BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 January 1922, Page 5

BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

NEW PLYMOUTH COUNCIL. PETITION FOR WATER SERVICE. The New Plymouth Borough Council met last night. Present: The Mavor (Mr. F. E. Wilson), Crs. J. Kibby,‘V. Griffiths, T. N. Blackball, W. Rumball., E. Dingle, R. L. Parkin and R. A. Large. Nine residents of Dorset Avenue again petitioned the council urging that a temporary water service be installed to serve their properties, and suggested that even a fin. pipe could, be used until such time as finances permitted a larger one. They pointed out that according to the report of the previous meeting of the council the laying of the remainder of the 2in. mains to the top of Belt Road had been authorised, thereby duplicating the water connection, as there wq.s already a 4in. pipe on that road. They desired to know if the council considered this duplication a reasonable proposition when they were urgently in need of a water service.

The Mayor said he was not in favor of laying down temporary mains, when in the near future the council would be doing permanent works. A motion was moved by the Mayor to the effect that the applicants be informed that the position will :be considered when the engineer’s report is received on the works to be done out of loan moneys.

Cr. Kibby thought it was no credit to the council that they should have allowed the duplication of pipes referred to. The Mayor ruled Cr. Kibby out of order, as he was questioning a previous decision of the council.

In reply to questions, the engineer said his report, which was a fairly comprehensive one, would probably be ready for,next meeting. An amendment, was moved by Cr. Kibby in favor of authorising the installation of a Jin. pipe as a temporary measure to serve the houses in question. The amendment was seconded by Cr. Blackhall. The amendment was lost, and it was eventually decided that consideration be deferred pending the receipt of the engineer’s report. FOOTPATH MAINTENANCE. A suggestion for “a better and more saving method of managing some of our footpaths” was forwarded for the consideration of the council by Mr. W. B. Davies. He instanced Vivian Street, between Dawson and Morley Street, which was half grown over with clover and cooeh grass. The method adopted by the council in such cases was to send men to grub up the grass and gravel (which cost so much to procure), and in six months’ time the same thing occurred again. What he suggested was to neatly line off half the path and run a mower on it every four weeks during the summer months. He contended that if this method could be tried on the paths the cost of maintenance would be reduced fourfold. In reference to this letter the engineer (Mr. \V. H. Cook) reported that as far back as 1917 he had recommended laying side street paths to a width of 5 to 6 feet in gravel—where tarred paths could not be done for want of funds — and the remainder of the width in grass. Past councils had considered the matter, but nothing was done. With the humid weather conditions the growth was extremely rapid, necessitating cleaning off twice, and in some cases three times, per annum. E? had also pointed out that the cost would pay interest upon a path loan. •It was decided to thank Mr. Davies for his suggestion and to intimate that it had been noted. HYDRO-ELECTRIC WORKS. A progress report on the hydroelectric works from the consulting engineers (Messrs. Blair Mason, Lee and Owen) was as follows: — Contract No. 1. —Men have been engaged cleaning out the tunnel and plastering the intake, and during the past few days a driver has been engaged cleaning out the debris in the river in front of the intake. During the holidays the works were closed down a fortnight. Contract No. 2.—Messrs. Andersons, Ltd., advise that they expect to ship the pipes about the end of the month and hope to commence work directly afterwards.

Contract No. 3.—The excavation of the pipe line is completed between the top of the first rise and the power house. Work is now proceeding on the balance of the line. Given fine weather it is expected to commence placing the concrete saddles during the coming week. Several large boulders which occur just at the point of the thrust block will require to be removed. The embankment at the end of. No. 1 tunnel is up to about the 16ft level. Two shifts are being worked and it is proposed to put on a third shift next week. The excavation and concreting of the tunnel is being continued. To date a total of 1451 feet has been excavated, 721 feet lined complete and 29(1 feet lined on the invert only. Contract No. s.*—The Dunedin Engineering Co. advise that the material for the pipe across the Mangamahoe is due to arrive in Dunedin this month. A COMPLAINT. Nine residents of Mill Road wrote complaining that pig sties were creating a menace to the neighborhood and were less than a chain and a half from a dwelling house. Pigs were also killed where women and children could see them. Inspector Day reported: “The question of gaol pigs has been considered by the council before. As I understand the position nothing can be done unless a nuisance is caused. I say positively that no nuisance is caused; in fact, I think that the pigs are kept under quite exceptional circumstances. There is not a vestige of smell or filth, no evidence of rats and very few flies.” It was decided to recommend the petitioner’s to write to the Minister in charge of the department. GENERAL. The engineer reported that the estimated cost of rounding up Pioneer Road was £5O. The quantity of metal on the road was so small as to be of little use and he proposed to do the work as was done last time, namely, to plough the road bed and grade oyer with the grader. —The council authorised the carrying out of the work. The Modern Tailors, Ltd., applied to have the footpath in front of the shop raised jn alignment with the path in front of adjoining premises, the depth •being approximately 4 inches. It was decided that the flrm be given an approach similar to that existing for adjacent premises, the work to be done at the owner’s cost. Mn. 0. E. Clarke, Morley Street, re-

applied for the extension of the sewer to her property in Morley Street, and it was decided to reply stating that the council did not see any reason to alter its previous decision. A protest was received from Mr. Kendell, Barrett Road, against a proposal to drain Rotokare lake. In connection with thia mutter a letter waa read from the secretary of the reservo committee (Mr. V. C. Davies) station that Mr. Rendell's position would, bo considered. A report was received from the tramways manager (Mr. R. H. Bartley) giving particulars of a collision between < motor car and tram near the corner of Dawson and St. Aubyn Street on January 2. He stated that as the result* of the accident car No. 6 was damaged considerably, the estimated cost of TO* pairing it being aproximately £25 t» £3O. , An application was received from Mr. G. E. Blanchard for permission to romove the side of his shop in St. Atfbyo Street over to his boundary. It was decided to reply that the request could not be acceded to, as the proposals ara in contravention of the by-laws. Mr. Edgar Hayden, Hawera. wrote asking the council to continue the formation and metalling of Norman Street to its proposed termination, a matter of about two chains. He also asked that the footpath be extended for thrm chains. The engineer reported that the council had considered the matter before and decided that it could not b< done this year. He pointed out if a path four feet wide was gravelled it would give access to the constructed portion of the street. The council authorised the carrying out of the work at an estimated cost of £27. Tn renewing the request of the New Plymouth Astronomical Society for a* electric light to be placed in the observatory on Marsland Fell, Rev. O Blundell pointed out that over 1200 persons visited the institution in 1921. Tl was submitted that such an asset t* the town warranted the interest am assistance of the council.— Referred t» the elecUic light