BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 850, 26 March 1903, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

An adjourned meeting of the Borough Council was held last night, there being present: Tho Blayor (Blr Townley) and Crs Whinray, Miller, Blason, Jones, Kennedy, and Harding. The burgess roll was adopted, and the

Blayor and Crs Kennedy and Harding were authorised to sign it, on tho motion of Cr Jones, seconded by Cr Miller. The Blayor stated that no objections had been made. The assessment was £38,000 odd, £3OOO over last year. Blr John Blackay, from Auckland, applied for a billiard license for premises formerly occupied by Mr Beavis. In reply to Cr Whinray, the Town Clerk said that an application from Mr Clark had boon refused on the ground that it was not required. It was agreed, on the suggestion of Cr Jones, to leave the matter for a fuller meeting, the applicant to furnish testimonials as to character. The secretary of the City Band, Blr Lange, wrote stating that at a meeting of the Band it had been decided to open the new rotunda next Thursday, with a concert, a collection to be taken up for any purpose the Council had decided. In reply to Cr Jones, the Mayor said the concert would be held at night. In reply to Cr Whinray, the Clerk said that the gas was not laid on nearer than the Carnarvon street lamp. The Blayor said the rotunda should be opened as soon as possible, tho collection to be for the clock, with which Cr Kennedy agreed. Cr Whinray favored the collection to be for the ground. Cr Jones said the clock was the most pressing thing just now ; he thought it would be better to have an organised effort

on behalf of the ground late on. On the motion of Cr Jones, seconded by the Blayor, it was resolved that the rotunda should be opened as suggested, the collection to bo in aid of the clock.

Correspondence already published was read and dealt with.

Regarding the clock it appeared that nothing had yet been done as to the fixing of the clock or the Customs duty. The Mayor said that he had interviewed both tho Hon. Jas. Carroll and Mr Armstrong, who had communicated with headquarters, but no reply had yet been received as to the fixing of the clock or whether or not duty would be remitted. In regard to a suggestion to retain the deposit of £23 in connection with the band rotunda, Mossrs Mackrell and Colley wrote that any delay was through no fault of their firm, but due to the delay in obtaining the ironwork. Cr Kennedy moved and Cr Harding seconded, that the deposit be refunded, tho speakers considering that there had been no avoidable delay on the part of Messrs Mackrell and Colley. The motion to return the deposit in full was carried. Messrs DeLautour and Cederwall interviewed the Council last night as a deputation urging that repairs be made to the road to the Gisborne Freezing Works. Captain Tucker, who was unable to attend wrote, strongly urging that the road should be put in good order before the bad weather set in. Mr DeLautour spoke in support of the request. They knew, he said, that the Council was endeavoring to get other bodies to join with them in the matter, but he urged that delay would make a great deal of difference in the cost of the work. The company did not make great use of the road; it was mainly their employees. But the Company would find £25 worth of papa to widen the road, and he would recommend at the directors' next meeting that £25 be paid in cash. He thought the Council might find a hundred. Tiie main thing was to do the work at an early date ; last winter it was a quagmire. He thought heavy traffic, such as for metal for roads, should be stopped in July. The Mayor said that the totals would amount to <£275. Mr DeLautour : But I fear while you are waiting nothing will be done. The Mayor favored jthe work being pushed on ; he thought the other bodies would give assistance. The Harbor Board might give considerable assistance by crushing the metal. The Clerk : They offered £SO. On the motion of the Mayor, seconded by , Cr Kennedy, the Works Committee was empowered to have the work done, and to ask for the financial aid of other local bodies.

Cr Miller raised the qaestion as to whether they could rely on the contributions from other bodies.

It was stated the understanding was that the County Council contributed <£so, Harbor Board £SO, Freezing Company £SO, and Kaiti Road Board £25. A reply had not been received from the Whataupoko Road Board, It was agreed to communicate with the other bodies, and have a meeting of the Works Committee to-morrow, with the object of getting the work put in hand without delay. _ .