BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1662, 31 January 1906, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

■ rphe foitai°hs!y meeting of tho Borough Council was hold last evening, when there ware present :-Crs Whinray, Harding, Miller; Bright, Webb, Colley, Sheridan, a °la the abeeoce ot the Mayor (Mr John Townlsy), Or Whinray was voted to the chair.

CORRESPONDENCE. Mr E. J. Chriep wro'.o on behalf of Mossrs Peltio and Murphy, asking that the Council consent to the rignt_of-wuy between Messrs Williams and Kelt o s wool 6 store and Mr Murphy’s buildings, Customhouse fctraet. . Or Sherid.n said there was a provision in the Municipal Corporations Act which undo it necessary for the consout of the Borough to be obtained to such right-of w SJ.? r H.™V»a Smi.b, the Citizens’ Life Assurance Association wrote on behalf of the Company, offering the loan of £5500 for the Roebuck Road The Council deoided to accept the Company’s ofler. * WATER SUPPLY.

Mr B. Say, Engineer of the Gisborne Water Works, wrote forwarding plans and Bnecifications for two contracts, which be had duly advertised in the newspapers in the leading centres. He desired the same to be advertised in the local papers in Gisborne He also divided the w:rk mh> two contracts, oDe for the main 1 ne of jipes from Te Arai stream to Gisborne,

and ono for tbo town reticulation. Tendore wou'd bo due on Tuesday* Maroh 20tb. Or Ljsuav thought tbit a gtoat uiiatnko had been rnado iu not bringing the matter under tbo notion of tho Council before advertisements wero oalled for londote. 110 , understood that an estimate was to bo supplied by tho Enginotr boforo tenders wero invitod. Or Lysnar nt some length criticised tho details of tbo sohrmOi which ho con'cidod woro not in ncoordaueo with tho proposals of tho Oounoil. j Or Miller took exception to some of tho statements u a’o by Or Lysnar, but was | (pro vailed upon by Or Sheridan to lot ma'ters Mono. Cr Lysnar continuing to holed tbo floor, Or Sheridan’s paticnoo was tried beyond endurance, and a lively passage of aims took plaao betwom tho two Councillors in question, ending in Cr Lysnar telling Or Sheiidan that it would bo vovy hard for him (Cr Sboridan) to convince tho ratepayers of tho truth of bis assertions. Cr Lysnar oonfcondeJ thofc tho work was being rushed through iu indecent haste. It was not right that a work whioh they were led to bolievo would take four or five years to oomplote could be rushed through in less than 12 months. It was unreasonable to suppose that it could bo done in tbo time. Or Sheridan ridiouled tho statements made by Or Lysoar. Ho pointed out that tho Council had given tho work to Mr Hay to oarry ou*, and ho (Or Shoridan) I would support him through thick and j tbits

*' Hear, hoar,” from Cr Webb. Cr Sheridao hopod tho Counoil would ;ake no notice of what Or Lysnar had said. It was absolutely absurd that they should pay any heed to a layman who put his views against those of tho Engincsr. The Chairman thought that one or two matters raised by Or Lyanar were worthy of consideration. The time for calling tenders had bren limited, and there was the question of an intake which should be gone into. Or Bright thought something should be put before tho Oounoil so as to do away with tho desultory disousiiion wbioh was going od. Ho did not question tho details of tho soheme, nor did he oocsidsr the 80ih of April too long a period for the tenders to dose. He moved the following resolution : 11 That tho Oounoil informs Mr Hay that it desires tho time for receiving tenders to be enlarged to April 80th, and that the Council wishes to interview Mr Hay to discuss plans, etc., as early as possible.” Or Colley, in seconding the motion, endorsed the remarks of Cr Bright. He desired to see all matters discussed by tho Oounoil, as the work they were entering into was a large one. Cr Miller took exception to the motion. He regretted that it had been moved, because it was continuing tbo amateur engiooer element which had bsen so prominent in reoent years. The Chairman: Ido not see that. You are endeavoring to block the Oounoil from obtaining information. Cr Miller: I am not. I mean to say what I think, no matter what your ruling is, It is usual hßro for one man to get up and speak for an hour, and if another speaks for two minutes he is (o'd to sit down. To-night I mean to speak for more than two minutes. Cr LysDar : Speak for an hour, Cr Miller. Say wbat you have to say and sit doWD, Tho Chairman : You must not try (o stop us obtaining information. Cr Miller : I probably know more about this rnutier than W. D. Lysnar and that is sayiDg very little. (Laughter.) Many of the contentions of Councillors are absolutely absurd. Oae thing I admire about Mr Hay is that ho does not take any notice of any Councillor, Ho does Dot hobnob with them and that is why I back him up. (Laughter.) Cr Hardiog supported the Engineor, but thought there was no harm in delaying the calling of tenders. From a business point of view they were as equally conpctent to judge of matters as Mr Hay or anyone else. He desired the Council to clearly understand this. Cr Sberidan was preparod to ttust the Enginrer implicitly. He was surprised to see Cr Bright moving tho resolution in question. Tho Chairman was in sympathy with the motion. In replying Cr Bright disabused Councillors of any desire on bis part of being an obstructionist. All he wanted to see was the Councillors display caution and judgment iu the matters which came before them He was not prepared to swallow bolU3 bolus any proposals which came before them, and he did not think that the Engineor would for one moment object to them expressing their opinions or insisting on anything which they thought was calculated to forward the interests of tho general body of ratepayers The Chairman said that Councillors who objeoted to a free discussion in matters pertaining to the water supply were only displaying their ignorance in so objecting. The motion was carried, Grs Miller, Sheridan and Harding objecting.

PROGRESS PAYMENT. Mr R. Hay also wrote as follows: “As plans and specifications have now been prepared for the Gisborne waterworks, I am entitled to a first payment of £1625, and I should feel obliged by your forwarding me a cheque, as I am standing out of a considerable amount of money for expenses.” Crs Bright and Sheridan supported the payment being made. Or Lysnar favored the matter being delayed until such time as the Council were satisfied with the plans aud specifications. After some discussion the payment was passed, Or Lysnar alone dissenting. HEALTH PRECAUTIONS. The District Health Officer wrote condemning a bnildiDg on the Kaili. It was decided to serve notioo on the owner in question to remove the building. Seyeral recommendations of the District Health Officer in regard to local hotels and ether buildings were a'so adopted. COOK MEMORIAL. The Secretary of the Cook Memorial Commiitoa (Mr W. Gaudin) wrote as follows ”In view of tho erection of the Cook Memorial obelisk on the Kaiti beach, my commiltre would respectfully osk your honorable Council lo strictly enforce their building regulations in regard lo buildings orcctid in the vicinity in question. Steps are being taken to secure a portion of the Haiti Hill and the buildings which arc at prtssnt being erected on the hillside are not in any way au adornment 1 to the beach.” 1 Ce Sheridan said tho buildings which ' wore at present gaiog up were not of a 1 character in keeping with the proposed , memorial. Tbo matter was one for the ', Building Inspector to deal with. Cr Colley thought the letter opened up the whole question of luildiDg regulations. Referred to the Building Inspector to repoit upon. VICTORIA ESPLANADE. ■ Mr Qeoffrv McLean wretens follows:

air ueunry mouuuu wriieus suuuws ; “ Seeing by this morning’s Gisborne Times that the Victoria Esplanade is under discussion again, and that a very great 1 difference of opinion exists amongst tbo members as to spending any money there owing no doubt to many of them biing ! nowly olcclod and not knowing tho position of the Council, I as ono of the largest

owners of the frontage thero (six chains) will now state my position with tho Ccun oil. I bought the lmd from Captiin Tucker with a f ootego to mean high water mark, and at the time as it wes considered by the Council and ratepayers to hnve been an oversight not to have secure d this frontage for tho town, it was arranged with tbo Council and owaors of the frontage to give a froDtsgeto tho Borough upon corlain teims and conditions, the principal condition being that tbo Council should form and make an esplanade of the laud so given, At tbo fcimo- the deed of transfer was presented to me to sign by your sole tor, E. J. Ohrisp, I objected to sign unless some specified lirno was given for tbo completion of tho work undertaken by tbo Counoil. Your solicitor informed mo that there oould bo no doubt about that-, and that if the work was not commifhin ft vcinanrmhla t.imn. twhifth hn

pletea within ft reßSonaoia time, which he pnt at throe yoars, I would bo perfectly justified in taking tbe land back again, and it was only on that understanding that I signed the transfer to tho Council. At the timo I gavo the land to the Council I i was fenoing it, and I put the fence back [ more than I intended so as to give an average frontage of 20 fcot solid land out-

aide my fonoo, and tho average frontage of the land I gava of wbat I bought and paid for was from BO to 40 foot, to mean high water mark ns surveyed. Some memfcora of your Council (Mr Bright aud Mr Roes) I boo spook of tbreo foot aud a raoo ns bciug tho amount given. It is now over four years sicico this laud was givon to tbo Borough, Bud in.my oaso tboy hnvo no) spent one penny ou an osplanndo, but tho i Beautifying Association have plnntodsomo I troos thoro for which I paid for tho proteo. tion of, and of tho twonty feotof solid land I gavo tboro is not more than an avorago of ten foot left. I havo spent somo pounds in tho protootion of tho bank and footway myself, and if tbo Oounoil had not taken ovor tbo land I should havo protected tbo whole of my frontage four years ago. And now upon l n gal advioo I wish to give you notioo that if tbo esplanade is not made, as in torrns of tho transfer of tbo l«nd, in fivo years from tho date of tho deed of trausfo", I shall take steps to tako my land back again and oiaim for oil loss and damago during tho years that the Counoil havo noglrcted to do tho work. I would ask that this letter ba made public so that tho ratepayers may know tho position of tho Oounoil and tho ownors of tho fronlago given to tho Oounoil. P.S.— dome members of tho Counoil toom to think they aro conferring a groat favor to do anything with tho land at all, but it is tho ownors of the land who have oonforrrd

the favor. After reading the disousaion of the Esplanade by the Oounoil in the paper I should inform you that of the land I bought as surveyed, six obaine, I have given the Borough more thau the average of ono section. Two thirds of this land given has boon washed away by tbo extension of the groyne at the breakwater. Some members of your Oounoil seorn to think they are protecting private proporty under oertain terms and conditions whioh have not fcoan fulfilled. I would not sell I any of my seotions at J6IOO per aoro ; the value of the frontage given the Borough is muoh more than that of my land alone, and I did not give it away and lose all my privaoy of tho beaoh for nothing, but with the understanding that the land was to be made into an Esplanade for tbo good of

the town and publio.” Or Miller desired to know particulars of the "grecment mentioned, and, suggested tbo matter should be referred to the solioitor.

After somo dhoussicn, it was decided to refer the matter to the Overseer for a report.

OVERSEER’S REPORT,

The Overseer reported as follows: Gladstone road : I have repaired the oentre of the tarred block iu this road with a light ooat of asphalt. Harris street: This street has been formed up, as authorised, end gravel is now being delivered on same. It has been ncoeseary to clean rnaDy of the paths on the Haiti, they being very muoh overgrown with fennel and other rubbish. Whataupoko is requiring

the same work to be done, as the fennel is very abundant- The gravel delivered since last report is 25 trucks, or 125 cubio yards. I hope to have the formation of Salisbury road footpath in hand in a few days. There is now a little gravel in hand that will be available for this work. Tbe Public Works Committee met on the Waikanae beach on Monday, 22nd inst., to consider the protection of the Victoria Esplanade. All the members of the Committee were present, the Mayor, and Councillors Hardiog, Whinray, Colley, Webb, and Sheridan, The Committee having Bgreed on the necessity of Borne work being done for the protection of the esplanade, deoided to leave further discussion to open Counoil.

ASPHALTING. Cr Webb took exception to the cost o* the asphalting work between Lowe street aod the Post Office, stating that in view of tbe expenditure in regard to waterworks, it should not have been undertaken.

Cr Sheridan, in a vigorous speech, referred to the neoeas'ty of the work in question.

Geoeral discussion followed, but no definite decision was arrived at, Or Webb giving notice ot the following motion, “ That no further permanent worka be undertaken until after the completion of the waterworks.” The Council adjourned at 10.20.