BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2446, 10 March 1909, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

ORDINARY MEETING. The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Gisborne Borough. Council was held last evening. Present: Or. J. Whinray (in the'chair), Crs. A. SaWr yer, J. Somervell, W. Pettie, J. W. Williams, and Sheridan. Apologies were received from the .Mapor (Mr. W. D. Lysnar), who is indisposed, and Crs. Mann -and Darton. The Mayor asked that discussion of the reports on the financial position and the Overseer’s report on the Strakcr waggon he held over until next meeting. The Mayor’s request was complied with. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr. R. Hay, engineer, wrote stating that two pressiire-reducing valves for the water-supply pipes were being forwarded by the Monowai. Mr, J. wrote asking that the lamp placed at Victoria township should be supplied with gas. It wias decided to ask the Gas Company to lay gas to the lamp. Mr. M. Segedin asked that Thursday, March 18th, should be declared a holiday from noon on account of the St. Patrick’s sports. The request was acceded to. The Valuer-General wrote asking the name of the officer who would represent the Council at the Assessment Court to he held this month. It was decided to forward the letter to the Harbor Board as the local body more directly concerned. Mr. J. Whittaker asked the Council to close the “Bread Fund” list on March 10th., and to forward all money in hand to Petone. The letter stilted that £I3OO had already been received from various parts of the Dominion. It was decided to hold the list until Saturday next, when the amount collected by the llev. W. Grant and the various churches will he added and the whole forwarded in one sum.

Mr. J. Witty, secretary to the Harbor Board, wrote asking the Council that, as a .site for a quarry had been surveyed at Waihirere, and the land included the proposed scenic reserve, the Council should withdraw the application to have the reserve set aside. On the motion of the _ Chairman,. the Council decided to withdraw its application to have the land set aside as a scenic .reserve.

Mr C. Douglas informed the Council that a conference of local bodies in connection with the proposed Gis-borne-Napier railway was to be lield in Napier on Friday, March 12th, and asked that delegates be sent to represent the Council. Crs. Sheridan and Williams expressed the opinion that in the interests of. the. district the Council should he represented, Ci-. Sheridan adding that he did not favor constructing railway lines by land grants to syndicates, but thought the line should be constructed by the Government. It was decided to ask Mr. S. McLornon to represent the Council at the meeting, to support the constriiction of the line if undertaken by the Government. . Mr. W. Lissant Clayton asked that the Council cut down some willows near his and Mr. G. O. Sainsbury s properties., Childers Road. Permission to cut the trees at thenown expense was granted to Messrs Clavton and Sainsbury. Messrs L. D. Nathan and Co. asked that the water-channel in front of their warehouse in Custom-house Street be kerbed. The firm would pay half the cost of the work. —the request was granted. . The. secretary to the 1.41.U.A. wrote asking that the use of the nagstaff be granted until April Ist to display a flag to indicate the progress of the Association’s membership competition. Cr Sheridan said the object was a very laudable one, but the flagstaff was a public institution, -and could not be used as an advertising medium The Council had no power to grant the use of the flagstaff. The application was refused. A petition was received, signed by Mr. 11. J- Brownlee and ten other ratepayers, drawing attention to the impassable Dolman Road Whataupoko. The fetter stated that the road was so narrow that neithei eras or water mams had been laid down to reply that the Council would do all possible to improve the road, but could not at piresent accede to the request that tin street he widened. . , The Overseer reported that he had been busy cleaning drains and repairing the -roads. The crane for U cravel pit was still on the railway aiding, and he would need to make some alterations to the lmo for the crane. SANITARY MATTERS. Mr. J. F. Pettie drew attention, to the insanitary state of the waterchannel in front of his warehouse, Pee? Street.—The letter was referred to the overseer. „ The District Health _ Officer (Dr. DeLisle) wrote: “To limit the spread of enteric fever, the use of dry earth or mineral oil in the closet pans should bo insisted upon. When a case o enteric fever is notified ths pan should bo emptied daily, the contents should he cremated, and the pans thoroughly disinfected with steam or boiling water. I further strongly advise you to introduce a system of duplicate Liddell pans as the only sound sanitation in the absence of a drainage sys tern.” , . , . , The Inspector was asked to report upon the cost of installing a duplicate pan with sealed’ lid system throughout the borough. A petition was received from Messrs Hallenstein Bros., R. Hannah and Co., and a large number of ratepayers in Gladstone Road drawing attention to the had state of "fie waferchannels, and asked that the gutters be formed so as to- carry water away. Mr. Bushnell also asked that some provision should be made to drain the storm water from in front of the Public Library and the adjoining properties. ■Cr Somervell said the water-channel was in a bad condition arid should he attended to, , Cr. Pettie said the whole length of channel was had to the Kaiti bridge, and lie would like something practical done to make a good job of the work; ' Cr. Sheridan said the Council should have a report on the cost of doing the whole work with the object of abating the nuisance as far as possible, Cr.'Williams said the remarks made bv the Councillors freely justified him when he said Gladstone Load was a dirty street. . Cr. Sheri dap’s suggestion was adopted.

The Borough Inspector reported that lie had been making: a house-to-house inspection in the borough, especially where cases of fever had occurred. He had instructed stablekeepers to provide covered receptacles for manure. He had been kept vory busy attending to his duties during the epidemic.

.Cr. Pettie suggested that an assistant inspector should be obtained. The report was adopted, and it was decided to re.-engage Mr. C. Ferris as assistant inspector. THE STRAKER WAGGON.

In reporting on the Straker waggon the overseer stated that it was premature to give an accurate estimate of the result of the working of the waggon, as up to a few weeks ago all the ,metal had to he handled by hand, and many difficulties had to be overcome. He estimated the cost of metal by Straker waggon at 4s 11 Rl, as against 8s lOd per yard by contract. The report was held over for future consideration.

Accounts amounting to £269 were passed for payment, 'and the Council adjourned. .