BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 298, 26 January 1910, Page 4

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

XI'KCIAL MEETIXti. A special meeting of the Borough Council was held last night, llis Worship the Mayor (Mr. (i. i>ch) presided, ami the councillors present were M:ssrs E. Dockriil, I'. C. .1. iiellringcr, F. il. Wilson, J, West, A. E. Watki.is, .1. f. Hooker, 11. UilDert and <l. \T\ Browne. WUBIv.S COMMITTEE. The Works Coinmittee reeomuiend'.'d that the Xew Plymouth Wood Carrying Co. he charged to for water for its traction engine up to March ;jh-H and the application for a reduced charge will be considered by next year's estimates committee, and that the application for permission to occasionally take water in the borough be referred to the borough engineer, with power to act; that the letter from ihe I'uMic Works Department re exemption of (.iill and KaWiiu streets from the provision* of the i'ublic Works Act b.v referred to the Mayor and Cr. liellringer to confer with the llarbor Board, with pow->i- to act; Inat -\irs. Wells be thanked for granting permission for the tilling at t'owderham street culvert io encroach oil lu'r property.—The report was adopted. ELECTUIC UtillTlXi;. ' Cr. Browne moved, and Cr. Hooker secondeu. that the Council invite applications for the position of meter-reader at the electric light distributing station. Cr. Bcllringcr moved an amendment that the electrical engineer report generally upon the stall' of the distributing station. He believed considerable li° trenehment could be cll'ected. Meterreading occupied about three days a month, and it wasn't worth while to put on a man at C'2 10s a week for that work. It would be far better lor the electrical engincr or the linesman to do the reading, and for a lady elerk to b e employed tor the clerical work. Cr. 'Wilson felt, and had long felt, that the electrical department was owr-staff. Ed, and it might be so, and he would like the report to oe presented. He suggested that the amendment be withdrawn and moved after the motion calling for applications had been carried. This course was adopted. Application* for the position of clerk and meterreader will l) ( , invii:'ii, and the electrical engineer's report will be submitted and considered before any appointment is made. NEW POWER SCHEME.

The Electrical ComnirttPe reported recommending the adoption of Mr Climie's scheme for generating additional power at the headwords ol' the water and electrical services.

Cr. Browne moved the adoption of the report.

The Mayor seconded, and i?aij thai, by adopting this scheme the Council was going to get the benefit of all the power the river could general? under normal conditions, and provide sutli eient electrical energy for any requir.: ments of Xew Plymouth in the future. Cr. Gilbert urged caution. Another engineer's report should he procured to check Mr. Ctimie's scheme and estimates. The Council, lie said, had lost a lot bv ill-considered schemes. Cr. liellringer also advocated further time for consideration, although he believed in going 011 with the tail-race alteration.

Cr. Y\ ilson said that lie would .support the motion, for it (Tidn'6 bind the Council to go on with the work. As for Mr. Cliinio, he was satisfied he was a man who know what he was talking ahoui. and he (Cr. AVilson) for one would prefer his report that that of anv Wellington man after the Council's experionse in the former electrical and waterworks undertaking. Cr. ijiickni! was favorably impressed with Mr. Cliinie's re]iort and iich?me. the estimates of -which seemed verv reasonable. He was in favor of furth*>r consideration before adopting the scheme. He was sure that the Couivi! had never procured from the tunnel the amount of horse-power that had be. , n guaranteed by the previous consulting engineer, who was supposed to bo one of the fort-most in tlte Dominion.

Mr. Henry King wrote agreeing to give the Council an casement over the portion of his la ml required for a tail race, taking a straight liine from the powerhouse to the Waiwakaiho el ream, a length of 17 chains, with a widlli of about 20 feet, upon certain conditions, for £100; or an easement from the powerhouse to the creek for .£7o. Inferred back to the Electric Lighting Committee.

The report was adopted, without dissent, upon the Mayor assuring the Council that the motion did not. bind them to gn on at once.

It was further decided to instruct Mr C'imie to prepare and submit plans and specifications.