BOROUGH ESTIMATES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2080, 15 May 1907, Page 2

BOROUGH ESTIMATES.

MONEYS AVAILABLE,

Tho adjourned meeting of the Borough Council was held last’ mgA j Dio Mayor was m tho chan, .ana there wore also present Councillors Bright, Somervell, Sawyer, Williams, W hi nr ay, Mann, and bhcridan. The following estimates for the police! from April Ist, 1907 to - March 31st, 1908. were submitted:— PROPOSED EXPENDITURE. Bank overdraft and liabilities, March 31, 1907, £5365; interest on overdraft, £300; to prove ition (general expenses), £2/0; light watchman’s salary (i’raser), £WU, now gear, £100; sanitation expenses (sundry), £424; inspectors salary Little), £180; ■nightman’s wages (Tier), £156; assistant wages (Price), £130; Rico wages (rubbish), £l3O, assistant (Connor), £130; hospital and charitable aid, £'l9B; licensing and pound expenses, £100; of hoe expenses, rates, insurance, telephone, elections, etc., £100; rent office, ±./b, advertising and printing, £32; hj' gal expenses, £75; Town Clerk s salary, £312; assistant salary, £IJU, house property repairs, £75; abattoirs, general oxpenses, £2o0; Neale, manager and inspector (free house;, £156; Kinnimont, head butcher, £150; three slaughtermen (te o6 Ji'ojusla), £394; coal and hay, £106; additions cattle shed, etc., £200; interest on loan, £160; streets, miscellaneous, £335; engineer, £yo0; foreman of works (free house), £toU; wages, teamsters and laborers (Morgan £145, Lament £l3O, and 10 other hands at £125 each), £1420; wages, casual labor at Is xier hour, say, £260; maintenance bridges, ,£o00; lighting streets, £450; street Watering, £125; Morrison, custodian (free house), £135; road roller, ordered (in liabilities), £935. Total, £22.100.

Balance Government subsidy on rates, £IOO.

ESTIMATED RECEIPTS.

Advance, Government subsidy on rates, £375; fees —-,dog tax, pound, building, etc., £250; routs —reserves and freehold property, £500; licenses —hotel and wholesale, £500; sundry other licenses, £500; contribution bridges—Cook County Council and Harbor Board, £275; miscellaneoussanitation and night watchman subs., >£2oo; half cost formation, kerbing, and tarring , cot ways, etc;., £100: fees from abattoirs, £1500; estimated bank overdraft, March 31st, 1908, £10,000; balance proposed to be met by a general rate of 2s in the £ on L/8,000, total annual rating of property on the A r aluation Roll, £7BOO. Tofcal, £22,100. ESTIMATE OF COST OP AVAGES, MATERIAL, AND PLANT AT THE INSTALLATION OF THE AVATERAVORKS.

AA r ages —Turncock-at £3 per week, £156: assistant at 9s per diem, £I4U ; material—lsin, 12in, and 9m spiral pipes, with couplings, £150; spare couplings and rubbers, £25; sluice valves, £33; air valves, £l6 ss; cast iron pipes, 56 tons, £448; valves, £lO3 Bs.; hydrants, £10: lead, £2o; tools—hand-cart, £ls; pipe-cutters, H.P. tapping machine hammers, fire-pots, ladles, and sundries, £IUU; pipes, cocks, bends, S.C. boxes, etc., for branch services, £IOO. Total, £i322 Is. . w , . During the discussion Cr. Bright remarked that the abattoir was run pretty close, the receipts being £l4lO and the expenditure £ISOO. He inquired, before proceeding with the estimates, about the compensation for Waihirere. 1. - ' , The Mayor said he thought it would be paid for easily enough when the time came.. It was .possible that a Court might be appointed for the purpose in a month or two. The natives were anxious about it. Cr. AVhinray said that the less the matter was debated at present the better.

Discussing the Engineer’s report on the waterworks installation, showing that £1322 was needed for extra uipes, material, wages, etc. Cr. Bright considered that this amount should come out of the water, rate, the money to come out of the general rate and to he refunded to the- water rate.

Cr. AVhinray moved the adoption oi the estimates.

Cr. Sheridan asked how many street lamps there were. The Clerk replied that there were 36. . Cr. Sheridan said that the streets should be lighted with the globe light—the lantern lamp was insufficient. The cost would be £2 15s to £3 each for the burners. Better and extra lights were needed on the outskirts. Cr. Bright moved that an extra £l5O bo placed on the 'estimates for street lighting, the Borough Engineer to be asked to ail vise the Council as

to the best means of expending the money. This instruction would include the question of procuring more lights. Cr. Sawyer said he knew a lamp, the mantle of which ivas broken frequently by the vibration of vehicles. The motion was carried. On the allocation of the £8435 surplus, Cr. Bright said that it was a far better policy either to raise a separate loan for street improvement or to tack it onto the drainage loan. The AA r aimata stock bridge was needed, as cattle traffic endangered the bridge. Cr. Miller said they would not be able to work at the roads until they raised a loan or go the full limit of the overdraft. People had been growling and with reason, and they should have roads.

Cr. Sheridan said it was not correct that by increasing the overdraft from £BOOO to £IO,OOO, would burden the people for some considerable time. If they wanted to reduce the rates they could do so. It was more business-like to start work at once and get it finished. The cost of maintenance would be less than if tinkering were continued. He would support Mr. Bright’s loan proposal most heartily—£ls,ooo would be little enough. If the rates were' found too high they could bo reduced. Cr. AVlnnray stated that the Council had more money- than would be spent in the next twelve months. Rates were coming in, liquidating loans. Money should be spent in more important matters, such as metalling. He ivas opposed to a loan at prosent. He saw no necessity of raising an additional loan at present. Cr. Sheridan seconded Mr. Whinray’s motion adopting the estimates. Ho said £13,600 could easily be spent in fixing up the streets. Cr. Miller said although he approved of the estimates there was no chance of keeping their pledges to the ratepayers. He was surprised at tho older Councillors saying that roads could he made out of revenue. Roads were needed on the outskirts, blit a loan was necessary. If a loan were raised it could be done.

Cr. Bright asked what had been done with all the money spoilt in tinkering with tho roads. There was only a loan of £4soo—a small one for such a Borough. Before moving in the direction of obtaining a loan, a schedule explaining should be arranged to give the ratepayers a clear idea of the proposal. More should be done than had been done in the past.

llio Mayor said noono had suggested a loan before. They could always go on if they’ had borrowed. The Ormond main road was iu a bad state and needed seeing to. Cr. Sawyer said £2OO or £3OO would be well spent iu a new crusher. The Engineer stated that it crushed 26 yard's a day when it was working.

The Mayor asked were they going to spend tho surplus £8435 or' raise a loan. Cr. Sawyer proposed that' £SOO be expended on the Abattoirs road. Cr. Miller said in the old Borough £12,000 was, needed to put the streets ill order. Thirty-six thousand yards of metal ivould'be required shortly. Cr. Bright proposed that u loan of £15,000 for street improvements be raised.

Cr. Sheridan seconded, and askqd if it should be a special loan. If It were ■carried they would have to go straight to the ratepayers. He would prefer one loan only. Cr. Bright said the ratepayers would lie asked to pledge tlieir security for the loan. If they did not the tinkering would continue. In order to let the ratepayers have a clear notion, a schedule of their proposals should be presented.. Cr. Miller thought they should get straight to work to raise the loan. The Mayor said that they should soo the roads before deciding. It was impossible to get the drainage loan before the ratepayers for some months, as no estimates were prepared.

Cr. Maun said that was a strong reason for .supporting Cr. Bright’s motion. ■

Cr. Somervell said that the whole scheme should be put before the ratepayers. There was so much to bo done and that meant a rate. Cr. Sheridan said that they should not liavo three separate loans which would cost £l5O, whereas' one loan would cost £SO. ' People would ho tired of continual loans. Cr. Bright said that it was better to consult the ratepayers by means of a loan instead of an overdraft Money should he spent on'permanent works, and. not frittering it away on temporary work.

Cr. Bright’s motion; was carried : unanimously. . . .. . Cr. AVilliams moved that Auerdecn road be metalled. It was a very populous street. Cr. Whinray thought tliat Gladstone road should have first consideration. They should lie guided by the Engineer’s report; Cr. Sawyer said he would like to see £560 sob aside for tarring Gladstone road. . , ~ . ~ Cr. Sheridan said that they could got no stone for three months. Ho knew of people who could not get to their houses except through 'sand. The matter should ho referred to the Engineer. , , .. Cr. Bright moved that pending the raising of a loan, the Engineer should report on the roads most urgently requiring repair.—Carried. Cr. Bright said they were considering tho allocation of tho surplus of £8435. , . . The estimates were adopted.