BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 162, 15 December 1914, Page 8

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

(J MONTHLY MEETING. 1 , a The usual monthly meeting of the f New Plymouth Borough Council was , hold last night. Present: Ilis Worship the Mayor (Mr J. 10. Wilson), Crs. J. s Kibby, F. Jackson, W. Healy, S. Smith, ] A. H. Johnstone, W. A. Collis, G. Tabor, >, A. H. Sykes, J. T. Mannix, W. Ambury. ' THE ENGINEER COMPLIMENTED. j In moving the adoption of the En- ! gineer's report, the Mayor said that tlio mention of tlio intake work must be received with very great satisfaction, j : Tiie town had outgrown the water supply both for ordinary and electrical ' purposes, it being taxed to tiie utter- ' most, necessitating further provision, and this the engineer had provided. The new intake gave not only an increased' supply, but the dam on the Mangamohoe ! made a very capacious reservoir. The importance of the work called for con- : firmation, and it was very gratifying to know that Mr Black had fully endorsed the engineer's plans. Although the Council had spent £3OO more than originally estimated, that increase had been caused by strengthening the tunnel. He had much pleasure in complimenting the engineer on the success of the scheme. The Council might also be well satisfied with the completion of the Powdcrham Street culvert. That work had already caused an expense of £3OOO, but it was found necessary to strengthen it. This had been done, and the result was that the structure was safe, which could not be said of it previously. A pleasing feature of the work was that it only exceeded the estimate by about £7, though a few pounds extra had been authorised for improving the appearance in one or two places. The work had met with criticism outside, but the result showed that the work was all that could be desired. Cr Collis said lie had much pleasure in agreeing with the remarks made by the Mayor. Cr Smith said he had visited the intake that morning, and was sorry to say that from what he had seen after the fresh, he feared that the damage done would cause the expenditure of a considerable sum. lie would like the Council to view the works. Cr Collis inquired whether it was that (he stones at the front of the intake had fallen back into the trench, as, if so, that was what was expected . would happen, and would in no way be detrimental to the work. Cr Smith admitted that the stones in question were partly what lie referred to. The Mayor said the matter was new, but as it 'had been raised, he would merely formally move that the engineer's report be rccci'/d. The motion was carried. In reply to Cr Kibby, it was stated that the cost of watering the streets was the price of labor only. OTHER REPORTS ADOPTED. The Electrical Engineer's report was received. The Abattoir report was received. The Mayor moved the adoption of the Works Committee' report. The motion was carried. On the motion to adopt the Baths Committee's report, Cr Kibby inquired what reason operated with the Committee in making their choice of a tenderer for painting the baths, two tenderers putting in the same price. He - contended that the firm turned down had saved the Council a good* deal by putting in low prices for other work, k He moved that the matter be referred . back to the Committee. Cr Healy seconded the motion. Cr Johnstone pointed out that the proper course to pursue in case of equal tenders was to ballot. Cr Sykes explained that the Committee was unanimous in its decision. They considered that as one of the tenderers had recently had a contract from the Council it was only fair to give the other a chance. _ After further dicscussion the amendment was lost. Cr Tabor moved to delete from the report the recommendation that provided one-third of those who petitioned for an alteration of the morning hours took season tickets, the Council would ' favourably consider the petition. Cr Collis put in a strong plea for extending the hours for. ladies. Eventually the amendment was lost, , it being pointed out that the petitioners had already been informed of the Committee's decision. The Tramways Committee's report c . was adopted. e The Finance Committee's report was j adopted, and a formal resolution passed for striking a rate 3Jd in the £ on the annual value in respect of the £20,000 loan for extension of electric lighting and supply. - v In connection with the Reserves Committee's report, Cr Tabor put in a plea for help to the West End Foreshore Committee. _ The Mayor considered that the Council should help all the foreshore committees to the utmost of its ability. He advocated a Id rate for a year or two for this purpose. Tiie Reserves Committee's report was adopted. The report of the special committee appointed to consider the reorganisation of the Inspector's office was adopted, after the Mayor had explained the advisability of appointing an assistant inspector so as to enable the inspection of the borough to be more thoroughly carried out. THE TRAMWAYS. A letter was read from the Town Clerk, relative to the. completion of certain streets before the tramway w'orks were started, and suggesting that the engineer should be instructed to proceed with tiie wor'tc. At the suggestion ol Cr Kibby it was arranged to have a meeting ' of the tiamways committee before the matter was dealt with. Ihc borough solicitors submitted deeds hypothecating . debentures in respect of the loans of £50,000 and £20,000. A formal order authorising the sealing of the deeds was passed. Cr Smith, persuant to notice, moved that the resolution of tin; Council to prosecute Messrs Sole Bros, be rescinded on their paying all costs. Cr. Johnstone pointed out that the question was sub judice. The Council then decided to consider the matter in committee. On resuming, the motion was ncatived. The Council then adjourned. ENGINEER'S REPORT. ■Streeis.—St. Aubyn street is now remetalled and treated with soltur from Brougham street, to Egmont street. Gill street has been remetalled from Brougham stret to the Huatoki stream and will be treated with soltar and roadfelt as soon as the weather permits. Clemow [ road has been ballasted from Parkin's gate to the crusher site, and is now be- . Four hundred cubic yards

Waterworks.—The caretaker reports t everything satisfactory at tiie filters, v No word lias yet come to hand in refer- t (nico to the filter ordered last December. I I have written to the contractor and j: asked him to cancel the order for the t plant unless ho can giro me some de- I 1 linito information in regard to its *,r- f rival. ( Buildings.—Seven verandahs in Devon \ street and two in !St. Aubyn street have ] been moved back to the new kerb line. j Two building permits wera issuad r#- ( presenting a total cost of £I29S. Baths.- —This caretaker reports everything satisfactory at the baths. Th» takings for the past three months are ai | follow#:—iSeptomber, £l2 18» 8d; October, £22 17s; November, £lO 10» <!d. , General. —Tiie streets are in fair aondition except Dovon street, which has not , been repaired owing to the necessity of remetaliing it as soon as tlio tranm are laid down. Loan Work. Streets: Powerliam street retaining walls formation and footpaths are now complete. The countersinking is ready for the metal, which will bo laid as soon as the weather permits. Outfield road culvert is progressing satisfactorily. The foundations arc brought up to above water level. Fitzroy road formation and metalling is now complete except trimming up the footpaths. Mahoe street and Ngaio street formation is nearly complete and the metal is being laid down. Foothpaths.--The following paths have been regraded and brought to the level of the kerb: —Courtena.v street, both sides from Liardct to Watson street; Lemon street, both sides from Cameron street to Watson street. Hobson street, both sides from Courtenay street to Devon street; Watson street, both sides from Courtenay street to Devon street. Iverbing and Channelling.—The following kerbing and channelling lias been laid down:—Lemon street, both sides from Cameron street to Watson street; Courtenay street, both sides from Eliot street to Watson street ;north side from Liardct street to Gover street, south side from Cameron street to Eliot street; channel only from Liardet to Cameron street; Watson street, both sides from Courtenay street to Devon street; llobson street, both sides from Courtenay street to Moltsworth street; Gill street, both sides from Gover street to Eliot street; Moles worth street, kerb only from Gover street to Davidson street south oil side. Waterworks Intake.—This work is now completo and is in use. The settling area has been scoured out and tiie vegetation and timber cleared from tht banks. The fences around the reserve are now being erected. Watermains.—The ' following w»termains have been laid: —Hori, Rn»-hiti, Selwyn and Standish streets. Victoria road main is now being laid. Street expenditure.—The following is a summary of the street expenditure from April Ist to November 30th:— Watering streets, £23; cleaning and ! maintenance, central area, £251 7s; ori dinary amintenance, Vogeltown, £7B Its lid, Fitzroy £S7, Is Sd, Western area, St. Aubyn and Moturoa 'area £ll3 12s sd, Westown and Frankley Park area £SB 18s; total, £03!) Ms 3d. Hire of 5 teams carting boulders £lO7 4s 2d; matrial, £101!) 15s; metal purchased, £741 12s !'d; metal crushed bv Council staff, 5 £OB2 0s Od; totals, £3550 0s 3d. Last i year expenditure, including repair to plant and material (which this year is j included in the street vote) amounted 1 to £3505 4s lOd. (ELECTRICAL ENGINEER'S REPORT. i The supply was cut off on the mornr ing of November 22nd, to allow an in- . let to be cut in the. tunnel at the new I dam on the Mangamahoe stream. The opportunity was taken to clean out an accumulation of silt in the forebay. It 3 is expected'that in the future most of 1 this silt will be intercepted at the Mangamahoe dam and the water kept - cleaner, thus saving wear on tho tur- • bines. While the water was cut off I - inspected the tunnel and found it in ext cellent condition. In the unlincd por--5 tions there is a small amount of silt and leaves along tiie bottom, but not ■ more than on previous inspections, while in the concrete part tlio invert is quite 3 clean. The store on the Liardet street section has been moved as authorised to [ make room for the new substation njkd \ good progress has been made with the excavation of tho site for the building. " ABATTOIR REPORT. I Slaughtered for local consumption:— ' Cows 102, bullocks 5, calves 15, sheep 587, lambs 144, pigs 02; tripes cleaned, 101, k one calves head. Compared with tho corresponding month of last year they , show an increase of 18 cattle, 1 calf, and [ 30 tripes, and a decrease of 2 sheep, 43 , lambs, and 1 pig. Six cows and four pigs ) were condemned. Slaughtered for export, , 10 cows, 25 bulls, 85 sheep, 43 lambs and 5 calves; four bulls were condemned. No . stock was slaughtered for export last L November. The fees amounted to £123 . 14s !)d, an increase of £lO 0s 3d. WORKS COMMITTEE'S REPORT. . The committee reported recommend- ■ big:—That the draft lease to Mr. Williamson of part section 4 llua and Waii wakaiho be approved; that the action of his worship the Mayor in authorising : the Borough engineer to arrange with Messrs T. and R. Parkin for the cartage of boulders from the mouth of the Waiwakailio river to the crusher site be confirmed and that the engineer be authorised to continue the arrangement until a total of 0000 cubic yards have been carted; that the Borough engineer be authorised to lay concrete flags on the footpath on tht northern side of Devon street between Egmont and Queen streets (estimated cost £30); that the borough engineer bo instructed to tar the portion of the footpath ill Devon street between Liardet street and Egmont streets where the new telephone cable has been laid; that subject to the owners granting easements to allow the earth to encroach on their properties, the request of the residents in Fulford street between Mt. Edgecombe street and Morley street for alteration of the street levels as shown on the plan submitted be acceded to and the Borough engineer be authorised to proceed with the work; that the Borough engineer be authorised to have the pillars at the Powdcrham street retaining wail plastered; that the Borough engineer be granted leave of absence from December •21th to January 7th; that the Ngamotu beautifying Society be informed that the Council has no power to close part of Pioneer road for the purpose, indicated ill their letter; that Ilis Worship the Mayor and Cr. Kilibv be a sub-committee tii confer with the High School Board with reference to the stormwater drain from the Avenue road; that subject to the consent of the tenant being also obtained, permission be given to the Xlth Regiment to manoeuvre troops on the Abattoir reserve on the occasion of the annual camp; that the District Health Officer having certified tlita the building on part section 883 New Plymouth owned by Henry Waring Saxton, and •partly occupied by Mrs. Devine, is in a condition unfit for occupation, and dan-

lie owner thereof to pull down the same i"of I'itlmi a time to bo named in such no- f tc ice; tlmt a copy of the letter from the Ci listrict Health tlflicer with reference to tc remises in Young street be forwarded tli 0 the agents of tho owner, Mrs. Ham- of ilin: that the tender of Mr. 11. 11. Ford t* or the supplj of dog collara be accept- pi id; that in pursuance of and subject to ol .he powers vested in it by "The Dog B legislation Act, I'JOS" and' the amend- t( nents thereto the Novr Plymouth Bor- S nigh Council hereby fixes the registra- fi tion fee for each dog within the said d: borough for the year ending the 31st o: December, 1915, to bo tho sum of 10s >r 5s if paid before the 31st of March, J 1913. Sheep and cattle dogs as deicribed in subsection c of section S of the above Act, 2s (Id ,an'd the said Coun- a :il hereby appoints the Town Hall, King a street, New Plymouth, to be the regis- d tration office at which dogs may be re- c' ®istcred and at which the register books ,i( shall be kept, and appoints Benjamin Tip- b pin 3 to be registrar under the provisions ef the said Act; that in accordance with t'ue recommendation of the consulting engineers, a progress payment of £9Ol 18s be made to Messrs Greenshields and Co., subject to detailed inspection by the renident engineer; that the Borough engineer be authorised to lay a 6in water wain from Pioneer road to railway crossing at Meturoa. __ ELECTRIC LIGHT COMMITTEE'S j REPORT. " ~ c Tile committee reported:—Considera- i tion of the petition for electric light at c Spotswood was deferred to enable fur- J tlier information to be obtained; tho 1 electrical engineer was authorised to accede to tba application of the West End Foreshore Society for four temporary lights for their bazaar. BATHS COMMITTEE'S REPORT. ' The committee reported:—Tho petitioners for alteration of the morning ' hours for ladies at the baths were informed that provided one third of the petitioners took season tickets the Council would favorably consider the petition; the custodian was instructed to eubrait * monthly report to tho Borough engineer to bo embodied in his report; that Messrs. Bellringer Bros.' tender of £l<s for painting the interior of the baths in accordance with the specifications of the Borough engineer bu accepted (other tenders: Nippert Bros. £ 15, West and Sona £lB 18s); that the Borough engineer be authorised, to proceed with the work of completing the concrete work in front of the baths, at an estimated cost of £ls. TRAMWAYS COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The committee reported:—That the consulting engineer be instructed to proceed with the tramway generators on the lines originally arranged, the Council being of opinion that the volume of business likely to be offering would not be suliicient to justify the extra expense involved; that the plans of the car sheds and the substation buildings be approved and that tenders be invited for the work and that t»o sites of the buildings as previously arranged be adhered to; that applications be invited for the position of resident engineer at a salary at the rate of £350 per annum, subject to conditions of appointment to be approved by the chairman. RESERVES COMMITTEE'S-REPORT. 1 ~ com,l] ittee reported:—Tlmt Messrs I'. C. J. Bellringer, Flanagan and Fletaher, representing the East End Bathing committee waited upon the committee with reference to the plan for the extension of the pavilion and re the bridge over the Hcnui river; the committee recommended that subject to the approval of the Borough engineer, the plan of the proposed bridge be approved and that the engineer be authorised to provide the necessary access to the bridge from Watson street; that the plans of the proposed additions to tho East End grant of £ 150 be made to tho East End Bathing committee towards the erection of additions to the pavilion in accordance with the plans submitted, such grant to be payable in April, 1915, provided the extensions have been completed to the satisfaction of the Borough engineer by that time; that native reserve 15, the lease of which was recently acquired by the Council from Mr. ?' ® placed under the control of the East End Bathing committee on tlie same conditions as the other reserves held by the committee, except that the rent shall be payable by the Council; that both the East End Bathing committee and the Ngamotu Beautifyi"b all( l Improvement Society be informed that the Council cannot see its way to hand over to the committees in question the sanitary conveniences purchased some time ago; tll::i as requested by tha Ngamotu Beautifying and Improvement Society, application be made to the Harbor Board to vest in the Council the control of the foreshore bej ?, Bayly road and tho breakwater and that in the ev'-nt of the application being granted such control he delegated to the Society o.i the conditions governing its constitution; that the control of the foreshore between the Belt and Bayly roads, including the land leased by the Council from the Railway Department, be delegated to the Ngamotu Beautifying and Improvement Society, subject to" the conditions governing the constitution of ' tlic society and as regards the railway leasehold subject to tho following i additional conditions:—All rents of cot- • tages and tent sites to be collected by the Council; such rent to be handed to the Society from time to time on special application, and to be spent bv the Society under the supervision of and as directed by the chairman of tlie reserves committee, solely in improvements to the land comprised in the leaso from the railway; the terms of the lease from t the Railway Department to be strictly , adhered to by the society and a separate account to be kept of all revenue from and expended on such railway I land; that provided it is effected at once the Ngamotu Beautifying and Improve- ( ment Society be permitted to remove the old shed ;it the back of Marslund llill; that the Borough engineer be authoris- * ed to lay down with soltar the footpaths at Marsland Hill; that the Fitzroy school committee be granted the free use I of the Fitzroy Hall on the lGth inst, for 1 their annual prize giving ceremony; that ( - provided the Government make a grant '

if .Cl.lO and an annual grant of £lO .0 wards the upkeep of the graves, the j Council creed in the cemetery a cairn ;o commemorate tile soldiers buried in he cemetery, an(l undertake the upkeep >f such graves; tho cairn to be similar w the ona eroofced in Normanby; that provided tha tenant agrees, tho Council jifcr no objeetioa to the fen»o on the Jorough reserve being shifted back fif- , icon feet at the corner of Ohura and 3tandish roads, as set out In the letter from tha Stratford County Engineer, lated "NftTember 14tli, 1914, and shown an the plan thereon. BOROUGH INSPECTOR'S OFFICE. The eommittoe recommends:—(That supplications ba called for the position of assistant in»p«rtor, portion of -whose duties shall bo poundkeeper, at an inclusive salary ol £lO4 per annum, subject to the conditions to be approved by tho chairman.