NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1932, Page 5

NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH

meeting of the council

RATEPAYERS’ APPLICATIONS.

COMMITTEES’ REPORTS ADOPTED.

. The New Plymouth Borough. Council met last night. Present: The Mayor (Mr. H. V. S. Griffiths) and Crs. R. W. D. Robertson, F. J. Hill, J. W. Darby, P. E, Stainton, R. J. _ Pentecost, F. Amoore and T. P. Anderson. . I . ■ The council approved a schedule from the finance committee showing details of loans falling due on April 1, 1933, and for.which it is intended to take a poll for the raising of £553,000, the security' for which would be an annually ■ recur : ring , special rate of 3d. in the £8 on the rateable value of all rateable ' property in the borough on the basis of the unimproved value. It is proposed the loan should be repaid on November I, 1952. .The sinking fund would be 2 per cent.- : . .■ > ■ , ■ * • . - The' insurance of relief workers under the’No. 5 scheme was the subject of a letterfrom the Lower. Hutt Borough Council, yhich had found the premiums a heavy drain on borough finances. With sithe 'object of obviating, or, at least reducing, these payments, it was suggested that' a "-representative deputation should wait on the Uneinployment Board to express the views of local bodies. The New Plymouth council’s opinion on the matter was sought and,- in addition, the amount the council had paid.-in premiums during the past two years, together with the amount received by way of compensation. Or. Stainton thought the council had been, treated iquite generously by its company., It seemed to be a matter concerning' the way of treatment by the various managers. The- letter, was referred to the works committee. The north committed of the Egmont National Park Board wrote asking for the supply of current to the hostel and old house in accordance with quotations previously received. —The electrical engineer reported that a canvass was now being made of the area between the present terminus and the reserve gate and that resulting information would be placed before the next meeting of the electrical committee. —Referred to electrical committee, y ‘An application to remove for firewood dead trees and limbs from a strip of land under the council’s control between

Carrington Road, and Victoria Road was referred to the works committee with power to act. TIMANDRA STREET IMPROVEMENT. Nine, ratepayers of Timandra Street forwarded their approval .of the recommendation of the beautifying committee to. form, metal and plant the street. The ratepayers said they would provide £lO towards the cost of planting the trees.—-Referred, to the works committee, to confer with the beautifying committee.' It was decided to send a copy of the borough engineer’s report upon the cost of . metal and gravel from the prison to the gaoler, with a request to the Prisons Department to reduce the charges to the amounts recommended in the report. - Mr. E. Gilmour wrote asking the council 'to lend electrical fittings for-a hospital? ball, the proceeds of, which were to go before the children’s ward.—Referred' to' the electric light' committee, 'with powerto act. Permission to hold Sunday night concerts in the Opera House or Empire Theatre during the winter was sought by the Taranaki Regimental-Municipal Band, a charge of 6d. per head to go towards, expenses and band' funds.—Per-

mission to hold one recital was granted, the.question of any other concerts to be cohsidered upon application. On behalf of the.'committee that considered the request Or. Stainton said it was not the policy of the council to allow a fixed ’ chargeon Sundays, except under special circumstances. The committee recommended that permission should be given for one concert. The- plan of the proposed new street from Seaview Road to Lawry Street, Moturba, was apprpved, and the engineer was authorised to proceed with the acquiring of the land required, subject to the condition that no compensation for the land in any case should be paid. . . The, engineer was instructed to submit an estimate of the cost of erecting tlje fence required by the committee in charge of Glen Struan, and; to kerb and channel the footpath on the north side of Pendarves Street from Gover Street

to the. second gate of the Central school property. ADDITION TO TE METE PARK. On the recommendation of the works committee the council approved the terms of an agreement with Mr. Stanley Smith;., regarding the gift of a further piece of land containing 34.12 perches for- Te Mete Dark, and decided to ipform Mr. Smifh that the council adhered to the resolutions passed in December, 1923, and September, 1929, declining to accept any liability for the alleged removal of lateral support to property, near the junction of Mangofei- Road and Tu■rehu Street; ;- 1 j : -The? council' agreed to the proposal .of the Taranaki Hospital Board to. paint the ceiling of the morgue, provided the council’s share of the cost did not exceed £1 10s.

Subject to Mr. W. W. Thomson.signing an agreement and contributing £5 towards the cost of the work, his application for relief labour for grubbing gorse on his land in Devon Street West was recommended to the unemployment committee,, the limit of the cost of the labour to be £25. Mr. W. D. Lirin will be informed that the council cannot recommend to the . unemployment committee his application for relief labour for grubbing gorse on his property, Devon Street West, and a similar reply will be sent to Mr. W. D. ■Thomson regarding his'application for relief labour for grubbing gorse upon the property in Belt Road leased by him from Mr. Addenbrooke.

Subject to the approval of the chief inspector in connection with accommodation, lighting and access, the Baptist Church was given permission to erect a tent on the corner of St., Aubyn and Egmoht Streets, the privilege to operate for one year. No license fee will be charged, but the proviso was made that the church authorities should repair any damage resulting to fences or other structures on the section.

The- abattoir manager was instructed that'’the gate at the entrance to the abattoir reserve must be locked each evening upon completion of the work, the key to -be kept in the custody of the caretaker (Mr. I. E. Beard), the gate being reopened by him first thing in the morning, and that stock once placed in the abattoir reserve shall'not be removed without the permission of the manager and the written receipt of the owner of the cattle.

.The Frankleigh Park Progressive Association will be informed that the council is- unable, at present to provide the cost .of haulage (estimated at £200) required, for the construction of a footpath in Govett Avenue as an unemployment relief work, but suggests that the

association renew its application, in January'next. ■ ' ■ - ' ''.. The Moturoa Progressive Association will. be informed, that ■ the gravelling of the footpath .in Breakwater . Road would be. attended to and that exposed pipes ip Pioneer Road would be inspected and covered..

The following replies will be given to requests of the Fitzroy Ratepayers’ Association: . (a) Exposed pipe, Kowhai Street, will be covered; (b) gravelling right-of-way, Hamblyn Street, council adheres to its previous resolutions that the contractor left this right-of-way in as good a condition as he found it and that the right-of-way being private property the council has no power to expend money in gravelling it; (c) Hamblyn Street and McLean Street signboard —this board is being replaced and the cost charged to the sewer contractor. Consideration of the request of the Fitzroy. Ratepayers’ Association for the widening of the western side of Paynters’ Avenue, between Karamu Street and Ngaib Street, and the construction of a footpath there was deferred, and in the meantime Inspector Day was instructed to interview the owner of the land affected anjfl endeavour to induce him to agree to dedicate the land required.

CHARGES FOR WATER.

As from March 31 next, and in order to remove- anomalies in the present charges, it was decided that the charges for water supply to churches and church halls exempt from rating should be on a uniform basis in accordance with the following schedule: Water, domestic purposes: Churches, 10s. per annum; halls used for purposes of dances, socials, entertainments, etc., £1 per annum; halls used solely for religious services or Sunday schools, 10s. per annum. Extra water: In all the above cases the charges fixed by by-law 1375 should be made for all water closets and other extraordinary water supplies. As from March 31 next the charges for water supply to the Convent will be as follows: Domestic supply: £5 per annum, as at present. Extra water: The charges fixed by by-law 1375, except that in regard to water closets the Convent shall be charged on the same basis as a. boardinghouse having accommodation for ten or more lodgers.

Mr. A. Neilson will be informed that the road repairs at Ebrington Place have been effected, and that the engineer has been instructed to prevent erosion at Ebrington Place by fascining the river bank with willows and removing the bank of shingle in the river-bed. The following works were constituted relief works by special resolution: (a) All works from time to time undertaken to prevent erosion by any river in the borough, or by the sea, including the fascining or other protection of river banks or sea fronts, the erection of concrete or rubble walls, the collection and haulage of material therefor, and the removal of shingle in rivers; (b) the excavation of earth required, for filling at or near the. Henui bridge, the placing of the earth in position at or near the bridge, and the removal and reconstruction of footpaths at or near the bridge. - In connection with a request from the vestry of St. Mary’s Church, the engineer was instructed •to carw*- work,.

not exceeding ’£lo in value involving the asphaltin* of the area between the bitumen surface' and the channel opposite the church.

PIPE'BAND SUBSIDY.' It was decided to inform the New Plymouth Caledonian Society that in view of the strained finances of the tramways department (which provided the subsidy) the council cannot grant the Pipe Band a subsidy of £lO for last year, and that the society, be informed that ,as the band’s undertaking to pay £1 18. to each of five park committees was contingent upon the grant' of the subsidy, the band’s undertaking had automatically lapsed. Cr. Robertson hoped the pipe band would not depend for its subsidy next year on the tramways committee, which was not making profits. The band did a great deal of good in the town. Cr. Stainton pointed out that the subsidy referred to was not paid during the period when no band subsidies were paid. The Caledonian Band was not actually losing £lO, but £4 15 s., as the band would not have ,tq pay £1 Is. to each, of the five park committees. Cr. Robertson suggested ;it was not correct to say no subsidies had been given, as the brass band received one. The Mayor: Not at the beginning of the year, but later, after the amalgamation arrangements had been made. On the recommendation of the finance committee it was decided that in order to show the true position of the accounts of the various committees appointed by the council to control borough parks, reserves and halls, all audit charges and all premiums on fire insurances,, employers’ indemnity and fidelity guarantees be charged in the accounts of the committees, but that in each case, the amount of such charges and premiums (with the exception of the premiums on unemployment relief labour) be reimbursed to the committee concerned by way of an equivalent subsidy or increase in subsidy as the case might be.