NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 April 1918, Page 8

NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL.

WORKS COMMITTEE. ~- c ' The Works Committee of the New Plymouth Borough Council met hist night. The Mayor (Mr. 0. JI. Burgess) presided and there were present: Crs. J. Clarke, V. 3. Hill, \V. F. Short. E. Griffiths, W. A. Collhs, It. J. Deare, and G. W. Browne.

ENGINEER'S REPORT. The Borough Engineer (Mr. W. H. Cook) reported as follows: The filters have been attended to, and the reservoir will be cleaned out- Now the water i 3 raised in the dam no difficulty is met with in keeping the reservoir full. Services.—Four services conneeted during the month. Drainage.—As more than one service is required to be joined to the drain in Ridge Lane I am having tho four-inch pipe replaced with six-inch pipes without which recurring choking would result. Streets.—The metalling at Tukapa road should be completed in a tew days. The Devon street paths have been patched up and will he again tarred and sanded- There are still a lew places to repair and other places which will require re-touching and still other places which .will not he completed until from two to three coats of tar and sand have been applied. Queen street, patli on east side has-been relaid with first coat and west side is in hand- The St. Anbyn street path has been laid with first coat. The tar mixing plant in being kept busy. We feel the want, ot a storaga shed and roof covering and an estimate cost will be submitted lor this shortly. Tho unlarred portions of Breakwater road are being scarified metalled and dressed with tar. The Leach street cattle route is all but completed and ready for gravelling. Corse and noxious weeds are being cut and grabbed in various »tr»ets and parts of the Borough. The *a,r sprayer is in Wellington and is due here by next boat.

TRAMWAYS REPORT. The tramways manager (Mr. R. H. Bartley) reported as follows: — The amount received in fares for the month is £lOl-2 Is Cd and the total number of passengers ca'rrled 142,425, showing a decrease of £O2 12s Ifld and 373G less passengers carried when compared with the corresponding month of 1917. The total mileage run by the tramways since the commencement of the" service is approximately ■ 400,000 miles or 00,0(10 miles per carr. This mileage on many systems is over the life of a wheel tyre and I am pleased to state that in our case we should, under ordinary circumstances be alio to get a further 5 or ft months' wear from our present tyres or a further 120,000 miles before re-tyreing the wheels. It may have been noticed of late that several of the cars are becoming rough when crossing special work (points, crossings, iunctions, etc.) and this is due to the tread of the tyre wearing and leaving the flanges too deep. I purpose during this next month turning doivn these flanges to the standard depth and the above trouble will then cease. ELECTRIC LIGHTING REPORT. Mr. Bartley also reported a<s follows on the Electric Light Department:— •During the month nine applications have been received' for the supply and fourteen connections and three additions have been made- One of the additions is at the Moturoa Freezing Works, and comprises ono 20 and one 40 horse power motor. These motors form part of a general electrification scheme of the works amounting to approximately 200 h.p. No further news has been received re the delivery of the new turbine and as our load on the powerhouse is multiplying daily and the peaks lengthening as we are nearing the winter, it has he.conie necessary to do something to relieve the strain on our present plant. I have consequently made use of the new GOOD volt alternator by dismantling one of tho small 45 k.w. sets and coupling the new machine to the 45 k.w. turbine, and I am thus able through direct and indirect means to increase the station's output iby at least 100 horse-power which will relieve the position considerably pending t'h e arrival of the new turbine.

INSPECTOR'S REPORT. The Borough Inspector (Mr. R. Day) srfbmitted the following report for March, W18: Motorists ilo not appear to lie aware of the new Order-in-Council requiring that each motor car or motor bicycle shall carry Us number in front as well as 'behind. A few have been so numbered but. there arc many who do I not observe the regulations. I CORRESPONDENCE. The secretary of the Central School Commitee wrote calling attention to the unhealthy state of swamps in the vicinity of the school between Lemon and Pendarves streets and Lemon and Leach streets—lt was decided that the lettw be referred back to the Committee, with a suggestion that tlie matter was one for the district health oflicer's attention.

The secretary of the Frankleigh_Park Settlers' Association wrote stating that Mr. .Tones had expressed his willingness to meet the Council in respect to removing the danger from the bank on his property on Frankloy road.—lt was decided to reply that the Council was prepared at any time to hear what proposals Mr. Jones had to make regarding dealing with the bank.

GENERAL, t The New Zealand Educational Institute wrote calling attention to the need for iviii.rovM.-'.irii".', ,n the el ration ..■sysiem or l!i.> Doinui ; «jii. I i'; following resolution vis enclosed as a suitable expression or opiii'On liy (lit lloroug'i Council on i.jc matter: "That this Council urges iipo'.i the National Government the 9e;v..*!■:>' ci making provision, and cxtcnslWt in- the education system of the Dominion."—lt was decided to replv that the matter w:in considered outside the jurisdiction of the Council. It was decided to erect a notice board warning motorists, of the danger of using Leach street, from Liardet street to Carrington road, and to have the board suitably lighted at night time. Tlie -engineer was authorised to complt<" 0~ >flagging>of the footpath-in Eg- '■'• ieet, from, the A.M.P. building to ...ij Ajji'reet.