NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1917, Page 5

NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL.

WORKS COiIMITTEE MEBTTNG. , ' A meeting of the Works Committee oi the New Plymouth Borough Council Hal i iv held, last night. Present: The Mj&jtot - (Mr. C. H. Burgess), Crs. G. W. Browne * * v - H. J. Deare, E. Griffith, W. F. Short; I F. J. Hill, W. A. OolHs, and J. W. Hfcj den. "■ -i

IPRANKLEY ROAD. ■4 The borough engineer reported on tti) \ two recent slips on the Frankley RmU hill. Approximately 60 feet in lengtl • ' had 'fallen on to the roadway, and »oi A short time traffic was (blocked. iH» 1 v estimated the quantity of earth ai tin . bottom at between 530 and 600 yards j Since Saturday another Blip had oAttu down, and it was more than probafolt -j that another 400 or 600 yards wottli . ; come down shortly—the top for Mtau distance being insecure, it seems allttOffl 1 certain. Two causes tended to the wsAk' : ness in the .bank, namely, the gatfsi hedge, which allowed water to ptitty late well behind the face of the bttt per medium of the roots, and the soft loamy undersoil being too weak to ttp > 1 hold the heavy weight above. Again ' this face lies to the sun, which severely \ 1 cracks the surface, leaving it in sple&did condition to receive the rainfall The . Council might purchase euflfeient land from the owner, but even then considerable cost would have to he faced in te- v , moving the constantly recurring slips,. and these were almost .bound to cwno down until the upper half of tite, hill h&a % found its natural angle of repose, say 30 io 35 degrees. A rough estimate lot. tho purchase of land, removing upper half of bank, fencing, and re-making tola road for about six chains would be about £OOO. A safer, and, he believed* ■■ more economical way'would be tojrarchase, say, 30 to 26 feet from Mr. Wte- i ton and carry out the road away from the bank altogether. This would give < a better radius for the .curve and bo a / safer road at any time. On tho motion of the Mayor, lie matter was referred to a sub-committee consisting of the Mayoi;, Ors. Hfll and - Hoyden, the engineer to prepare epeci- ~ fication and. estimate of the wotk -he proposed on Mr. [Weston's side of tlia road. BUBIffC CONVENIENCES.

The 'borough engineer reported on th# proposed site of public conveniences in St. Aubyn Street. Cr. Coliis said the site he had saggtft< ed at last meeting was not the on® rt- ; ported on by the engineer. The site, to meant was just opposite, on the left I hand side of the road approaching too railway station, and he moved that the. ,1 engineer report on that Bite at tiesfc ,v j meeting. , & The motion 'was earned.

GENERAL. J,, Cr. Short teas appointed to represent the council on the Technical College Advisory Board. ~ Messrs A. E. Watkins, W. Cirtffela, and Walter Bewley aaked the Council to undertake the Toading of Wftiroka lane and collect the amount of the coat h. , from the property owners interested. Reply to he sent that at present -the Council cannot undertake the 'Work. - L. Langridge asked permission tograde a iiortion of Downo Street, lead- y ing off Mill Road, to give access to his newly-erected house.—Granted. May and Arrowsmith asked rapon * , what tenms they %v,uold he peanitted " J fence off and; use two acrefe of t» »«-. J ough reserve'at the back of the pouna. i; —The engineer reported that he comM not recommend the leasing_ of any pot* tion of the reserve for purpoaafc ■ \ us it would only 'he sufficient for tn» horough horses. —Application refused^ Messrs Spedding, Ltd., applied for a special license to-svora 8000 cas«s benzine at the 'breakwaier.-Granted. Messrs Govctt and Quilliam, torough solicitors, fonvaTded a draft copy of the _ proposed new by-laws for final revision , , by the Council.—Consideration deferred, ,