BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 250, 30 October 1901, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Tine fortnightly meeting of the Council was held last night, there being present: The Mayor (Mr Townley), and Crs Hepburn, Miller, Harding, Jones, Bright, and Lysnar.

A long report was received from Mr King, Harbor Engineer, giving information as to what should be done in regard to the establishment of the septic tank system.

The Mayor, referring to the question of .survey, suggested that the Council apply to Government to give correct survey of the borough. Cr Bright said that he had never seon two surveys agree, and he asked how it would be if present surveys were upset. The Mayor said that it would be as well to correct errors soon as late. The Department was aware of errors. No decision was arrived at.

Cr Morrison, owing to business reasons, wrote, regretfully forwarding his resig-

nation. The Mayor said they must receive the resignation with regret, and instruct the Returning Officer to take the necessary steps to fill the vacancy. The Chairman of the Central Executive Committee forwarded a circular returning thanks for support given to the Indian Charitable Relief Fund.—Received. Messrs Merrywcathcr and Sons, of London, wrote asking to be allowed to give quotations if the Council required any waterworks machinery. A pamphlet on the subject of water supply was also sent. —To bo considered when water supply question came up. Dr Mason, Chief Health Officer, forwarded a pamphlet which had been published by the Department on ontoric or typhoid fever. The pamphlet gave a list of precautions necessary to prevent an epidemic of this disease. It was decided to apply for a further supply of the pamphlets, and distribute them among the householders. Mr W. P. Finneran, architect, wrote applying for tho permanent levels to be furnished for the proposed now British Empire Hotel. Tho Town Clerk, in reply to a question, said that tho Borough had no proper map of levels. Cr Harding asked what would be the position if the Council gave official levels, and then later on alterations had to be made. The question was a rather serious one. C-r Bright: Better not rush into it. Cr Lysnar thought they should face the question at once. Cr Harding said before giving levels for the British Empire and Argyll Hotels they ought to be certain of what they J were doing ; at the same time they should not hang up the work o n that account. Cr Lysnar said it seemed to hint time Mr Mestayer had put them to unnecessary expense by getting a set of levels that would do (orotic purpose and not for another. Cr Miller considered that the Mayor’s idea was the best, to go straight to the Government office. Cr Harding said they should not shelve their responsibility in regard to these applications. Cr Bright : Apparently wo do not possess the information. Mr King, who was present, was asked for his opinion on the matter. He said he did not think there was any engineering difficulty : it was very simple—a committee of tho Council could say where the foundation of the building should be. Cr Bright : The question is whether we should always deal with these requests. Cr Harding said the peoplo were entitled to the levels, and if anything went wrong the Council would have the responsibility. Tho Mayor said that there was no likelihood of the level of tho footpath being altered. Cr Jones suggested that a reply be sent that the Council had nu map of permanent levels, but that there was not likely to be any alteration of the level of the footpaths. Tito suggestion was agreed to. The Town Clerk at Napier wrote stating that all information required would be supplied to the Overseer when he went down to Napier. The Overseer said that it would take a fortnight to prepare sufficient stuff for the work on the bridge, he had only room to prepare a small quantity at one time. It was considered that the Overseer should be away for a week. Cr Lysnar said that if wool waggons went over the bridge while the bridge work was incomplete tho work would be destroyed. Crs Bright and J ones said that wool was now being brought over. Cr Lysnar said that every week the trrffic would become greater. The Overseer said that the expedition of the work depended on the weather. Cr Jones said that the Overseer would I be going to obtain information for the I whole borough, and the bridge only con- ! cerned a portion ; the sooner he went the I better. If the work on the bridge was i going to cut up as Mr Lysnar said, they should not waste more money I on it. Cr Lysnar said that he had stated the i work would be cut up if the heavy traffic I went on it at once. He moved, and Cr ! Bright seconded, that the Overseer's trip i to Napier be delayed until the bridge ! work was done. | Cr Harding asked whether the work would be interfered with by the Overseer going to Napier soon. Cr Hepburn agreed: the work should be finished before the Overseer went to N apier. The Overseer said it all depended on the j weather; if it kept good he could keep ; straight on with the work: he would reI quire to be present when the asphalt was i being mixed, j The motion was carried. Mr 'Warren, County Clerk, wrote stating ! that the price named by the Cook County ; Council for the supply of metal was according to the contract price arranged with Mr Griffen- —2s 7d per yard, but c’oe County Council had no objection ta the Borough making its own arrangements with the eontraetor. In reply to a communication re quarry boulders, Mr John Griffen wrote offering ! j to supply metal from Patutahi quarry at 2s 3d per cubic yard. He also offered to supply any quantity of 2in broken metal ! at the same price it was supplied to the ■ Cook County Council—4s 7d per cubic i yard. i ' The Mayor said that it meant a saving • of 4d a yard by dealing direct with the contractor. The County Council had not ; made anything out of it. , Cr Hepburn said next year they should t save another 3d : he did not see why they j should be tied to the County Council’s : contractor. , The offer was considered satisfactory,

j The Nigktwatehman made his usual satisfactory report. Mr J. R. Little, Nuisance Inspector, reported that the nightsoil and rubbish were being properly buried. The urinal near the Turanganui bridge had been completed, and would prove a great convenience to the public. There had been no cases of infectious diseases since the last meeting.

Cr <f jll c->: An .niler good repc-n. The Over>-. ei* reported on works in pro- ; trvess :—f nr fortnight lad been taken up j wi t n iiet ! •: •• ai re pai rs to roa • s and bridges, i ; G adstone ro i-i, >-n the south side, between 1 - Cob ion and (. arnnrvon streets, was being ; * graded. -ti the Tat '.ib.'-vu bridgeha] I■ ■ a-.limited. '.kali- had lit’eil S.'UIO hov. q gi-lhc 1... bridge. V.Mcll wire v.i;:yi.. ? i: h .-no aLI get harder -,v;i ' 1:. an -. tee. and would then reduce uif uei-esrity ni «',y:a carrying :v the t.. a .cry email linnl. In regard t i [he Mikaruka domain in' recommended that tHo drain in fenced us a protection against cattle. 'Tin? li.i.tac: d'onnsiittee reported in { ig o • r.i t.■ ;n I'. : ;.a.|' .-ria lr.> t'a- : mi;. re ;n u:> i d : in; t non ot r .:• ■ can.. a- I e :.\k a ; ran 'of interest nrt i .i I a. r , n la r ■ntnuin. l r i; -a.a ;an when h tv. 1 ; L !ii:s!c,:t.rcii he had wired the mean. .. lor the district to malic an uppeintmer. Whe n in Wellington lie had called at Mr Camdi's tiottbc, who made tin appointment fen .3 pan. at 1 1 10 HoUnC, but tnotlao’. he |u Uriah; i waited for half-im-hour, Mr i Can-oil failed to keep die appointment. Cr K- iinc iy said that itn had written to a lin ineial institution as to die terms on which a loan could be- obtained and the reply was that the interest would need to be 4] per cent., and probably l per cent. ; sinking iuini. Cr l.ysuar ; Better get tiic authority, , and tiieu go straight to the London j market. j The Mayor suggested that they might., as was done in other towns, submit the different items separately to the rate- • payers. Cr Harding said they should not separate water and drainage. , Tne old question of interest came on ; again for discussion. Cr Lvsnnr said to leave it stand as if

Cr Miller : Perhaps you want to kill it ; . I don't. Cr Lvsnar : That’s what L do want. Cr Miller : Well, l want it and want j Waihircre. Cr Lvsnar : I will do my best to prevent that. Cr Miller favored the limit being Used j at 1.1 per cent. Cr Jones said that what they wanted was a scheme within then- in; ans, and po cent, would be beyond them. 1 he> should let the ratepayers say whether or not they would get the water Loin "Wailii- , re re: if they said they would not, then it I iid not matter what the iuteie.st was. If , thev said ves, then they should try to gee . the interest at the lowest point. If they • could not get the money at I per cent, it would be easy and not very expensive to go back to the ratepayers on the point as to interest. Cr Lysnar: .1 have no objection to it being piaeed at-I V per cent. It will make no difference. ... j Cr Jones: It will make all the differ- j cnee in the world. Cr Miller said if the step ■ were as easy ■ as Cr dones said, he would agree to toe | matter standing as it was. t ! On the motion of Cr Bright, seconded by Cr Lysnar, the report of the Committee was adopted. Mr King being present, the Mayor invitod Councillors to ask him any questions as to the septic tank system. Cr Jones asked whether septic tanas would suit for a borough that was so Hat. Sir King said that could only be delinilelv replied In after accurate levels had been taken ; for all the projected improvements that iniorma!ion was n. cessalty. There was no doubt a ’av.ga part of the borough worth’ he suitable to tne septic tank system. At the present stage accurate inform Ition w.i- not obtainable. In reply to Cr Lysnar, Mr King said that tlm standard survey should be revised, and the engineering survey made on that. Cr iirig!ii said their thanks were due to Mr King,"but ho understood they were going to the. ratepayers on Mr Mestayer's proposals, and it'would be unwise to complicate matters. The Mas or said they could not got too much information on the .--object. Cr Bright said lie was not- deprecating the obtaining of information. The Mayor said that the system was being adopted in important centres, and was worth looking into. Or 1 iright said they should have some finality. They had agreed to fohow the advice of Mr Mestayc-r, who was strongly against the septic tank system, and he objected to it being re-opened. Cr Harding said he believed in sticking to a m-iii or throwing him over, and bethought they should stick by Mr Mcstayer and go to the ratepayers on it. Cr Jones said ho thought they should have all the information they could get it would be better for the Council and for the ratepayers. Cr Lysnar agreed that they should obtain this information, especially from one such as Mr King. The Council had so far refused to go into the septic tank question, and they should submit Mr Mestayer's system to the ratepayers. They could go direct to the agent as to the septic tank, but the Council had now gone too far with Mr Mestavcr s scheme to draw back from submitting it to the

ratepayers. Cr Kennedy said that Mr King s reply practically settled that the septic tanksystem would not suit Gisborne, which had not the contour required for the purpose. Ho would like to hear all information, but would object to the scheme now being altered. Cr Lysnar claimed that the septic system could be established, and he would be sorry' to see the Council becoming hostile to it on imperfect information. The Council practically knew nothing about it. Cr Hepburn said that might be so, but Ml- Mcstayer was supposed to understand all about it, and they had his advice to go upon. They had his opinion, and had to pay for if, and should place it before the ratepayers. C>ii the motion of Cr Jones, seconded by Cr Miller, a vote of thanks .was accorded to Mr King for the information supplied. On payments being gone into the Mayor said that the overdraft was LdbOU. On the motion of the Mayor, seconded by Cl- Miller, it was resolved that the Council apply to the Government to have a standard survey made of the borough.