BOROUGH COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 238, 13 February 1911, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL

OFFICIAL REPORTS.

Die following reports will be presented at the meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council this evening:— WORKS COMMITTEE. ! "llnit his Worship the Mayor be appointed to represent the couucil on tile advisory committee to be set up in connection with the Technical School; that the letter from the St. Aubvii Town Board with reference to their claim for rates on electric light poles be received; that the council regrets to hear that the contract entered into with the Misses Ivossiter in 1904, giviug (he council perpetual right to carry water pipes across their property a"t Mangorei, was not completed, and now offers without prejudice to complete the contract on the terms then arranged; that the New Plymouth Borough Council hereby resolves that the provisions of section 117 of the Public Works Act, 190S, shall not apply to those portions of Vivian and Morlej streets to which sections 355, 339 and 3U5 have frontage; that Messrs. Collett and Co. be informed that the council is preparted to facilitate the completion of the exchanges at the Huatoki deviation previously agreed to, provided the whole of the costs of the exchange is borne by Messrs, Collett and Co°; that the amendment suggested by the Tanumki County Council to the provisional agreement with reference to the llenui bridge, Avenue road, be agreed to, provided a list of the bridges in the Moa riding which the county contemplate re-erecting are set out in the formal agreement to be drawn up, such list to be first approved by the council; that in view of the circumstances, the charge made for a hose against Mr. Deacon be written off; that in reply to his' letter with reference to the condition of Brougham street, Mr. T. S. Weston be informed that the council does the best it can with the means at its disposal; that the letter from Mrs. A. M. Head with reference to the. state of the road to the Saltwater Baths be referred to the borough engineer to effect the necessary repairs; that Messrs. J. ]). Sole iind others be informed tluit the council cannot accede to their request for the extension of the water mains to Westown; that the question of the appointment of a working overseer b« deferred; that the borough engineer be authorised to cover in the crusher at an estimated cost of £25; that tenders be invited for painting, whitewashing, etc., at the abattoirs in accordance witu the specifications prepared by the borough engineer; that the borough engineer be authorised to metal South road and Curric street, and that these works take precedence over other works; that his Worship the Mayor be directed to certify that the signatures to the requisition to the Minister for Labor fixing the closing hours for the shops of boot and shoe dealers in the borough represent a majority of all the , occupiers of such shops within the bor°Ugh" . &

'ELECTRIC LIGHT COMMITTEE. That the application of Mr. O. Johnsoil for extension of electric light to his residence at Fitzroy be referred to the electrical engineer to report upon; that Mr Sandilands be reimbursed the sum of £6 extra expenses incurred by him whilst acting in town during the absence of the electrical engineer on holiday leaie, and that he be forwarded a copy of the electrical engineer's report expressing his appreciation of the way Mr. Sandilands and those under him carried out the work of the department durin rf Ins absence; that the resolution • referring to the holiday leave to be granted to the power house staff be extended to include the whole of the permanenn hands employed in the electric light department; that the electrical engineer be authorised to procure small lines of goods for sale as set Gut in his report of February 8, the total value in stock at any time not to exceed the sum of ,€SO. RESERVES COMMITTEE. That Mr. Stanley Smith be notified to immediately comply with the provisions of his lease of the old waterworks reserve with reference .to the eradication of noxious weeds. WATER MAIN EXTENSIONS.

The sub-committee appointed to con sider the application of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board that the water main be extended to the newsite of the Old People's Home, reports that it has granted permission to the board to lay a temporary main to the Old People's Home subject to the following conditions: —(1) The whole of the cost to be paid by the Board. (2) 'I he work to be done by the borough staff. (3) The connection being made to the pipe at present laid to properties belonging to Messrs. Gilmour and others, their consent to be first obtained and lodged with the council. (4) The service to be discontinued when a permanent water main is laid to the Board's property at Westown. (5) The usual annual water rate to be paid by the Board, (ti) The pipe to he the property of the council, but when the service is discontinued the council will reimburse to the Board the then value of the pipes less the cost of taking up and removing same. (7) No connection to be made to the pipe without the consent- of the council. (S) The consent of all owners through whose properties the water main will lie laid to be first I lodged with the council.

BOROUGH ENGINEER'S REPORT. The borough engineer (Mr. A. 11. Ken dall) reports:

.Streets.—'l'lii' strong winds of the last lew ililys have (lone much damage to the streets* by remov ing the blinding. It is unfortunate that no provision was made in the. estimates for tar minting auv of the portions of Devon street metalled about a year ago, also Robe street, and Queen street between I'owderbam street and Queen street. Crusher. —It wili cost to cover in the crusher. Clemow Road Deviation.—The excavation at thU job is almost completed, and a start lias been made with the metalling. Kxpress Hire and Cartage.—The following amounts had Keen p ;l id out during the past- year: Cartage, £441 l.'is (id-, express hire. £33 2s 4d. Waterworks.—The lowering of the water main lor a distance of upwards of a quarter of a mile on the Mangorei road lias been completed.. The authorised water pipe to supply the Old People's Home is being put down. .Morley Street Water Main.—Th# water main in Morley street has been lowered in accordance with instructions. Mangorei.—The waterworks caretaker reports that everything is working satisfactorily at the waterworks, and that owing to the low state of the river he has had to clean out the filters every six or eight hours, and as the water consumption was so great he asked that the water discharges into the gutters in town be stopped for a time to give him a chance to get more water into the reservoir. l[o also stales that the gorsi. and blackberries require cutting at the old waterworks This is upon the leased portion.

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr. H. Black, electrical engineer, reports: —1 desire to put on muni in/ appreciation of the way Mr. SymhlaieU and those under him have cairi.d out the work of this department during my recent absence. I would beg to recommend that Mr. Sandilauds be paid his expenses while in town. J. Duller has left the service of this department to take up farming. 11. Malt is at present away oil annual leave, A. Stunncy relieving during his absence. E. lloldeu is asking for holiday leave. Meters. —Another shipment of meters has just been received. This now completes our order, find provides for immediate requirements. In a few months it will be necessary to order another lot.

Abattoir Motor. —Advice has been received that tile small motor on order for the chilling room was shipped by the Parisiana recently abandoned at sea. I have written advising that another motor be shipped in place of this one, but it cannot now arrive until the present season is over.

In accordance with instructions received from the council, I have ceaseu procuring any goods for sale. 1 would beg to point out, however, that this will probably cause some inconvenience to consumers. One particular line, which I consider we should hold, is. Radiator lamps. Radiators of different types have been procured from time to time as they could be obtained, and these are designed for various types of lamps. No firm here has stocked, or is likelv to stock, all these types of 1 ani])3, therefore many of these radiators will be out of service during the coming winter unless we procure the necessary lamps in time. These lamps have to bb imported, so they should be on order now.

Main cutouts here are to one standard, and the wiring linns- have' depended on us to stock, them. This we should continue to do.

We often have complaints from consumers that they cannot get the lamps that they require. We should be in a position to supply any lamps that are wanted. We should also control the price of lamps to our consumers. i There are also several other minor lines that w r e should-be able to'supply. I do not suggest that wfe should keep a complete stock of lighting accessories, but that we should keep control and be in a position to see that our consumers can get what they desire. We also should be in a position to introduce new lines if we wish the supply of current to increase at the rate that it should.

1 have made a number of inquiries to see if we can hire any machine to help us over the coming winter, but have no replies to hand' yet.