BOROUGH COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 69, 12 September 1911, Page 4

BOROUGH COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Borough Council was held last night. Present: The Mayor (Mr. (1. W. Browne) and Crs, .Ins. Clarke, 0. W. Hartnell, J. ]!uttimore, T. Buxton, W. Ambsry, JJ. Stoekcr, .1. T. Alannix, Jas. (!. Morev, and 11. .1. (iilbert. LIBRARY COMMITTEE. The sub-committee appointed to confer with the Library Committee recom-mended-—(I) Thut the Council set apart £IOO annually, which, with any Government subsidy, shall be devoted to the purchase of books and magazines for the library, and that the Library Committee have no further financial responsibility, the Council meeting nil other liabilities and taking all revenue; (2) that the Library Committee have control of the Carnegie Library building; (3) that the committee be known as "The Carnegie Institute Committee." "WORKS COMMITTEE.

the Works Committee recommended thnt the agreement drafted by the borough solicitors with reference to verandahs b(' approved and that tho borough engineer be instructed that in future no permit for the erection of a verandah be granted unless such an agreement be signed by the owner of the building; that the request of the New Plymouth Beautifying Association that the Council should re-tar the footpaths on Mnrsland Hill be acceded to, the Association paying the cost of the tar; that Mr. L. Jackson be thanked for granting permission to the Council to remove the earth from section 147, Young street, the Council to have the right to remove the earth from time to time as required for street work; that residents of McLean street, I'itzroy, be informed that tliir application for extension of the water main will be considered after the Greater New .Plymouth scheme lias been decided, when, if the scheme be carried, a comprehensive plan for the reticulation of the extended borough will be considered by the Council; that, as recommended bv the borough engineer, T. Partington be paid Is 3d per hour when employed with sewer works: that the borough engineer be instructed to continue the sewers along Standish street to the intersections of Wallace Place; that the borough engineer be instructed to effect repairs to the footpaths mentioned in his letter of September 5, the work to be done by the present staff at a time most suitable to the engineer; that the captain of the Fitzroy Fire Brigade be requested to occasionally try the water pressure at alt fire plugs in the Fitzroy town district; that the borough engineer be authorised to supply the waterworks' caretaker with 335 super, feet of timl>er to complete the picket fence round the cottage garden, a few sheets of second-hand iron to cover his milkiiig-shed; that notices be served on all owhers set out in the report of the borough inspector, requiring thein to connect their properties with the sewers within one month, and in the event of the notices not being coinplied with proceedings be taken to enforce compliance in every case. " KLKCTIiIC LIGHT COMMITTEE. The Electric Light Committee recommended—That the electrical engineer bo authorised to purchase an overhead travelling crane; the tenders received for the forebay and pipeline were 'referred to the electrical engineer, to confer with the consulting engineer and arrange if possible for a definite recommendation to be made on the 14th inst.

A BY-LAW QUESTION'. Messrs Xixon and (Irant wrote:—Having received a violent telephone message from one of the master plumbers of New Plymouth, that we were guilty of committing a mo.it grave offence against the borough by-laws, namely, disconnecting. at the owner's urgent request, n -in pipe from a Pelton water-wheel, and being duly informed that unless we were off the premises in 30 minutes the sai<l gentleman would lay an information against lis for the above offence, we respectful} - ask you if yon do not consider that a first-class certificated engineer, Board of Trade, London, England, is not competent to perform this skilful operation, and if so, will you kindly give the matter of an amendment of tha borough by-laws, allowing engineers having to make alterations to water pipes connected with water turbines, steam boilers and hydraulic lifts the power to do such works without having to engage the services of a licensed plumber to disconnect the water-supply pipes before he can proceed with such engineering alterations that may be required.

Cr. Mannix: I think it's a most reasonable request. It's a lot of rot as it is now. The Mayor said the letter would need to lie referred to the By-laws Committee.

Cr. Clarke: And while they are at it they should discriminate between sanitary and other plumbers in the borough. The present position was ridiculous. Cr. Tlartnell said it was quite time that the Borough Council provided for allowing people other than sanitary plumbers to cut the water-mains. Ther'o were many tradesmen—this firm, for instance, who were quite competent to do this work. Other boroughs had framed their by-laws to meet such cases, but New Plymouth was behindhand in this respect. . Referred to the By-laws Committee. THE (TENERAL INSPECTOR. Inspecto: Tippins applied to have his wages increased to £3 a week, pointing out that he had to work very long hours, attend to the pound on Sundays, and keep a bicycle in repair, without such means of locomotion he would not bo of much use to the Council. The town clerk had replied drawing the inspector's attention to the resolution of the Council that applications for increase of salary must be in the hands of the town clerk in time for the February meeting. The inspector replied to that, forwarding his resignation. In a further letter he asked to be allowed to withdraw his resignation, provided the Council would make him a bicycle allowance, pointing out that he could not do half as much work without his bicycle. Councillors spoke of the excellent services given by the inspector, Cr. Gilbert remarking that no one else could do tins work "as efficiently, as hard-heartedly, or as fearlessly." A bicycle allowance of 2s 6d a week was granted. GENERAL. An amended request for water mains in Nob's Line and McLean street, Fitzrov, was referred to the engineer for report at the adjourned meeting. Tho letter stated that the building of two houses was being hung up pending tho Council's' decision.

All application from Messrs Smith niul Tweednlc for a concession in the price charged for water for a proposed motor in connection with ironsand experiments was referred to the Mayor to deal with. Mr. T. Barnes complained of the state of the drain in Young street, expressing the opinion that unless some remedial steps were taken there was great danger of an epidemic breaking out.—Mr. fi. Pnrrott wrote regarding the same matter.—The engineer will have cleansing work carried out.