CORONATION CELEBRATIONS.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 427, 28 May 1902, Page 2

CORONATION CELEBRATIONS.

DISCUSSION AT COUNCIL MEETING.

At the meeting of the Borough Council last evening, the Coronation Celebration Committee wrote, forwarding the suggestions for celebrations, in order to get the Government subsidy of £'2oo. A petition was received from Mr W. L. Rees and many others in favor of a band rotunda as a permanent memorial. The Mayor said they had first to consider the question of whether they would spend the money. The £2OO did not seem much, but it was a large amount from the Council's balance. Cr Jones : It is that.

Cr Miller said that it would apparently mean an increase of rate.

The Mayor : Oh, no ; Is 9d is quite enough. Cr Whinray thought there was no tiurry to decide that; no doubt other suggestions would be offered. It was a good idea to have a permanent memento. He would be in favor of expending the money, but they could afterwards decide what it should be. Cr Jones said that if they took tho money from the rates it meant that they would be starving some of tho roads. If possible they should get tho memento from direct contributions. He was sorry to soo that it had been proposed to do away with decorations, because ho thought their main effort should bo to make it a children’s day. Any permanent momento, he thought, should bo contributed to by the whole of the people. He was not throwing cold water on the rotunda proposal, which would be a very gooi thing. Cr Whinray said that as tho Mayor had remarked subscriptions meant taxing the willing horse. Cr Jones : Better that than starving tho roads. Cr Lysnar said there was no use of talking of taking the money from rates. If they paid their debts now they would be over the bank balance, and the only alternative would he striking a rate. He should say they should not go beyond £SO. If people wanted the larger expenditure they must' be prepared for extra rates. Cr Whinray 'considered tho opportunity

a good one for getting something for a permanent memento ; the display for the day might come out of direct subscriptions. He deplored tho want of open spaces on 'which tho placo could be embellished. The roads had been allowed to starve for many years, and would not hurt for mother year. They should get the subsidy to spend on permanent memorial. The Mayor said they could not loso much time, as the money must be spent ceforo the Coronation. The music of the jands was what everyono cDjoyed. They nad also on that occasion to open the railway. It was a uniquo occasion. They should be happy and jolly, and not on such occasion have this question of rates thrown at thorn. They -should celebrate it as the greatest occasion in Gisborne. Ho would like it to be decided that night as to what they should spend—not tho shape of the work. Cr Whinray propcsod that the Council spend up to £2OO to ontitle them to the full subsidy. Cr Miller would like to know what the rotunda would cost. Cr Lysnar said they should know what

tho money was to bo spent on. They should adjourn the matter, and give an opportunity to ascertain the outside feeling. He agreed that the day should bo jolly and happy, but they could not overlook their finance. By putting 3d on tho rates for the occasion all would contribute and few would feol it. Tho Mayor said only a throe-farthing rate would be required. Cr Harding supported the full £2OO being spent. It was not often that they got the Government in tho humor to give them such a subsidy, and they should worthily celebrato the occasion. He was with Cr Lysnar that there was to bo very little Bpent on squibs. Tho Mayor said there would be none required for that. They had in hand £23; the fireworks for peace celebrations had been utilised on century night, and the £23 had been collected to replace them when necessary. Cr Harding said that ho would oppose an extra rate ; 3d in the £ more would mean £l2 10s to him. Cr Kennedy strongly favored obtaining tho subsidy, and was pleased to seo that tho movement was supported by tho Mayor, who was an economist of the strictest type. Ho thought the amount might be cut down to £l5O, but they owed it to the town that the occasion should be fittingly celebrated. Cr Hepburn would like to know the cost of the rotunda, and where it would be located. He pointed out that at present for small works they could not get the money, and they should consider well before taking £IOO from the rates. Cr Miller supported £l5O being taken, and allocated in conjunction with grants from the County Council and Harbor Board.

Cr Jones said it would be best if they could have an understanding. They might give the people to understand that the Council was prepared on good cause being shown to spend part for memorial and part for general expenses. He believed in economy, but did not regard the borough in tho same sad way as Cr Lysnar did. Cr Lysnar: It is what tho acoounts show.

The Mayor said he would be as much

opposed to squandering money as anyone, but he thought they might vote up to the limit if required for a suitable memorial. Cr Kennedy moved an amendment, “ That this Council agrees to vote the sum of £l5O towards the expense of celebrating the coronation of K ng Edward VII., the sum of £SO to be devoted towards the expenses of the day, and the balance to be devoted towards the erection of somo permanent memorial. A condition of the Council’s contribution as above to be that the County Council contribute £SO and the Harbor Board contribute £SO, out of which sums a deduction of £2O be made from each towards general expenses, the balance to be devoted towards the permanent memorial fund.” Cr Harding: If the Board won’t give it?

Cr Kennedy: Then it will come on again. Cr Miller seconded the motion. He thought the Harbor Board would willingly contribute.

Cr Harding said that bringing in the Harbor Board meant that a refusal would mean that they would have to come back and wrangle over the matter. He thought the Council should decido independent of those bodies.

Tne Mayor thought they should vote the amount up to the limit, and Cr Jones also thought it better to say straight what they would do. Cr Miller said they should let the Coronation Committee understand what there would be to spend.

The amendment was lost, all being against it except Crs Kennedy, Miller, and Lysnar.

The motion was then carried, to vote up to £2OO. Crs Lysnar and Hepburn dissented.

Cr Jones proposed that the limit for general expenses be £SO from the Council's vote. Cr Whinray seconded the motion, which was carried.

It was agreed that the Harbor Board should be written to and asked to contribute.