MUNICIPAL MATTERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 January 1920, Page 3

MUNICIPAL MATTERS.

NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL. MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council was held last night, there being present His Worship Hie Mayor (Mr. Jas. Clarke), Crs. i\ J. Hill, R. L. Parkin, J. W- Hayden, W. A. Collis, A. E. Sykes, and V. Griffiths. After dealing with the various official departmental and committee reports, a meeting of the General Purposes Committee was held, the same -councillors being present. ROAD WIDENING. The streets' sub-committee recommendthat the offer of the Taranaki (N.Z.) Oil Wells Company, Ltd., be accepted, namely, to sell the necessary frontage of their portion '"of the Prison Reserve for widening the Breakwater Road, The cost was approximately £6O. also recommended that on account of the price asked being considered excessive, Messrs Standish and Anderson be informed that the offer of the Standish Estate to dedicaie certain* land for the widening of Tulcapa Rood could not be accepted. The report was adopted. LIBRARY MATTERS.

The Carnegie Institute Committee recommended: That children under 15 years be admitted to the privileges or the children's section of the library at an annual subscription of iis (payable half-yearly); that the Council adopt the recommendation of the librarian to set aside a room for the use of children; that, with the exception of reference books, any books he taken out by subscribers; that during the coming winter a series of popular lectures on literary and scientific subjects be arranged. It was also recommended that the Council purchase the two carved figures now on exhibition in the museum, at a cost of £5 each. The report was adopted.

GENERAL. It was decided to inform Mr. F. Jones, Frankley Road, in reply to a letter from him, that the extension of the wate* main to the new houses in course of erection,.-wouhMie put in hand as soon as material was available. Five ratepayers petitioned the Council (through Messrs Roy and JHcnolson) to have closed that portion of Gilbert Street between Eliot Street and the •south-east comer of section IG77.—The matter was referred to the streets subrommittee.

A circular was received from the president of the New Zealand Association of British Manufacturers and Agents, urging upon local bodies that in all cases preference should be given (all things being equal) to British gooGs m any purchases made, either for municipal trading ventures, or for other purposes.—lt was decided to endorse and carry out the principle as far as possible, «

A letter was received from the secl'etary of the Now Zealand Transport Workers' Advisory Board asking that employers should use their endeavors to have a national agreement between employer* and the men in tramway undertakings throughout the Doniinion.i It was suggested a preliminary conference should be held in order to come to some understanding as to the terms of (he agreement,, before the next national conference meets.

After some discussion it was decided that the Council's disputes committee should re-open negotiations with the local tramway men.

In the eourse of the discussion "very appreciative comment was made on the manner in which the tramway men had carried out the strenuous duties falling upon them during the holiday season, arid of the notice by visitors 'of tlie uniform courtesy of tlie men towards passengers, and particularly women with children, and elderly people.