BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 315, 15 June 1915, Page 7

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING, The usual monthly meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council was held last night. Present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr. J. E. Wilson), Crs. L. M. Montoath, J. Havden, S. Smith, A. H Johnstone, W. Short, E. J. Hill, C. H. Burgess, A. E. Sykes, W. A. Collis, J. S. S. Medley. Crs. Mannix and Watkins were granted leave of absence. The following reports were presented ELECTRICAL ENGINEER'S REPORT, Mr. H. Black, electrical engineer, reports:— Power house.-—The maximum reeorded loud during the .past month was .Mil kilowatts, an increase of 23 over the previous month. A further increase j may be expected during this month, as j June is generally the heaviest. Transmission Line. —The necessary wires for this work have come to hand an 4 have been carted out along the route. We expect to start running this wire out within the next few days. The work of the month has been mostly alteration of lines, repairs, and running new -services. Twenty-five new connections have been put in, making a total of 1520. BOROUGH ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr. C. Skitrop, borough engineer, reports;— Streets.—The metalling of Hobson Street is. completed. The metalling of Holdsworthy Road and the upper portion of Carrington Road is now completed and requires binding and rolling, winch will be done a3 soon as the road roller in available. Approximately 2(i chains of formation, 50 chains of metalling and 22 chains of Soltarring have been done on the southern side of the tram track, from six chains westward of Bayly Road to near Kingswell Street, j The limestone pit on Mr. George's property has been stripped and the material is being used for foundation, for which purpose it is very suitable. A considerable amount of repairs have been carried out to various streets and roads, Footpaths.—Approximately 30 chains of paths have been reformed and covered with screenings and gravel. Waterworks.—The new filter is erected and will be ready for use as Boon as the specials arrive from Wanganui. The automatic flood gates at the intake arc being put in position. Approximately - IS chains of water mains and gas mains have been lowered along the tramway route. This was necessary in order to 1 comply with the Government regulations which specifies that no water or gas main shall be nearer than 2ft. 6in. to the tram rail. Building and Drainage.— Nine building permits were issued representing a total value of £SOOO and four drainage permits issued. Baths.—The caretaker reports as follows: Total attendance for the month of May was Oil, of which 55 were fof hot baths. The total takings were £1 18s. ' WORKS COMMITTEE. This committee reeoinends:—That the council carry out the work of making ) - the Soltar Macadam road on the tram route by day labour. That Mr. C. Skitrop be engaged to supervise the laying down of the Soltar macadam road on ( the tram route and all formation and other work incidental thereto, at a , salary of £350 per annum, the engage- j ment to be determined without notice i at the completion of the work in ques- ■'. tion, but may be determined at any time , previous thereto by three months' notice - by either party. That Mr. Skitrop be ' responsible directly to the council for ] this work and not to the new borough j engineer when* appointed. That until , the new engineer is appointed and takes j up his duties Mr. Skitrop be appointed borough engineer and building superin- - tendent. That a sub-committee consisting of the chairman, his Worship the ( Mayor and Councillor Burgess be appointed with the view to coming to an amicable arrangement with the contractors to compensate the council for damago done to borough streets by heavy traffic. That the borough engineer be authorised to order such Soltar as he may require for the work of Soltarring the tram track, to be delivered in such quantities and at such times as lie may require it. , That the report of the Street Lighting Committee be confirmed as follows: —That street lights be installed at the < positions recommended by the electrical engineer as follows: —David Street ; (estimated cost £4 10s), Ngaip and i Mahoe Streets (estimated cost £4 10s), i Rawhiti Road (estimated cost £4 10s), ' Mill Road (estimated cost £0 10s), - Waiwaka Terrace (estimated cost £5 10s), Avenue Road one extra light when reconstruction work completed Ridge Lane (estimated cost £4 10-s). 'J bat VVt.it Street be formed and grovelled < witli black gaol graved to give access to the new hospital (estimated cos) .!>"■"!). That the Hospital Uoarl be informed that the council ':annot see its way. for I " financial reasons, K provide an ont'.amv. j to the new hos,i f.al from Worlev Street I ' via. Downc Street, 'j hr-f. Mr" V. P. L'orkill be informed that the neressary work to deal wrh Lie stormvater frou the racecourse and ,7i:!m Ktreit has been authorised and will on completed within the next two months. That no steps be taken to oppose the. application to make the council a pa.ty to the pomiliirs' award. That Mr. I). Barry lie inforincil that the work of forming and metalling Paynters Lane will be commenced in January, ll)l(i. That the letter from Messrs. T. and R. Parkin offering to deliver 12,000 cubic yards boulders at the abattoir .site be referred to the chairman and his Worship the Mayor with power to act. That the question of obtaining the necessary easements for widening Carrington I'cad be referred to the chairman to confer with the owners affected and report. That a letter be forwarded to the Minis!er for Publ'c Works Department re Waiwakaiho Bridge, pointing out (lie grave danger of the bridge being washed awav, and lie be a4;ed when it is proposed'lliat the v.ork miohM be put in hand, Tliat his Worship the Mav.if, Couueillon Burgess and Mont-alb be a].pointed with power to eli'eif improvements to the council room in re- r<\ to heating and other mutt' -3. / TRAMWAYS COMMITTEE. The Tramways Committee recommends:—That the consulting engineer be informed that the council agree' to fid per lineal yard being the rate for the deduction of labour in connection with the deletion of tarring work from Con-

tract No. 2. (Total estimated deduction including tar, sand and labour, £491 14s 2d.) That the necessary legal steps be taken to authorise the raising of the additional 10 per cent, loan for tramways (£5500). > LIBRARY COMMITTEE. , The Library Committee recommends: —That ill future the circulating library J. bo closed at noon on Thursday. That the chairman, be authorised to have a _ j suitable notice hung in the hall of the library buildings, notifying the public . that all books not in circulation may be read in thcT building free of charge. ' 1 RESERVES COMMITTEE. The Reserves Committee recommends: —That Messrs. Geo. Corney, Fred Newell J. N. Johnson and T. Petty be appointed members of the Western Turk Board. The question of laying out of the piece of ground adjoining the Terminus Hotel and the future upkeep of the same was referred to tho chairman with power to act. All the above reports were adopted, with the addition of a clause to the lighting report agreeing to the request of the County Council to have the electric light service parried to the hall at Omata on the county paying £270 and the legal expenses. The Mayor was authorised to sign tlie statutory certificate for the: closing of boot dealers' shops (exclusive of bootmakers and repairers) at 9 p.m. on Saturdays. Formal resolutions were passed authorising the raising of the loans recently sanctioned by the ratepayers ( £22 000 and £0000). WEST END REQUIREMENTS. A deputation of Spotswood settlers waited on the council with reference to various matters affecting them. Mr. O. J. Hughes said, that one matter was lighting. Owing to motor traffic, there was great danger to the public unless lamps_ were provided, particularly on the hill to Johnson's store. Another matter was the metalling of the.Devon line at the western end, and he hoped the work would be done as soon as possible. He handed in a petition from the residents on these matters, intimating that petitions were also being signed in of water and electric light being supplied. The County Council had met tho residents as to lights beyond the borough boundary, and it was hoped the borough would supply lights to the boundary. Mr. Warren supported tho previous speaker. , _ The Mayor stated that the electric light committee would consider the question of lighting, but, as it was a commercial _ enterprise, the request of the deputation would be considered in the light of whether the extension would pay or not. As to metalling the Devon Line, the council had been advised by the borough engineer that there was an available supply of limestone metal that might be used, but *: was entirely a question of cost. The road had been entirely regarded asr a cattle road. Tf it could possibly be managed, the work would be done. The deputation thanked the council, and retired. BOROUGH ENGINEER. Before concluding tho meeting the Mayor stated Mr. SUitrop had terminated his official position, and had been given a testimonial under the seal of the council. He considered the record of the work mentioned in the testimonial was one of which Mr. Skitrop might well feel .proud. He had assuredly given the borough faithful service; in fact, he had done more than his duty, and it was probable the overwork had in some measure led to the resignation. The Mayor added that he felt sure the council desired Mr. Skitrop to feel that lie had the best wishes of the council, and he congratulated the council on Mr. Skitrop being able to see his way to superintend the soltar work. Crs. Collis and Smith endorsed the Mayor's remarks. Mr. Skitrop thanked the council fo; the kind remarks made.