BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 May 1922, Page 5

BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

NEW PLYMOUTH COUNCIL. TRAMWAY STOPPING-PLACES. The New Plymouth Borough Council met last night. Present: The Mayor (Mr. F. E. Wilson), Councillors J. Kibby, V. Griffiths, W. Rumball, T. W. Black-ball, R. Parkin, E. Dingle, J. Brown, and R. A. Large. Twenty-three ratepayers and residents living in the vicinity of the present Kings well Street and Mission House tram stops presented a petition protesting against any alteration in these stops now made by the trams, and the proposal to have only one stop, namely, at Calvert Road. In the course of a report, the tramways manager (Mr. R. H. Bartley) expressed the opinion that one stop placed at Calvert Road should serve the requirements of both the existing stops. The council decided that no alteration be made. A CONCESSION. A report was received from the engineer (Mr. W. H. Cook) regarding the serving of notices to instal stormwater drain cut-offs. He stated that several persons to whom notice had been served—chiefly women with limited means—had asked that the council should not press for payment at the present time, explaining it would be extremely hard for them to find the money and still have sufficient to meet living expenses. The engineer said he had mentioned the matter to the Mayor, who did not think such persons should be unduly pressed unless serious damage /as being done to the footpaths. Where little or no damage was caused, notices were being withheld until the more important cases were dealt with.—Left to the discretion of the engineer. POWER AND LIGHTING. ! Application was made by the Taranaki Education Board for the provision of a heating point in the Vogeltown Sunday-school. The engineer reported this was an exceptional case, and an important one to the children, and the council decided to grant the request. The District Public Trustee applied for power for heating purposes at the Public Trust Office. The engineer reported that the original application was received on March 19, 1921.-—lt was decided to reply, stating that no further connections would be made until further power was available. Mr. J. W. H. Martin wrote applying for the connection of houses along the Brooklands Road with water and electric light. He intimated that Messrs. Newton King, L. Avann and W. Scott were willing to have their respective houses connected with the electric light mains. The engineer reported that the cost of extending the electric light mains on the Brooklands Road was £76 13s. The cost of a service from the main to Mr, Martin’s house was £8 15s. —A reply as in the previous application is to be forwarded to Mr. Martin. STREETS MAINTENANCE. The council decided to inform Mr. A. Veale that they could not accede to his request for the building up of the path in front of hie house in Brougham Street with asphalt. The tender of J. H. Spindler, Frankleigh Park, for the removal of earth in Fulford Street, was accepted. The following letter was received from Mj*. R. A. Large: “The council recently decided to cur’b and channel the eastern side of Cutfield Road, bet’ween Devon and Gaine Streets, and as doing this work on one side only will give the road a somewhat unfinished appearance, I shall be pleased to contribute the sum of £5 towards the cost of curbing and channelling the western side of the road between these streets.”— The offer was accepted, the engineer giving the estimated cost of the work at £27. Mr. E. S. Bateman, a resident of the locality known as Lynmouth, in Devon Street, Veale’s Estate, asked if the council would make a track in order to give access to his residence. The engineer reported that he had written pointing out it would be useless to form a path, as it would : be destroyed by the first mob of cattle.

MISCELLANEOUS. The engineer reported an instance in which a householder had connected his residence with the water service on a neighbor’s property, without first making application. —The council decided to institute a prosecution. Advice was received from the Taranaki County Council that the estimated cost of the protective work considered necessary at the Waiwakaiho weir was £24 8?, and they offered to pay half cost, providing the borough council was agreeable to> do likewise. — Agreed to. On the recommendation of the Finance Committee, it was decided that the tram shelter at Belt Roa-d be erected in concrete, rough-cast. The application of the sports ground committee for permission to erect two ticket-'boxes at the Liardet Street entrance to Pukekura Park was the subject of a deputation from the committee, consisting of Messrs. L. Little and J. Kenny. Mr. Little explained that it was not intended to leave the boxes in the street permanently. They were to be made in sections, so that they could be erected for each entertainment and dismantled afterwards.—The council decided to grant permission on the conditions outlined by the deputation. A letter from the Kawaroa Park society asked that the land east of Weymouth Street be vested in the reserve now controlled by the society, and also that they be given permsision to cut turf on the seaward side of Cutfield Road for terracing purposes in the park. —Agreed to. Application was made by the Farmers’ Co-op. Society for a permit for the erection of a benzine store on a site adjoining their present premises in Currie Street.—Referred to the Government inspector for his opinion. Mr. C. H. Burton wrote suggesting that as there were now over 16 houses in Beach Street, Fitzroy, the f-in'ch water-pipe should .be replaced by a 4inch main.—lt was decided to inform him that the request would be considered when all the applications authorised under the £lO,OOO loan have been met. Messrs. Roy, Nicholson and Bennett, as New Plymouth agents for the Vacuum Oil Company, wrote stating that

the company had agreed to sell a portion of their land in Buller Street to the British Imperial Oil Company, giving the latter a frontage of 245 links to the street, the Vacuum Oil Company retaining a similar frontage.—The subdivision was approved. Mr. T. P. Anderson wrote with regard to the condition of the footpath opposite his residence in Devoii Straet West, and also made a complaint that stock were ; llowed to wander in the locality. The inspector reported that it was probable the cause of the trouble was due to the fact that Mr. Anderson: lived on the stock route. However, the locality was receiving attention to prevent milk cows being allowed to* wander along the paths. — The council decided to inform Mr. Anderson that if the names of the offending owners were supplied prosecutions would 'be instituted.

A letter was received from the Patea Borough Council suggesting that local bodies’ antecedent liabilities be pooled, and that one big loan be raised on the London market.—The Mayor said this did not affect the council, os they had no antecedent liability, and further, he thought the Government had already intimated they were not agreeable to such a proposal. The council merely received the letter. On the suggestion of the sexton (Mr. R. H. Bennock), the council decided to; place a warning-’bogrd at the entrance gates ,to the cemetery, limiting the speed of motorists. In reply to an application from Mr. J. Butler and other tenants of the Ngaere leases. Toko, for reduction of rents, it was decided to appoint Councrllora Brown and Rumball as v a committee to enquire into the circumstances of the cases.