BOROUGH COUNCIL

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2207, 3 June 1908, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL

FORTNIGHTLY AIEETING. Tho fort,nightly mooting of the Gisborno Borough Council was lu v KI last l evening. Present —The, .-Mayor (Mr. (Y. D. Lysnar), Os. Petrie, Sheridan, Bright, Somervell, AVlnnray,. Darton, Sawyer, and Alanu; CORRESPONDENCE. Tho secretary ot the Cosmopolitan. Club (Air. C. H. Ambridgo) asko l that a street lamp bo placed at tlio corner of Bright street ami Palmer* ton road. —Referred to tho Overseer. Air. AV: Lissant Clayton asked il the Council could indicate whether there was any possibility of accept! ig the tender ot his principals in Auckland for a supply of broken granite, as they wore trying to make arrangements to charter three'steam sco v i and could supply a small consignment of tlio m’etnl immediately if. •(*- quired.—lt was decided to inform Mr Clayton that the prieo of the brok.m • granite prohibited its purchase. Alessrs C-lirisp and Coleman suggested that Air. Alnmlor’s claim for compensation on tlio Council should bo submitted to arbitration, as Jet..* costly than going to law. —The matter was deferred until next meeting of the Council. Air. G. 11. Bueeke ask«.d tlio Council to find employment lor two members of the Gisborno City Band.—it was decided to refer the letter to the. Overseer. '

Cr. Somervell said it was a wrong principle to foist men upon the Borough .against married men anti ratepayers. Air. Vincent l’yke asked the Council lor a printed report of the year’s estimates and expenditure.—-Receiv-ed. ' . -■ ■ ’ . The Mayor- said now that tlio £lO,-. UOO was not required for .the waterworks until November next tho amount should bo placed oil fixed deposit.—This, was agreed to. The Auditor-General informed the Council that they could spend money on open-air band concerts under section 159 of the Municipal Corporations Act.—Received.

The Gisborno City Band applied for a donation of £4O towards tho band funds. The members regretted being unable to give the fujl number of open-air concerts during the summer, as they were without a conductor. A copy of tho band’s balancesheet was also enclosed. Tho Mayor said the band was not in a very strong position, but any amount donated- must come out of the contingencies fund, which only amounted to about. £7O a year. It might be wise to pay tho band £25 a year, and allow them to “pass around the hat” at tlio open-air concerts. Ho moved to that effect.

Cr. Darton agreed to the motion. If the Council could not give more assistance than £25 tho general public should bo called upon. Cr. Somervell said lie fully appreciated tho work of the band, but if any other band asked for support they would be entitled t 0 their share. Some time ago the band tried to foist its liabilities on to the Borough, .aid ho hoped that it was not an attempt to make tho ratepayers liable font lie band in any way. Cr. Sheridan said ho regretted the amount could not be increased as the contingency fund was limited bv Jaw. An application for a donation* was received at tlie last moetingjof"the Council from the Gisborne Private Band. Cr. Alann said he could not see how tho Council could support a private band.

Cr. Wliinrny said the so-tailed “private band” had given more open-air concerts than the “City” band. The Alayor’s motion was carried, and the application from the Gisborne Private Band refused. Air. E. W. Burton asked permission to sell numbers to householders in the Borough, nnd to supply a plan of the town with houses shown thereon. Cr. Alann said it would ho hotter to wait until the Council could .undertake the work. The Mayor said Air. Burton, might coufer with the Building Inspector on the matter, and this course was agreed to. Messrs -Nolan and Skeet, solicitors, on-behalf of Air. P. AlcLotighlin, contractor for the Roebuck road bridge, claimed £258, loss through instructions from the Council not to proceed with the erection of the bridge for a period of IS weeks. The solicitors offered to settle the claim bv arbitration.

The letter was referred to Hie Borough solicitor. Mr. 1 H. Pollen, Registrar of Fire Boards, asked the Council to elect three members for tlio Gisborne Fire Board. —Consideration of tlio letter was deferred until tbe-iiiext meeting of the Council. The United States Steel Spiral Product Company asked for the £SO held by the Council against ■ loss for delay in shipping Roebuck road'bridge material.—The letter was referred to;tbe Borough solicitor.

The clerk of the Cook County Council wrote stating that the Council could not forego any royalty on stone taken from the Patutabi quarry. The Mayor said there was plenty of stone at both the Patutabi and Gentle Annie quarries, and if stone was taken from the hitter place there would be no royalty at all to pay. The matter could be deferred until the question of the tramway had developed ta little further. Cr. Sheridan said tlio royalty was a fair one, and the Council should pay for the benefit of the quarry. Or. Pettie moved that the Council agree to take 8000 yards for tlie next fivo years from either quarry independent of tlie question of royalty. Cr. Sheridan seconded and Cr. Somervell supported the motion.

The Mayor said he thought tho royalty should be fixed. Cr. Pettie said ho meant that tlie royalty should not exceed the present charge.

The Mayor said ho would like a committee set -up to see if the Borough could' not join with the County in constructing the tram, so that neither local body should get -a profit out of one another.He suggested a committee consisting of the -Mayor, Crs. Bright. Pettie, Sawyer, aiid Somervell. The matter was worthy of further consideration. Cr. Sheridan : Tho Coniitv Council does not want a profit of the Borough, and if tlie amount is excessive the price would be reduced, and I do not think this is the time for better schemes. It would only mean a waste of time.

Cr. Miinn.said lie hoped the offer of the County Council would be accepted. They should-be careful in not grasping a shadow scheme and so lose the substance in the good thing that was offered. Cr. Pettie : I do not ■think there is any danger of being overcharged, and it is better to have one controlling body. The motion Ms amended was carried". Cr. Darton’s name was added to the Public Works Committee, and Cr. Pettio’s to the Finance Committee.

Cr. Darton asked the Council’s position in regard to tho .Ministerial visit. He understood the expense was to be borne equally by the Borough and Cook County Council. If that was so ho considered tho Mayor or tfio Town Clerk should have control of the expenditure when the Council had. to foot the bill. The Mayor said- the railway took control of the opening ceremony of .the Waikoku railway. The Council conferred with tho League and the only expense was the lunch and tiltin're of the theatre. J-fo thought a committee of the whole Council should be appointed to receive Sir Joseph Ward. Cr. Darton: We never hear of the Railway League' until the limelight is on and the champagne is flowing! If the Council has to the bill the Mayor’s position should bo upheld, and the Town Clerk should hare control of the arrangements. - The Council decided to form a ooinmilteo for the entertainment,-of Sir Joseph Ward. Cr. Whinray moved that strong representations should be made to Sir •Joseph Ward for a scenic reserve of 100 Ceres at Waihirere. The Mayor said the Hon. Mr McGowan had viewed the reserve and

agreed that the bush should not be destroyed. . Cr. Whinray’s motion was carried. Cr. "Whinray moved that strong rereeentatious be also made to the iSeencry Commissioners to* have tlio reserve taken. • Cr. Sheridan .seconded tho motion, which was carried. Tho engagement •of nil engineer, which is reported elsewhere, was then discussed.