BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 June 1920, Page 5

BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

STREET WORKS. • LOAN EXPENDITURE. The New Plymouth Borough Council met as a General Purposes Committee last evening. Present—The Mayor (Mr Jas. Clarke), and Crs. A. S. Brooker, W. A. Collis, V. Griffiths, J. W. Hayden, F. J. Hill, and W. F. Short. The general manager reported that for some time past the council had been accumulating a'quantity of gaol metal, there being now about 1000 cubic yards on hand, and he recommended that .the borough engineer be authorised to use it in metalling Queen Street, Gill Street, find Eliot Street from Devon Street to Gill' Street. It would be necessary for the general account to advance the money in the meantime, but the amount would not be very groat, as the metal was already paid for, and the prisoners would load it into the lorries free of cost. The expenditure would, therefore, be for haulage, spreading and rolling,—Adopted, The committee reported that the borough engineer had been instructed to effect temporary repairs to Wallath, Omata, and Seaview roads; that in regard to the request for footpaths in Dartmoor Avenue and Webster Street the petitioners be informed that until the £57,000 loan has been floated no funds will be available for work in these streets. ''Money for the construction of some of these roads," states the report, "is provided for in the £57,000 loan. Thera seems to bo an impression that this loan was available as soon as the poll was carried, and that the council is in a position to proceed with the works comprise:) in the loan schedule. This is not so. The Government restrictions require that the loan shall be raised at fij' per cdnt. per annum, at which rate money is .not obtainable. The council i 3 endeavoring to obtain permission to raise the Ihoney at 5J per cent, but even, when this has been done it will be some little time before the money is actually available and the council is in a position to commence work." The committee add-ed tliat even if the money was available it would bs unwise to commence road formation work in the winttfr, both oil account of the heavy additional cost and tile great inconvenience to residents in the streets affected. THE TOKO LEASES. A deputation of lessees of the Council's reserves at Toko waited on the council, protesting against the high valuation placed upon their properties. After hearing the deputation at length "the council discussed the matter, and decided that it could not alter its previous decision in regard to the question. GENERAL. A petition signed by five ratepayers in Wnimaka Terrace, asked the council '.o favorably consider the question, of ex- [ ter'iing the water main from Chilman i IJtreet westerly along the terrace, to allow of connections being made with the residences there and about to .bo erected The general manager reported that notlt- 4 ing could be done with reference to extensions of water mains until an csti mate was received of the cost of replae ■ ing the deteriorated steel mains and tiro £57,000 loiln had been raised or arranged for. —It was decided to reply, stating that the council was not in a position to do the work at present. The Taranaki Workers' Council wrote with jeference to the dismissal of Mr W. T. Baxter by the electrical engineer, and asking that the council should agree to hear Mr. Baxter in his own defence.— Decided to reply that in the opinion of the council Mr. Bartley had sufficient grounds for dispensing with Mr. Baxter's services. Messrs. Blair Mason and Lee wrote stating that owing to the boisterous weather during the past week practically nothing could be done to complete the final surveys of the tunnel and race of the hydro-electric extensions. The surveyor would be on the ground this week, and it was hoped to have the surveys ir. their hands by the end of next week, when they would immediately arrange t; complete the contract .plans and documents.—Received.