BOROUGH ACTIVITIES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 275, 12 April 1913, Page 8

BOROUGH ACTIVITIES.

COMPREHENSIVE PiE\'lE\V. The Town Clerk's annual report is a bulky document, containing a comprehensive review of the municipal activities of the past year, and an outline of several important matters worthy of the consideration of the incoming Council. GREATER NEW PLYMOUTH. At the outset Mr. Bellringer refers at length to the Greater New Plymouth scheme, which occupied a very prominent position during the year and from time to time unparalleled difficulties were met with and had to be overcome. He traverses the strained relations between the Council and St. Aubyn Town ' Board, Mr. Okey!s subsequent services as mediator, and the final merging of the area on September 2. Concluding, he says:—"The addition of the St. Aubyn Moturoa area completed tin: Greater New Plymouth scheme as originally decided upon. The details of the scheme are set out in my last report so that it is unnecessary to recapitulate the same in this report. The area of the Borough, including the Abattoir Reserve, which was added on the Ist of February, 1913, is now 4040 acres, and the estimated population 7600. The Hurworth. St. Aubyn and Moturoa areas were formed into one ward, and named the St. Aubyn-Moturoa ward, Mr. J. E. Wilson being elected unopposed as its representative. With the exception of those intimately concerned with the negotiations no one can possibly have any idea of the amount of work and trouble which was necessary to carry the scheme to a successful issue. The fact that from the initiation of the scheme until its completion less than a period of two and a half years elapsed, must reflect the greatest credit, both on the late Mayor (Mr. G .Tiseh) and the present Mayor (Mr. G. W. Browne), who with the assistance of.the different Councillors, and certain residents in the suburbs, completed it. All these gentlemen went to an enormous amount of trouble in the matter, but none of them seemed to grudge the great sacrifice of their time which it entailed. The tlianks of the ratepayers are also due to the editors of both the local press, who took a very strong stand in favour of the merger, and whose assistance at the most critical period, was most invaluable." -. ..

TRAMWAY SCHEME. The report details the steps leading up to the recent carrying of the electric tramways loan of £55.000. This provides for the first section of a larger scheme which will eventually embrace the Yogeltown, Wcslown, and Frankley Road districts, when the growth of the population in those districts warrants the expenditure. WARDS ABOLISHED. "In my last report." states the Town Clerk. '-T recommended that the Council should consider whether the time had not arrived when the wards of the Borough should be abolished. The recommendation was adopted and a special order was passed and gazetted ftbolishinor the wards as from the loth April, 15)13. I feel sure that the change will be for the better and will do much to dispel that feeling of ward against ward, which has on occasions undoubtedly in the past, crept into the administration of Borough affairs." NEW VALUATIONS.

Under the heading of new valuations it is the area of the Borough having increased from 875 acres to 4046 acres, it was manifestly impossible for the Town Clerk to also act as valuer. [ Mr. C .T. Mills was therefore appointed valuer. The valuation list, as submitted by the valuer, showed a total annual value of £107,1(1(5, beng an increase of approximately 25 per cent, on the old valuations. Approximately 300 objections were received against the assessment. DISTRICT FUND ACCOUNT. Excluding the estimated increase of overdraft the total estimated receipts at the beginning of the year were £22,001. Actually £25,835 was received, representing an increase of £3854. The expenditure was £22.337 and the actual disbursements £27,247/ being an increase of £4OIO. The expenditure on the various separate accounts forming part of the District Fund Account, however, exceeded the receipts by £IOB 14s. The net rrantt of the year's working lias therefore been to incase the debit balance of £IOOB Ms 8d brought forward at the lien-inning of the year to £3400 10s lid nt the end of the year WATERWORKS.

Denlinsr with the waterworks the report states-.—"Owing to the extension of the boundaries of the Borough large extensions of the watermains have become necessary and £II.BOO was provided in the streets and water loan for this purpose. This will enable the mains to be extended to those suburbs whieh are at present without water, and will also enable further ext-nsions to be made in those districts which at present have the supply. In accordance with the terms of an agreement entered into by the Council with the. Taranaki (New Zealand) Oil Wells. Limited, a commencement was made with the laying of an 8inch main along the Main' South Road to the refinery. TCventuallv this main will be continued to the Breakwater, thus conferring a great boon on the shipping and opening up a fresh source of revenue to the Council." The report also refers to the necessity for exercising some supervision over the water catchment area.

I STREET WORKS. Mention is made of'"the carrying of .the £42.000 loan for extension of waterf works and street improvements, which was necessitated on amount of certain works which, in the opinion of the Council, were absolutely necessary in the interests of the town, but whieh could not be carried mil of revenue. During the year in addition to purchasing "extra horses and drays the Council also provided further facilities in the carrying out of the street works. An electric motor was purchased for the crushing plant, thus freeing the traction engine for hauling and rolling." A road grader, and a tar spraying machine were also purchased. Cheaper and more up-to-date methods should therefore prevail in the work of street maintenance in the future. Reporting on March sth last upon the cost of metal for repairs in Devon street the Engineer stated that with the new plant the cost of the metal on the road (exclusive of blinding and rolling) amounted to fls lly 4 d per cubic

yard as iigainst a cost of fls Od per / cubic yard with th(> old plant. If a similar saving is effected on all other jobs the new plant would pay for itself in a very short period. j "In view of the extension of the Bar- \ ougli," states the report, "the supply of road metal is a question to which the Council have had to give some atten- , tion. The supplies have hitherto been obtained from the Abattoir Reserve, Fitzroy, but with the enlarged Borough ' the metal for the southern and western portions of the Borough will have to be ] carried Oong distances over ißorough streets, and this heavv traffic will na- l turally cause considerable damage to ex- s isting streets. The Borough Engineer j has, therefore, been instructed to endeavour to locate suitable supplies in the portions mentioned with the view to obviating this damage. It has been suggested to me that when the tramways are being constructed the Council ahould consider the advisability of Layin? a lisrht tramline from the inter-sec-tion of Devon Road and Saekville street to the Abattoir Reserve. By the provision of metal trollies of the same gauge as the tramway line, the metal for New Plymouth Central and the St. Aubyn and Moturoa districts could be taken alon" the lines to certain fixed 1 depots, thus ('oin« aw.v w'th a great ' nronortion of the heavv traffic. The initial cost will probably be n?<>mst this scheme, hut it is one on which perhaps the Council may deem it advisable to obtain estimates and expert advice." SANITARY CONTRACT. "The Council could not see its way to adopt the recommendation contained in my last report, for an improved method of collecting and disposing of house refuse, etc., and a new contract was let for a further period of three years from 31st March, 1913. When the present contract expires I trust that my previous recommendation will receive more favourable consideration .as the present method is altogether out of date. AVENUE ROAD RESERVE. "By a Local Bill passed in lfllO the Council obtained leasing powers over that portion of the Racecourse Reserve lying to the east of Avenue Road. Up to the present time 24 sections have been taken up. Six sections were withheld from sale, leaving 11 available sections undisposed of. The annual rental on the sections leased amounts to £149 ss. MUNICIPAL OFFICES. "It has been recognised for many years that the present Town Hall is altogether out-of-date and entirely unsuitable for the purposes for which it is used. At the beginning of the year the jium of £25 was placed on the Estimates as a prize in connection with competitive designs for new buildings, but nothing further was done in the matter, and the vote has therefore lapsed. In my opinion the time has arrived when the present buildings should be pulled down, and up-to-date buildings erected." BY-LAWS. In my last report It was pointed out that the by-laws of the Borough should be revised and: brought up-to-date. The matter is becoming most urgent. The stock of by-laws is absolutely depleted and there are many other matters not comprised within the present by-laws which require attention. A new by-law | is urgently required to provide that all J drivers of motor cars for hire ■ shall be j over a certain age, and shall be in pos- i session of a certificate of proficiency as..' a driver. In the meantime and until I such a by-law can be passed, I recommend that- before any person is licensed to drive a motor car for hire the Inspector should require him to submit with his ordinary application a certificate of proficiency signed by some recognised instructor. All drivers' licenses expired on the 31st March last, and in the meantime I have instructed the Inspector not to renew the license of any motor car drivers or to grant any fresh licence un- J til after this recommendation has been I placed before the Council." VARIOUS MATTERS. ' Touching on various matters the report states that In view of the general election of Councillors this month, it is very probable that before the work of the erection of public conveniences is commenced the question of site will be reviewed by the Council. Referring to the Victoria Esplanade, he states:—"Although for many years past this Esplanade, by the courtesy of the owners has been used by the public, it was only during the past year that the Council acquired a legal title thereto, tho owners Messrs, W. "h. Newman and J. Rollo vcrv generously 2'ivinsr the land free." J g h Other matters dealt with in the re- I port are referred to elsewhere. j