AFFAIRS OF THE BOROUGH

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1932, Page 3

AFFAIRS OF THE BOROUGH

RATEPAYERS’ INTERESTS NEW PLYMOUTH COUNCIL MEETING WORK DONE BY THE DEPARTMENTS The New Plymouth Borough Council held its monthly meeting last night. Present: The Mayor (Mr. H. V. S. Griffiths), and Councillors T. P. Anderson, F. Amoore, P. E. Stainton, J. W. Darby, J. Brown, F. J. Hill and R. W. D. Robertson. REQUESTS FROM FITZROY. The following “matters requiring attention” were placed before the council in a letter from the Fitzroy Ratepayers’ Association: (1) In Paynter’s Lane (between Ngaio Street and Karamu Street) there was a large tree overhanging telegraph and council wires; the tree was apparently dangerous. (2) Extra lighting ■was required in Nob’s Line (between Devon Street and McLean Street) and in Karamu Street. (3) Record Street was in a shocking state and required immediate attention. (4) As the railway bridge in Mahoe Street was considered to be dangerous for pedestrians the association expressed the opinion that a footbridge should he erected. (6). The tramway shelter shed at Mangorei Road was in a very untidy condition at week-ends.

Cr. Stainton said he understood that attention to some of the matters was on the schedule of works. The association was really anticipating the promises of the council.

The council decided to obtain reports on the desired works from its officers. The New Plymouth Plunket Society wrote asking the council not to make any reduction in the rent payable by the council to the society for the use of the women’s rest room, notwithstanding the provisions of the National Expenditure Adjustment Act. The council 1 deferred consideration of the request. Easements to permit the laying of the sewer through private, property in Leach Street had been signed by A. J. Way, George Knight, G. F. Daly, M. I. Courtenay, Joseph Donovan, Fred Morris and Jane Salter, reported the engineer (Mr. C. Clarke). The easements were for laying the sewer at the backs of sections in Lemon Street to serve several houses'not served by the Lemon Street sewer. The sewer was to be laid through Mr. Benoni White’s section, but he had not yet signed. The engineer said he expected Mr. Benoni White would sign the easement during the week. . Reporting on the work of his department during June, the engineer (Mr. C. Clarke) said three new services were laid and nine , services relaid. Six chains of four-inch cast iron main was laid in Baring Terrace and nine services were reconnected. New fire plugs were, installed in Tukapo Street (3), Rimu Street (2), Ballance Street, Norman Street, Beach Street, McLean Street, Henui Road and South Road (one each). Mangorei Road (from the foot of the hill ,to the borough boundary) was regraded and gravelled. Woolcombe '•Terrace (New Street to Eliot Street) had been gravelled. Mangorei Road footpaths (Devon Street to Waiwaka Terrace) on both sides had been regraded and gravelled. The footpath in Leach Street (Gover Street to "Eliot Street) had been filled to the correct level and gravelled. The kerbing and channelling <.f Leach Street (Cameron Street to Eliot Street) and Cameron Street (Leach to Courtenay Street) were in hand. The protection of foreshore work at Kawaroa Park was almost completed. Unemployment relief works had been done in Te Mete Park, Mangorei Road, abattoirs, parks, reserves and cemetery. Adverse weather prevented work on the outfall sewer. Several small details inside the tunnels and liquefaction chambers were completed. Bad weather prevented work for 15 days on contract No. 6. Fair progress was made during the remainder of the month. INDUSTRIAL AGREEMENTS. On the recommendation of the works committee the engineer was instructed to draft proposals for a new industrial agreement with the New Plymouth General Labourers’ Union (borough council general labourers). The Taranaki Employers’ Association was asked, to take steps to have the following clause deleted from the Dominion award in respect to the New Zealand Federation of Drivers Union: “Clause 2 (b) Drivers of horse or motor vehicles employed by municipal corporations, county councils, town boards and road boards shall be paid 4s. per week above the weekly rates prescribed in this award and one penny per hour above the hourly rates prescribed -in this award.”

■ The engineer was authorised to permit Mr. B. S. Whiteside to remove firewood from the council’s land at the junction of Carrington and Victoria Roads, subject to nothing more than dead trees or dead branches being taken. Consideration of the report of Inspector Day regarding possible revenue to be derived through extension of the water main ‘to Spotswood was deferred. In the meantime the engineer and the. inspector will make further investigations. ... - -- , The request of Mr.-Stanley Smith that the council should utilise earth from his section near Turehu Street was referred to the engineer to report upon. Consideration of Mr. A. MeMullian s application for permission to cart offal across the abattoir paddocks to the boil-ing-down. works on Mr. Mack’s property was deferred. Steps are to be taken to arrange a conference between the works committee, representatives of the Master Butchers’ Association and the abattoir manager regarding the general question of removing offal from the abattoir. Mr. A. S. Hill’s offer to dedicate the frontage of his land at Mangorei Road (811 links by a depth of 20 links) was accepted, subject to the following special conditions: (a) The council to pay on his behalf £23 9s. 4d. balance due by him to the council for rates for the year ended March 31, 1932; (b) the council to remove earth from the land dedicated and to hire on the usual terms from him four drays and two drivers to do all the haulage required in the removal of the earth; all earth to be removed within two months from the date of the dedication or issue of the proclamation. STREET AND PATH REPAIRS. The engineer was instructed to patch with gaol gravel the edges of the tar seal in Courtenay Street and Powderham Street; to repair the footpath on the south-western corner of Gill and Eliot Streets, to gravel the southern footpath in Ngaio Street, to metal Walsh Road

at an estimated cost of £6O, •io TO* metal Record Street -(from Barriball Street to Waitako Street), Waitako Street and Ropiha Street, at an estimated cost of £2OO.

It was decided that upon, the receipt of the £lO mentioned in the letter jrigned by the residents of Timandra Street the engineer should be authorised to form that street, to remove the metal to the centre of the street, and to give permission for the street to be planted in the manner agreed upon. The £lO will he applied primarily, to the cost of planting, and any balance to the other works mentioned.

- In reply to his letter alleging annoyance caused by the taxi stand near the Bank of Australasia, a copy of Inspector Day’s report will be forwarded to Mr. F. C. Walton.

Miss Martin will be informed that the council cannot effect any repairs in Gilbert Street at present. During June, reported the electrical engineer (Mr, W. H. Huggett), 3o applications for energy were received, 84 additions or alterations were made to installations, and 32 new connections were added to the system. The Waiwakaiho River was low during the first .few days and normal to high throughout, the balance of the month, the lowest-and highes t levels recorded at the intake being Ift. Bin. and 7ft. 6in. respectively. The Mangamahoe lake levels had. been .maintaiend between 2in. and 12in. over" the spillway gaps. Power was drawn from, the bulk supply continuously, with the. exception of one short pre-arranged shut-down’.for line repairs and two slight interruptions due to lightning. Minor _ interruptions occurred over isolated areas of the system due to lightning, and severe weather, but very. little damage was done to equipment. ' Relief men had been > employed about the hydro lands tree planting and- preparing land, and linesmen had been .engaged on general work and short' extensions.

At the power station the Diesel engine was run twice far two hours. The No. 3 • turbo-generator unit had -been taken down for-complete overhaul and the alterations to the crane girder-to meet the requirements of the Public Works Department had been completed. The number of new installations, additions and alterations dealt with, by th‘» inspection department was 116, and 55 re-inspections had been made. The maximum load at the power station wa5.3325 k.w. and the greatest number of units generated in any one day 54,375, with a total of 1,163,433 for the month, as against 3,500 k.w. and 53,125 and 1,424,437 units for the corresponding period of last year. TRAMWAY REVENUE. Tramway revenue‘in June was £KO4 Ss. lid. from 150,097 passengers, a decrease of £lO4 6s. Id. and 7060 passengers compared with the corresponding period last year, reported the manager (Mr. G. J. Wyatt). Travelling 5912 mjles, the buses earned £2ll 165.. 7d. ; from 24,2’17 passengers, these figures .showing increases of £2 15s. and 1461 passengers over June last year. Details of the tramway traffic were: Fitzroy-Port: Mileage, 15,760; passengers, 1T8,708; fares, £962 12s. 2d. Westown route: Mileage; .7410; passengers, 32,199; fares, £241.165. 9d. On. the recommendation of the electrical committee it was agreed to make agreements with .11 consumers for the maintenance of council motors. on payment of one shilling a month, the agreement to be determinable by one month’s notice by either party. The consumers concerned were J. Jury, R. W.;> Warner, A. Miller, J. W. ,Gee, C. E. Haw, Thomas James, W. R. Bracegirdle, R. ,0. Smith, I. I. Crush, A. J. Dodunski and Pbletti Estate.

Authority was given for the signature of an agreement with the New Plymouth Fire Board for the use of poles for the electrical alarm system. It was decided to inform the. Taranaki and Inglewood County . Councils that in respect to electric light. pples erected by the borough council, in their respective counties, the council was agreeable to the following decision made at a conference between the chairman of the executive of the New Zealand Counties’ Association and the executive of the Electric Power Boards’ Association and suggested that similar arrangements, be made between * the borough council and the Taranaki , and Inglewood County Councils: “That it be a recommendation to the affiliated power boards that the costs of removal of electric poles from, county roads be shared equally as between the county council and the power board- so far .as minor road operations are concerned; that no road operation which involves the removal of more than ten poles .be considered a minor operation; and that in cases where the removal; of more than ten poles is involved, the question of the proportion in which the costs .of. removal are to be borne as between the county council arid the power board-be settled by arbitration.” . ' . " It was decided to grant the application of Mr. E. Gilmour for the loan.of electrical decorations for the ball, provided the materials were available. . . ■ ■ The report of the. electrical. engineer regarding the. proposed extension to the North Mount Egmont hostel was. referred back to . him for a further report. The council • approved draft proposals submitted by the tramways manager for a new industrial agreement with ’.the New Plymouth Municipal Tramway arid Omnibus Employees’ Industrial Union of Workers. Mr. Wyatt was instructed to serve copies on the union and. to. arrange for a conference between the-union and°the electric light and tramways, committee. . < - Mr. R. Day, chief inspector, reported having, taken £653-18s. for the issue of licenses during June. . - 7 i. -