sake of Msfog to the press—the' mended:— ( t '-f .T; sooner the W'orl«s-Ci>mmittee as a com-] That His. Worship the man; that the plan of the 'extension"At i-S^/Q 1 Dockrill anrf Wilson the boundaries of the abattoir;, dis.fric|, /been .the/ meeting they would have as prepared by the .Borough EngineejM heard J M'"mattef of the kerbing and Agricultural Department; that a deeafchianiielli'ritj dUcrissed, and have heard of agreement be drawn up with the. t'W (committee's jecommendations. It Fitzroy Town Board with reference to was,not tq why the | the extension of the abattoir distri(i, ~tanMnp.had been, unsitccessfuT. The and be forwarded to the Minister fori P«iiW cause was the weather, winch Agriculture for his approval S ./.that B}s ; ' < h*M ■ M&n fcery' ; ilfipropitious. Again, the Worship the Mavor and Councillor Bell" asMeoifltfflis'fveryibusy at the time, owing! ringer be appointed to confer with the to street having been chairman of the Fitzroy Town Board,; ,$ os svr He,,/^^" 1 that there wasn't and make the best terms possible for >b Very mu.cn to complain about, for the the .purchase of the %-acre" section «te-* MlerkFliftM'fi'&ni the street Ind been qHiired for the widening 'of Clemow''femoved tftiQueeii. street, and there it road. . a IF a P; TWkjng:tP> jgfP°4 binding. He was Upon the motion of the Mayor and gu' te^ su J: c Devon street Cr. Dockrill it was 'decided that i\\e, Be a success if the work were Fitzrov Town Board ho infontttdi thStt, done at the right season of the year, prov'ding the Board - . WORK'S-COMQnTTjF.E. I

. ABATTOIR COMMITTEE.'-' f ! f >il. f - ! ;s'! The Abattoir Commijitee'i ,sqeeopiimended:— i ,'j.V . i : That His. Worship the M»y%,h£\cji?|ilman; that tlie plan of the extension qf the boundaries of the abattoir;, diajtricf, as prepared by the .Borough Eingineejjr,' Agricultural Department; that a deejd of agreement be drawn up with the. Fitzroy Town Board with reference to the extension of the abattoir district and be forwarded to the Minister fijr* Agriculture for his approvaj;,'jjlrat h|s ; Worship the Mayor and Councillor Bell" ringer be appointed to confer with thei chairman of the Fitzroy Town Board,; and make the best terms possible for the purchase of the %-acre" section «te-" rfuired for the widening 'of Clemow' road. v a Upon the motion of the Mayor am| Cr. Dockrill it was 'decided that f)he Fitzrov Town Board bn inforrtttdi thjjit, prov'ding the Board wards the purchase money of £15,0, the Council, if it has the necessary' will purchase the three-quarters; of jp.fi acre of land from Mr. Parkin. requirjedf. for the widening of the Clemow T'oad!' set out in pronosal 3 of the Board's litter of the Iflth April last. ~ v'i 'i The report was adopted. t > .... ELECTRIC LIGHT COMMJTTEE. ' j: . This committee recommended;rrr s, That Councillor Browne be.chairman of the committee for the ensuing year; that Mrs. Blanchard's apj>Mcatiorfi)'|or light to her private hospital t at Fitzroy be referred to the Electrical Engineer to report upon; that the subcommittee appointed to report on the electric light staff and other matters be requested to submit their report jat the earliest opportunity; that before any extension is made to the elfcctrrcal system a report be obtained from the consulting engineer to be appointed, to report on the proposed tramway scheme; that the Electrical Engineer be authorised to order the motors teeonrmended by him at a cost not exceeding £450, the motors to comp, forward in two equal instalments at'a four months' interval. The report was adopted. ENGINEER'S REPORT. '\ The engineer, Mr. Kendall, reported that active preparations were being made for alterations to mains and new mains 1 in Currie street. The work authorised in Queen street was very nearly completed. He also recommended that certain kerbing and channelling be put| down during this year. j Cr. Wilson, commenting on the report; said that the engineer should report on failures in the streets depart-j meiit just as he did of the successes. But he had not reported to the Council upon the fact that a lot of money nad been spent lately in tarring Devon street, and that this work had been an unmitigated failure. The engineer owed to the Council an explanation of the reason of the failure. He had been moved to mention this matter by the fact that an asphalt crossing recently laid down by the borough staff in Gill street for Messrs Nolan, and Co., had been anything but a success. The very 'first load had cut clean tlirough it, and although attended to by tne borough staff since, it was still a failure. What was the cause of this? Hadn't the Council a right to know? He had heard a cause assigned, but he wanted to hear the engineer's explanation before quoting this. Regarding the kerbing and channelling set out in the engineer's report, he urged that before taking up new works those partly completed should be gone on with to completion. He referred to the corner of Devon and Watson streets, where the kerbing and channelling had 'been left until the verandah of the store should have been moved back. That had now I been done, and the channelling had not been completed. The consequence was I that the flood water was flowing down I the middle of Devon street, instead of I down the side channel. Then again, in Liardet street, near Mr. Bond's, work I ! had been authorised in order to prevent! . flood water from scouring out the metal; ijfOte E<?%AJuyyj&dn'ljbeen done; M

*rhU f:, csnirlffiflfe ''t'-ccommended:— ipiflHrasfe fJieft Borough} Engineer be in]tp fliaver-thig electric light con.jiedted ;Ajptrh pipehead; that this committee 'has' no recommendation to make''kt present m connection with the request of the Gas Company for the 'Council to dedicate the company a piece . ofs land at the; corner of Kawau and Molesworth streets; that the question of the Council's representative to the Municipal Association he referred to the Executivet'Otfnimittee, with power to act"?' that' the accident insurance and fidelity insurance be placed with 'the Ocean Accident Insurance Company for the ensuing year; that Mr. IT. C. Hughes ho informed that the attent'>'i of Inspector Tippins has been called to his letter ve cattle in Vivian street; that the Borough Engineer he instructed to give' temporary access to Miss Pike's private hospital, Courtenay street east: that, at? arranged with them, the Egmont Brewery be charged 30s per- annum 'for encroachment fee. Queen street; that upon Te Henui Church Committee paying the whole cost of connection and the sum of 12s Cd per annum, the church property he connected"wi'tV'the water main; that the necessary steps be taken to obtain a proclamation l .- vesting in the Council the centre ipp»£j<m of Leach street, formerly used by the 'Railway Department for railway purposes; that Mr. A. E. Svkes be permitted to occupy Short Lane on paying an encroachment fee of £1 per annum; that Mr, J. H .Wood be informed that the Council has no power to accede to 'his request to accept 5s for registering a dog, in place of the 10s now payable; that the seal ! of th<s Council be affixed to the transfer 'by the Council to> the Jockey Club of the Jand agreed to be transferred to •them under the New Plymouth Racecourse Extension Act, 1000, and that His Worship the Mayor and Councillor Bellringer be appointed to sign same; that the telephone at the baths be disconnected, and the Borough Engineer's office be connected with the telephone in place thereof; that the Borough Engineer be instructed not to grant any permits for skylights unless the same be (protected toy wire netting above and below; that upon Mr. T. G. Sole contributing the sum of £lO towards the cost, as oiferecl by him, the Borough Engineer be instructed to extend the sewer in Courtenay street sufficient to enable his property to be connected; that the Borough Engineer he instniated to take the necessary proceedings to compel certain property owners to coniiect their properties with the sewers; that the Borough Engineer be instructed to submit to the Council on Monday evening a detailed estimate of his proposals for the completion of the street at the Powderham street culvert; that the footpath on the north side of Devon street, from Cover street to Elliot street, be kerbecl «nd channeHed; that j the Borough Engineer be authorised to kerb and channel the footpath on the west side, and kerb only on the east side in Cnrrie street, from Gill street J to the railway gates; that the question i of the fire insurance he left in tlie, j hands of the Executive Committee to, ideal' with. ' "- •«...-■ , ,

was referred back to the Baths Committee.

U,pon the motion of Crs. Dockrill and Hooker,' it was decided to appoint a committee, comprising the Mayor and Crs. Wilson, Dockrill and Watkins, to report upon the question of accident and fidelity insurance, and that effect be not given'to the .paragraph regarding these insurances until the report of the committee had been received. It was decided to have the filters at the waterworks connected with the electric lighting system. •Messrs. Govett and Quilliam forwarded Mr. Walter Hlodgfcsnson's and Mrs. Ross Hodgkinson's application to transfer to Frederick Gilbert the sub-lease of one of the Board's reserves in the Toko district.—Cr. Watkins was of opin ion that before the transfer was granted, the Council ought to have a certificate that the weeds had been attended to. —Resolved that upon the solicitors reporting all .papers in. order and all rents paid, tihe transfer be granted. BATHS COMMITTEE. This committee recommended: — That His Worship the Mayor be ohairman for the ensuing year; that in accordance with the usual custom, the baths be closed from July 1 until September 1, and that the caretaker be granted one month's holiday during J*ly.