BOROUGH COUNCIL JOTTINGS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 215, 11 March 1914, Page 6

BOROUGH COUNCIL JOTTINGS.

FROM POUNDKKEPEI! TO OAB-IIIRE. The business of the New Plymouth Borough Council on Monday night would have been concluded at 8.30 p.m., but for the fatal interval between the d:sposal of the correspondence file and the announcement of the adjournment, when the councillors relapse into the purely conversational, and discuss anything from poundkecpcrs to cab-hire and the new by-laws. A short time ago the Council appointed a poundkeeper at Fitzroy. Then the borough inspector went along and i.n pounded the poundkeeper's cattle, and the Council concluded by giving the in spector the billet. On Monday night Abo Mayor stated that the Fitzro., pv.> .pie. were dissatisfied, because when their cattle were impounded they had to wait iiuitil the inspector was at hand to let them out. l.'r. Kibby said that recently lie had a horse let out of his paddock and subsequently impounded, and he could support the complaint. 1; was decided to get the inspector to arrange .to he on hand at the pound at a stated hour each day to release cattle. • Cr. Clarke then referred to the discrepancies which existed between tiptab rates charged for by different cab drivers. lie had been charged ."is fur 4i drive from his house on Standisli's ■Hill to the railway station to catch i.he mail train. A scale of fees should lie planed in each cab, so that passengers could not be imposed on. After a short discussion, it was pointed out •that the, present cab rales applied .only ■to the old borough boundaries. It was -decided to circularise cab-drivers to the ell'ect that this scale must he adhered to inside the boundary. The Mayor stated that the scale would be revised, on a basis of mileage or time, in the new by-laws. . The Moturoa 'bus service, next received attention at the hands of Cr. Colli-. ' .The time-table was not strictly adlien o I.to, lie said. Passengers were allowed to . smoke inside the 'bus, and intoxicated ■people were carried too frequently. I Inspector Tippins will be asked to take I 'an occasional trip on the 'buses as a [.corrective. | Cr. Wilson referred to the cost of | .keeping the side streets clean. This would be lessened if traffic on these streets were confined to the metalled portions, and the. sides laid down in grass. This would be cheaper, cleini'T and more attractive. It would also settle the dust problem to ti large ex- • tent. The borough engineer will be asked to report as to what streets conn) be so treated, and also on the question of street plant ing. Cr. Coliis remarked that tradesmen •and others should be restrained from backing their carts forcibly against the .kerbings. The Mayor said the matter "Was being attended to in the new bylaws. At the suggestion of Cr. Ilealy, a notice will be sent to a certain blacksmith requiring him to keep his horse yard cleaner. "Why should the Railway Department be allowed to throw all their rubbish over the retaining wall on to the beach >on front of the station?" was what Cr. Sykes wanted to know. Visitors to . that part of the beach were regaled with a sight of a litter of straw, paper «nd other refuse.-The stationmaster at New Plymouth will be written to on .-the matter. . Cr. Collis enquired why the Telegraph ■Department had been allowed to place a pole so that it shut out the iight from the lane at the far end of Brougham ■street.—The electrical .cngii.Be? was Instructed to interview the Department on the matter.