BOROUGH ESTIMATES.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 391, 16 April 1902, Page 3

BOROUGH ESTIMATES.

a THE BRIGHT SIDE, r At the meeting of the Borough f Council last night the report of the Estimates Committee, agreed to cm i the previous evening, was presented, the rate proposed being the same as previously. In reply to Cr Harding the Mayor 5 said that last year £264 was spent on 1 the bridges ; this year £3OO was set ! down. As the bridges got older the 1 expense would become greater. ' The Mayor proposed the adoption of the report. He said the Committee had gone fully into the matter, and could not suggest anything tetter.; Cr Harding : Is there no chance of reducing the rate ? The Mayor : Reducing ! There was talk of increasing, Cr Hepburn said that in reading the Times he found that Aberdeen road was wiped out, though a resolution had teen made that it should be done in April. It had teen let go from year to year, though people were always paying rates there. He did not see why they should always be spending money in Gladstone road and neglect Aberdeen road, which the Council had resolved to do. Cr Kennedy said they were in Committee at the time, and the reporters just caught snatches of what they could of the discussion.; Cr Hepburn : Well, better be in time. t Cr Kennedy supported Cr Hepburn. The work was not of sufficient magnitude to be specially singled out. Cr Hepburn: But it was mentioned. Cr Kennedy did not remember any reference being made to Aberdeen road. Cr Bright : Nor do I. Cr Hepburn'; It was Cr Bright that said it. Cr Bright : No. Cr Hepburn : It was Cr Bright that said no. Cr Bright : I did not. Cr Hepburn : The paper says so, and what they say is always true. Cr Miller : You seemed to be having a good time. (Laughter). Cr Bright : We were having a bad time.' (Laughter). Cr Mason : No roads were specified. The Mayor said that there was a sum of £SOO for labor, from which the Aberdeen road could be done. Cr Jones ; Then let it be done at once.

Cr Hepburn r Yes, now is the time.The Mayor said that there had besu no decision on the previous evening. Cr Bright : I never heard anything whatever about it. The Mayor : For instance, Kahutia street was mentioned, and regret was expressed that Peel street and Lowe street had not been done. 'File Mayor said that in order to deal with the matter he would propose that the portion of the road referred to be formed and grassed. Cr Harding seconded the motion, which was carried. The Mayor said that the only large new item was £2OO for the new boiler. For sanitation there .was £719."

Cr Jones said that instead of them looking on the dark side they should look on the bright side. Though he had pointed out when the rate was increased they would have the overdraft increased, still everything was increasing in value, and he thought they woidd be able to do good work. Cr Harding agreed with Cr Jones ; they had some really good assets. Cr Bright said what really impressed them was that so many new works they would like to have done could not be put in hand.- They would, as in previous yea-rs, be able to do work as in the past, as in the past. The Mayor also took a bright view, and saw nothing at all to deplore. They would have a higher revenue than ever before, and though comparisons had been made with other boroughs, their position was not a gloomy one at all.