NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH

Taranaki Daily News, 22 September 1931, Page 6

NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH

MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING DOMAIN COMMITTEE AT NGAMOTU MOTION THAT IT SHOULD DISBAND The monthly meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council was held last night. Present: The Mayor (Mr. H. V. S. Griffiths), Crs. T. P. Anderson, F. Amoore, R. J. Pentecost, P. E. Stainton, J. W. Darby, J. Brown, F. J. Hill and R. W. D. Robertson. The secretary of the Ngamotu Domain Committee wrote that the following notice of motion would be dealt with at the next meeting of the committee: “That after Saturday, October 31, the committee controlling the domain should disband and hand back to the council the complete control of the domain.” The Mayor and Cr. Staiuton were deputed to attend the next meeting of the committee. Writing on behalf of relief workers in Frankley Road, Mr. F. Balchin asked if they could be granted a break of a quarter of an hour at 2.45 p.m. It was pointed out that the men had to work 3| hours in the afternoon without a break, and that the work was heavy and constant, especially to those unused to it. The borough engineer stated that both re f and permanent staff were given ten minutes’ break in the morning, and none in the afternoon. The matter wat referred to the chairman of the works committee to confer with the chairman of the Taranaki County Council with the object of coming to a uniform arrangement regarding a ’“smoko,” it being explained that it was the custom in the county for the workers to have “smokos” but not in the borough. Application for a grant from the unemployed relief fund or other source to enable some very necessary grading to be done to give vehicular access to the Scout Reserve was made by the Scouts and Girl Guide; reserve committee. The work was conudered urgent, as it affected the Girl Guides, who were unable to handle the heavy material necessary when holding a camp on the reserve. The application was referred to the works con mittee. It was decided to give permission to the High Sch als’ Board to lay about one and a half chains of piping from the sout.;-eastern corner of the board’s land across the council’s land to the Boy Scouts’ reserve. The object is to convey water from the Te Henui stream to the baths at the boys’ school. A small building to house a pump will be bunt on the bank of the stream. The permission of the council is subject to certain conditions. The secretary of St. Mary’s vestry wrote requesting the council to extend th© metalling and tar-sealing in Vivian Street to the water-tables in front of the church and Parish Hall. In support of the request it was stated that St. Mary’s Church was the only church, in the inner area of the borough which fronted a street not completely sealed from water-table to water-table. The present state of the sides of the street, particularly on ths northern side where the re-laying of water mains had been carried out recently, was such as to cause serious inconvenience to those attending services at the church and gathering at the hall.—Referred to works committee. ENGINEER’S REVIEW. The engineer (Mr. C. Clarke) reported that 118 chains 2<2 feet of new mains had been laid in connection with the waterworks. Twenty-seven new services were re-connected to the main. Nine new services were installed and nine services relaid, using 283 feet of pipe. Henui Street had been regraded and owing to the wet weather, had been metalled with gaol gravel instead of metal. Broadmore Street had been formed, metalled and blinded. The following streets had been patched: Molesworth, Massey, Eliot, Webster, Ngaio, Mt. Edgecombe, Ballance, Lemon, Bracken and Aubrey and Victoria Road. A start had been made with putting the sewer through Pukekura Park, approximately 10 chains being already completed. A footpath had been formed and gravelled in Brooklands Road from King’s Road, for about 20 chains. The path in Tukapa Street from Clawton to Waimea Streets had been kerbed and channelled, regraded and gravelled. A short length in Nobs Line had been kerbed and channelled and tlie path gravelled. Relief work was carried out at Mt. Bryan, abattoirs flats, Devon Street rubbish dump, Reserve T, Henui Street, Broadmore Street, Frankley Road, Cutfield Road, cemetery, Huatoki Domain, East End, Rotokare Domain, Pukekura Park and Fitzroy beach. In view of the fact that the Gill Street yards had been taken under the Public Works Act for the Post and Telegraph Department tho borough engineer was authorised to use the council’s sections, Mt. Eliot reserve, as a yard for the storage of metal chips, etc., subject to arrangements being made with the owners of the hoardings for entrances to be made in such a way that the materials stored would not be clearly visible from tho streets. As a result of a deputation waiting on the works committee from the Taranaki Jockey Club it was decided, without prejudice, as follows: That, subject to part sections 1181 (in name of Mr. A. Alexander) and 1182 (in name of Taranaki Jockey Club), corner of Gover Street and Wakefield Street — for many years used as a street —and part of the racecourse reserve used as part of John Street, being proclaimed as public streets before November 26, without payment of compensation, other than is hereinafter mentioned, the council will permit the rates for the current year due by the club, acounting to £6Ol 12s 6d, to bo paid after November 26, but prior to January 11, 1932, without incurring the penalty of 10 per cent., the amount of tho penalty that would otherwise accrue to be treated as in full payment of compensation to the club for part 1182 and part racecourse reserve to be so proclaimed a public street. CHARGES TO JOCKEY CLUB. In view of tho fact that with the exception of two all the water closets and urinals on the racecourse were kept locked between tho race meetings, it was decided that from April 1, 1932, full rates should be charged for the two always remaining open and half rates for the remainder; this will mean a reduction from £l4 15s a year to £6 10s. In view of the fact that t\c committee

agreed that the old charge of 10s per horse per day charged to the Taranaki Jockey Club for the use of loose boxes at-the borough stables during race meetings was on the high side, it was decided that the charges made during the race meetings held in December and February last be reduced to 6s per horse per day and that the balance be written off. The total charges were £42, the amount to be written off £l4 16s, leaving a net charge of £27 4s. It was decided that in future the charge to the club for loose boxes be 6s a . horse a day, plus £1 a night for a nightwatchman, plus the cost of removing any material that may be stored by the council in the boxes. In view of the fact that a considerable part of the land formerly used by the Taranaki Jockey Club for grazing purposes was now used as football and cricket grounds and was not available for grazing purposes, it was decided that tho charge for the 'current year (£4O) for grazing rights be reduced to £25 and that £25 per annum be charged in future. The council decided to inform the chib that it could not accede to the club’s request for a remission under Section 75 fo The Rating Act, 1925, of part of tho rates payable on the club’s racecourse property. Mrs. W. J. Hollard will be informed that no funds are available for the formation and metalling of Bulteel Street; a similar reply will be sent to Mr. Andrew Neilson regarding the conetruction of a road between Baring Terrace to Skeet Street. Consideration of a petition regarding the eastern end of Hine Street was deferred pending an inspection of the locality by the works committee. The engineer was authorised to place a lorry and driver at the disposal of Sister Gill for half a day for the cartage of firewood for families in distressed circumstances. The electrical engineer (Mr. W. H. Huggett) reported that during August 26 applications were received for the supply of energy, 66 additions and alterations to existiug alterations were made and 43 new connections were installed. The Waiwakaiho River had been high throughout the month, the highest and lowest levels ©corded at the intake being 6ft. 6in. and 3ft. The lake levels had been maintained from about 24 to 10 inches ove: the spillway. Practically no assistance was necessary from the Taranaki Power Board, the line being “dead” a greater part of the time to enable the Public Works Department workmen to prepare the poles for a telephone circuit and erect the new poles for completion of the main line between Egmont Village and tne power station, which was to be done immediately. The Diesel engine was started up 19 times, with a total running time of 20 hours; it generatea 5965 units on a fuel consumption of approximately 350 gallons. At the power station the No. 5 low head unit had been re-assembled and replaced in c mmission and was operating very satisfactorily. WORK AT THE HYDRO. The contractors had delivered a quantity of the material on the site and made a start with the erection of the new penstock pipe. One bend and one main sluice valve and the new turbine connection and turbine sluice valve had been erected and connected up with the main bus pipe. This meant the complete shutting down of the high head system. This work was commenced on the Saturday evening at 11 o’clock and completed next morning at 6 o’clock. It was quite a satisfactory job. The second valve h been fixed, leaving the balance of the work to be completed without further interruption to the system. A further section of the high tension system had been changed over to 11,000 volts and the whole of the area eastward of the Waiwakaiho River had been completed and placed in commission. Parts of the town area were now being prepared, and several short extensions in various parts of the system were being carried out to supply power to the farmers requiring same. The number of new installations and alterations dealt with by -he inspection department was 116, and 89 re-inspec-tions have been made. The maximum load recorded was 3300 k.w. and the greatest number of units generated in any one day was 48,387 with a total of 1,392,192 for the month, as against 3275 k.w., 48,937 and 1,330,875 units respectively for the corresponding period of last year. The trams, during August, earned £1265 0s 3d, from 163,995 passengers, reported the manager (Mr. G. J. Wyatt). These figures represented decreases of ’.£59 10s in fares xnd 14,492 passengers, compared with August, 1930. The buses travelled 5670 miles and earned £l9l 13s 3d from 21,422 passengers. Those figures represented decreases of £2l 3s 2d and 2448 passengers. Details of working on the tram routes were:—Fitzroy-Breakwater: Mileage, 15,776; passengers, 120,331; fares, £991 8s lid. Westown route: Mileage, 7346; passengers, 33,664; fares, £273 Ils 4d. The electric light and tramways committee reported that the Hon. 8. G. Smith had written that the license for tho council to install electric lines through th borough of Waitara to the freezing works of Messrs. Borthwick, Ltd., had been approved by the Executive Council. It was decided to thank Mr. Smith for the assistance rendered by him in obtaining the license. The electrical engineer was authorised to connect up the lights at the old Soldiers’ Club for the National Council of Women in connection with the scheme for the relief of distress; that the meters be read quarterly, but that provided the engineer was satisfied from time to time that there had been no extravagance, no charge be made for current.

In order to light up the tram shelter at Calvert Road the electrical engineer was instructed to shift the street light from the northern to the southern side of South Road, at the corner of Calvert Road. The tramways manager was instructed to pipe the channelling in front of the tram shelter. On the recommendation of the finance committee it was decided that in view of the uncertainty of the exchange it was decided to proceeed with the arrangements made by the town clerk to forward £426. 14s Id (including £360 14s Id exchange) to meet interest due in London on December 15. The chief inspector (Mr. R. Day) reported that license fees during August totalled £221 10s. Two cases of diphtheria were inquired into and reported upon. All tubercular cases had been visited and reported upon, and the position generally was very satisfactory. During August, reported the abattoir manager (Mr. M. J. Killeen) 188 heifers, 81 cows, 26 steers, 21 calves, 1315 sheep, one lamb and iB-1 pigs were slaughtered. Compared with the corresponding period last year, tnese figures showed increases of 16 cattle, four calves, 114 sheep and 42 pigs. Fees totalled £271 15s lOd, an inerettse of £lB 19s.