BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 972, 19 August 1903, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the Council was held last night, there being present : Crs. Kennedy (in tbo ebair), Morrison, Somervell, Harding, Miller, Hepburn. PLACES OF WORSHIP. Applications for licenses were made on bohalf of the various places of worship. Or Somervell said all the doors should open outwards. The Chairman said only one complaint had been made, in regard to the Presbyterian Church, in regard to which tho Inspector explained that it had been found there was ample exit—five doors. Cr Somervell: They should all open outwards.

The Chairman said it was difficult for a church to take fire ; usually people could easily get out. * Cr Somervell held to his point, and cited cases in England. The Chairman : Well, would you like to move in that direction ?

Cr Somervell said no, but he thought it should apply in case of new buildings. The Chairman asked the Inspector to make a note of that.

Tho liconses were then granted

THE TOWN CLOCK,

Messrs J. B. Joyco and Co. wrote re the safe arrival of tho clock, and requesting a cheque for the balance of the uccount. — Attended to. TREES. Tho Hospital Trustees wrote in reference to tho large pine trees on tho Hospital property abutting on Aberdeen road, and the Visiting Committee have been instructed to do what is possible in the matter to meet the views of tho Council.— Received, SUBSIDY. The Land and Income Tax Department forwarded a voucher for the payment of £39 15s 2d, subsidy which was due to the Council.

The Town Clerk said that the amount paid to tho Charitable Aid Board was not included in tho amount for subsidy. Cr Hepburn : They are cutting it so fine that there will be no subsidy soon. Tho Town Clerk said that apparently a “ Dot ” hud boon put in the Act by mistake Cr Johnston said that the Charitable Aid Board got a subsidy on the amount.

The Town Clerk: They get £ for £, and we wore only getting half-a-orown in the £.

Tho Chairman said they could not get beyond the statement sent, and must accept it. SANITATION. The resolution adopted at the Sanitation Conference, for the appointment of an inspector for a hoalth district was read. The Town Clerk said that each body would have to confirm the resolution before it was sent to the Health Department. The Chairman said that the proposed levy was made on a population basis, and as tho body having the most to pay he thought they should adopt the recommendation. It would not be to the Borough’s detriment in any way, On the motion of Cr Morrison, seconded by Cr Somervell, the recommendation was confirmed. THE YEAR BOOK. Information was asked for by the Regis-trar-General for the Year Book.—To bo supplied. ANOTHER WATER SUPPLY.

Messrs Guy Porter and H. G. Smith wrote “ with regard to a possible.source of water supply for Gisborne. -‘The Mangapoiko river is about seventeen miles distant in a straight line from tho town, and about 800 ft above tho sea level. The bed is a succession of rapids, alternated with deep rocky pools. There is no papa, the entire courso of the river being over sandstone boulders. Even in flood time the water practically carries no silt. The surround ing country is not subject to land slips. The water has no sediment or seum when boiled, makes excellent tea, and lathers freely ; in short, both quantity and quality are irreproachable. The altitude of 800 ft is ample for gravitation. A syphon pipe would take the water over the dividing

range, and no pumping or reservoir is necessary. Seventeen miles of pipes and T3OO to each of the runholdors on the banks of the river is all that is necessary to give the town of Gisborne a water supply good enough for a city the size of Manchester.” " When we get the size of Manchester we will be able to adopt it,” said Cr Hepbum. On the motion of Cr Morrison it was resolved to thank the writers for their letters. “ We will keep it steadily in view,” Baid Cr Somervell.

ACCESS TO RAILWAY.

Tbo General Manager of Railways wrote declining to accede to the request for a Grey street entrance to the railway station. “ There is already ample acoesß to the Station, and the Department is averse to providing too many gateways to the station premises.’' It was\ stated that the station master was in favor of the application. The Chairman thought the application should again be referred back. Cr Johnston said they might send a plan of the locality. Cr Morrison said they might admit there was ample aooess, but a gateway would save many people having to walk a T

[uarter of a mile. On the letter sent being read, Or Morrison said they might alter the word “ gate ” to 11 turnstile.”'

At the suggestion of the Chairman it was rosolved to ask that the general manager refer the subject to the station master for further particulars. GEOLOGY AND WATER.

A reply was receiyed by direction of the Minister of Mines stating that the question of determining sites for a reservoir for a water supply was one for an engineer, not a geologist, but if samples of water were sent they would be examined and reported on by tho analyst. It was stated that clearly an error had been made, and on the motion of Cr Miller it was resolved to inform tho Department that the opinion of tho geologist had been asked because doubts had been raised as to whether the ground would bold water, DRAINAGE QUESTION.

Mr J. Martin, licensee) of the Boyai Hotel, aslteel that the question of drainage of his hotel be reported on. Ho was now paying 10s a week to got the slops carted away, which was a very heavy charge. Tho Chairman and Cl* Miller said it was a heavy burden. Cr Miller moved that the matter be roferred to the Inspector and Sanitary Committee. They might be able to arrango some system that would not be so bard on Mr Marlin. Tho Chairman asked if this was the only hotel situated that way. Tho Inspector said the only other hotel so situated was the Becord Beign Hotel, in which case the drainage went into a sink in the large paddock and filtered away. Ho had objected to any more slops being so treated at the Boyai Hotel, where it had been draining into the ground for twenty years. The lipensee had agroeef to have the slops cartpd away, but a man who had been doing it had used an unclean cart, leading to further trouble, as the stuff had then to pe taken to the Cr Morrison thought there might be some scheme devised by which drainage could be obtained. The Chairman said the main question seemed to be whether the Council would insist on the slops being taken to the depot. 1 , The Inspector said that was the real point; he required the sanction of the Council, after what had happened and tho complaints made, before he allowed the slops to be taken elsewhere. The Chairman said he did not see what the objection could be to the stuff being put iuto the sea if tho drainage from all other hotels went into the river. Cr Somervell said it would be oheaper to put a drain in. Cr Miller said ho could quite understand a man not wanting to spend i£loo if there was the prospect of a general drainage system being adopted within a reasonable time. _ The Inspector said he could supply .particulars as to the cost of a drain. It was resolved, on the motion of the Chairman seconded by Cr Morrison, that the Inspector report on the subject, and in the meantime the disposal of the alops

to be left to the direction of the Inspector. REPORTS. The NightwatchmaD, Mr O. J. Morell, mado his usual satisfactory report -no fires. Mr Morgan, overseer, reported No new work has been undertaken Bince your last meeting. The work done has principally been the breaking of metal and patching the road with same. The upper part of Gladstone road having worn very bare, I have been obliged to get extra drays for a few days to cart metal to repair the same. Mill road : Some rather deep sand holes have been blown out in tho sides of this road where the sand has been open and porous. I have had earth and cleanings from tho drain in Gladstone road carted and spread over the holes that grass might grow and hold the sand together.”

The Chairman said the metal being put on Gladstone road showed the need of a roller ; the traffic was wearing a track in the middle, and it was clear they were not getting the value from it they should. It seomed to him the metal would have to be put into the centre to get the road worn evenly. Or Miller asked if something could not be done with a traction engine. Cr Morrison said thoy could regulate tho traffic the same as was dono elsewhere.

In reply to the Chairman, the Overseer said he could put blinding on the metal; but the road should have been picked before the metal was put down, to make it set properly, especially if they thought of doing any tarring in the summer. Cr Hepburn thought blinding should have been put on the metal straight away. Referring to the Napier roads, he said ho had gone to inspect them, and found that the roads tarred were rougher than those in Gisborne whero there was traffic.

In reply to the Chairman, the Overseer said he could get a traction engine to go over the road for about £4. , He had blinding ready, but if put on before the metal was made compact there was more likelihood of the stones becoming loose. The Overseer was instructed to get the traction engine at work as soon as possible.

The Inspector, Mr J. R. Little, reported that he had been inspecting various parts of the borough, and found most places in a satisfactory condition of cleanliness. He had had a notice published requesting householders to clean their tanks by the end of this month, and trusted they would avail themselves of the opportunity while the wet weather was on, it not being Bafe to leave them later than this month. There had been no cases of infectious disease since his previous roport.