BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1392, 1 March 1905, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinary ■ meeting of the Borough Council, was held last, evening, whan the ' following; members \?Vore present:—His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. Jownley), Crs Somervell, Harding, JijfThetone, Hepburn, Miller, Dysnar and Morrison. ■ CORRESPONDENCE.

The Railway Department wrote stating that tha'AMßcultv in regard to the shortage for gravel would shortly be '(and the requirements of the Couo/.t wfiuld be fully coped with. Cr'Hurding poiuted out that largo supplies of timber wore waiting to be brought to Gisborne. Ho thought overy facility should he giveu by the Railway Department to make tbo lino pay, which they were nos doing at ilio present timo.

COUNCID’S OVERDRAFT. The Bank of New Zealand notified that the rate of intorest on tho Counoii’s overdraft would bo 5 p t; coat up to December 31st, and 5£ after that date. Cr Harding objooted to the Bank dictating to tho Couaoil in tho cuauner they wore doiog. Ho know of no roason V7hy tho rate of interest should be iuoreased. Tho Mayor oomplaiaod of the abort notice given by the Bank. The letter was referred to the finanoe committee.

It was pointed out that tho Council’s overdraft was only £3600 at tho present time. CUD VERT WANTED. - A letter from Messrs D. Chabue and JAllen, asking for a oulverj to be placed on the footpath in Bright street, was referred to tho overseer, who was instructed to atteud to the matter. I A NEW INDUSTRY.

Messrs Williams and Martin wrote, in- ■ forming the Council that they proposed . oommopoing operations at their new soap factory on the following day, and would, be pleased to see as many Councillors present as could conveniently attend. A bus ■X would leave the Masonic Hotel corner at a 8.45 p.m. - . • DONATION TO FIRE BRIGADE. On the motion of Cr Morrison it was f decided to donate the sum of *6lO towards the cost of sending a team from the Gisborne Fire Brigade to the contests at Dunedio. The Mayor said that this was the first > occasion upon which the Brigade had asked the Council for assistance. EARLY CLOSING. ~ Department of Labor wrote stating that the Shop Hours Act would come into J force on March Ist, after which date the 6' shops would bo closed at 6 o’clock on a week nights, and 9 o’clock on Saturdays. \ Fruiterers would be exempted as petitioned for, and there would be no necessity for gazetting the hours required by them. READ’S TOWNSHIP, Messrs DeLautour and Barker wrote asking for the consent of the Council to . f»he subdivisions of the above property and f the dedication of certain roads. A plan hod been approved by the Survey Departtnent, and wai now awaiting deposit. The roads had been formed, but.owing to the scarcity of tracks in the Railway Department the matalliog could not be proceeded with. r The Council deferred consenting to the, dedication of the roads until the metaliiug had been completed. ALLEGED NUISANCE

A letter from Dr Da Deals, district health officer, in regard to a nuisance at the back of one of the hotels was referred to the Borough Inspector to deal with. BOROUGH DOAN PROPOSABS. The Australian ■ Mutual Provident Sooiety re the application of the Council for a loan of £75,000, stating that the directors would be prepared to recommend the loan if the Council could see their way to give per cent. This was the very lowest at which the Society could entertain the loan.

The finance committee recommended that the offer of the A.M.P. Society should be accepted. . Cr Harding urged that the offer Bhould be accepted, us is.was very difficult to get money at such a low rate. He considered the terms offeced.were most favorable, and would make a great mistake if they refused them.. ; '

Tho Mayor„tbought that for the sake of a quarter por cent, the Council should accept the offer made by the A.M.P.

Society A resolution to this effoot was moved by Or Harding and seconded by tho Mayor. Cr Dysnar said tho matter required careful consideration, as it meant saddling the

Borough with £lB7 extra intorest for a term of thirty years. He preferred to pay the Bank -5 per cent until such time as they could finance on better terms. If there was a fall in the rate of interest, as there appeared to be evory prospect of, the Borough could be saved a substantial sum each year. He urged that the Council should go for a temporary loan in profer-

ence to binding themselves at 4£ per cent for a .lengthy period. It was a serioug matter, representing as it did an extra penny in the pound rate. If they accepted the Society’s offer they should at any rate stipulate for the right to pay off any portion of the loan at any time within the period. i lhe Mayor was of opinion that the Society would readily concede the Council the right to pay'off the loan at any time. :i Cr Lyanar : That being so I am quite. Satisfied.

. j. Cr Harding eaid that so long as the present prosperity of the colony continued there was not much prospect of getting cheap money. « Trie . offer. o£ the A. Ilf .IP. Society was accepted wifh the provision that the Council havo the right to repay the loan at any time prior to the expiration of the loan. TE AEAI WATERSHED. ' The Council went into committee to consider an offer from the East Coast Trust Board in regard to the purchase of the To Arai watershed. After a good deal of discussion it was decided to consult the

Borough solicitor in regard to putting a proclamation over tho land, also to obtain a valuation of the property. Mr S. Grant was appointed by the Council to value the land, a report to be furnished by next Tuesday.

NIGHT WATCHMAN’S REPORT. The nightwatchman reported as follows : I have the honor to report to your Council that there have been no conflagrations in the borough since forwording my last report. I beg to draw your attention to an occurrence on Sunday morning last. Some person or persons by way of a joke gave two or three tolls on the upper fire bell. I was in Peel street at the time, and hurried to tho main boll waiting for signs of a fire. Fortunately it was only a false alarm. Afterwards I went up to the other end of the town, but could not get any light on the subject. However, on Monday, February 27th, I made enquiries the neighborhood, and Mr Jas. East informed me that coming on tho scene quickly ho noticed a man running towards him a 3 though coming from the boll.: He made enquiries, asking him where tho fare was, aud the only answor was, I don t know.” However, be does not think he could identify the man. INSPECTOR’S REPORT;

The Borough Inspector reported as follows: —Since your laßt meeting I have been inspecting in various parts of the Borough, and most of the places arc in a satisfactory condition of cleanliness. I havo notified two of the atablekeepers to have their horso yards cleared up ami the loose manure raked up every day and de, mositea in tha receptacle appointed for col- ' lection of same. Work at the is still proceeding slowly ; the contractor in- ► forms me that he has been unable to procure shingle, which is keeping the oonprete work behind. It is now 12 months on -be Ist of March since the contract was let, > an a I am afraid the contraot will not be r completed by tfco end of March. The contractor has sunk the well, and there seems *" ho any amount of good water, which stands aZ-lft deep. I don’t think tho tide . affects it in any way,as there ja no .difference .Jnthe depth of water when the tide 13 fnl* B pVERSEER’S REPORT. he overseer (Mr M. Morgan) reported y on works in progross—rocommondmg works along the Victoria Esaoade. He estimated the cost of a onlvert aorosa the Waikanae at Stanley road ■ i decided to .proceed with the ' several works mentioned by the Overseer;

THE ABATTOIRS. Tho Abattoirs Committee reported recommending regulations for tbo control of tho abattoirs, and added: suggested that the management' of the abattoirs be given to the Government inspeotor at a salary of £7O por annum, and that applications bo called for a head slanghtormau and oaretakor at £l5O por annum with froo house, a second slaughterman at £IBO por annum, and a general hand at £llO per annum. This staff, tho oommiUoo consider, should work tho concern with ease, and with careful j ment at tho rates fixed the Yaitoire I should pay their way.” GATES ACROSS ROADS.

A complaint was mado to tho Council in regard to a gate which had boon placed aoross Stanley road by Mr F. Rhodes. The Town Clerk stated that notice had been served upon Mr Rhodes to remove tho gate. It was decided to notify Mr Rhodes that if ho did not remove tho gate tho Counoil would do so at his expense. INSPECTOR’S SAD ARY. I

On the motion of Cr Morrison, seoondod by Or Harding, it was decided to increase the salary of tho Borough Inspeotor (Mr J. R. Dittle) from £l5O to £IBO per year. Councillors spoke in terms of tho highest praise of the good work done by Mr Dittle.

ACCESS TO BEACH. Cr Harding urged that steps should he immediately taken to obtain from the native ownors tho road loading from the footbridge to the beach. The natives were' willing to meet the Cnunoil, and there should be no farther delay. It was decided to take stop 3 to secure the road.,.