OLD PEOPLE'S HOME

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 223, 26 January 1911, Page 3

OLD PEOPLE'S HOME

WATER SUPPLY. At the adjourned meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council on Tuesday night Mr. J. D. Sole presented a petition bearing ten signatures, asking the council to extend its water mains to Westown. If the request was acceded to the petitioners were each prepared to have their premises connected. The annual rental value of the properties would be between £SOO and £OOO, and all the houses were within a radius of a' few chains from the new site of theOld People's Home. Mr. F. C. Bellringer, chairman of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, ana Mr. C. M. Lepper, secretary to the board, supported the petition. Mr. Bellringer pointed out that the work of moving the Old People's Home to the new site was nearing completion, and some provision would have to be made at once for a water supply. .Mr. Bellringer said his board was quite willing to guarantee the council against the interest on the cost of the extension.

The Mayor said the estimated cost of the work was in the neighborhood ol £SOO.

Mr. Bellringer said the contractors were making much better progress with the work of moving the Home than was anticipated, and the old people would be moving within the next month or five weeks,

The Mayor asked what amount the

Hospital Board would be prepared to contribute. According to the by-laws the cost of extensions of water mains outside the borough devolved upon those making the application, but he admitted that in view of the possibilities of the Greater New Plymouth scheme it would be very hard lines for the board to provide the wh«le of the cost of the extension and then the pipes revert to the council. Mr. Bellringer said the board could guarantee the interest on the outlay. Councillor Watkins said that so far as the petition before the council was concerned people who more particularly wanted tlie water had not signed it. The council had previously been approached on behalf of the. Hospital Board, and had replied, hut had heard nothing further from the board on the question. Mr. Bellringer said the board bad no authority to spend £SOO on a main unless it became its owii'qiropexty. The question was referred to the Works Committee, the town" clerk to furnish a report on the estimated revenue. It was understood that a further petition From the other property owners I on the proposed line would be presented to the committee.