BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 February 1923, Page 4

BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

NEW PLYMOUTH COUNCIL. IMPROVING WATER SERVICE'S. The New Plymouth Borough Council met last night. Present: The Mayor (Mr. F. E. Wilson) nnd Crs. .1. Kibby, T. N. Blackball! >E. Dingle, R. A. Large, .1. Brown, F. .1. Hill, V. Grifiiths and R. L. Parkin. Thp allocation of water mains, as provided for by the .€lO,OOO loan, was the subject of a report by the engineer, who stated that approximately'6ss 4in. main pipes had to come forward and were due early in April. From that number the following were bespoken: Courtenay and Powderham iSt'reets 33, •Cutfield Road 40, French and Kitchener Streets 103, Frankley Road 15, Gilbert Street 14, a total of* 205. Goyer Street had been authorised 4in. pyies, but there were enough Gin. pipes to do this, which was the better This left a balance of approximately 450 pipes, which would do fbC” following, as being the most important, works: —Record Street 100, Waikato Street 33, Bayly Road $O, Octavius Place 73, Richmond Street 73, Rophia Street 79, Stock Road 20, total 450. When next dealing with mains, the engineer said he proposed to schedule several streets which were without proper provision for fire supply. A petition that water mains be extended past their properties was presented by five ratepayers on the Frankley Road. Tie properties, it was stated, were within a stone’s throw of the old borough boundary, and the privilege of the use of the borough water supply was claimed - . In answer to the Ytayor, Mr. Cook said that some of the' streets had already a supply of water, but others had none. He had deliberately left out certain streets, as- a 4in. pipe would be insufficient to meet their nefeds.

The Mayor said that the petition came on * with the matter of the Westown supply, on which the engineer was reporting. Ho asked the engineer whether it would not be possible to bring a main down.the Frankley Road, which would assist Westown.

Mr. Cook replied that lie was going into that aspect of the question. He added that he was basing his calculations on a population of 39.000. He would not promise his report under another six to eight weeks. The Mayor then moved that the engineer’s recommendations be adopted. The motion was seconded by Cr. Kibby and carried. It was decided to inform the petitioners that their request could not be considered until the engineer’s report was received. FLOODING OF MANGAOTUKU. An echo of the recent flooding of the Mangaotuku stream, consequent upon the bursting of the dam at Lake Rotokare, was heard in a letter from J. W. Lovell, who stated that lie understood the Rotokarc reserve wap under the Borough Council’s jurisdiction and he drew attention to the damage done to his property. The damage consisted of washing away two bridges completely and the dam attached to a hydraulic ram, leaving him Without a water supply. The biggest item was the bridge over the Mangaotuku stream. Ar the damage to his property was considerable, the council’s assistance was asked. Consideration was deferred pending the visit of inspection by the council to the lake. LIBRARY AFFAIRS. The librarian (Mr. Ellerm) reported as follows: —For the period ended January 27, 37 new subscribers joined and 42 loft, a decrease of 5. Of those left a number have intimated that they will be rejoining during the winter months.' During the holidays a numbers of visitors to the town have taken advantage of the visitors’ subscription. Probably more would have done so had they been aware of the, facilities provided. In this connection I would suggest that no doubt the Tourist ami Expansion League would, if approached, include some reference to the library when they arc reprinting the booklets. During the month a total of 38 books were added to the library, consisting of the following:—Novels 27. travel 5, miscellaneoup *2. The holiday season with its attendant visitors to the town has been respqnsi-ble for a very steady attendance of visitors to the museum, both during the mornings and afternoons. - ELECTRIC LIGHT MATTERS. The electric light committee reported on the business transacted at a. meeting last Thursday as follows: It was decided not to take out a comprehensive policy in regard to the new ’bus but tb injure it against fire for £lOOO and for. passengers’ risk up to £5OO for any one accident; that the meter reader be reimbursed up to £3 per annum for losses sustained 3>y him from time to -time incurred in the course, of collecting electric light accountiT; it was decided to hold a conference with the tramway union in regard to the proposed new industrial agreement on Wednesday, February 21, at 8 p.m. GENERAL., Notification that he would be leaving on Februarj r 10 or 17 .to attend the conference of engineers at Auckland was received, from the engineer (Mr. W. H. Cook), who added that, from a municipal works point of view, the conference promised to be one of the most important of recent years, as apparently the greater part of the week will be allotted to discussions on the various activities undertaken by local bodies. Thanks for favorable consideration of the request for additions to the Vogeltown school site’ were expressed by the Taranaki Education Board, who suggested that the council might take the steps necessary to expedite the transfer of the section and the closing of the road, Smith Street. The board would agree to pay all reasonable expenses, and understood that the drainage right over the land was to be reserved to the council by deed. Notification that the State Advances Department had forwarded the Frankieigh Park loan of £1065 was made by the general manager. PASSES TO BANDSMEN Application for special concession fares on the trams for about rtiit.xm bandsmen, who. owing io th* shortage of accommodation, have to be billeted at the Moturoa Hotel, was made by the New Plymouth Band Contest committee, It was pointed out that rhe committee had decided to pay any charge that, the council made as they considered it their duty to do so, owing i;o having to utilise the Moturoa Hotel. Cr. Griffiths moved that free pa««es be granted to these men from the hotel

to Liardet Street during the six days of the contest.

Cr. Large seconded. Cr. Blackball Raid he wished to enter his emphatic protest against the granting of free passes on the trams. It was not fair to the residents at the Breakwater who had to use the trams. The Mayor said the position was not the same.' The bandsmen had been invited hero by the citizens and owing to the impossibility of obtaining accommodation they had to be sent a distance out. The motion was then put and carried, Crs. Blackball and Brown voting against it. / NGAERiE LEASES. Mrs. Butler’s lease of the borough section at Ngaere came up again, when Mr. Truby King, solicitor for Mrs. Butler, waited on the council in respect to the matter. The Mayor stated that the question had gone on for a long time, and they should now clear the matter up one way or another. Mr. King said that as they knew the improvements were valued and the lessees were required to pay for them in half-yearly instalments as well as rates. In Mrs. Butler's case the payments amount to £227, a sum which she could not pay. She had a large family. The council had suggested thM the improvements be paid in one sum or that Mrs. Butler be allowed to surrender the lease. Thia she would not accept and asked that she be allowed to revert to the terms of her former lease. She had paid over £lOO to the council and she was prepared to forfeit this sum as a quid pro quo. The council decided that the only thing to do was for the council as a whole to meet the leasees