GISBORNE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2136, 11 March 1908, Page 2

GISBORNE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Borough Council was held last night. Present : His Worship tho Mayor (Air. J. " Townley), and Councillors Williams, Somervell, Alann, Bright, . Whinrny, Sawyer, Aliller, Pcttie, and' Sheridan.

The secretary of the Fire Brigade wrote stating that, with the approval of the Council, it was intended to increase the strength of the brigade from 2-L) to 25.—The Mayor"said that all the Council would have to do would be to pay for the uniforms. In future the brigade would have to deal with a great many more fires than in the past.—Agreed to. Mr. Geo. Warren wrote drawing attention to the number of cattle straying on Aberdeen-road nightly. He had suffered some damage to his fence. —Referred to the Ranger. Air. J. W. Bright, Acting-Coroner, forwarded a rider passed by a recent coroner’s jury, recommending that life-saving apparatus be placed at all recognised bathing-places. —It was decided- to place a lifebuoy and line at Harris’s Bend. The United States Steel Products Export Co. wrote stating that payment of £so,a withheld' to cover any possible claim by the erecting contractor, was expected.—The Clerk stated that £74 had been paid to the erecting contractor for work which should have been done by the company.— Referred to the Public "Works Gommitfee. , , The District Health Officer gave formal notice that the premises occupied by 'Messrs. Nicliolls *3iiu Griffiths must he raised until the floor is two dear feet above the surface of the ground, that the rooms of the building be ventilated, and that privy accommodation be provided.—Or Bright "wanted to know how the District Health Officer came to find that privies were* wanting. Did the Borough Inspector not inspect the lireniiscs? —Xlio Inspector said tbrit t\ lien the firm took over 1 the premises they isked that the privy be removed, as it avas not wanted.—Cr. Bright said he only wished to impress the necessity of rigorous inspection at ; this time of" the year.—The Clerk pointed out that a privy was necessary at the premises.—Cr. AYhinray said that the fewer there were the better. One might do for a number of premises.Cr. AVilliams thought it would be sufficient to modify the by-law by allo will o’ a privy to be used in common at the discretion of the Inspector.— The letter was referred to the Sanitary Committee, a report to be drawn up regarding the whole of the busin- . Mr. W. Tharratt asked to be relieved of paying rates for the year. He had naid rates regularly for JO years, .but avas now getting rather old. and found employment rather hard to get.—lt was decided to allow the account for rates to stand -over.

Alessrs. \V. Baynes, D. Davidson. J. Faulkner, and other residents of Herbert-roid asked that a piece of footpath in the road be metalled. They had written previously on the matter. —To be attended to. Colonel Hume, Inspector of Prisons, acknowledged receipt of the Council’s letter regarding the gaol site, and stated that he would at a later date visit Gisborne to look into the matter. —Received. Air. H. J. Brownlee wrote regarding the need for permanent footpath lev—s. Unless.permanent levels were procured, those who built- business premises might- be greatly annoyed in the future by the altering of road and footpath levels. At present he wanted permanent levels in connection with Alessrs. Hallenstein Bros.’ new building.—Cr. Sheridan thought no levels should be given until the levels for the whole of the Borough were finished. It avas dangerous to give merely local levels, and the late Engineer had frequently reported against such action.—Cr. Bright said it was right to refuse such local levels, but the Council slioiald make some endeavor to get the complete levels. No action avas being taken at present.— Cr. AYhinray said there seeined no necessity to aa-orrv -about the matter. \ 7 arious" permanent buildings had been piat aap on the basis of the Gladstone-road footpath, and others might as avelil take the same basis. — It avas decided to reply stating that the Public AA r orks Committee avas looking into the matter, -and that it avas hoped to make , a statement on the question at- an early date. Air. Devery avrote stating that he had been informed that the cost of the water to him avould only be £1 per qaiarter, biat he had received an account for a further £1 os for extraordinary supply.—Cr. Alann thought £9 per year avas rather a heavy charge for avater, even though the premises avere outside the Borough. Those outside the Borough should pay something more than Borough residents, but £9 aa r as -rather t-oo much.— Cr. Sheridan thought it- aa-ould be sufficient if a charge of £1 per year each aa r ere made for av.c.’s and houses outside the Borough.—Cr. Aliller thought the time had arrived for the appointment of a Water Committee, which' avas the proper body to deal avith such an application.—lt was decided to reply that the mattpr was under consideration. Air. M. Morgan reported that there avere many footpaths -lie. aa'ould like to deal avith, but could not owing to lack of gravel. He suggested that- a small cutting suitable for drays, at a cost- of £l2, be made into the Kaitaratalii pit to relieve the preseiat position. AVork had been done -at the Roebuck road and Aberdeen, road junction, but pipes to the value of £5 avere necessary to make the place safe. The toavn avell was much out of order, but as the avater system avas lioav available he was not sure that anything should be done to it-. Regarding the Kaitaratahi pit, the Mayor said it aa'oaald be almost impossible to get an extension of the Public Works- Department siding, as the Borough’s pit avas beyond the Department’s shingle back.—Cr. Sawyer said .it aa'ould be just as cheap to do as the foreman suggested as to put in the neav siding demanded by the Department.—lt avas finally decided to carry out the foreman’s suggestion. —The use of pipes asked for at the Roebuck road bridge aa-as approa’od. Or. Bright thought some statement should bo made as to the water supply. The ratepayers avere not gettpig avater which should have been available a year ago, and lie aa-ould like to know avliat the position avas. It the Alavor could make no statement, lie (Cr. Bright) aa-ould frame a resolution asking that Air. Hay bo asked for a report. Cr AVilliams said at the first moot? mg of the Council in January it was decided to avrite and ask Air Hay lioav matters stood. Air. Hay had sent up Air. Couston, but no ‘report had been made to the Council .The Alavor said since Air .Couston’s visit some concreting had been done over again, and a number of the pipes in the main line had to be replaced. At piesoiit tlie lino avas being tested under directions from Air. Couston. Air. Hay just lioav avas unable to do any avork owing to illness. ‘ There " ils , lull head down to Lytton road. Cr. Bright said avliat he objected to avas that the avateravorks engineer kept the Council entirely in the dark on the matter. He proposed that the engineer he asked for a report on tho cause of the delay in reports. Cr. AA’illiams seconded the motion, which avas carried.