BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144070, 15 April 1913, Page 4

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING, Tho monthly meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council was hold on Monday night, tho Mayor (Mr. G. W. Browne) presiding. There were also present; Councillors J., C. Morey, J. T. Mannix, J. Clarke, W. Amb'ury, T. Buxton, J. Buttimore, G. Hartnell, F. Jackson, J. Kibby, and H. Stocker. An apology was received from Conn-, cillor J. E. Wilson. H.M.S. NEW' ZEALAND. J. Clarke, secretary to Recreation Sports Ground Committee, .wrote asking that in making arrangements for the entertainment ot tho officers and men of H.M.S. New Zealand during their slay in New Plymouth one afternoon be allotted for tho officers and men to attend a garden party to be held in the Recreation Sports Ground during their stay here, the officers and men to be the guests of the committee who would bo running tho garden party. There would, of course, bo a small charge to the general public to defray expenses, tho profits, if any, to be used for improvement of the Sports Ground. TECHNICAL SCHOOL. Mr. A. Gray applied for water power to run a small motor on one day each week at tho Technical School. Councillor Arahury referred to the rapidly increasing popularity of tho Technical School and to tho excellent work that was being done by tho new organiser, Mr. Gray. He moved that tho request bo granted. Councillor Clarke seconded, and tho motion was carried. ORC HESTRAL CONCERTS. Mr. A. V. Carbines wrote that provided ho could secure tho permission of the Borough Council lie contemplated arranging a series of orchestral concerts during the winter to be held in tho Theatre Royal about every third Sunday. Tho programmes would consist of selections from tho beet classical and popular composers. Tho concerts would bo given under the name of tho New Plymouth Orchestral Society, and tho proceeds after expenses were paid would bo devoted to suitable charities. The application was granted on tho understanding that the programmes bo submitted'to tho council for approval. It transpired that the concerts would commence at 8.30. BOROUGH INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The Borough Inspector (Mr. B. Tippins) submitted a return showing the various amounts collected by him during tho past year, as follows:—Secondhand dealer £‘l, hawkers £O, 'plumbers £2 155,. vehicles £lO2 Us • 4d, drivers £37 10s, motor-cars and motor-cycles £4O 15s, billiards £2O 10s. footpaths permits £2 12s, dangerous goods £35, public hall performances £33 ss, lodg-ing-houses £ll, dogs £137 13b 9d, pound £26 8s 6d, court fines £lO 19s 6d; total, £468 0s Id. Last year £320 16s 3d was collected. The amount received for sower connections were £329. Tho inspector concluded that tho figures constituted a record for tho department.

HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION. The Town Clerk wrote:—A petition has been 'received for the taking of a poll on tlio weekly half-holiday question. Tho new roll did not come into force until April 1, and consequently it was necessary that 10 per cent, of the electors whoso names appear on the old rolls should sigrptho petition. This has not been done, and consequently the petition is not in order. I-recom-mend) therefore that under tho circumstances the petitioners bo informed that the council cannot accede to the prayer of tho petition. In connection with this matter I recommend that tho following remit he forwarded to the Municipal Association :—That section 17 of the Shops and Offices Act, 1008. be amended to provide that electors signing tho requisition mentioned in this section .shall be required to, add their Christian names and addresses. This is necessary to enable the local authority to determine with accuracy whether the person signing the requisition is actually the person whose name appears on the roll.—The recommendation was carried.

Upon Councillor Jackson’s motion it was also decided to forward a remit to tho conference in the direction of requesting the Government to frame legislation fixing a universal half-holiday throughout tho Dominion.

ENGINEER’S ANNUAL REPORT. The Borough Engineer (Mr. 0. Skitrop) presented his annual report on work carried out within the borough during the year ending March'3l, 1913: Streets.—Seventy-five chains ,of remetalling and 875 cubic yards of patching have been done out of ordinary revenue, making a total of approximately 1940 cubic y/.rds for the year. Footpaths:—Seven , hundred and thirty-five chains of patlffi have been re-formed and repaired.; 359 covched ■with gaol gravel, and 282 chains tarred and sanded. i Kerbing and Channelling.—Thirtyfour chains of kerbing and channelling, 42 chains of kerbing only, and 14 chains of channel only havte been laid down and provided with nits and crossings. ! Water-mains.— Fifty-six chains of 8-in. water-mains and 25 chains of tin. have been laid.

Road Grading and Cleaning.—Five hundred and sixty-four chains of streets and roads have been cleaned and formT cd. and 30 with the road' grader. Maintenance.—-Seventy-two miles of footpaths and 50 miles of streets and roads have been maintained and cleaned ; 73 chains of streets have been swept every morning, except Sundays and Christmas Day.

Connections, etc.—Ono hundred and sixty-nine connections and 123 sewer connections have been laid; 100 building permits and 126 drainage permits hare been issued. LOAN WORK. Streets.—Eighty-one chains of formation and 65 chains of metalling have been done on the following streets; — Duller, Aubrey,, Molcsworth. Morley, Gaino and Hine Streets and Belt Road. Sewers.—Ono hundred and seventytwo chains of sewers and 12 man-holes have been laid down in the following streets:—Gill, Eliot, Molesworth, Bui-

ler, Hobson, Pendarves, Aubrey. Devon, Morley, Young, Gilbert, Cover, Liardet, Leach, Cameron, King, Lemon, Fillis Streets, and Avenue-Road and Water Lane. Concrete Culverts.—One culvert 66ft. long, 6ft. wide and Bft. high has been built on the Mangatuku Stream at Morley Street. One culvert, of concrete pipes three feet in diameter has been laid down in the Liardet Street filling. One culvert 132 ft. long and 15in. in diameter has been laid down at tho intersection of Morley and Gaine Streets.