BOROUGH MATTERS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16505, 5 August 1919, Page 3

BOROUGH MATTERS.

MEETING OF GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE.

A meeting of the General Purposes Committee, of the New Plymouth Borough Council was held at the Municipal Offices on Monday evening, the Mayor (Mr. C. H. Burgess) presiding. • There wore also present: Councillors J. Clarke, J. W. Hayden, F. J. Hill, W. F. Short, W- A. Collis, A, S. Brooker, R. L. Parkin* and V. Griffiths.’—At a later stage in the meeting the Mayor intimated that ho desired to get away and Councillor Collis (Deputy-Mayor) presided. HOUSING PROBLEM. The town clerk earnestly recommend- f ed that the decision of tho council not to proceed with the erection of any houses for its permanent employees': bo reconsidered with the view of seeing whether it would not be possible ’to erect or buy even one or two houses. 1 Mr. Bellringer enumerated instances s where permanent employees of the j borough were experiencing groat difficulty in regard" to housing accommodation. One had had to send three'of his children to Auckland owing to his not being able to get. a suitable house : in which to live. . During a short discussion which ensued it transpired that since the town clerk’s letter was written the position had bfecorae even more aggravated and Mr. Bellringer said it was absolutely necessary that something should ■ bei done to, overcome the difficulty. Mr. Bartley, engineer and managefl of the tramways and electrical department, said employees in his depart- - meats were also experiencing great difficulty in regard to housing. t It was decided to take steps to raise a loan of £IO,OOO for a housing scheme, ' this being the amount considered i necessary by the Housing Committee which recently went fully into theques- ! - tion. COST OP PEACE CELEBRATIONS. (She Peace Celebrations Committee applied for a further payment from tho council of £lB5 to pay accounts'in connection -With the celebrations..: ; This would make a total of £285 received from the council, against which it would receive a Government subsidy. It was estimated that the net cost to the borough would not. exceed £l6O, the amount provided on the estimates being £2oo.—Agreed to. i FITZROY REQUIREMENTS, The Fitzroy Ratepayers’ Association acknowledged receipt of the council’s letter granting permission to plant an avenue of trees in Sackville Street. It was intended to plant oak trees and tho association applied for a grant towards tho cost of material for protecting same. If was estimated that the cost would bo £6, or 10s per tree. . During a short discussion several" members of tho council said they were ; under the impression that when the association sought permission to plant tho trees they were prepared to meet any cost in tho matter. _ - It was eventually decided to refer ; the matter to the Streets Sub-commit-tee with nower to act. • • Exception was taken to the planting of oak trees along any streets owing to the fact that the roots grew close to the surface of the ground. , It transpired that oak trees were noti in the list supplied to tho council;,as' being suitable for street planting. ;; The association also wrote suggesting that a notice board be erected at ’6 the intersection of Devon, and Sackville. streets notifying drivers of motors that >}_ there was in the vicinity and i requesting them to drive slowly.—To be attended to. MANGOREI ROAD. Mr. S. tT. Smith wrote urging the council to secure a strip of land from Rimu Street to Holdsworthy Road for the purpose of widening the Mangorei Tread on the cast side.—Received. . MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE. ) The Municipal Association of New Zealand notified that the date ,of the conference, had been fixed for September 10.' Tho Railway Department had been approached and special permits would bo issued to the delegates fqr the purpose of travelling to attend the ; | conference. ; OUTFIELD ROAD, Mr. C. A. Smith-wrote drawing attention to the state of an unmetallod portion of Cntfiold Road and contended that it should hpve the urgent consid- , oration ,of the council. Mr. Smith also suggested that a street light be fixed between Powder- - ham Street'arid (Barf ett Street. ,The borough engineer reported that he had tried on several occasions to let a contract to have Outfield Road reformed and gravelled. Tenders were also invited without good result. Id was one of the .first jabs to' be done when teams were available. Unfortunately these were scarce and all he could get ha required for boulder and metal haulage to make up leeway again. The work was not overlooked, as lie considered the road to be of. some importance and should save Morlcy Street very considerably. A copy of the engineer’s letter will bo forwarded to Mr. Smith, and.he will also bo notified- that the Council is again endeavouring to Jet a contract. Tho question of tho street light was referred to the .Electrical Committee. GENERAL. Tho tender of Messrs. Payne and ■: Blanchard for the creation of a~garage and charging station to, be- erected, at the rear of the sub-station fori £321 was accepted.