BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1021, 14 October 1903, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The Council met last night, there being present: The .Mayor (Mr Townley) and Crs Morrison, Lysuar, Hepburn, Harding, Somervell, Johnston, and Whiucay.

A special meeting >vrs first held to deal with the proposed new by laws. The by-law dealing with closet pans was then approved of, to enable sealed pans to bo brought in by degrees. It was resolved to confirm the by-layvs as drifted, including that in regard to stri ct betting.

'Tho question arose as to when the bylaws should be brought into force. The Mayor moved and Or Lysuar seconded that the date be November Ist, the Mayorstating that they could leave tbs enforcement in the bands of the Inspector, so that inconvenience would not bo caused. The motion w-as carried, an amendment by Cr Harding that the date be January Ist, 1904, being lost. The ordinary business was then proceeded with. Tho Sanitary Committee reported having met on October 9th, tho Mayor and Crs Lysnar, Morrison, and Miller being present. The question of area for prohibiting the keeping of fowls was discussed, and the following district agreed to: “ Between Childers road and Read’s Quay and Palmerston road from the Turauganui rive-r extending westwards ns far as Peel street and front sections (2.J- chains deep) fronting each side of 31ndscono road from Peel street to Derby street. Provided that this by-law shall not preventany poultry being held temporarily for the purposes of legitimate sale, but it! any such case the manner of holding the poultry shall bo approved of by tho Sanitary Inspector.” Cr Morrison said one of tho Committee thought they should make tho boundary up to Derby street, it was unfair to cut up sections. They should make a road the boundary. Tho portions of tho block excluded were more important than some of the parts put in. Thoy should make the boundary from the Turauganui river to Derby street. Tho Mayor mentioned that there were already stringent regulations regarding tho manner in which fowls must be kept. He moved that the report be adopted. Cr Lysnar seconded the motion. He thought that Cr Morrison’s suggestion was going too far. They should not object to fowls on large areas such as that at the Church of England parsonage. What thoy wanted to get at was the business portion of the town. Tho report was adopted.

The Chairman of the Cook County Council, Captain Tucker, wrote, acknowledging the Council’s letter of September 80 for one-third of a cemetery, and continued : “ This Council cannot find on itß minutes any record of any such arrangement, nor has Mr Warren, the County Clerk, any recollection of any such arrangement having been made. It seems that this Council did expect somo liability in tho matter, which was represented as trivial, probably not entailing a payment of more than £SO at the most, and had it not boen asked for more than that sum it is not unlikely that this Council would, without going into the question very deeply, have voted that sum. But this Council does not feel justified in accepting so heavy a liability as you seek to impose on it, unless it is very clearly bound to do so ; and so far, it has been unable to discern any documentary, or indeed an unambiguous evidence of the arrangement to which you refer. The Council is therefore unable to decide as to what extent it has any liability in this matter.” Tho Mayor said that they had expected to get the land for a nominal sum, but it had been adjudged according to the value it would have for building purposes a hun dred years hence. Captain Tucker and Mr Matthews, members of the County Council, had given evidence that the land was worth £IOO an acre. Information as to the meeting had been collated by the chairman. Tho roport was signed by the then chairman of the County Council. The Mayor said the reply was clear ; the Borough Council was disappointed at the high price ; the County Council had agreed to pay one-third, and should be supplied with the information. The County Council notified that it would have about 1000 yards of machinebroken metal, 2in, at Patutahi quarry by December. The prico at the depot would bo 4s 7d per yard, the carters to do their own loading and submit their drays for measurement by the County Engineer or other officer, It was agreed to take 250 yards. Messrs J. J. Niven and Co. wrote advising that the plans and specifications for the abattoirs had received the approval of the Minister of Agriculture ; the Council tvere now in a position to call for tenders,

and the writers asked if tho Council wished thorn to advertise for tenders. Thore were two sets of plans, which would bo on view in two places simultaneously. The Mayor said they could not go on until they had seen the plans approved ; tho cost might run into £6OOO, instead of £4OOO. It was decided to best ask for a set of the plans. Mr E. J. Chrisp wroto stating that he was filling in tho swarqpy part of the section at the back of his house, and he would be glad to utilise some part of the foot of Custom House street. He asked to be allowed to remove part of the street, which will eventually have to be removed, for the purpose of filling in—under the supervision of the Overseer. Granted, the Overseer to have the stuff removed to his satisfaction. Tho Nigbtwafcbman, Mr O. J. Morell, made his usual satisfactory report. Tho Overseer, Mr M. Morgan, reported : Peel street. —Very little progress has been made with this street. Since your last meeting only 90 yards of gravel havo been delivered. Tho constant showors made it necessary to go to other work. This work is now in band. Gladstone road. —The change in the weather made it necessary to go on with patching in this road, and on the 7th inst. I found it necessary to again scrape the road, which was dono from Lowe street to Carnarvon street. The mud at this stage bepame too dry and stiff to go on further with the work. Derby street.—The School Committee being anxious to have tho trees trimmed back in this street for the benefit of the school, I havo trimmed same at their request. Esplanade road. Maintenance gravel delivered by the carters on this road in response to an agreement made with your Council is gravel 45 loads, sand 39 —84 loads in all delivered to the 12th day of October. I would recommend that the work of metalling this road be proceeded with, as the filling in is woil settled down and the road getting hard and dry. On tho motion of Or Lysnar it was resolved to call in tho donations for tho Haiti road, and proceed with the work at ones.