NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 July 1917, Page 4

NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL.

WORKS COMMITTEE MEETING. The works committee of the New Plymouth Borougli Council met last wight Present: The Mayor (Mr. C, H. Burgess), Crs. J. Clarke, J. W. Hayden, F. J. HihVW. F Short, G W, Browne, W. A. Collis, E. Griffiths, and R. J. Dcarc. WAIWAKAIHO BRIDGE. The Mayor said that extra work had been done without the Borougli Council having been consulted by the Taranaki County Council, which would very considerably increase the cost. The original estimate of the cost was £IOOO, but that had. been increased in the first instance to £2101), to which the council made no objection, and now i: was ,£"2700. Thus the cost had been increased by over a thousand pounds, due to the necessity of erecting a wing wall, but although the county engineer hud apparently been under the impression that the borough engineer had agreed, the latter had not been consulted, and no authority for the extra work had been obtained from the Borougli Council. The borough was now asked to pay one-half of the excess over £2IOO if the department would not pay their quota of that amount.

A letter from the county clerk was read, stating that when the' county and Public Works engineers were inspecting the work they were of opinion that the wing walls on the town side of the bridge should be erected while the plant and staff were there, and the county chairman understood that the borough engineer shared this # opinion. The county chairman approached the Public Works engineer for one-third of the cost of this particular work, when he was informed that as the original estimate had been increased from £IOOO to £2IOO there was little chance of a further subsidy, but if the total cost did not exceed £2IOO the department would in all probability contribute one-third of that amount. The County Council had not desired this extra work, as the financial state of the riding against which the work was chargeable was anything but satisfactory. The county chairman intended when in Wellington during this week to interview the Minister and obtain a further grant of one-third of the additional cost. Failing further financial assistance from the Minister, the county chairman desired to know if the Borough Council would pay one-half of the cost of the work in excess of the original estimate of £2IOO. The estimate of the county engineers, Messrs Sladden and Palmer, for extendin" the wall 25ft on the upstream skle of°the bridge was £l7O, and for building footwall on the toi of the block between the weir and abutment, and in" in washout on downstream side, £4O, making a total of £2lO. On the upstream aide the timber holding up'the embankment beyond the end of the present wing was all decayed, and if nothing had been done the portion of the bank supported by this timber was liable to irivo way at any time. Tin borough engineer, Mr. Cooke, stated that unless it had been in a very casual conversational way, the proposed additional work had not been mentioned to him nor his approval asked. ■ Cr. Collis moved that the council agree to pay one-third of the total estimated cost—£27so—but express regret that the council was not consulted before the new work was started.—Carried.

SUBURBAN ROADS. W. W. Thomson repeated a previous application to the council to give him some road access to his property, either by Eansford street or Mnulton street. In answer to his former letter he had been informed that the work would bo done as soon as labor was available. He urged the necessity of making a road that would not be positively dangerous to life and limb. The engineer reported that Mr. Thomson already had access to his property from Devon street west. What he wanted was access to the south side from Ransford street, which would cost from £3OO to £360. The most he (the engineer) was prepared to do was to expend £7O or £BO for a path and light footbridge. The Mayor said he was not'disposed to favor any expenditure at present. If the council spent £BO on the property of every man who chose to build on the outskirts of the town it would be a costly matter. The council had to be cautious, and were turning down important works because there was no money. It was decided that no action bo taken, i

PUBLIC CONVENIENCES. The borough engineer reported, in connection with the proposed public conveniences, that he had taken levels along James' Lane. It would not be possible to erect conveniences underground behind section 5, nor anywhere along the lane, owing to the sewer being only 3 feet below the surface. He could not recommend that the conveniences be erected over the septic tank;. It would be preferable to erect them at one side, as it was advisable to make any connection directly into the tank. It was for the council to carefully consider whether at some future time the present tank should not be discarded and another erected in some moro suitable position. The land on which it stood was extremely valuable, and it might be found advisable to discharge the sewage beyond the business part of'the town.. Ho had had other levels taken in Brougham street for checking purposes, and he found that if this locality were adopted the conveniences might bo placed as low down as the A.M.'P. offices. One of the chief speakers of the recent deputation to the council practically approved of (his position, and from his remarks it had appeared that he was unaware what a small area would be taken up in the street. ■■ • Consideration of the report was postponed. . GENERAL.

The Taranaki Amusements, Ltd., were granted permission to erect additional stare accommodation at the Empire Theatre for temporary use on Thursday, Fridav and Saturday of this week. With regard to a letter from the Pukekura Park Trustees, asking the council to remove the earth for the new entrance «ates to the park opposite Shortland street, the borough engineer reported that the council was not in a position to complv with the request, and had no place handy that, required to bo filled.— Reply to be sent that nothing can be done at present. The Citizens' Band forwarded a copy of their annual balance-sheet, and suggested that the municipal for the borough subsidy should be given on the first Sundays in August, September, October, November, February and March. —A note from the town clerk, attached to the letter, stated that as the band aibsiiv had bcofl increased from £3o;to J

£SO, they should give ten recitals instead of six, the extra f our to be given at the breakwater, with a view to gugmentinj; the tramway revenue.—On the motion of Cr. Collis it was resolved to pay the subsidy, and to refer the matter of the extra recitals to the band committee,