THE GENTLE ANNIE QUARRY

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2650, 4 November 1909, Page 2

THE GENTLE ANNIE QUARRY

A DISCUSSION AT THE BOROUGH

COUNCIL

At the meeting of the Borough Council last night, - Cr. Clayton proposed the following motion, of which notice had been given:—“That the Cook County Council be written to to ascertain: (a) If it would be prepared to entertain proposals to share with this Council the cost of a tramway to.the Gentle Annie quarry, each contracting body to eontribute towards the annual recurring charges,' in proportion to the amount of stone hauled for it by such tramway, (b) If it. would share the outlay of the plant necessary for the Gentle Annie quarrv, control of the quarry and tramway to he by a joint committee of both Councils, (c) If it would be prepared to make- any counter proposals on these lines.” Cr. Clayton said that if the County Council would only share the expense it would be for their mutual benefit. .They could take it on the authority of Mr. Merchant- and Mr. Jarrett that the outlay on a plant at Gentle Annie would be £I9OO. " Tlio Borough estimates showed that requirements of Gentle Annie stone, spread over three years, would be 8539 cubic yards, and according to the .Mayor 500 yards per annum thereafter. The total requirements for ten years would be 3.2,039 yards at 2s 7d per yard, which would cost £1555 0s 9d. This must bo taken on tho 5000 yard basis, as it is not all to be taken in one year. The total cost would he £3455 *9(l, whereas the cost of the same quantity, of stone from Patutahi at 4s 10(1 would be £2909 8s 9tl. The difference in den years would bo £545 12s. Messrs Merchant and Jarrett’s scheme forGentle Annie stone- would mean a capital -outlay of' £3300, and then Gentle Annie stone would cost 6s per yard, and Kaitaratahi stone 3s Od per yard delivered, the Borough estimates for three ..years only being As according to Air. Jarrett, only 25 per cent of Kaitaratahi stone was fit. for roads, to obtain 62,963 yards 251,852 yards would hajjg© to be carted into town for screening. As according to Air. Alarchaut, 75 per cent was fit foxreads. 83,950 yards would have to be carted. * The -metal by tramway, if all was obtained from Gentle. Annie, would work out, according to Mr. Jarrett, for 71,502 yards at us 6d, at £19,662, allowing 33,001) yards for footpaths. With regard to" the suggested tramway based on All-. Jarrett’s figures, if the County halved the cost of the tramway and quarry, the capital outlay of the Borough would bo £8550. Mr. Jarrett allowed £1377 10s annually for depreciation and interest on plant and tramway. If the County took 5000 and the Borough 10,000 yards annually on Mr. Jarrett’s basis the cost would work out at only 4s 2)d per yard—B-Id more than Kaitaratahi.” The "total difference between this scheme and the present proposals would be only £1466, for which Gisborne would have all its roads formed of what was admitted to bo the very best- metal. q In seconding the motion, Cr. Darton faiid.tbat the most important question was that of haulage. There was no question, as to which metal was most suitable, Gentle Annie stone being of exceptional quality. It would pay the Borough Council, as .a matter of fact, to pay more than half the cost. But he took it that the very lowest they required was 10,000 cubic yards of metal per annum. The cost would be £3OOO a year, which the Borough could well afford.

'The Mayor said that two of the best experts in the colony agreed that tho tramway was out of the question.. He v/a« perfectly satisfied with their judg■ment, and did not think Cr. Clayton’s figures made allowance for a sufficient sinking fund. Crs. Petti-e and Collins spolco at length in favor of the motion, but Cr. Kixic said that the motion might do a lot of harm, and end in the loan proposals being seriously prejudiced. Cr Somervell suggested that the matter Tie left- over until Mr. Marchant’s report was received. Cr. Harris said that if the whole of the roads were to be metalled from Gentle Annie the entire estimates would have to ho altered.

Cr. Clayton- pointed out again that Mr. Marc’hant had said that the tramway scheme would be best if the County Council would bear half the cost, and spoke for a second time at considerable length. __ On being put to the vote the motion was lost.