BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 379, 2 April 1902, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the Counci was held last night, there being present Tho Mayor (Mr Townley), and Crs. Jones, HardiDg, Lysnar, Konncdy, Bright, and Miller. Mr A. Dewing, managor for Messrs Nelson Bros., wrote stating that his firm would be pleased to pay whatever was a fair thing towards the cost of repairing tho damage ’done to the footbridge by a barge. Tho cost of repairs had not beon stated. In roply to the Mayor tho Overseer said tho repairs had not yet been completed. Mr J. H. Martin wrote asking that when tho footpath around the Gisborne Hotel was being repaired it bo uniformly levelled and gravelled. The Mayor said it was a job that could only be done in fine weather. Cr Harding said it was a work that required to be done. Cr Jones suggested that the matter be roferred to the Overseer for a report. Cr Lysnar said ho thought that when an important building like that was erected they should get the work done before the hotel was oponed. Cr Harding stated that the cost would be from £3 to £5. Cr Jones: Could we not got the footpath dono right down to tho cornor '! Tho Mayor said the crossings badly required doing. It was agreed to authorise the work asked for by Mr Martin up to a cost of £5 ; if it exceeded that a report to be made to the Council. Mossrs T. and S. Morrin, Auckland, wrote stating that they had been appointed agents for Shand, Mason and Co., London, manufacturers of fire-oxtinguishing plants.—Received.

Some deductions, amounting to £3 5s 4d, having been made in Messrs Davys and Thirds’ account of £4l 18s 6d, that firm wrote giving an explanation and claiming that the deductions wero not reasonable. Councillors considered that all the work reasonably came within the contract price, and it was resolved to adhere to tho deductions, on the ground that they were made in terms of tho contract. The night-watchman, Mr O. J. Morell, wroto reporting on the fire last week. A few tradesmen in tho centre block of Gladstone road had last month refused to contribute longer, bocauso their neighbors do not subscribe. He supplied a list of the tradesmen who had not so far subscribed and those who were stopping bocause others are not paying. In reply to Cr Bright, the Town Clork stated that the night-watchman made tho collections, and handed them in to the Council, the amount going towards his salary. Cr Lysnar: It means that if these people withdraw wo will have to discontinue the night-watchman’s services. Ho did not think they ought to pay for such a service out of the funds. If a canvassing oommitteo went round, they might get further assistance to keep tho sorvice going. Some important [names wero ineluded in the list of non-contributors. Cr Bright said they ought to publish a list. If they kept a night-watchman, they should pay him out of the rates. The blocks most concerned did not pay. Cr Harding refused to act on a committee ; he had been at it before, and did not now contribute, as ho had to have a special man of his own. Cr Bright said he was inclined to move that unless the amount wore mado up the service would be discontinued. Cr Lysnar said that they only required to make up £l6. Cr Bright said his firm had brick promises and would object to pay for a watchman for the property of people who did not pay. Tt- n>nn nnvnnrl mnfjnn n ? f.VIO

It was agreed, on the motion ot the Mayor, that Crs Lysnar and Jones be a committee to make enquiries os to whether sufficient support could be obtained to maintain the service. The Overseer, Mr M. Morgan, reported that the stone contract had been completed, and he recommended payment; 8731 cubio yards of unbroken stone had been delivered, and 155 cubic yards of broken stone had been delivered and spread on Gladstone road. On the 26th he had again worked the now scraper, which did very good work, scraping Gladstone road from the bridge to Carnarvon street in sis hours. This work is very heavy for one horse to continue at for any length of time. It was necessary to have a change of horses every two hours ; by that moans he thought they could scrape the whole of Gladstone road from the bridge to Roebuck road in eight hours. At the request of the Cabstand Committee he had supplied a price for a cabstand. Cr Harding said that the scraper had done really good work, and Cr Lysnar said it was an illustration of what they could do with improved machinery. The following tenders were received for a drain above Roebuck road, in Gladstone road :—R. Green, Is 7d per chain (accepted) ; J. Dillon, 2s 6d ; M. Monish, 3b ; Robertson and Gregg, 2s per chain. The lowest tender was accepted. Crs Kennedy, Bright, and Lysnar were elected a committee to draft a list of estimates for the current year. The Mayor gave an explanation as to the interview with the Premier in regard to the proposed water and drainage loan. He promised to give an answer as soon as possible. If they could not get the money from the Government he thought they would have to get it from London. Cr Kennedy said that the Premier had said that if the Government could not lend the money he might show them a way of getting it. Cr Harding said he had no doubt the Premier would do all he could in the matter. Cr Bright said that from what had taken place at the previous meeting it appeared that Some thought the Finance Committee had not been doing anything, while as a matter of fact they had been attending to all matters as far as they could.