BOROUGH COUNCIL TERM

Taranaki Daily News, 17 April 1935, Page 13

BOROUGH COUNCIL TERM

IMPORTANT DECISIONS LARGE SCHEMES UNDERTAKEN. NEW PLYMOUTH TRANSACTIONS. MAYOR REVIEWS ACTIVITIES. Included in the Mayor’s resume of council, activities during the past three years, presented to the meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council on Monday night, was an account of the history of a number of unusually important transactions that have been brought to finality during that period. In August, 1933, stated the report, the council came to an important agreement with the New Plymouth Aero Club, by which the club transferred to the council 60 acres of freehold land at Bell Block, and the council purchased approximately 118 acres of the land adjoining for £4400. This agreement was validated; .by the New Plymouth Airport Act, 1933, and the control of the airport was vested in the New Plymouth Airpoit Board. By these transactions New Plymouth -was provided with an airport comprising 178 acres, capable of being converted into an Al class aerodrome, suitable for all classes of aircraft. Work had been proceeding on the land ever since, and very soon New Plymouth airport would be second to only one in New Zealand;—the Wigram aerodrome at Christchurch. The additional propel ty was acquired on very favourable terms at £37 15s an acre, but with the 60 acres handed over by the aero club the council obtained the 178 acres for about £25 an acre. z Negotiations which commenced during the term of the previous council for the acquisition of Brooklands were concluded by an agreement between the parties in August, 1933, but the actual transaction was not completed until the validating legislation was passed m December, 1933. The will of the late Mr. Newton King had contained 1 bequests to Pukekura Park (£3000), the East End Reserve (£2000) and Kawaroa Park (£2000). Although the matter had been “in the air for some time the official negotiations originated in an offer made by the trustees to hand over to the town, in lieu of these legacies, 53 acres of lawn, gardens and bush, including the Brooklands homestead and two cottages. With commendable public spirit the three committees concerned agreed to waive their rights to the legacies in favour of this so much-desired extension of Pukekura Park. This enabled the council to accept the trustees’ offer. The park was further extended by the gift of seven and a-half acres of the bushlands of the Highlands Estate by the late Mr. T. C. List and Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P. Subject to a life interest, the beautiful bush of' Maranui, the home of the late Mr. T. C. List, adjoining Brooklands, had also been bequeathed to the public. NEW LIBRARY PROPOSED. In July, 1931, the borough engineer reported that the existing Carnegie Institute buildings were not safe from an earthquake-resisting point of view, and finally the council came to the conclusion that the position could best be met by the erection of entirely new buildings. Several different sites were considered, and it was eventually decided that the new buildings should be erected upon the Mount Eliot reserve. The site, which cost approximately £7400, was now available, and sketch plans had been, prepared. The necessity for a suitable women’s rest room near the centre of the town had also been apparent for many years. The council therefore decided to erect a suitable building. The site was in the central portion of the town, and had good access from Devon Street, Currie Street and Gill Street extension. Later access would be available from Brougham Street also. Plans and specifications were being prepared, and tenders for the work woujd soon be invited. The estimated cost was not yet available, but with the building furnished it would probably be in,the vicinity of £l6OO. Extensive improvements had also been made to the Belt Road camp site during the term of office of the council. It had spaces provided for 200 individual camp sites. Recently 50 additional sites were made. In addition there had been extensive improvements effected in the way of grass sowing, formation of paths and improvement of approach. The caretaker’s old cottage had been moved back and converted into an additional cookhouse, and a new cottage erected; near the entrance at a cost of £447. The control of Ngamotu beach was a matter that had exercised the mind of the council for a number of years. In February, 1934, the New Plymouth Harbour Board granted a license to the council, permitting it to control the beach and the adjoining harbour reserve between Bayly Road and the Hongi Hongi Stream for a period of seven, years, and to improve the lands comprised in the license as a pleasure resort. In November, 1934, the council purchased from the ngamotu Seaside Resort Company, Ltd., for £3OO the Palladium and six seaside cottages situated on the harbour reserve. The purchase price was almost a nominal one. By providing the £3OO purchase money the council was placed in immediate possession of the Palladium, which cost £2700 to build, and six seaside cottages worth, at a low estimate, £l2O each. All these buildings were revenue-pro-ducing and would provide a substantial annual stun to assist the operations of the citizens’ committee. WIDENING PORT ROAD. The very important matter of widening Breakwater Road to 66 feet from Ngamotu Road to the port received careful consideration, and an agreement was made with the Harbour Board whereby the council would contribute one-third of the .cost of removing the spoil to an amount not exceeding £l5OO. The widening of the road would be undertaken by the board, which would be responsible for the other two-thirds of the cost. The removal of the spoil was only part of the cost, and when this has been done the council will be faced with much further expenditure, the total cost being estimated at £4540, The water' pressure on certain of the high level portions of the town had been unsatisfactory for some years. To remedy this the council intended to construct a reservoir on a site which it purchased during the last year. The site was situated on South Road, beyond Mission Hill, and comprised a hill 275 feet above sea level. The site was suitable for the construction of a reservoir of large dimensions, and when this had been done the zater pressure in the high levels would be materially improved. The council had also been faced recently with heavy expenditure for repairs to flood damage, both in the town itself and at the power house, Mangorei. Most of the repairs, with the exception of those at the East End reserve, had been effected, but the council was still faced with the problem of what should be done to obviate any' future flooding of the two rivers running through the centre of the town. This might involve an expenditure of over £lO,OOO. The whole matter required careful consideration and could not be hurried. At the same time it could not be delayed very long and the new coun-

cil when it took office would find this one of the first important questions it would have to deal with. The Mayor concluded by extending to all the members of the council his thanks for the support they had accorded him during his term of office. He also thanked the town clerk and all the heads of departments and their staffs for the efficient manner in which they discharged their duties.