BOROUGH COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 296, 11 June 1912, Page 4

BOROUGH COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council was held last ;;io Mayor (Mr. G. W. Browne) presiding. Other members present were: Crs. Morey, Mannix, Clarke, Stocker, Ambury, Buxton, Buttimore, Jackson, and Kibby. DEAD STOCK. Arishlg out of the borough inspector's report the following motion was passed: "That the Stock Department be informed that, in the opinion of this Council, the bodies of all animals dying in the borough should be removed to the digester at Messrs. Sole Bros., Fitzroy, and that the Department be requested Ift make such regulations as may be necessary to compel this to be done within 24 hours from the death of such animals."

ELECTRIC LIGHT WORKS. Messrs. Williams and Meares (contractors to Messrs. I. 0. Boving and Co.) wrote stating that on June 5 they employed Messrs. Sladden and Palmer, on behalf of Boving and Co., to cheek the levels and angles prior to commencing the erection of the new pipe-line at the electric light works. The report of Messrs. Sladden and Palmer was as follows: "We have tried the alignment and levels of the above trench and find that neither quite conform with the working, plan, the centre pipe-line being at one place within two feet of the side of the trench, and the levels are at some points as much as three feet too low and at others eighteen inches, and two feet too high." Referring to the variations and uncompleted state of the pipe-line, Messrs. Williams and Meares pointed out that they were experiencing a very serious loss and delay owing to the excavations not being ready for them to erect their temporary tramline and other work, They therefore held the Council responsible for the sum of £5 5s per day for every day from June 6 until such time as they were again able to employ their men on the pipe-line erection. The writers asked that the turbines be erected in their correct positions and that the erection of the ferefbay should be pushed along with the greatest possible speed. They suggested that the number of men working on the job should be doubled, so as to take advantage of the fine weather. On the motion of Cr. Clarke, it wan decided to refer the letter to the Electric Light Committee for report. WATER POWER. Messrs. Baker and Co. wrote to the effect that during the last twelve working days they had carefully timed how long they had used the water for power, and had found that it amounted to eight and a half hours for the twelve days, an average of 42 minutes per day. They were perfectly satisfied that, takin" the year right through, this average would not be exceeded, but rather lessened. The matter of the supply of water power was generally discussed, and the Council decided, on the motion of Cr. Clarke, to rescind a previous resolution requiring consumers of water power to provide meters after Julv 1, along with a futher resolution that the Hooker Printing Company be charged £25 per annum for its service. The Council decided on this step in order to re-open the whole question, it being stated that for one thing tfae cost of the meters would run into a We sum. 6 On the recommendation of the Reserves Court, the Taranaki Road Race Committee was granted the free use ol the Fitzroy Hall for a euchre party and dance on June 14. The electrical engineer was authorised to instal a radiator in the chess and draughts room at the Carnegie Library at a cost not exceeding £lO. A COUNCILLOR COMPLAINS. Cr. Buxton complained that the Council was not giving residents a fair deal in regard to the electric light supply, ia that it failed to give all of them facilities to become consumers, and furthei it shut off the current to electric power consumers after 5 p.m. Cr. Morey followed in like strain, referring to those putting up new residences, and the upshot of the discussion was the passing of a motion, on the initiative of Cr. Buxton, that the electrical engineer submit a report to the executive committee with reference to the possibility of installing a further generator to augment the supply of electric current, and that the executive have power to act. Upon Cr. Kibby drawing attention to the matter, it was decided to instruct the engineer to put the footpath between lot and Hobson streets, on the beach side, in a proper state of repair. After some discussion it was decided, on the motion of Cr. Kibby, seconded by Cr. Mannix, to reduced the west side footpath in Currie street to a width of eight feet, between Powderham street and Currie lane. The nan-owing of the east side footpath is already in hand. Cr. Mannix moved and it was decided that the ' clay bank overhanging the footpa/th in Liardet street, opposite the Technical College, be reduced by three feef. On the motion of Cr. Clarke it was decided to eliminate from the Works report the following clause; That the Gisborne Borough Council be informed that this Council cannot see its way to endorse their resolution recommending the increase of hotel license fees, and consider that this is a matte* for the consideration of Parliament, and docs not call for the of borough councils. The matter will be considered later.