LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 October 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Wellington City Council has decided, when the / houses under construction are completed, to discontinue building operations. Twenty-three new water services were installed in New Plymoufh during September. The borough ■ engineers monthly report states that the inspection of all services is in progress.

“It seems to me that the buyer of seed will never get any redress until the onus is placed upon the seller,” said Mr. Astbury, when the executive of the Taranaki Farmers’ Union was discussing the new Seeds Bill yesterday. The monthly report of the New Plymouth engineer (Mr. W. H. Cook) states that plans have been prepared ror Pioneer Road regrading, and others in course of preparation include Gilbert Street extension, Fitzroy Road and John Street, in connection with drainage.

Four cottages for borough employees are being erected in Beach Street, New Plymouth. They are to be taken up on an agreement to purchase system, the tenants, by the payment of weekly instalments of principal and interest combined, acquiring the unencumbered freehold at the expiration of 25| years. The prices of the cottages will range .from £970 to £1223, according to size, this including land and fencing. The net weekly payments, including rates and insurance, will be from 28/- up to 35/6. The returns of the New Plymouth tramways traffic during September show that the revenue increased £92 7s Id, compared with the corresponding month last year, and 6938 additional passengers were carried. The total of fares was £1490 16s 2d, and 142,194 passengers were carried. Of this the Morley Street route accounted for £B9 19s Id, and 11,930 passengers. The manager’s monthly report spates that several delays have taken place in connection with the finishing of the new cars, as the result of the Public Works Departmeat's demands. It was hoped that the cars would have been in traffic a fortnight ago, whereas the earliest date that can now be estimated wi'l be approximately October 20.

'At the recent municipal j-WAterence .•held in Wellington, the New Plymouth Borough Council submitted 25 remits, 20 ■being carried and 5 lost. In his monthly report to the council the general mugger (Mr. F. T. Bellringer) makes ■ cference to the conference, and states:

feomc 70 delegates were psesent representing the cities and principals bor.oßghs in the Dominion. One hundred and fifteen remits were submitted, 73 "being carried, in some cases after amendment by the conference, 42 remits being lost or withdrawn. Considering the large number of delegates present, and the consequent divergent views, the reception accorded the New Plymouth remits must be considered very gratifying. The Minister for Health (Hon. C. J. Parr) was asked in the House by Mr. E. Newman (Rangitikei) whether any action had been taken with regard to the proposed superannuation scheme for nurses, which had been promised for some time. Mr. Parr said that the matter had been carefully investigated by the Health Department. It was found that the scheme would involve a considerable contribution from the State. The matter had been placed before Cabinet, which was doubtful whether at tlie present time it could finance a scheme such as the Minister considered was necessary. No decisions had yet been reached. Every member of the Government was sympathetic with the idea of making provision for nurses, but it was just a question whether the finances of the country could stand a large, capital contribution.

Interviewed at Auckland on his return from Samoa, where he acted, as Chie* Justice. Mr. J. E. Wilson said he found life at the Islands very interesting, and the work was congenial, but the younger members of his family were unable to stand the climate, and he had to send them back to New Zealand about six months ago. This determined him to resign and retake up his position under the Justice Department of New Zealand. His successor at Samoa was Mr. C. R. Walker, formerly of Auckland. Provided a man does not have to engage in manual labor, life in Samoa can be made quite reasonably comfortable for a 'European, said Mr. Wilson; but it was unquestionably not a climate in which, in his opinion, a white man could do manua 1 work except a matter of a ecu pie of hours after the break of day and about a similar period before sunset. He spoke enthusiastically of the beauty of New Zealand’s newest acquisition, and said that he was sorry in many ways that circumstances made it impossible for him to remain there.

Reporting on the upkeep of the cemetery, the New Plymouth borough engineer (Mr. W. H. Cook) states that the plot outside, the cemetery gate, which was planted some years ago, is getting somewhat overcrowded and requires thinning out by removing a few trees to other sites. To fill vacant spaces pampas grass was planted; this has now become overgrown and it is suggested to remove it and make flower beds. Work on hand included the formation of the widened portion, of the drive up to the chapel, and in connection with this he suggested that a great improvement would, be effected if kerbing and channelling was laid down, oi* if the roadway wo.j tarred to the kreb.

The number of applications received by the New Plymouth electricity department during September was 39. Seven new connections wore made to the mains, and the additions to the existing consumers’ installations numbered 9

a large number of notices to cut gorse were served on property-own-ers in the New Plymouth borough, and in his report to the council the inspector (Mr. R. Day) states that these are being complied with very well. Referring to the new revaluation of the New Plymouth borough, the general manager (Mr. F. T. Bellringer) says: “It is to be hoped that there will be an early sitting of the Assessment Court, and’ that the rolls will be available early in the year, so that the annual estimates may be prepared at the usual time in February next.”

Fares earned by the New Plymouth electric ’bus during September amounted to £B4 6s 9d, the number of passengers carried being 8105. Traffic to the various suburbs was as follows: Westown 4745, Frankley Road 497, Vogeltown 2863. In his monthly report the electrical engineer remarks: The ’bus was out o-f traffic for 8£ days during the month for annual overhaul and body painting, and without taking this into consideration the revenue is within £4 5s lid of that for September, 1920. An inquiry whether the 1000 immigrants who arrived by the Waimana had secured employment and suitable housing accommodation, was addressed to the Minister in Charge lmmigration Department (Hon. W. Nos worthy) by Mr. O. J. Hawken (Egmont). Mr. Nos worthy replied that just over 1000 arrived by the Waimana 'last week-end. Every one of them had secured accommodation and. all of them had gone to employment. The next ship load arriving soon would be provided -for. Mr. H. E. Holland (Buller): Have they all got suitable houses? Mr. Nos worthy: If they have not got houses they have accommodation to go to and they all have employment.

In the House recently Mr. S. G. Smith (Taranaki) asked the Minister of Marine whether he would, during this session, amend the Harbors Act in the direction of making provision that will give power to harbor boards to buy their own bonds, thus bringing harbor boards into line with municipal authorities? The Hon. Mr. Guthrie (for the Minister of Marine) replied: If a Harbors Amendment Bill can be dealt with this session, the provision asked for will be considered for inclusion in the measure.

Reference to the repairs recently effected to the forebay at the New Plymouth hydro-electric works is made by the electrical engineer (Mr. R. H. Bartley) in his monthly report. He states: “I was rather surprised to find that the cracks reported extend the full depth of the wall, and traverse the floor at the junction of the floor and wall. I have also examined the foundations of the forebay, and contrary to my expectations, there is nothing pointing to subsidence. I am therefore inclined to think that the recent thunderstorm, which was reported as very severe in the neighbourhood of the forebay, has been responsible for this trouble. The west wall was stayed with timbers immediately, and a start made with the erection o-f five concrete buttresses, which are now completed. After consultation with the borough engineer, we were of opinion that on account of the excellent foundations for the buttresses, that it * would not be necessary at the present time to do any work on the inside of the forebay, w’hich would in all probability necessitate the closing down of the supply for five to seven days. I am of opinion that the present repairs will suffice, but careful and regular observations will be made, and any further happenings will be reported immediare]y. Touching on the same subject, the •borough engineer (Mr. Cook) states: In dealing with the strengthening of the wall, due consideration had to be given to the probable length of life or usefulness the structure would be required lo give, in view of the fact that the new hydro works would be completed and in use within, say, 12 months: