BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 December 1916, Page 8

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

'ADJOURNED MEETING. , An adjourned meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council was held last evening. Present: The Mayor (Mr. C. H Burgess). Crs. L. M. Monteath, A. H. Johnstone, W. A. C'ollis, F. Hill, J. T. Mannix-, E. Griffiths, A. E. Watkins, F. E. Wilson, J, W Havden.

TRAMWAYS CONTRACT. In moving the adoption of the Tramways Committee's report, which referred to the completion of the tramways contract, and recommending that Mr. F. Black's account for charges outside his commission, amounting to £45 3s, be passed for payment, Cr. Monteath said the council had cause to congratulate itself 011 the success of the contract. He said that of the £57,000 spent 011 the tramways only £7OO had been spent on extras. Of that amount £SOO had„been spent in the sub-station building 011 wcrk that had been authorised aftei the specifications had been drawn. * The actual extra expenditure on the tranivays was £]](>. That fact deserved to he noticed and to be placed to the credit of Mr. Black. Cr. Monteath said Mr. Black had passed the whole of the contract with the exception of two small accounts, valued at £4O, which were being held back.

The Mayor said Mr. Black had given hi-, certificate in connection with the contract, and the contractors and consulting engineer had now to be paid. The report was adopted.

BATHS COMMITTEE. The Baths Committee recommended that consideration of tlir petition against mixed bathing between the hours of 5.30 a.m. and 8 a.m. be deferred until January 31, in order to give the present system a chance of being tested. The committee also recommended that urgent repairs, estimated to cost £B. should be effected. Cr. Mannix said it was important that the council should consider the matter of installing a bell system at the baths. '

The -jeeommpndntions were adopted, and on Cr. Griffiths' motion it was decided to erect a notice board in Weymouth Street indicating the position of the baths. Several matters requiring attention at the baths were deferred. WORKS COMMITTEE rive council proceeded as a Works Committee, and dealt with various matters. WATER AT SCHOOLS. A letter was read from the chairmen of the Central. West End, and Fitzroy School Committees, asking that the a mount now charged for the use of water at the respective schools be remitted. The writers urged that tjie charge was an , unfair one, and really amounted to a tax upon the children. The charge depleted the limited means of the committees, and no other councils in Taranaki, and very few in the Dominion, made a charge for the supply of water to schools. —The matter was deferred and the town clerk was instructed to ascertain what was the practice elsewhere.

STREET IMPROVEMENTS. "No loan money available for this," uas the town clerk's note in connection with a series of estimates for street improvements. The engineer reported that ti re-grade, scArify, re-surface, re-metal kerb and channel, and tar and sand Standisli Street would cost £325 17s. Other works on which estimates were brought in were: Cutfield Road £4O 4s, Wallace Place £S2 10s. In connection with Wallace Place, from Standish Hill to Tukapa Road, the estimates varied according to alternative proposals, from £lB7 12s to £405 13s. With reference to Dawson Street, the town clerk reported that £sl 12s Cd was available for the work. v „ * The committee decided to authorise the scarifying, metalling, sanding/ and rolling of Dawson Street, from Powderham Street to Bultecl Street, the cost to be £2Ol Gs; Dawson Street, from Young Street to St. Aubyn Street. £43 10s 8d; Dawson Street, from Young Street to St. Aubyn Street, kerbing and channelling, £SO. The remainder of the l works were referred to the favorable consideration of the estimates committee, the Mayor stating that they could not be paid for out of ordinary revenue up to March 31, and that if they were done jji this financial year they would have to be paid for out of overdraft. This course lie strongly discouraged' GENERAL. ' The oomihittet passed a vote for "£175 in payment of a Fowl runabout ear purchased for the- use of the engineer. With reference to Puketi Pa Reserve, the engineer said instructions had been given for the grubbing of the gorse on Jhe reserve.