BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1438, 26 April 1905, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

I The ordinary meeting of the Borough I Counoii was held last evening, when the following members were present:—His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. Townley), Crs Harding, Miller, Lysnar, Hepburn, Whin- ! ray, and Morrison. THE SHOPS ACT. The following letter wbb received from the Department of Labor in regard to the Shops Aot: —“I beg to acknowledge receipt of yours of 12th instant re exempting grocers and butohers of Gisborne from the requisition gazetted on the 21st February, 1905, and in reply thereto would say that so far as the batchers are concerned, the matter seems quite clear, and steps will be

at once taken to gazette tho butohers of Gisborne next week as being exempt from the provisions of the requisition mentioned

above. The grocers, however, seem to be on a different footing, as there is attached to the papers a petition- from Messrs

I Mckee and Cox, who state they represent I the grocers of Gisborne, and making the I assertion that ten of ths signatures to the petition are not bona fide grocers. If this is eorrect, it could not be said that the petition represents a majority -of- the grocers engaged in business in Gisborne, so for the present I am not gazetting their petition. 1 am writing to our agent in Gisborne, Mr Ballon, asking, him to make full and complete enquiries into the case. A little delay will not hurt, and it would be better to be sure than sorry. Of course von may say that the Mayor and yourself have certified that these people represent a majority of the grocers in Gisborne, but still an .element of doubt has been imported into the question, and I think you will agree with me that a little delay will not in any way injure the petitioners.” The Mayor said that the matter had been 1 referred to the local agents, and nothing further could be done. Received.

STATE FIRE INSURANCE. The general manager of the New Zealand Government State Fire Insurance wrote stating that he would esteem it a favor if the Council would 1 send any fire insurances within their sphere of influence to his office. Received. . THE ABATTOIRS. The Chief Veterinarian telegraphed as follows : “ Expect to have all formalities connected with registration of abattoirs, etc., completed next week. . Will you write me, giving authority to affix your signature to Gazette.” Agreed to. ; HOUR OF POLLING.

The following telegram waa received from the-Colonial Secretary’s office re the hour of polling : “As some Councils appear to be doubtful in the matter, the Colonial Secretary desires to point out that the poll for the, municipal elections doses at seven o’clock, as provided by section twenty-nine of the Municipal Corporation Act. BUBAL TECHNICAL EDUCATION. .A letter from Mr W. Lissant Clayton’ provincial secretary of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, re the appointment- of a lecturer to hold classes throughout the district for rural technical education, asking the Council for a grant towards the same, was referred to the new Council. OVEBSEEE’S BEPOBT. Thr '

i 0 Borongh Overseer reported as fol,owe :—North Gisborne : The drains in this part of the town are being cleaned, and any other necessary work is being attended to. The junction of Ormond road and Fox street, complained of by Dr Scott, is in need of attention. The cnlvert is only 18ft wide, whioh is rather narrow for the traffic at this junction. The sides are very high, and causes the water to lodge on the roads. If the culvert is lengthened, and the corner trimmed up, I think it will mest the case. Wainui road : The residents in the block from Harris street to Parau street are anxious to have the footpaths continued to Parau Btreet. If this is done it will do away with the culverts at Harris street and also at Parau street, and throw the water from that catchment area straight, to the oreek, The drains are being cleaned out in the town, end other patching work done. No gravel has come to hand for Grey street, as the quantity paid for ba3 been delivered. It will be neasary to pass payment for another lot, say 1000 yards, which I would ask your Council to do so at once. The levelling at the abattoirs is going on, and I hope to have the formation of the road in the paddock in hand I this week. The road.leading to it from Grey street is being levelled and ruts fillod I in '

- as authorised. Herewith please find price of tarring block in Gladstone Boad, also metal for same as per day. book: Gladstone Boad block from Lowe street to Customs House street : Metal delivered on same, £l4O 4a; blinding, £ls ; rolling, £6 15s ; tarring same, £9O 19s Gd total cost, £252 18s sd. Cost as per day book, taken from each day’s tally. Cr Lysnar said that the estimate for the asphalting was exceedinglysatisfactory.o sidering that sand had been used instead of grit. The tarring had cost £9O, and this was the experimental part, but the saving in metal more than made up for this.

Or Morrison contended that the bocalled experiment had saved over £144 worth of metal since the time the work bad been done.

Or Wbinray, who had stated at the previous meeting that the work had cost upwards of £6OO, maintained that somo of the items must have been omitted, as he was led; to believe the work had cost the amount stated. Councillors expressed satisfaction with the estimate submitted. '

The report was adopted. - ABATTOIR APPOINTMENT.

Ten applications were received 1 for the position of head butcher for the abat oirs, the salary being £l5O per annum with frt e house. The number of applicants beirg reduced to three a ballot was taken, with the result that C. A. Kinnomont was ap* pointed by nine to one. There were ten applicants for the position of second butcher, the salary being £l3O per year. Mr E. Gregg was appointed after a dead heat with another candidate. _ Therenwero 26 applicants for the position of general hand, and' after two dead heats between G. Howarth and J. Cassidy the former was appointed.