BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 93, 10 October 1911, Page 8

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Borough Council met last night. Present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr. G. W. Browne), Councillors G. W. Hartnell, T. Buxton, W. Ambury, H. Stocker, J. T. Ma.nnix, J. (.'. Morey, jun., J. Clarke, 11. J. Gilbert. LEACH STREET. Mr. 11. Okey, M.P., telegraphed: ''Minister for Railways agrees, sivbject to Crown officers' advice, to declare land marked 'A' a public road, Council to close same and offer with piece marked to adjoining landholders at valuation, Council to deduct costs incurred and price paid for 'B.'" The Mayor said that this meant a settlement of the Leach street difficulty. It might cost £4O or so, but that was much better than paying £2fS5 as pre-

viously asked. A chair-to-chair discussion was starting, when Or. Ambury said that it was

necessary to await the official intimation.—This will be done. THiE FINANCIAL POSITION. The Mayor reviewed the finances, as disposed in the half-yearly returns,

stating that the vote for the year ending 31st March next was almost spent already. The rubbish depot vote had

been greatly exceeded, owing to the necessity for shifting from Fulford street.

The Council would save considerably in bank interest. "Sundries £100" had

beeij spent with the exception of ,£B. In the separate accounts it would be

seen that the abattoirs expenditure had exceeded receipts by £lO3 odd, owing to heavy expenses in .painting, etc. The district account was in just about the

same position as usual at this time

of the year, actually about £2BOO. He regretted that the sewerage loan had not 'been more largely expended, bin matters sueh as Leach street were responsible in a measure for that. Cr. Clarke said thnt it was the same old thing. The Council let the streets get into bad order in the summer because 'there was no money in handi, and then the work cost twice as much in winter. He would "grab" the balance of the horse, and dray vote, and about £IOO from the asphalting -vote. In the engineering department there seemed likely ito be a saving of about £l6O. owing to the appointment of the foreman to the position of engineer and not replacing the foreman. The estimates should be corrected now, and re-drafting,, and money should be "stolen" from other votes to be put on to the streets during the summer. He could see a chance of getting about £7OO for the streets, and the £2OO now remaining was quite insufficient. The Mayor thought £3OO would bo sufficient to maintain the streets in the. present state up to the end of the financial year. He had always maintained that the Council couldn't keep up 20 miles of ronds 1 and 60 miles of footpaths with £2OOO a year. The Council's big expenditure had! been in re-metalling Devon street at Te Henui. . Cr. Clarke said that but for the "sum-1 mer starvation policy" for years past,] that street should not have needed re-1 metalling for three or four years yet. He moved that the various items enumerated by him in the estimates be not further expended. Cr. Buttimore thought the Council could siave considerably by employing modern machines in scavengering on the same lines as adopted in Palmerston JJorth. A man and a very inexpensive machine (cost £25) would do the work of five men. Here in Now Plymouth we had four m?n and two horses and da-ays nit work in seavengering every day, whereas in Palmerston only two men '' were employed. I Crs. Ambury, Buxton and' Stooker ob-1 jected to any reduction of the footpaths ', vote. I

The Council decided not to expend the full amounts set out in the estimates referred to. WIDENING DEVON STREET. The borough engineer submitted the estimated cost of a new kerb and channel in north side of Devon street between Liardet and Gover streets, and also the cost of moving in the present stone 'kerb and cobble gutter to make the width of the footpath 13ft. First, concrete kerb and channel, including the removal of the present stone kerb and cobble gutter and making up the footpath, £56; second, shifting in the present istone kerb and cobble gutter a distance of two feet and making up the footpath, £3O; thirdly, filling and metalling the strip of roadway two feet wide, £l2. After some discussion, in the course of which Cr. Clarke strongly recommended facing the position and doing the work at once, it was decided that the borough engineer submit to the Works Committee an estimate of the cost of •reducing the width to 12 feet of the verandahs on the north side of Devon street between Liardet street and Gover street.

DRAINAGE. Mr. W. D. Webster wrote regarding a notice received from the engineer requiring; him ito connect •with the sewer in Fulford street. It would be more convenient for him to connect with a sewer when laid in Bulteol street.

The Mayor said there was no provision in the loan scheme for a sewer in Bulteel street, but a direct promise had been made by the Council to Messrs. Bradbury and Bruce that upon the loan being carried a sewer would he laid in that street. The work would have to be paid out of the contingency fund.

Or. Mnnnix thought it strange that the Council should have promised this work and then made no provision for it in the loan as i't had undertaken to do. The engineer will submit an estimate of the cost of laying a sewer in Bulteel street.

Mrs. M. Duller asked for six months'l extension of time in which to connect with the sewer, owing to her intention to carry out alterations to premises.— Three months' extension granted. COMMITTEE B.EPORTS. The Works Committee had recommended an extension of time to Messrs. Hy. Brown and 00. in which to connect a cottage with the sewers, they having represented that they were about to demolish the cottage. But Inspector Tippins reported: Henry Brown and Co. have had two rooms newlv panered <wd a new tenant in the house. This does not look like pulling the place down."— The recommendation to grant the ex-

tended time was deleted, and the notice to connect will stand. With this alteration and the deletion of the clause with reference to the flowing of Tamar street, the reports as already published were adopted. GENERAL. Cr. Morey .asked that a return be laid before the Council showing the cost of "the farce of accepting Inspector Tippins' resignation, advertising for another man, and re-appointing the same man." —The return is to be presented to the Council. Or. Buttimore asked; when the Western Park Board would pay for the removal of the aOOOj-ds of earth by the Council from the park for Morley street.—The Mayor: "I expect they'll pay for it in the same way as the Recreation Sports Ground Committee paid for the electric lights we put on the sports ground." It was decided to ask .the Railway Department to connect its Molesworth street cottages with the sewers. Captain Griffiths, of the Fitzroy Fin? Brigade, wrote that he would be pleased to comply with the Council's request to flush out the fire-plugs at stated intervals-. He added that ever since the brigade had iboen fanned the plugs had been cleaned out at least once a month, but the -water not being the brigade's thev had u-ed k us little ps nossiMe. Cr. Buttimore reported, on behalf of the committee, that three horses had been purchased for the Council, at a cost of -ei.w. Two were three-year-olds, and a five-year-old. They had been obtained at'Feildir.g.