BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 356, 5 March 1902, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the Council was held last night, there being present—The Mayor (Mr Townley), and Councillors Hepburn, Jones, Harding, Lysnar, Whinray, and Miller. 'Hie Premier telegraphed thanking the Mayor for the invitation to lie present at the opening of the Gisborne- Karaka railway, but regretting exceedingly that it would be impos-j sible for him to come. Cr Hepburn : He will have lots of time when he comes back. The Mayor : That’s the reply. Next let ter. Cr Hepburn : He could conic back in three years. Cr Lysnar : Longer than that Mr G. Stubbs wrote in regard to sic-dge-houses, referred to at the previous meeting. He stated that it was his desire to fulfil every proper condition, and asked what the Council required. If permission were refused he asked the Council to state the grounds of reiusal. He would, lie said, be happy to carry out the Counc i’s conditions under the supervision of the Inspector. Cr Jones said they simply refused because it was objected to. Cr Lysnar said the chief reason was on sanitary grounds. Cr Jones said that they had not had that definitely stated, and had simply refused on the ground that he had not complied with the by-laws. The Mayor said the question was whether they should still refuse in view of Dr Mason’s report as to the cause.

Gc Harding .said that the matter had been fully threshed out at the previous meeting. They knew that a cancer patient had died in the house, and that it had been removed into the borough without permission. Ci Lysnar said that he had not been at the previous meeting, but he did not thins. that a bare quorum should now deviate from it, especially in view of the fact that the Health Officer, would not take the responsibility of saying what the sanitary ellect would be. It was decided to reply that the by-laws had not been complied with, also that sanitary objections had been raised. Mr VV. S. ; Lunn, secretary of the Gas Company, wrote on behalf of the company, applying for permission to erect a chimney stack at the Gas ,Works. The proposed stack would be used mainly for draught purposes, and there would be absolutely no smoke or smell from it. On the motion of Cr Harding, seconded by Cr Lysnar, permission was granted. A letter was received from the Colonial Secretary’s office acknowledging receipt of stamped statutory declaration of the result of the poll for the waterworks and drainage scheme. He forwarded a copy of the Gazette containing the declaration. In reply to Cr Jones, the Town Clerk said that instructions had been given to the solicitor as to taking the land. The survey was now being nja.de. Cr Jones proposed that they now make application to the Government for the money by instalments. Cr Harding said that that would kill the whole thing, as the Government had not a few pounds to carry on the railway. Cr Hepburn : A quarter of a million surplus. Cr Jones said that such loans did not come out of the surplus. qhe Mayor said every year the Government were lending money to local bodies, and he thought if they applied they would have a good chance. Certitinly they would not get it by sitting there and finding fault. They should go to Government and ask them in a straightforward way. Cr Jones said there was one question as to roads ; he did not think Government could lend on the roads. Cr Lvsnar said the question of roads was left out of the voting paper —how was that ? Cr Miller : No roads were ear-mark-ed • there was discussion about it. The Mayor proposed that the Fm ance Committee prepare a statement for submission to the Government He thought £IO,OOO a year would do them and that they could get it from TSi.g leared that. would be less of time. He would like to see the Finance Committee interview one of the banks to have the loan flowed drectlv in London. From what he had heard he believed they would have no difficulty. . Cr Jones seconded the Mayor s molion. As there would necessarily be time taken up in the makimg of surveys, none would be lost. sug res t ion had a double object. I f the Government said they could not lend the money, then the Council could ask them to give them the assistance of the Government agents on the London market. No time would be l' t as the surveys must be done. Another reason he had was hat I- present money was dear, and if ?he war was nearing an end money W c'rHardffig: h My v'iew was that it would ba CrWhinray put in a word for the Motu

said b. would support the n„,tL thouch he doubted if anything it might* come down to that towards tho

fi Cr h Miller said he would support the motion but he feared it would be loss of toe and he would like to see the older members move more quickly m the “The’Mayor said there was such a thmg a 3 trvin" to move too quickly. They had to bo very careful in raising loans, or to cost might be a great deal rnoie. He - pointed out wbat had boen done in to other local loans, and said that Govern mont could borrow the money cheaper, S— and if they could get it that way they ■' would not have to prepare coupons, debentures, etc. In making the enquiries they would not be losing time, as it would take them a good while to obtain possession of the land ; it would probably be eight months before they could get it through the Land Court. . 1 The motion was carried unanimously. Mr Chas. A. Nield, Secretary of the Fire Brigade, wrote pointing out the urgent need of three new uniforms, as the uniforms now on hand wero too small for the large men who have lately joined, and tyho in consequence were without urnf°lTwas decided to provide the uniforms. * The night-watchman, Mr O. J. Morell, made his usual satisfactory report; no ‘ fi T S hl°M%°or‘saidho desired the Works Committee to meet him at the engine- . shed, to deal with some of the difluulties brought about owing to the change o engine. He wanted the Council to know that if they wanted to be safe more steam must be kept up* .. , A 'CrLysnar said they should get a new * boiler at once, and have n 0 /® lay than they could manage. He bad previously called on the Council to get a new boiler when he found they could „et up only 601 bof steam. There was no oojection to a conference, but they should lose j»-. no time in obtaining a new boiler. Cr Jones would second the motion it there was an addition giving power to act. He agreed with Cr Lysnar; the town mainly comprised wooden buildings, and though they might put up with the loss of property, they should as far as possible avoid dauger to life. _ The motion was earned unanimously, power being given, if thought necessary, to order a new boiler and other requisites. The Overseer reported on the asphaltin® work. He stated that broken metal I was now being" delivered and spread on Upper Gladstone road. The footway alon® the river bank had been completed, and °a second gate would bo erected as soon as possible. Some means should be taken to prevent hoys damaging the trees Mr Morgan reported at length on the drain complained of by Mr C Evans showing that thero was a fall of sft 6in on Sir Evans’ outlet to the culvert, and that if the drain were reversed as suga drain of a depth of 12ft 6m ® YOU id be requited to give the same fall.

I lie recommended that the difficulty would be got over by cutting a water channel on the west side of Cook street. r lhc Overseer enclosed prices for totara timber. Messrs Mackrell and Colley offered to supply totara for keibing, etc., at 19s 9d per 100 feet super; Messrs Clayton Bros.’ price was 20s, as was also Gamman and Co.’s, of Dannevirke. On the motion of tho Mayor, seconded by Cr Lysnar, the tender of Messrs Mackroll and Jolley was accepted. On the motion of Cr Miller a committee consisting of Crs Kennedy, Harding, and the mover, was appointed to report on the question of cab stands. In reply to Cr Whinray, the Mayor explained what had been done in regard to getting metal by the railway line.