BOROUGH IMPROVEMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 3 September 1929, Page 12

BOROUGH IMPROVEMENTS

TOWN OF NEW PLYMOUTH

DECISIONS MADE BY THE COUNCIL.

STREET AND FOOTPATH WORK.

The New Plymouth Borough Council met last night, when there were present Crs. J. Brown, F. J. Hill, J. W. Darby, R. J, Pentecost, P. E. Stainton, F. Amoore and G. M. Spence. In the absence of the Mayor (Mr. H. V. S. Griffiths) and the Deputy-Mayor (CT. S. G. Smith, M.P.), Cr. Brown presided.

It was resolved that Cr. Brown be requested to convene a meeting of representatives of the four local bodies interested in the elimination of the Waitara Road level crossing, and that he represent the council at the meeting.

It was resolved to request the hfrbour board to suggest a name for the proposed new street to be formed by the board off Ngamotu Road. The question of the formation of the proposed street was referred to the works committee- with a request that the committee confer with the harbour board on the matter.

A report from the electrical engineer in regard to the method of charging for electricity supplied to consumers was referred to the electric light and tramways committee for consideration. WORKS COMMITTEE MATTERS. The works committee reported that they had conferred with Mr. H. Collier and had agreed to the engineer setting back the corner of his property,. Devon Street West and Belt Road, 6ft Gin each way without any dedication being effected. * Mr. Stanley Smith is to be informed that the council adheres to the resolution passed by it in December, 1923, declining to accept any liability for alleged removal of lateral support to his property near the junction of Mangorei Road and Turehu Street. Mr. Chas. Peddie is to be informed that the council cannot accept any liability for the alleged removal of lateral support .of Mrs. V. H. Pellew’s property in Young Street. The engineer was authorised to kerb and gravel the path on the east side of Mangorei Road for two chains from Devon Street.

Mr. W. A. Scott is to be informed that the stream through his and Mr. Waldie's property, Nob’s Line, is a natural watercourse, and that the council has statutory powers to drain stormwater into it. The engineer was authorised to expend approximately £lO in remedying the nuisance caused by swamp water at the eastern end of Buller Street, so improving the access to Mr. A. D. Hall s section and to the entrance to the EastEnd Reserve. Mr. W. J. Knapman is to be informed that the ’ works committee will arrange to confer with him on the ground in regard to the northern end of ' David Street.Consideration of the question of metalling and scaling Vivian Street- from Morley ' Street westwards was • deferred until the summer months. The Pukckura Park Board is to be informed that the engineer is placing a suitable sump at the intersection of Brooklands and Holsworthy Roads to prevent stormwater from carrying earth into the upper lake of the park. A letter from Mr. W. Morton drawing attention to a projection from the Belt Road culvert was referred to the engineer who will investigate and if necessary remedy the nuisance. . The works committee reported that in company with Cr. Spence it interviewed Mr. J. R. Cruickshank in regard to Ins application for exemption from the building by-laws in respect to a new shop proposed to be erected in Devon Street. ' Mr.. Cruickshank was unable to agree to the restrictions suggested at the last meeting of the council, and in accordance with his express wish the committee recommended that the appli cation be pot granted. —The committee s recommendation was adopted. MISCELLANEOUS AFFAIRS. The question of improving the, access to Mr. E. Jackson’s property on Standish Hill by removing a quantity of clay was .deferred, pending the receipt of a written statement from Mr. Jackson as to what contribution he himself would make towards the cost. The proposed road levels of Downe Street, Stoke Street, Victoria Road, Brooklands Road and Nob’s Line (Turehu Street) were adopted. The . town clerk reported that the only objection received was from Mr. A. H. Blennerhassett (Downe Street) who had a garage that would be affected, by the raising of the street. Cr. Amoore: I take it you do not intend to do Downe Street for some time. Cr. Brown: No. It is one of the last works intended as unemployment relief work, and I expect all such relief work will be finished long before we reach Downe Street. It seems it will be a long time before Downe Street is touched. . , , ~ r Notification was received from Mr. U. E. Roper that Messrs. P. J. Bartholomew, R. Glengarry, W. Hunter and the writer had been elected to serve on the committee of the Ngamotu Seaside Resorts Company. Five additional members were added to the special committee, said Mr. Roper, bringing the total to 1G members. It was intended to brin" the committee up to 39. Mr Roper’s request, the council appointed Cr. P. E. Stainton to act on a deputation which is to wait m the near future on the New Plymouth Haibour Board.

PROTEST OVER TRAMWAY FARES.

A strong protest was received from the New Plymouth Waterside Workers Industrial Union of Workers against the recent increase in tramway fares. it had been the practice of a fair pcrcen - ago of the members, stated the secte-

tary (Mr. S. Flood) in a letter, to travel to and fro to their meals, but the recent increase would compel a large number to take a cold meal with them, thereby depriving the tramways of their former revenue and at the same time putting the members of the union to inconvenience; He trusted the council would reconsider this important matter, for any increase in the fares must naturally increase the cost of living. It was resolved to inform the union that the council could not alter its decision, at any rate until the new scheme of fares had had a trial. The question of the allocation of heavy traffic fees for 1930-31 was referred to the works committee for careful consideration with the object of having a more equitable allocation made at the next local body conference on the matter.

Formal approval was given of proposals being placed before the ratepayers for the raising of a special loan to provide funds for the widening of Currie Street between Devon and Gill Streets. The question of fixing the amount of the loan was referred to the finance committee to investigate and to report. /It was decided that as the chairman of the Carncgia Institute Committee (Mr. W. H. Skinner) had been unable to induce the owners of the suggested site in Queen Street for new buildings for the institute to place a definite price on the land, no further steps be taken in the matter" at present.

TEST HOLES AT HYDRO WORKS.

It was resolved that upon his signing a release of all his claims in connection with the opening up and filling in of the test»holes in the Waiwakaiho River flat of his farm at Kaipi Road near the hydro electric works, and for the use of his land in connection with such test holes, Mr. A. Western be paid the sum of £lO. . ~ The engineer was instructed to fill in the hollows and resow the ground opened up for the test holes in Mr. R. F. Prices’s land leased to Mr, A. Western, and to comply with the provisions of tho agreement with Mr. Price. It was decided that insurances against damage by earthquake be effected in respect to the following buildings: Carnegie Library building, £3000; museum building, £2500; municipal offices, £3OOO. , eL It was decided that a letter as drafted by the Christchurch Tramway Board be forwarded to Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., requesting him to watch the iuteiests of local bodies in the event of the report of the Transport Advisory Council recommending anything calculated to diminish the powers of local bodies, or to b-eak down the measure of protection afforded by existing legislation to local bodies in the transport business. With reference to the supply of electricity for bakers’ ovens, it was resolved that the unit charges for electrical current for bakers’ ovens be on a tworate system as from July 1, 1929, as follows/8 a.m. to 8 p.m., twopence per unit gross; 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., one penny half-penny per unit gross. A discount of one penny per unit is to be allowed in each case on the usual conditions. An application by F. Hatcher, Saxton Road, for permission to tap a private water supply line serving the property that once comprised the Saxton estate was referred to the works committee, who will confer with Mrs. Saxton’s representative. , With reference to a complaint from Mr. S. F. Burgess relative to the poor water supply to his house in Barrett Street, the engineer reported that he would have the pressure increased at once. It might mean the laying ox a new water main. . A request that a footpath in Fitzroy extending from Jordan’s residence, to Waitako° Street, which is always in a m-easy state in wet weather, be attended to, was referred to the works committee. ~ An application from the Texas O Company for permission to lay a water main from Ngamotu Road to the company’s bulk installation was referred to the works committee.