BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 997, 16 September 1903, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

A meeting of ihe above was bold last evening, there being present His Worship the Mayor (Mr Townley). and Crs Kennedy, Morrison, L.vsuar, Hepburn, Johnston, Miller, and Whinny. The proposed by. -laws were brought up dealing with street betting, spitting on footpaths, capstancU. and poultry, etc. As to poultry Cr Lysnar thought that they should be prohibited altogether from the two main blocks. Or Mon Lon u:ged that some discret ou should be allowed to the Inspector, so that people who kept a few fowls in a sanitary way would not be interfered with, while those who did not adhere to the sanitary rules should be debarred.

The Mayor said when making by-laws t they wanted to have them general, without j placing discretionary power upon the Iu- ( specter. ; Or Lysnar said they had the matter be- < fore them a long time. He instanced some , of the unsavory conditions that had mot ( the Sanitary Committee, which had found disease fowls, dead aDd dying, cooped up behind an hotel, and a dirty fowlyard* behiud a shop that sold butter. Ho moved that the prohibited area be from Read’s Quay to 2£ chains above the tirebell. Or Miller supported the proposal, and gave incidents bearing out its necessity. Or Kennedy, while desirous of suppruting the Sanitary Committtee, was not iu favor.of this drastic alteration being made without any notice. He thought notice should be given, and the Sanitary Committee report in the meantime. Or Hepbnrn agreed with Or Kennedy. They had talked of by laws for a long time, . aud had no need to rush the alteration through so hurriedly. Crs Miller aud Lysnar thought there could bo no harm done by discussion, Cr Lysnar referring to the Sanitary Commiitce’s unanimous report given in 1901. It was agreed to adopt the by-law, it being understood that the area question , would come up at- auother meeting. ! Cr Hepburn said that the resolution as f to a bathroom in every licensed lodgingL house should be included. 5 Cr Morrison brought up the subject of building by-laws, and thought the wholo , by-laws should be gone into. 3 On the motion of the Mayor, seconded 3 by Cr Kennedy, the proposed amended . by-laws were adopted, subject to eonfirmaj tion at another meeting, s CLOCK LIGHTS.

Mr C. E. Armstrong, Engineer, Public Works Department, wrote as follows : 1 am now instructed from my head office that the lighting of the Gisborne postoffice clock is to be carried out by the local authorities, unless I get word from you saying a meter will be put in to register gas to clock, and stating that your Council will pay all expenses of fitting and light ing clock supply, can work be allowed ?” The Mayor had sent a telegram to Mr Carroll, contending that the light was for the post-office, the cost being only one shilling per night. The Postmaster-General had replied that none of the clocks were supplied with light by the Department. Cr Miller said that there was no necessity for Sir Joseph Ward’s remark. The Mayor said he did not know the rule in other parts, and it would bo as well to get that information, allowing the matter to stand over in the meantime. Cr Whinray said it seemed a good deal like splitting straws. The Mayor: No doubt; but here we have the reply from the highest authority. Cr Miller objected to the nasty way the gas had been turned out. He did not blame the Government for it, but the public should show why and on whose authority the light was turned off so hastily. In reply to Cr Miller, the Mayor said that Mr Armstrong’s letter had been received on the 9th, and the light had been turned off that night. Cr Miller said ho was not satisfied with the way the thing had been done. Cr Lysnar suggested that a tolegram bo sent to Sir Joseph Ward asking that the clock be kept alight until the Council had had an opportunity to consider the matter. It was agreed to postpone the matter, pending enquiry. SANITARY INSPECTOR.

The Haiti Road Board forwarded a resolution passed at their last meeting ro appointment of Sanitary Inspector, that they could not pay £3O a year on the population basis, and asked that a portion of the Taruheru Road District be included. The Whataupoko Road Board wrote that they could not afford to pay more than £ls towards the salary of a Sanitary Inspector. The Board considered that the County Council, receiving a large proportion of rates, should contribute to the Inspector. Mr Lysnar said ho thought the salary should have been left as it was ; there was no need to ask the suburbs to pay an increased amount. It was not right for suburbs that only got half the rates (the County Council taking the other half) to have to pay the full quota for sanitation ; an application should be made to tho County Council, and he would move to that effect. The Mayor said it was for the Road Boards to do that. It was agreed to write to tho Boards to the effect that it was for them to apply to the County Council. RATES.

Messrs DeLautour and Barker wrote re section 110, Aberdeen road, applying for a remission of halt rates in terms of the Rating Act Amendment, 1895, on behalf of Mr Barkar, these premises being the dwelling formerly owned by Mr Shelton and having been vacant aud unoccupied for upwards of six months.—Agreed to, being according to statute. ABATTOIRS.

Messrs Niven and Co. wrote regretting the delay of abattoir plaus, and referring to having prepared on throe different occasions for tho contract. When the first plana were completed their representative went to Wellington for the purpose of explaining thorn to the Department, who practically approved of them, but when returned in a more finished state the authorities asked for such a number of alterations that it necessitated making new plans. The letter concluded : 11 Without showing any feeling in the matter, we must say that wo do not think we have been kindly treated by the Government over this work, but we have reason to believe now that the plans will be passed immediately on examination, and that we will be able to lay before you drawings of a first-class abattoir,”

PROPOSED BRIDGE. The Committee reported as follows : “ The Committee appointed by your Council to go into the question of the bridge over the Taruheru river at Roebuck road met on Monday, 13th September, there being present Crs Kennedy, Morrison, Somervell, and Whinray, and they have to report as follows :—Land for road : Your Committee are in communication with the owner endeavoring to arrange the necessary exchange of land for a road. Procedure of establishing bridge: Your Committee would suggest that the Council approve of the plan of the bridge as pre, pared, and that copies of same be made for the Public Works Department and other local bodies interested, together with tho proportion of cost which each shall bear, etc. That after the expiration of two months the Council apply to the Governor for power to construct the bridge, and to recover proportion of cost from other local bodies interested. Proportion of cost for construction and maintenance : Gisborne Borough Cook County Council 4, Gisborne Harbor Board 4, Wbataupoko Road Board

Cr Miller considered the proportions fair, while Cr Lysnar said that Wbataupoko would be paying half. After some discussion the report was adopted on the motion of Cr Morrison, tracings of the proposed structure to be sent to the other local bodies interested, Cr Lysnar moved, and Cr Miller seconded, that the County Council be asked to get their Engineer to report as to the widening of the Peel street bridge across the Taruheru, but an amendment was carried in opposition to this on the motion of Cr Whinray, seconded by Cr Morrison, who held that the one work should not be hampered by other proposals. DAIRY INSPECTION. The Inspector reported as follows” I have the honor to report that in the capacity of Dairy Inspector I have periodically

inspected the milk caris and can 3, and taken several tests of the quality of milk. I have to report that the milkmen pay due attention to the cleanliness of their carts ; and in respect to the milk’s quality a very fair standard is maintained, with the exception of the last two tests undermentioned. Since iny last report Mrs Jane Moroll has commenced the supply of milk to the borough, making a total number of 13 dairies. The following tests show the density of milk by the lactometer : File 33, Wilson 32, Baty 32, Bell 32, Morell 32, Griffin 32, Wiilan 32, G. Williams 30, Goldie 30, Martin 30, Brown 30, Willoughby two tests 30 and 26, Liddell two tests 29 and 26.” THE OVERSEER’S REPORT. Mr M. Morgan, in his report, referred to the obtaining of metal from Kaiteratahi. Mr Armstrong had promised to do his best to have the best obtainable metal sent, and it was being brought in by the early train, so that it could be conveniently carted away. The Overseer had complained as to the quality of the metal sent in, and Mr Armstrong had promised to see that the quality was kept up. Referring to tbo opening of the bridges for the scow Era to go through, ho suggested that the rollers should be hung on springs. He recommended that a supply of timber be obtained for rppairs to the Haiti bridge. The Oversc-er was instructed to report av to the cost of springs. On the suggestion of Cr Lysnar, the Overseer was authorised to give a trial to locally-grown timber.

METAL. There ivas only one tender for the supply of metal, and before it was opened Or Morrison said that the cost of Patutahi metal was enormous, and he urged that some other supply, such as Haiti metal be used for a year. He understood that the County Engineer estimated a yard and a-half of Haiti beach metal to be equal to a yard of Patutahi metal, in which case there would be a great saving. He thought they should call for tenders for 1000yds of Haiti beach boulder metal, prior to cnening the tenders for Patutahi metal. Cr Lysr.ar spoke strongly in favor of trying the Haiti metal along with Patutahi metal.

The Mayor contrasted the county roads wit'i the borough roads as to the quality of the metal, which was greatly in favor of Patutahi metal ; the latter was dear, hut it was much the best. He had no objection to a fortnight’s delay, and if they thought proper, now that Gladstone road was in good order, to have a trial. Cr HepbUrn said they ‘ had had many trials, and had concluded that a ya.M of Patutahi meeal was equal to four yards of any other local anetai, and was the cheapest in the long run. On iho motion of Cr Morrison, seconded by Cr Lysnar, it was decided to hold over the Patutahi metal tenders, and to call for 1000yds of Haiti boulder metal. On tho suggestion of Cr Whinray, it was decidod that the Overseer should tako steps to have the main road up to Carnarvon street cleaned of thick dust. VICTORIA TOWNSHIP.

Cr Morrison ssid bo had found that his motion was not necessary in regard to Victoria township’s streets, which were borough streets under a decision given by Sir R. Stout on July 25th, a decision given since the solicitor had given his opinion. He had also boon informed by Captain Tucker that there had been an understanding on the matter at the time, in connection with the obtaining of the depot at a reasonable price. The people thero might not for some time participate in water and drainage, but they did desire to have some share in the £IO,OOO for road improvements. It was agreed to allow the matter to stand over, the solicitor’s attention to be called to the recent decision.