NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH

Taranaki Daily News, 6 August 1929, Page 12

NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH

QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL

MAINTENANCE OF THE STREETS.

MANY REQUESTS BY RATEPAYERS.

The New Plymouth. Borough Council met last night. Present: The Hay'ol- - H. V. S. Griffiths), Crs. G. M. Spence, F. Amoore, R. J- Pentecost, P. E. Stainton, J. W. Darby and I'. Hill. The Commissioner of Crown Lands (Mr. W. D. Ai’init) wrote that the question of changing the name of Barrett Lagoon had been reconsidered by the Honorary Geographic Board, but it had been decided to adhere to the name. Letters from other borough councils in New Zealand giving information regarding the cost and working of destructors in the towns concerned weie referred to the- special committee dealing with the matter. Reporting on a letter from the Taranaki Automobile Association, Inspector Day said a sign for erection at the .Vogeltown school was on hand. The erection of extra parking discs had been authorised.

Cr. Stainton moved that the association should be asked to meet the works committee, Cr. Pentecost and himself to discuss parking arrangements. Cr. Pentecost seconded and said the subject deserved the attention of both the association and the council. The motion was carried.

DRAINS IN LEACH STREET.

■Six ratepayers of Leach Street, between Hobson and Watson streets wrote the council complaining of the bad state of two open drains and the water-tables on the section. The engineer, who had examined the drains, suggested the inspector compel the property owners concerned to deal effectively with the waste water on their sections. The sections were large ones and it should not prove difficult to remedy the matter. The inspector reported the trouble was due to ordinary house waste water. The difficulty was that the ground in the •locality did not allow the water to soak away in the wet season. He was serving notices on the owners to instal more field pipes. The drainage question was referred to the inspector to find a remedy, or to report back to the council if he found the work difficult. The matter of the water-tables was referred to the works committee. Cr. Stainton suggested some gaol gravel was needed on the northern foot- . path in Leach Street, in order to make it safe. The route was used by school children. The Mayor: The locality is always in the shade. The works committee was authorised to attend to the matter. In connection with two letters from Mr. Benoni White drawing attention to . the condition of the swamp in Leach Street east, and the backing up of the water, the engineer was instructed to clear the culvert under Hobson Street at the first dry spell and in the meantime to report upon the levels and the possibility of the owners’ draining the swamp. A further letter from Mr. White granting permission on certain conditions to allow the slope of the filling to encroach upon his property was referred to the engineer to deal with. IMPROVEMENTS TO ROADS. The district telegraph engineer (Mr. J, Webster) wrote that the work of removing the pole on the corner of Weymouth and Hine streets involved an expenditure of from £2O to £25 and before it could be considered he would be glad of an agreement by the council to bear , the cost/ The question was deferred on the motion of Cr. Stainton, pending informa- . tion from the district engineer as to when he would be in New Plymouth, ao that the works committee might con- : fer with him. ; Twelve consents for the widening of j (Tukapo Street and consents for the de- • dication of corners at Walla th Road and on the Omata Road were forwarded by . the borough engineer. There were still several consents to be obtained. The ; matter was referred to the works comt mittee. The Westown Progressive Association • forwarded the following applications: (1) That the Omata Road and Blagdon . IRoad should be listed as roads under the council’s widening scheme as a possible stock route; (2) that metal should be supplied for the entrance of Walsh Road, so that it might be spread by the local people; (3) that David Street should be gravelled; (4) the provision pf a street light near the public hall. The first request was referred to the . stock route committee, the third to the . works committee for further consideration and the fourth to the special committee dealing with such applications. With regard to the second application, the engineer reported the work was on the list of relief works and would be . done in its proper order. A protruding . fire-plug in the locality had been attend- . ed to. It was decided to inform the associa- . tion to that effect. j REQUESTS FOR REPAIRS. Concerning the request for repairs to David Street, Cr. Darby said the works committee had inspected the road recently, and had come to the conclusion work there was not necessary, but Cr. Pentecost said he did not agree with this view. There were potholes in the ■ street. He moved, and it was agreed, that the works committee should further consider the matter. J. N. Morris wrote drawing attention to the bad state of the footpath in Mill Road and to the way the gorse was al- . lowed to grow on the roadside. Mr. Norris will be informed the question is being considered by the works committee. The council agreed to pay its share bf the cost of the visit of Southland farmers to New Plymouth. It was decided to thank Mr. S. G. •Smith, M.P., for his successful efforts in obtaining a grant of £lOOO for reafforesting the Kaitake ranges. The engineer was authorised to gravel the footpath in Young Street from Morley Street to lona hospital, to kerb and channel both sides of Cameron Street from Avenue Road to Gilbert Street and on tho eastern side from Pendarves Street to Lemon Street. He was instructed to submit a report and estimate for sealing or grouting Vivian Street from Morley Street to the top of Bosley’s Hill. The engineer was instructed to effect

temporary repairs to the eastern end of Pendarves Street, to Fulford Street from Dawson Street to Morley Street, and to both entrances to Davidson Street. . . , ~ The matters mentioned in a letter from Mr. W. S. Brinsley were referred to the engineer to deal with the. complaint as to the condition of Waiwaka Terrace fronting Mr. Brinsley’s property and to report in regard to storm-water from the street alleged to be damaging the property. Mr. P. E. Borthwicx was informed that the’ council could not see its way to accede to his request for the sale or hire to him of the crushing plant. Cr. Hill and the engineer were authorised to negotiate with the owners for the easement required for cutting back the Frankley Road hill embankment. DISPOSAL OF STORM WATER. Subject to the owners of the land through which the pipes would be laid granting to the council free of compensation the necessary drainage rights the engineer was authorised to give effect to°his report for the disposal of the storm water at Record and Ropiha streets at an estimated cost of £369 10s. The engineer was authorised to effect the necessary repairs to prevent storm water lying in a water channel in Liardet Street. The petitioners for the improvement of tho carriageway in Ballance Street were informed that the engineer had been authorised to effect temporary repairs. No funds were available for widening the street at Dabb’s Corner. The engineer was instructed to effect ordinary maintenance repairs to the metalled portion of Nonnan- Street but the council could not see its way to effect other improvements in the street or to extend the metalling in David Street. Gravel will be laid in Pioneer Street from Harbour Street to Parris Street between the existing metalling and the new kerbing at an estimated cost of £4O. Application is to be made to the depreciation fund commissioners of the council’s electrical undertaking for £631 to purchase switchgear to replace obsolete switchgear in the Mangorei powerstation and for £lll2 to purchase ten switch cubicles to replace obsolete gear at the Liardet Street sub-station. Cr. Stainton said that a white pine electric light pole in Beach Street was in a decayed condition. Another matter that required attention in Fitzroy was the light at the corner of Watson Street and Waiwaka Terrace. The tiees sheltered it so that it was useless for the purpose intended. If it were moved across to the other corner it would be a great convenience to residents in the locality. The electrical engineer (Mr. W. H. Huggett) said the light was moved, to its'present position to suit , the requirements of some of the residents there. Cr. Stainton: The trees have grown up since then. Cr. Spence said he agreed with what had been said. The trees had now grown so much that they obscured the light. Cr. Amoore said he was a member of the committee when the light was moved. The trees had grown up since then.

Both matters were referred to the electric light committee. The boiler not having been used for several years, the application of the Harbour ’Board for disconnection of the water service to the gravel dump boiler, Ngamotu beach, and for the remission of°the water charge for the current year, was granted. Tho conditions stipulated by G. Payne precedent to the dedication by him of a triangular piece of land for the rounding off of a corner of Carrington Road and Pendarves Street were accepted and the borough engineer was instructed to set back the corner and carry out the work as agreed upon, without waiting till the dedication had been completed. The control of the Bonlthon Recreation Reserve wil be offered to the West End school committee, it was decided. A meeting of the council in committee held on July 29 accepted an invitation from the New Plymouth Savage Club for the Mayor and councillors to attend the next korero.

On the recommendation of the council in committee, the finance committee was asked to consider letters from Alessrs. Weston and Billing with reference to the compensation required by the trustees of the estate of J. T. Shaw, deceased, for setting back the frontage of their land in Currie Street, and from Alessrs. Rutherfurd, Alacalister and Coleman regarding the renewal of Needham’s lease. It was decided to hold a conference of local authorities regarding hospital levies to-day at 2.30 p.m. and that the first meeting of the aviation committee should be held on Thursday, at 2.30 p.m. The borough solicitor being satisfied that all papers were in order and all rent and costs paid, consent was given to the transfer of lease of allotment 4, Mt. Eliot Reserve, from Robert Scott to W. H. Jones and A. F. Sandford. PERMANENT STREET LL v ELS. On the recommendation of the works committee, it was decided that the plans of permanent levels of • the following streets submitted by the borough engineer, in accordance with the council’s instructions, be approved, that notice of the council’s intention to fix the levels of the streets in accordance with the plans be published, and that Alonday, September 2, at 7.30 p.m., be appointed the day on which the council would hear objections to the proposed levels by persons affected thereby: (a) That portion of Downe Street from its junction with Robe Street to its junction with Dawson Street; (b) that portion of Downe Street from its junction with Standish Street to its junction with Stoke Street; (c) tha’t portion of Stoke Street from its junction with Downe Street to its junction with Barrett Street; (d) that portion of Victoria Road from and including its junction with Gilbert Street and Carrington Road to and including its junction with Brooklands Road; (e) the whole of Brooklands Road from and including its junction with Victoria Road to and including the junction of Carrington, Tarahua and Brooklands roads; (f) the whole of that portion of Nobs Line leading off Mangorei Road to be known as Turehu Street and situated adjoining section 88 Fitzroy district.

Inspector Day’s action in agreeing to the transfer of two licenses for kerbside petrol pumps was approved, while consent was given to tho transfer of another license.

It was decided to approve an amcnament to the plan of the Alarutahi estate subdivision required by the Public Works Department and the Director of Town Planning, whereby the proposed new street off Tukapo Street will be made full width opposite in order to give better access to the proposed football ground. Inspector Day was authorised to grant permission to W. A. Graham to install

a septic tank in Tukapo Street for the o.wner, K. C. Jury, in accordance with the conditions adopted by the council on October 3, 1927, except that the effluent pipe might be brought to the front of the dwelling instead of to the back as required by the conditions. As full compliance with the building by-laws would be attended with loss to the owner without any corresponding benefit to the community, the council, on the special application of the owner and the recommendation of the building superintendent, granted permission to Taranaki Amusements, Ltd., to construct with wood framing covered with corrugated iron (in lieu of brick, stone or concrete) the battery room proposed to be erected alongside the operator's box at Everybody's theatre. REPORT FROM THE LIBRARY. Reporting on the work in the public library during the 24 working days before July 17, the librarian (Air. A. L. Lowe) said the issues were 9878, including an issue of 8-54 in the children’s section, a daily average of 412 issues. During this period 49 new subscriptions were registered and 28 subscriptions cancelled, a net increase of 21. Accessions to the library for the month totalled 192, and were classified as follow: Reference 1, philosophy 1, sociology 2, useful arts 1, fine arts 4, literature 9, history 5, travel 20, biography 7, children 42, fiction 100. A total of 488 books had been repaired by the library staff and again placed in circulation. The museum and early colonist collection continued to attract attention and show a steady increase of visitors and townspeople in attendance.