BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1450, 10 May 1905, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The first meeting of the newly-elootod Borough Counoil was hold last evening, when tho following members wero pre sent t—His Worship tho Mayor (Mr Townloy), Crs Sheridan, Colley, Lysnar, Webb, Whinray, Bright, Miller and Harding.

CORRESPONDENCE. Mr J. Coleman, agent, wrote stating that ho had forwarded Dr DeLislo’s notice re tho bakehouse oocupiod by Mr M. Todd to the owner of the property, who lived at Stratford, for instructions. Tho short notice that was givon was very hard on Mr Tcdd.

The Mayor said thot the owner of the property could apply for a small extension, and no doubt it would be granted. Cr Colley thought reasonable time should be givon to remove tho buildings. The communication was reoeived.

I The Deputy Chiof-Inspeotor, of DopartI ment of Labor, wrote re petition from I grooors to havo Gazette notice re early I closing varied. He had received a full roI port from his inspector as to whether tha I ten names pretested against were bona fide I grocers, and he had decided that they were I not; therefore the requisition to vary the I Gazette notice did not, in his opinion, eomprise a majority of tho grocers engaged in business in Gisborne. Mauy of them wero | simply fruiterers, who kopt a few odd articles of groceries. Therefore tho petition presented by Messrs Briar, Cox and MoKeo was a bona fide one, and the Gazette notice as was originally gazetted must stand. Cr Sheridan said tho Council had nothing to do with the matter. Received.

LOAN PROPOSALS. A communication was received from the A.M.P. Society confirming the telegram consenting to the loan to the Gisborne Borough, and asking when tho first instalment of the 4175,000 was required. Cr Harding said that they oouid not take less than £SOOO at a time.

In reply to the Mayor the Town Clerk stated that an early reply was required, as the debentures had to bo printed. _Cr Harding thought they could obtain £oooo, and if not required at onee could be used to reduce the Council’s overdraft.

Cr Sheridan pointed out that the money conld not be need for this purpose. It was decided to reply to the effect that the Council would inform'the Society at the earliest opportunity when the money was required.

MORE LIGHT. Dr A. P. Coker wrote asking the Council's permission to have a medical lamp placed oh the footpath in ‘ Bright street (south end).

The application was granted, A COMPLAINT.

Mr J. B. Jones, Kaiti, wrote stating his tenant in Upper Gladstone Road, section 140 A, complained of the bad state of the water caused by the large amount of vegetable matter from the overhanging trees in the ‘‘ Pines ” ground adjoining, and threatened to lesivo the house unless the nnisaDce was abated. He asked that the Inspector of Nuisances be sent to examine the matter, and take some action and end

Cr Colley said his attention had been drawn to the matter, and there was no doubt a nuisance existed.

On the motion of Or Bright tho letter was referred to the Health Officer. . GISBORNE FREEZING WORKS.

An application for the renewal of the lioense of the Gisborne Freezing Works was granted.

THE ABATTOIRS.

The chief veterinarian, Department of Agriculture, wrote enclosing certificate of registration of the Gisborne Borough abattoirs.' . The Town Clerk said that it would be necessary to open the abattoirs twentyeight days after the receipt of certificate of registration, Or Lysnar asked if the road were ready.

Cr HardiDg: That will not stop us opening the abattoirs. t The Mayor proposed that the abattoirs be opened on June Ist. Cr HardiDg replied that if the abattoirs were ready why not have them opened at once.

The Town Clerk said that it was necessary to advertise for fourteen days. It was decided to open the abattoirs on June Ist.

Discussion took place re the attitude of the batchers, it being stated that some wero in favor of the abattoirs and some against.

Cr Bright : I expect under the notice of tho opening of the abattoira to see a notice raising the price of meat. Cr HardiDg: I do not think so. The present price of beef leaves a very good margin of profit.

AN application!

Mr M. H. Hamilton, inspector steel pipe works, Wanganui, wrote offering his services as inspector in connection with the new water scheme. He heard the Council had adopted the spiral eteel pipe for tha work. He had supervised the makiDg of this pipe for the Wanganui, Feilding and New Plymouth Borough Councils, and would be pleased to give any any particulars asked for and references. Received. CARNARVON STREET.

Mr A. Sawyer wrote asking the Council to do something towards improving the footpath between Carnarvon street and Disraeli street. In its present condition there was hardly enough room for two people to walk abreast without tramping through wet grass up to the boot tops. Referred to Overseer, with instructions to do the work as soon ao possible.

OVERSEER’S REPORT. Mr M. Morgan, Borough Overseer, reported as follows : —Abattoir road: This road is being trimmed up. The borongh portion of it should be ready for traffic in seven or eight days. The filling up round the building and tha formation of the road inside the gate will be ready for gravel in a few days. Grey street: Nothing has been done to this street since last meeting, as ODly a few trucks of gravel have oome to hand. Haiti : In forming the paths in Wainui road it has been necessary to turn the water from the / upper end of the road down Parau street/ and the paths are being formed to that street. The paths on the north side of the road are rather damp, and require trimming and gravelling in places. The last few chains near the junction of DeLautour road will require to be formed and gravelled, as it is bad and dangerous. North Gisborne : A good many of the drains in this part of the town are cleaned out, ancl a good deal of general cleaning and patching is being done. It will be necessary to form a good maDy of the paths as soon as possible, as they are in a dangerous state for so thickly populated a place. The calvert at the

junction of Fox street and Ormond road has beoD lengthened and the place trimmed np as authorised. A few loads of gravel will be necessary to finish it off. The Mayor said that the road to the abattoirs would be-found to be in firstolass order.

Cr Whmray said there was not the slightest oause for any complaint in regard to the road, which was better in winter than in summer.

Somo discussion took place in regard to the shortage of gravel, and it was decided on the motion of Cr Bright to write to the Railway Department requesting that immediatesteps should Da taken to increase the number cf trucks. Cr Bright urged that attention should be given to the korbing of the Wainui road. Cr Colley thought that before much money was expanded on this work it was absolutely necessary to seoure permanent levels.

The matter was referred .to the public works committee, Cr Lysnar urged that in future the Council should have the drains in the suburbs cleaned out by contract, and not by day labor. The Mayor said that they would find if they did that the work would bo done in a very unsatisfactory manner. They had had experience of this. THE ABATTOIRS CONTRACT.

Cr Webb asked for information re the cost of the abattoirs, and what extras there had boon in connection with the contract.

The original contraot was £2337, and

the oxtras inoludod oonoreto foundations £2OO, filling in £ls, brick wall £3l, alterations to drain £94, making a total of £2677.

O !#• In answor to other questions tho Mayor said that the oattlo shed cost £897 10s, and tho oavotakor’s house £B6B, making n total j of £770, but those could not bo said to be I included in tho oontracb. I Cr Lysnar : Tho engineer's estimate was I £I9OO, and instead of spending that you I expend £2677. J Tho Mayor: And with the extras tho |. work oost loss than the noxt lowest tondor I Or Lysnar: And tho work costs ub J

nearly £9OO more than the estimate. Cr Harding: I do not like people to rnako “ about ” statements. Too muoh capital has been made out of this matter, end tho true statement of allairs should bo plaoed before tho ratepayers. I The Mayor : Tho Government insisted on alterations time after timo, and they had to be done,

Cr Bright said tho figures ought to bo made public. Ho moved to this ofieot. Cr HardiDg : lb is ju9t as well that the light of day should bo lot in. Capital has been made out of this matter by one of the Councillors who had more to say in regard to tho construction of tho abattoirs than anyone else. Continuing, Cr Hording gave , a lengthy explanation of the alterations | which tho Government had insisted on haviug made. j Cr Lysnar said that all ho wanted to J show was that tho engineer’s estimate had I been exoeeded. I

Tho Mayor said that the plans were held over for a considerable time after receiving I the estimate, and in tho meantime the f oost of material was increasing. The [ extras altogether oouid not be oavillod at, I and tho abattoirs would give tho utmost I satisfaction to the ratepayers.

Cr Lysnar rose to his feet to read an I extract out of Messrs Niven and Co.’s I letter, when he was stopped by Cr Bright, I who appealed to the Chairman that Cr I Lysnar had already spoken to the motion. I The Mayor ruled Cr Lysnar out of order, I and the latter then asked the Mayor to I read the extraot referred to. - j This having been done, the motion was j put to the meeting and carried, and the I following figures were handed to the press I for publication : I

Gisborne abattoirs loan—Amount of loan £4OOO, received from treasury to Ist Febroary, 1905, £2OOO. 5 Contraois—Main building and extras £2677, paid £1345, owing £1332 ; oattle I shelter shed £397 10s, paid £230, owing I £167 10s; caretaker’s dwelling £363, paid I £225, owing £l3B. < Summary of loan—Abattoir building I £2677, oattle shelter shed £397 10a, care- I taker’s dwelling £363, engineering and ex- I tree £212 IDs, acquisition of land £l3O, j interest £45, fencing £IOO, levelling and j shingling £75, total £4OOO. Cr Lysnar asked that °ihe following ex- I tract frj'rn Messrs J. J. Niven and Co’s I letter, dated 29th August, 1902, should I also be handed to the press,, his request I being granted :—“ Tho cost is greater then we hud at first in mind, but we are now I satisfied that it is impossible to meet your I requirements for the future ioerease of | population, aod at tho same lime satisfy I the central authority an an expenditure of not less than £I9OO, which wa estimate I tho works shown on the plans will cost.” I

COMMITTEES. The following Committees wero appointed : Finance The Mayor, Crs Lysnar, Bright and Rees. Publio Works— The Mayor, Crs Colley, Webb, Whinray, and Harding. Sanitary Committee—The Mayor, Crs Sheridan, Miller and Lysnar. Waterworks Estimates—Tho whole Coun oil. General Estimates—The whole Counoil. The Mayor and Crs Bright, Harding, and Sheridan were appointed to sign cheques. It was decided to meet on Tuesday evening next to consider the general estimates.

KAITI BRIDGE. Cr Bright moved that an estimate be supplied in regard to the cost of erecting a footway to tho Kaiti bridge. When last on the Council he had urgod the matter, and he was sure, there was no member of the Council who would not admit the necessity of the work.

Cr Lysnar seconded the motion. Cr Harding also spoke of the necessity for the work, pointing out that the erection of the footway to the Taruhera bridge had given the utmost satisfaction to ratepayers in all parts of the Borough. Discussion took place in regard to the redecking of Kaiti bridge, and the overseer was instructed to put bolts in where necessary. GENERAL ITEMS. The Council decided to erect a fence round that portion of the river embankment vvhere the Beautifying Association are carrying on their work. On the motion of Cr Lysnar itwas decided to shingle the Ormond road to the. Taruheru bridge when the material was available. .

A request made by Cr Harding for a lamp, to be .placed in Childers road, near the Masonic'Hall, was referred to, the estimates committee. Several other applications of a similar nature were referred to the same committee.