BOROUGH OF WAITARA

Taranaki Daily News, 14 April 1932, Page 3

BOROUGH OF WAITARA

REQUESTS BY RATEPAYERS.

MAINTENANCE OF FOOTPATHS.

The monthly meeting of the Waitara Borough Council was held l as t night, there bein<r present the Mayor (Mr, J. Hine), Crs“ E. A. George, H. Walkley, T. Wilson, T. B. Ewens, \V. J- Reeve, W. B. Glasgow and H. Spurdie. Mr. E. S. Allen, a consumer outside the borough, wrote asking the council to reconsider his application that sonic concession should be made in the charges for water. He used only a ‘tea kettle service, yet lie was charged £6, the same as a farmer with eight or ten water troughs. If it was such a trivial thing, remarked the Mayor, the applicant would be wise to have the service disconnected. That would be far better for the council than to have to establish the precedent of discriminating between the amount of water used by consumers. Ci's. Wilson, Glasgow and Ewens considered the council should have two rates for residents outside the. borough one for farmers and another for householders. The Mayor said that if any differentiation were made farmers with small herds would say they were not entitled to pay as much as a farmer with, double the number of cows, and the council could hardly decline their request. .The Mayor’s motion that the council could not alter its decision was lost. Cr. George gave notice to move at the next meeting that the matter be re-opened. Messrs. T. Taylor, J. P. Hughson and A. E. Pizzey presented a petition signed by 76 ratepayers drawing attention to the unsatisfactory condition of the footpath from High Street to the corner of Bathscombe Terrace, and they requested that it should be metalled as far as the council’s fund would permit. A motion was moved that the matter be referred to the works committee.

Cr. Glasgow considered that the works committee should go further and deal with the whole question. When numerous applications were received for street lights, the electric light committee had made an inspection of the borough one dark night and had ascertained where lights were most required and had installed them, irrespective of the petitioners. The works committee should inspect all footpaths and decide which required attention first. They should then lay down a policy. He agreed with Cr. Ewens that some of the footpaths had been levelled by being dug out. He agreed with the Mayor that at present there was not a drop of water on the footpath, which to outward appearance looked a good footpath, but he was prepared to accept the word of the petitioners that at times it was under water. REPORT ON PATHS W.ANTED. Cr. Glasgow moved that the works committee inspect and report on all the footpaths in the borough and define the policy in regard to' footpath maintenance. ‘ The Mayor said that there were miles of footpaths in the borough and if Waitara residents expected all their footpaths tar-sealed they would be sadly disappointed. Cr. Glasgow said that he had no intention of suggesting that, though he recognised that it was advantageous to tar seal footpaths that were already in good order. He considered the council should adopt a policy of completing so many chains of footpath each year, starting with the most important and necessary. They should not need to have to consider the requests of petitions. In seconding the amendment Cr. Ewens said that though he was interested in the footpath, in question he did not consider it should take preference over one requiring more urgent attention. The motion was withdrawn and Cr. Glasgow’s amendment was carried unanimously. Cr. Glasgow reported that the electric light committee had instructed the clerk and engineer to go into the financial position of the electric light department with a view to considering the question of a reduction in the charges for electricity. ' The electrical engineer (Mr. Overton Smith) reported that during February 27,687 units had been registered, as compared with 24,450 the previous February, and 30,362 in March as compared with 28,120 for the previous March. The consumption for the year was 3'89,066 units, as compared with 346,920 in the previous year. The new wire run towards the beach had been connected and the light had been installed in the camping ground kitchen. The New Plymouth Borough Council was installing a meter equipment at Nelson Street and the current would be cut off for three hours fin Thursday. WORK ON THE STREETS.

The works committee reported that the remetalling and tar sealing of West Quay had been authorised from the intersection of McLean Street to approximately the Clifton hall. Authority had also been given for sealing the footpath on the south side of McLean Street from Grey to Cracroft Street, also concrete kerbing on North Street, lhe committee recommended the purchase of hose which might be used to allay the dust. The grading on the side of the metal in Queen Street would be attended to and surplus spoil offered to the seaside society. Leslie Street was also to receive attention, Perrin Street footpath had received attention, Mr. L. T. Kendrick, the overseer, reported that two water mains had been repaired and four services laid. Two building permits and four motor driving licenses had been issued. As the result of complaints about wandering stock he had notified the ranger and the streets were now kept clear of stock. The foreman reported that the staff had been cleaning drains, footpaths and water-tables. The unemployed had been occupied cleaning drains, grubbing furze, cutting hedges, painting and road work. Weather permitting he intended starting metalling West Quay on Monday. The ranger reported that he differed with the reports published to the effect that stock were straying in the streets. In most cases some one was in attendance though in some cases people waited until his back was turned and then let their stock out. He had remedied that by doubling and trebling his rounds each day, resulting in the capture of 24 head of stock from April 1 to date. Those in attendance on stock had been ordered to move to their sections at a faster pace. Ci" George agreed that the ranger was doing his work in earnest as he had “crabbed” one of his (Cr. George’s) cows. Cr. Glasgow complained about the inadequacy of the water pressure at his residence, which he considered the council should investigate. He asked whether the domestic supply was the first consideration or the extraordinary supply to large users. .The Mayor said that domestic users came first. It was resolved that the matter of water used in the fellmongery department at the freezing works be referred to the works committee with power to act, a recommendation, being that a meter be installed. The Waitara Fire Board forwarded resolutions viewing with concern the practice of smoking in public halls and strongly recommending the council to make a by-law to give the fireman on duty authority to stop the practice. The board also asked the council to have electric installations that had been condemned brought up to date as Waitara

was reported to be the only town in Taranaki that had condemned installations.

The Mayor said the electrical engineer had informed him that there were only two installations in Waitara that were not right, and the owners had been given the necessary notice. It was resolved to inform the Fire Board of the means adopted to bring installation up to requirements, and that proprietors of halls had the matter of prohibiting smoking in their own hands. It was resolved to inform Mr. Kelly that the council could not approve of his application for a social hall license ■as the proposed sanitary arrangements