MUNICIPAL MATTERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 January 1920, Page 5

MUNICIPAL MATTERS.

MEETING OF BOROUGH COUNCIL. The General Purposes Committee of the New Plymouth Borough Council met last night, there being present the Mayor (Mr. J. Clarke), Crs. J. W. Hayden, F. J. Hill, W. F. Short, W. ACollis, R. L. Parkin, A, E. Sykes and V. Griffiths. STREETS COMMITTEE. The Streets Sub-Committee reported as follows: (a.) That the following instructions given to "the borough engineer be cancelled: Preparation plans, etc., for house numbering; report and estimate of all unmade streets; report re erection bulk store; trees in suitable pots in Devon Street; Rimu Street metalling; Currie Lane metalling; Vogeltown streets metalling and formation. (b) That the Council be recommended to rescind the resolution passed on the 18th August, 1911), granting permissionto Mr. C. D. Lightband to place trees in concrete vases over the water-chan-nelling on both sides of Devon Street between Egmont Street and Robe Street. (c) That Messrs Roy and Nicholson be informed that the Council is prepared to take necessary steps to close that portion of Gilbert Street between Eliot Street and the south-east corner of section 1077, subject to the adjoining owners affected first agreeing to the following terms:— 1. Each owner to waive his right to purchase any portion of the land comprising the street when closed. 2. The land comprising the street to be divided into lots, and when closed a lease of each lot for a term of 20 years without right of renewal to be submitted to public auction, the area and boundaries of each lot affected and approved by the Council before any steps are taken to close the street. 3. The owners affected to apree to pay all costs, survey fees, advertising fees and other expenses incurred by the Council in closing the street and preparing conditions of lease and submitting the leases to public auction or in any incidental to any of the above items. 4. The High School Board to grant to the Council without compensation an easement permitting the Council to encroach upon the Eliot Street frontage of the Board property from the entrance gate of the school to the northern .boundary of Gilbert Street in order to make the bank along such frontage to such a slope as the Council shall deem necessary. (d) Consideration of Mr. R. Cock's application for partial exemption from the provisions of the Public Works Act in regard to the sub-division of his Vogeltown property was deferred. In the meantime the borough engineer will submit a plan comparing the width of Carrington Road above and below the subdivisions with the width of the road opposite the sub-divisions:— 1 If no exemption granted; 2 IF partial exemption as applied for be granted.

On the motion of Cr. Griffiths, seconded by Cr. Short, it was decided to have the footpath, in Smith Street, Vogeltown, put into proper condition, and that the question of the formation and metalling of the roadway with gaol gravel be referred to the Streets Subcommittee for a report.

WORKS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. Tlie Works Management Committee reported as follows: — (a) That the borough engineer make provision in tlie new plant loan for a Bowser plant for benzine (estimated cost, £310).

(b) The borough engineer having reported that the cost of a temporary oneinch service to Mr. Shaw's property, Waiwaka Terrace, would be approximately £%, the committee re-affirms its previous recommendation that the water supplies l for this street be included in the proposed new waterworks loan. (c) That Mrs M. Catley 'be informed that the water main in Gilbert Street East will be extended to enable her property to be connected provided she contributes £l6 towards the cost estimated at £24.

(d) That the owners of the Criterion Hotel and the Grosvenor' Hotel be required to instal meters to gauge the water used by the apparatus for pumping water from the hotel cellars.