BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1522, 2 August 1905, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING.

The ordinary meeting of the Borough Council was held last evening, when tho following mombers woto prosont:—His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. Townies), Crs Harding, Miller, Bright, Whiuray.Lysuar, Sheridan, Boos, Colley and Wobb. BEAUTIFYING ASSOCIATION.

Mr G. Grant, President of tho Gisborne I Boautifying Association, wroto re proposed alteration to tho work now being carried out on river bank at Read’s Quay, to meet the recommendations ot the Works Committee. Tho Association wou’d do their best to moet tho wishes of tho Council. j Or Harding stated that tho Boautifying Assoc : ntio'n wanted to take in four foot of tbo road. Tho \yorks Committee recom- I mended that thoy should bo allowed this, [ as tho road would still be sufficiently I wide. . I

Cr Colloy said thoro wns considerable radio ou tbo road in question during tho wool season. Or Lysrmr moved that tho request of the Assoc'a'Jou should bo grauted. Tho widening of the footpath would bo a groat advantage and would not interfere with tbo traflio. Tho motion was unanimously adopted. A RESERVE WANTED. Sir Joseph Ward, Minister for Railways, wrote acknowledging receipt of letter re tho oigbt acres asked for between the rail wav station and tho sea beach for recreation and other purposes, and in reply stated that ho was making enquiries with a view to seeing whether tho request could bo complied with. BIORAMA BRASS BAND. Captain Slattery wrote asking if it would be practicab'o for the Counoil to welocmo she Biorama Brass Band, now touring New Zealand under the auspioos of tho Salvation Army, and who arrive in Gisborne on Wednesday, August 9ih. Tho band was touring in the interests "of the social and missionary work of the Army, which was purely unsectarian, and was carried on irrespective of creed or nationality. The band had been warmly welcomed by the different municipalities of the Commonwealth and New Zeeland. If the Council granted the request ho could arrange that the City Baud ploy tho above mentioned band from the Salvation Army Barracks 'to tho fireb'ell, and then the* Mayor to say a few words of welcome. It was docided to accede to the request. TRACTION ENGINE. j Captain Tucker, County Chairman, wrote suggesting a meeting between the two Councils on tho question of purchasing a traction engine, and strengthening the Waipaoa bridge./ A committeo'consisting of the Mayor and Crs- Wbinray and Bright- was appointed to meet the County Council. A PLAN REQUIRED. Mr F. J. Jones, district engineer, wrote asking for a plan showing the position of the Council’s branch line from . near Waihirere to the river, so that he could see where it was proposed to junction with the railway. It was decided to supply the plan asked for

BUILDING CONCESSIONS,

Mr John W. Wade wrote asking permission to erect an iron wall along the section at the hack of his property, Peel street. He did not expect anyone would be building on the adjoining section. The application was granted, FIRE BRIGADE MATTERS: •

The Invercargill Borough Council wrote submitting an opinion that there was no necessity for the constitution .of a Board to manage fire brigade matters, a 3 proposed by the Eire Brigades’ Bill now before Parliament. The management of a fire brigade was part of the work of a municipal council.' It Parliament decided nppn the principal that the Insurance Companies aud Government should contribute to the support of fire brigades, then a short Bill, containing olauses 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 with the negessary verbal alterations, giving municipal councils fhe power to collect and apportion the money required, was all that was needed. To appoint a separate Board would bo an absolute waste of power aud men’s time, and multiply the number of local bodies in the polony to an extent altogether unnecessary, If it were thought that payment of a ievy_ by Insurance Companies enabled them to u share in the management, then there was power under section fiO of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1900, to delegate the management to a committee, of which representatives of the Insurance Companies may be'made members. With this excellent provision of special representation the Invercargill Council would be glad for you to oppose the Bill in every way.

Consideration was deferred until a copy of the Bill was before the Council. MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS.

The Committee appointed to consider she above question reported as follows : “The Committee appointed £o enouira into the question of securing ja si.te for Municipal Offices met on the 25th July. There were present—The Mayor, and Crg Lysnar and Bright. After carefully considering the question and viewing tho site your would recommend the Council to erpet. offices upon their own property at .corner of Childers Road and Bead’s Quay and on the section near the Taruheru bridge, alongside sbp fire engine shed, Tho offices not required could bg let and the revenue obtsinpd therefrom would' greatly lessen the Council’s rent. With these two admirable sites in hand the committee do not deem it necessary to obtain another section.”

Tho Mayor suggested that before anything was done in the matter of Municipal buildings the .Council should secure the co-operation of the County .Council. Cr Wbinray was opposed to the peoom* mendations of the Committee, He did not think the Committee had risen to the occasion, and on that account considered that they wore unworthy of..tbe confidence of the people. “ No, no, you are going too far,” from several Councillors. Continuing, Cr Wbinray urged that the Council should take steps to erect municipal buildings in a central part of the town. I[t waa out of the question to think about putting t&em down by a stinking river. Cr Lysnar seconded the adoption of the report, pointing out that the sites in question were admirably suitable for the purpose. The Council could not obtain a site in the main street, and were therefore compelled to go into a back etroet. He urged that tho Council should take steps towards the erection of buildings on the section in Childers road. Cr Whinray : You would never get the ratepayers to sanction thirteen ponce for buildings down there. Cr Lysnar: We Bhall ’see about that when it is put before them. Cr Whi.nr?,y ; Yea, we shall see. I will guide their' mtelliggqpp on that matter. (Daughter.) ' ” Cr Bright strongly supported t-hs adoption of tho report. The report was adopted. INSPECTOR’S REPORT.

Tfie E.yrpugh Inspector reported as follows :—Since your last meeting 1 have been inspecting in .various parts of tho Borough and find tbgi owing to tho amount of rain which b’ad fallen of late a great number of properties in (the'top end | of the town are under water. Tho water 1 round same botisos is six or seven inches deep. I havo also inspected all the house properties belonging to tbe Borough and find that they are very much in need of I wonld recommend that tenders be called for painting tbe lot on the outside, at least pwo coats to preserve the timber.” TE ABAI WATERSHED. Cr Lysnar pointed out that it was absolutely necessary to at onco acquire 331 acres of tbo To Aral watershed, as tbe owner had already felled a potfcitfu of the bush on tho land and the balance was being contracted for. He urged that a proclamation should bo put over tho 331 acres and also over tbe property acquired from tbe natives through the East Coaßt Trust Board. Cr HardiDg objected to a proclamation being put over the land purchased from the Trust Board, as it might hamper arrangements 6 oin £ 00 '

I Aftor somo disouysion it was decided to put n proclamation only ovor tho 3EU acres, also to take immodinto stops to pro vent the bush being (either destroyed The Counoil further decided that if possible a at ttlomont should bo at unco arrived at with the ownor oi tho 5331 ocros. OVERSEER’S REPORT. Tho Overseer reported ns follows: II Stauley r Road.—X liavo bad n path | trimmed in tin's road from Gladstone lioad , to Childers Ilond to innko the -oad passable for foot traffic. Tho road way bus booh trimmod tip a little, and holes filled in to force tho water oil tho road. Lngoon. —Tho work of filling in at tho dragoon is progressing favorably, und a road will soon bo made aoroas tho Waikauno and Stanley road. I have oommoueod tho formation of CusSomhouao street. Together with this street Kahuthi nud Mnturoa stroets must bo formed. This work should extend from Nesbitt road to Rowe streot. Owing to ! tho very wot weather this work lias had to stand over for a few days. A good deal of patching has boon done. As authorised at last meeting, I have extoudod tlio pipes in Ormond road and Enhance street, hut owing to tho houvy rains I hnvo beon obliged to lot this work stand over a few days. Footway on Kniti bridge.—This work

is progressing favorably. li’onoo aS'rivor bank, Read Quay.—This work was slopped by the public works' oommitsoo so chat n

patch might bo mr.do inside tho fence on the streot for tho benefit of tho public. I am carting more oarth Chero for that purpose.”

RIVERSIDE' ROAD

It wns dooidrd, at. the requost of tho Beautifying Association, to fonco in part of tho Riversido road, opposite Manner’s, for beautifying purposes, and to proteot tho trees from wandering cattle.

BRIDGE AT ROEBUCK ROAD.

In accordance with notice given, Or Sheridan moved that tho Ovcrsoor should bo asked to report os to the approximate cost of a bridge across tho Taruheru river at Roebuck road.* Ho would defer going into tho matter until tho information was before tho Council.

Cr Webb aecondod the motion, whioh was carried.

Cr Ljanarnlso desired information in regard to the cost of a bridge from Haiti to Wbalaupoko. A motion to thia effect lapsed for want of a seconder.

The Council adjourned at 10 o’clock,