BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2218, 23 October 1907, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council was held last night. Present: llis Worship the Mayor and Councillors Mann, Bright, Whinray, Pettic, Sawyer, Miller, Somervell, and Williams. Dr. C. F. Scott applied on behalf of some residents in Fox street for permission to run a drain into the Taruheru river,—Permission was granted, subject to the work being done under the supervision of the .Engineer. A resident wrote that ho was unable to pay his rates, and asked for an opportunity to woi'k out the amount sued.—The Engineer was authorised to give tile-applicant drain work to do.

The Gas Co. wrote stating that it was necessary to mftke an increase oi 9s per lamp per annum in the price for maintenance of street lamps.—Received. The District Health Officer reported that he was against the multiplication of septic tanks in the Borough, and asked when a sewerage scheme was likely to bo taken in hand.—The Mayor said a report on a drainage scheme would ho available about Christinas. —Cr. Bright said that in Invercargill it had been the habit lately to refuse permits to instal septic tanks.—The letter was received. The District Engineer of Railways forwarded a plan of the land at Kaiteratahi whclv he would recommend the Department to hand to the Borough for a gravel pit. The price of the land would be £25 per acre, and the cost of the siding £330.—1t was decided that the purchase ol the land be proceeded with. . „ . , . Eleven residents in Albert street asked that a footpath be formed, similar to the path in Stanley road.— Cr. Sawyer moved that tenders be called for. forming and kerbing thefootpath. It would save forming the footpath many times. —Cr. bawyei s amendment- was not seconded, and n motion that the work be done as requested was carried. Messrs Redstone and Co. wrote objecting to the action of Sergeant Williams in issuing summonses against drivers employed by them. J nej stated that it was impossible to always have licenses for drivers on the days they were to drive.—The Town Clerk said that he had seen unlicensed drivers plying to the Show, and had asked the Sergeant to take action.—Cr. Miller thought the formalities in the matter were more for permanent men than for casual drivers.—Cr. Bright thought the by-law was sufficiently simple and could easily be observed. —Cr. Miller thought that the by-law should not be made oppressive.—Cr. Bright said it might bo harsh on some individuals, but the bv-law wits intended to protect the whole travelling public.—No action was taken. Mr E. Habgood offered to put side board's on his carts, -so that there might bo no dispute about how much his carts carried. He enclosed an account for £9 2s for repairs to an axle broken as the result of a del“Ctive trench in Gladstone road. I.he matter of measurement was referred to the Engineer, and responsibility for the broken axle was repudiated. Messrs Mays and Gordon notified that they had completed house con-nections.—-Letter forwarded to Mr. Couston. _ The Countv Engineer sent in an account for £2lO for extraordinary wear on the roads through carting and laying water-pipes between Matawliero and Waingake.—Received. An auctioneering license was granted to Mr. .Tacob Ivindler. ’ Tbo Public Works Committee recommended tliat Mr. Hay be given a twelve months’ engagement as turncock, ho to be directly responsible for the whole of the waterworks to the Council. The committee stated that Mr. Hay had been authoirsed to engage two assistants. The "Engineer suggested that the loose box at the Fire Brigade station should be a workshop for Mr. Hay.—Cr. Pettie moved that the Engineer should have charge of the waterworks.—Cr. Mann seconded. —The amendment was lost. Ayes: Pettie, Williams, and Mann.— The report was adopted. The Engineer reported that the Roebuck road bridge was nearly decked over, and the lift portion had been put in working order. EsplaSade road had been shingled for eight chains. Spavvls from Patutalii were coming in fairly well, but the cartage of broken metal had stopped altogether. New tenders should be called for this carting, the present tenderer being debarred from tendering. The County Engineer had notified that the Council had agreed to erect hoppers at the Patutalii quarry. A consultation had been held with Mr. Armstrong, Public Works Engineer, who stated that the Department was willing to pay £3O towards the cost of concrete channeling from the PostOffice corner to the bottom boundary of the Courthouse reserve. The whole cost of the work would be about £7O. The Mayor proposed that kerbing and •channeling be carried down to Dalgoty’s corner. —The motion was carried, Cr. Sawyer voting against- it. Exception was taken by the' Mayor to the action of the Engineer m putting a lot of metal in Nesbitt road. There were other roads which were in more need of the metal. The Clerk stated that the work had never been authorised. . Only one tender was .received lor work on the Abattoir road.—lt was decided to refer it to the J yblic Works Committee, so that the work mnv be cut down to make the price come within the Engineer’s estimate. —The Public Works Committee was given permission to start at the Borough boundary if .so desired. Cr. Sawyer proposed that the overseer of roads should have discretion to do small works or should be appointed to full control of the roads. Consideration of the matter was de*°Cr Whinray mentioned kerbing in Nesbitt road. ‘ It had been taken out into the road to allow some footpath in front of a cottage which stood over the path line.—The Public Works Committee was instructed to inteiview the Engineer on the matter. Cr. Wiliams said that various matters brought up had indicated that, something was wrong with the way works were done; and lie moved that a committee meeting ol the whole Council he held that day ivcok to consider the whole matter.—Call led. It was decided that in future the Finance Committee present a repoit quarterly. / .