BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 May 1917, Page 8

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

VARIOUS EXPORTS. The following reports will be presented to the next meeting of 'the New Plymouth Borough Council:— SANITARY REPORT., Mi'. B. Day (sanitary inspector) reported as follows:—.Four building and tour drainage permits have been issued; value, £11.')2; fees, £7 ss. The usual inspections have been made and new work tested. I have also smoke-tested two old drains, with satisfactory results.

During the month I have continued my house to house inspection, and have covered a block, Courtenay Street to the sen. Three hundred and fifty places have been inspected, and, as I have previously reported, drainage defects are predominant. Many of the buildings are old and in bad order.

It is pleasing to find in an inspection like this the-large percentage of beautifully kept places, but at the same time there are here and there dirty and careless householders, some of them shamefully so. During the month I have issued 31 notices, to remedy defects.

Jr. my examination of a block of this size, I lind that 2 per cent, of the people are very dirty and careless, 6 per cent, have defective sanitary fittings, 25 ..per cent, may be called very good, 00 per cent, are clean and tidy, while the balance could show a little more interest in the tidiness of their homes, although not at present breaking any law.

ENGINEER'S REPORT, The following returns from the municipal baths show attendances ana receipts for April last, the comparative figures for 1018 being in parentheses:— Mori 206 (340), women 257 (328), total r>s3 (877);- hot'baths 103 (Go). Swimming pool £4 0s 2d (£1 10s 7d), hot baths £4 Ms (£2 18s); total, £S 14s 2d (£4 17s. 7d)l Standish Hill.—The kerbing is completed. Approximately six chains of channel have still to be done.

Tram route tarring.—The length between Liardet Street and the Waiwakaiho bridge lias been completed, with the exception of Henui bridge and a short) length, on the west side. The Morley Street route is now in hand. Several small depressions and holes, which have appeared in the portions done, will bo filled with thin layers of tar and sand from time to time until eliminated.

Carrington Road—The filling out from Courtenav Street' end is in hand. Owners of property at Pendarves Street are setting back their fences, preparatory to the street 'being widened along this length. Tarring.—The following streets have either been wholly or partially complete ed:—Gill Street, Liardet Street to Brougham Street; C'urrie Street, from Courtenay Street to goods shed; Brougham Street and St. Aubyn Street, one side has been done. Clemow Road.—A length of this road from iSackville Street to Eccord Street has been scarified and put into good order. This length was in very bad order for haulage. Lemon Street.—The path on the south side, which was in a dangerous state and much broken up, has been stripped of old tar covering and roughly levelled and sanded. South Road.—The drain has been laid across this road, and the storm water diverted from Bayly Road to the sea. Reserves.—Old waterworks reserve: The gorse and other weeds have been cut down and, wherever it lias been safe to do so, burnt. The ploughing and harrowing of approximately 12 acres has liecn completed, and we will sow down in oats as the weather permits. Puketi Pa: The gorsc has all been cut down and cleared, and ploughing will be commenced at once. Fence at Cemetery: The fence between Mr. Way's and the cemetery has beer erected. Waterworks.—During the month six new services were laid. The pipes, where 'exposed on bridges and in the borough, have been tarred at To JTenui, I>itzroy. Railway, Devon Street, lluatoki, Mil Road, and King's, Mangorei. The usual cleaning has been carried cut to hre plugs and main flushing. Filters.—The new caretaker (Mr. Jordan) 'has already made great improvements to the grounds and filters; noxious weeds, gorse, etc., are fast disappear!!®. Mr. Jordan took up his duties at ii critical time, his services being required on other works outside of the ordinary duties of caretaker in connection with the cleaning of the tunnel, etc.

RESERVES COMMITTEE. The Reserves Committee recommend "that the borough engineer be authorise! to erect a small shed in the cemetery at an estimated cost of £lO, and that jipon completion it be let to Mr. Handley on t'he same terms as the existing shed is lotf to otlier monumental masons ELECTRIC LIGHT AND TRAMWAYS COMMITTEE. The committee recommends: (1) That the arranements made by the electrical and tramways engineer for printing the tramway tir/i-tabjes lie confirmed. (2) That the claim of the Hudson Pole C'ompanv for extra poles supplied under contract in 1914 (£l4 l'ss) be referred to the chairman and engineer, with power to act. and that in the meantime the company he repaid their deposit of £4B. (3) That the existing scale of charges for electric lighting and power be rescinded as at the Ist June. 1917. and in lieu thereof the New Plymouth Borough Council, in pursuance of the provisions of by-law 1310 of the New Plymouth bylaws, hereby fixes the following rates and .charges' for the supply of electrical energy, rent of meters and appliances, and resolves that such rates and charges

shall conic into operation and fore© on the sa'ia .lur.e 1, 1017:

House lighting: JOightpenco- per unit, subject to a discount of 2d per unite if paid within fourteen days from dateVpf reading meter; minimum charge 2s' gross, Is fid net; meter rent («[ per month. Shop and ollico lighting, including warehouses and all premises not used lor purely residential purposes': Ninepence per unit, subject to twopence discount per unit if paid within fourteen days from date of reading meter; minimum 2s gross. Is (id net; meter rent lid per month. Special contracts to remain as at present. » 'Heating and cooking: Threepence per unit, subjjet to a discount of one penny per unit For first 50 units, remainder twopence discount per unit;' minimum charge 2s gross, Is 6d net; meter rent Gd per month. Bower consumed betwe'en the hours of 12 midnight and 5 p.m.: Threepence per unit, subject to a discount of one penny per unit for first 50 units per horsepower per month, remainder twopence discount per unit; minimum charge 2s gross. Is Gd net; meter rent (id per month. Power consumed between hours of 5 p.m. and midnight: Price per unit to bo fixed by contract; meter rent 6d per month. (4) That a meter reader be appointed as recommended by the electrical and tramways engineer, and that the present system of allowing discounts on accounts paid 'before the 20th of each month be discontinued, and in future discount be allowed only on accounts paid _ within fourteen days from the date of reading meter.

ABATTOIR REPORT. Slaughtered for local consumption.— Cows 147, bullocks 2, tails 1, calves IS, sheep ">l2, lambs 2'S, pigs I'l l and 2 suckers, tripes cleaned 147. Compared with last April tihey show an increase of cattle 1, calves 2, and sheep 1, and a decrease of 71 lambs, 15 pigs, and 1 tripe. One cow and 2 pigs were condemned. Slaughtered for export, nil, n decrease of 33 cattle. Fees due for the month £97 l'Ds <ld, rents £3 5a fid, stock from other works £2 Is, extraordinary traffic and royalty £3 12 —total £lO5 13s, a decrease of £0 15s Gd.