THE MAYOR’S POLICY

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2578, 12 August 1909, Page 7

THE MAYOR’S POLICY

3CUSSION IN THE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

'• The policy cf proposed municipal works brought forward byi the Mayor (Mr. W: D. /Lysnar), and adopted ,by the Borough Council, was again under discussion last evening, when Cr. Barton moved—-“ That while the Council has'agreed, upon a general policy, each question outlined therein will require to be moved and passed before being carried into effect." Cr. Dartdn sad he would not move the motion if he was assured that every important part of the policy'would bo discussed as each item was brought forward. He had been assured that would be done, and asked, “Mr. Mayor, am I correct." The Mayor: No. Cr. Barton : Then, Cr. Kirk, you arc wrong. , Cr. Barton said that there were some' ' items in the policy that he and other Councillors could not agree with, and the policy could iiot be adopted wholusbolus; each item should be discussed oil its merits at the proper time, and he was sure many Councillors merely looked upon the policy as a guide. Cr. Clayton seconded the motion. Cr. Collins suggested that Cr. Barton should outline tbe items which ho tools exception to. Cr. Barton: I will do that at the proper time, when the items come up for discussion. Cr. Pettie said lie agreed with the motion. He did not think the Council should be hound to any particular policy. Ho wanted to he able to oiiscuss each‘ and every item as it was brought forward. There were many items lie agreed with, but he objected to be bound to carry out the policy as a whole, and he agreed with the resolution moved by Cr. Barton. The Mayor said ho understood the object of the policy Avas to avoid useless discussions. Ho thought the policy should be left as it was, and if there was anything that would alter the opinion of the Council it could be discussed. If the Council was to have each question re-opened there would be no finality. He,,., hoped the Council would stand loyally to the policy that had been adopted. Some items were specific, and where they were specific, they should be carried out. Cr. Somervell said he voted for the policy under the impression that each item was to be discussed at the proper time. If the Council was going to adopt the policy in globo they might as well, go homo. There was no use in being at the meetings if Councillors inerelv nanded each item over to the officials to carry out. He objected to the adoption of the policy and saying “we have done with it.” . Cr.' Smith: There is nothing in the policy that the Council has decided upon. Cr. Darton: That was the ques::on 1 put to the Mayor. If you are eoi'rect, Cr. Smith, I will withdraw my Council is bound by the policy. Cr. Pettie: The'Mayor is here to speak for himself, and he has already told iis the Council is bound to the different items.v Cr. Barton: Your Worship, I will put the question again: Are Councillors hound to the specific items in the policy or are they not? The Mayor: They are bound to some, others are merely in the programme. What do you mean by specific items? Name 'some of them. Cr. Barton named a number of items in the policy, and specially asked if the proposed Waimata bridge could be discussed again. The Mayor: Not without notice of motion. Cr. Collins said ho regretted the question had been raised by Cr. Barton, as the latter was under a misapprehension when he concluded that every word of the policy was binding upon the Council. The specific items were binding, hut the details were open for dismission. Cr. Barton had only mentioned one point in the policy he disagreed with, and had not mentioned any item.', ho thought the Council was specifically bound by. The Council had been told" that it was bound to buy a Straker waggon, but such was not' a fact. The policy merely stated that should a street loan be carried the Mayor would agree that a Straker waggon he purchased. Cr. Barton did not understand the subtleness -of the wording of the policy. (Laughter.) He would like to point out that the Councillors who met and adopted the policy agreed to adopt specific items, and "two of those specific items were tlie sewage scheme and the using of the Gentle Annie quarry. Those were the only two items that had come before the Council, and they had been adopted.

Cr. Clayton said that if Cr. Dartou’s resolution was not carried discussion would be baulked. The policy had been carried at an illegal Council meeting; the press and the public had been ex- , ' eluded, while the meeting should have \ been open to the ratepayers. That was the reason he withdraw from the meeting at which the policy was adopted. He thought the public were entitled to know the yiews of each Councillor upon each item as it came up for discussion. The policy meant that Councillors were bound hand and foot to the Mayor, which would he eminently undesirable. If Cr. Darton’s resolution was not adopted tho ratepayers would not know how each Councillor looked upon each item put forward by the Mayor. The whole policy had been adopted in secrecy. Cr. Kirk said he thought Cr. Darton and his supporters were wrong in the way they were looking at the matter, and the misapprehension might be removed. He took it that when the time came for each item to be considered, thorp would be full opportunity for discussion. Cr. Harris said questions had been discussed at the Council table which had been unanimously agreed to at the committee meeting. Cr. Pettie said Cr. Harris was away from Gisborne when the Council met in committee to-consider the policy. Cr. Harris, continuing, said he was sure the Mayor and his supporters would not do' anything to the detriment of the tqwn, .but certain Councillors wished to run the show, and let the other Councillors sit down and agree to what the others like. Cr. Darton said the reason that he brought forward the motion was so that, j he should '’have an opportunity, in open Council, of voting upon every question that came before the Council. The policy had been adopted in committee. TJie Mayor: In open Council. Cr. Darton: “Discussed in committee A while I was away, and adopted at the Council meeting.” If he .could '/only get the assurance that he would have the opportunity cr yoting on each item ho would withdraw his motion. The Mayor: Some items you will have tho _opportunity to vote on, and some you* -will not. Cr. "Clayton to the Mayor: And von will be the person to decide, and 1 suppose the Council will have to-give in to vour decision.

The Mayor . then put the motion, which was lost by six votes to four. Cr. Clayton moved: “That the question of the utility of the Straker waggon for carting metal from the quarry be considered, and that ho new Straker waggons be purchased.'” Cr. Clayton said that if the Mayor would assure him that no Straker waggons would be purchased without the matter being brought before the Council lie would withdraw his motion. The Mayor gave his- assurance, and the motion was withdrawn. Cr. Clayton then moved: “That that portion of the Mayor’s policy relating to the adoption of the Gentle Annie quarry as a presen b source of metal supply -be discussed, and if necessary be rescinded at the next meeting of the Council.” - ' y Cr. Clayton said lie did not move the motion in any hostile spirit, but because he Avas of opinion that no. saving would be made by obtaining metal from Gentle Annie rather than from Patutahi. The present cost of metal at Patutahi was 4sllod per yard, while the cost of the 'plant at Gentle Annie Avould be £I2OO, the interest at 5 per cent and depreciation at 15 per cent £240 per annum. EA r en if the cost of quarrying the metal was only 3s per yard, it would mean a loss of £57 on every 2000 yards, and he had it on good authority that it cost 4s 3d per yard to quarry rubble stone at the Miramar quarry Avith the most up-to-date plant in the Bominion. He had iearned that though tliero Avas a quantity of rubble stone at Gentle Annie, that it Avas an indication of a solid face of rock, and it ivas just possible that that rubble stone avoaiM be slightly inferior to Patutahi; but the solid rock would probably bo equal to Patutahi stone. The Avhole question was the cost, and before the quarry Avas adopted he thought expert advice should be obtained so that the Council would know what quarry was the best. All he urged was caution, and he had brought the question forAvard to alloAV full discussion before anything definite was done. Cr. Pettie said ho agreed that expert advice should bo obtained before the Council came to any decision. The Council should know which would be tlie cheaper quarry to work. Cr. Barton asked if before any expenditure was pasted, would the question be brought before the Council ? The Mayor: Certainly, certainly. Cr. Barton: If it is shoAvn that the cost of Gentle Annie metal is out of the question, is the Council bound to the proposal? The Mayor: Notice of motion will soon put the matter right if the Council decides that the expense is too excessive. As an intelligent Council we would ncA'or adopt a proposal to carry on a AA r ork that Avas too expensive. Cr. Collins opposed Cr. Clayton’s motion. . . The Mayor said that in Ins opinion tlie motion was unnecessary and premature. Cr. Clayton’s figures Avere Avild, and out of the question, being made on the assumption that tlie stone would cost 3s a yard to quarry. Tlie Council AA’ould have the adiuce of an expert before coming' to a decision on the matter.

Cr. Clayton said his figures were neither wild nor ridiculous. He Lad carefully gone into the figures, and he had said if the stone only cost 3s to quarry. The expert engaged Avas only to adA'ise the Council on the best Avay of handling the stone; there Avas no expert advice on the quality of the stone, and it would be a dangerous experiment to adopt the quarrying of stone at Gentle Annie without expert advice and Avithout proper, consideration. The motion was then put, and declared lost.