BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2756, 10 March 1910, Page 7

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING,

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council was held last night. Present: The Mayor (in the. chair), Grs, Kirk, Maynard, Collins, and Smith. Leave of absence was granted to Crs. Pcttie and Somervell, hi the latter case for two months. CORRESPONDENCE.

Messrs Kirk, Barnard and Sievwright applied, on behalf of Mr. E. Stuckey, for permission to carry on a public billiard saloon in the premises at present occupied by the Alhambra. Club. The Mayor said he personally would not object to the granting of a license, as he held that properly conducted saloons wore better away from licensed premises, as- then the temptation, to take to drink -was less, and there was not the liability to meet undesirable characters.

Gr. Kirk spoke in support of the application, and it was decided to grant the license subject to a 'favorable report from the police. Mr. H. J. Brownleo wrote at length in reference to the state of Dolema.il ltoad. lie stated that tlie. residents had subscribed £25, which they wore prepared to hand over to the Council to aid necessary works. Mr. Searle required compensation for his land necessary to be taken for widening purposes, but would not require payment of the amount —about £lO0 —for five years. The Mayor said that the widening of the street was a matter for the benefit of the residents, who had got cheap sections by buying them on a narraw load It would only be a matter of £lO or £ll for each resident in order to acquire the land necessary for widen, ing. Let the residents do this, widen the street, and the Couneil would then provide them with a metalled road. However, he was of opinion that all the mono- should be found bv the residents. Mr. Brownlee also waited upon the Council, and explained his views on behalf of his fellow residents. It was decided, after discussion, that, if tlie residents would find the whole of the money necessary to purchase the land for widening purposes, the Council would proceed to have the road formed and metalled. Mr Albert Williams, architect, wrote suggesting the Council should allow mi £4O for an i-aere on Sievwright Lane and Bussell Street for street widening. His Worship said .this was a very similar ease. The council was not going to pay money to this man so that be could build houses on his section. On His Worship’s motion it was decided to reply that if Mr Williams would give the land the Couneil would make the road. Messrs Laurent and Browne, employed in the Council’s sanitary system, applied for an increase in their wages owing to largely increased duties. —It was decided to refer the matter to the Engineer for a report. Messrs W. Davidson and Kinnimont, through Messrs Blair and Sainsbury, claimed damages in respect to the- termination of their employment without proper notice.—The matter- was referred to tlie Borough Solicitors for. an opinion as to the Council’s liability. The Borough Engineer .wrote suggesting that the Council should fix a minimum frontage for (sections, on which houses are to be built, as there was a danger of slum areas being form, eel under the present regulations. The Mayor said the matter required most- careful consideration. He suggested the reference of the whole subject of the amendment- of some of the by-laws to the Works Committee. Tt was ultimately decided to refer too subject to a special committee meeting of the whole Council.

Mr. E. W. M. YTallis wrote drawing fbe Council’s attention t 0 the annoyance caused to boarders at the Gisborne Hotel by sheep dogs being tied up at the roar of the Masonic Stables.—Tt was decided to reply that the. matter is not under the jurisdiction of the Council.

Messrs Nelson Bros., Ltd., Hawke’s Bay, wrote stating they were collecting the necessary information re. the Waikaremoana hydro-electric scheme.

The Mephan Ferguson Spiral Steal Pipe Co., Ltd., 'wrote informing the Council that they were instructing their solicitors to take action against Pne Council, in respect to their declining to pay the balance of the contract money owing. /

Messrs Clirisp and Coleman wrote in respect to the Gas Company’s minimum charge, stating that they had come to the conclusion that the charge in its present form could not be legally sustained. The Cleik of the Conk County Council wrote in respect to the prison accommodation at Gisborne, and asking the Council for co-operation in securing from the Government a sufficient sum of money to provide accommodation for invalid prisoners who may be confined at the Gisbnrne gaol. The writer quoted a recent case in which a woman had been subjected to most unsuitable treatment.

J.n sunporting the proposal, Cr. Clayton said lie understood that the sanitary and other conditions at the gaol were simply disgraceful. This view was corroborated by Crs. Kirk and CoL Inis, the latter referring specially to the lack of provision Tor females. Cr. Smith thought the conditions wore not worse than those of the ordimirv houses in the borough. The Mayor said he had understood a new gaol was to be erected. It was deplorable that Gisborne should have been neglected as it had been over this matter. After further discussion it was unani_ mouslv decided to co-operate with the City Council in this matter. REPORTS. —Sanitary Report.— Tim following report wag read:— "A meeting of the Sanitary Committee was held on Tuesday, Bth March, 1910, at !2 p.m., there being present the. Mayor and Crs. Collins and Maynard. A visit of inspection was made to the Federal Cafe, when the only objection that could be found was the. fumes from fish frying, and your committee suggested to the proprietor the advisability of extending bis steam vent another five feet. This Mr. Taylor has agreed to.” —Reserves.— The following report was read, and th'* recommendation contained therein was adopted :—“Your Committee-con-sidered the matter of utilising the new. j v acquired recreation ground on Wha_

taupolco, but consider that until the Council are in a position to level the ground it had better be let by the month for grazing purposes, and this will necessitate a boundary fence, which the committee recommend be undertaken.” —Engineer’s Report.— The Engineer's report was read as follows: His Worship the. iVlayor.—Sir, I have the honor to report that since taking over the charge of the Borough operations a fortnight ago I have made an inspection of the following works: —Streets.-—Asj inspection of various streets in Gisborne, VVliataupoko, and Ivaiti, was made along with Mr Morgan, the Overseer. This portion of the operations seems to be hampered by want of sufficient labor and a policy of scattering single -men over /the Borough instead of keeping to one work and finishing the same before starting another. The amount of revenue necessary to maintain the road surface seems to leave a very tuna 11, margin for permanent work. The only way to cut down maintenance in the future is to apply a portion of -the monies allocated to street works to permanent work each year, and gradually extend the finished area. Mr Morgan and the Engineer also visited the Ka iter at alii location -a rid plant and found same working satisfactorily. With reference to the Borough street making plant the Strakor waggon was under repairs owing to the right hand wheel having eight out of ten cracked spokes, this lias been repaired and the waggon restarted work carting metal from Patutahi on March 2nd., and has run steadily ever since. Owing to the construction of the trailers used with this waggon having the greater portion of their load on the back axle, there has been trouble with the .axle boxes working loose or hot. The tyres on these hack wheels are not wide eimigli for the big load they carry. An endeavor is being made to bring in as much stone as possible before 31st -March, when the Cook County Council shuts down its quarry. The street sweeper is now being used on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, from 6 to 8 a.m. and is working very well. The utility of this machine depends on the suitability or otherwise of the road surface. Waterworks. —During the fortnight Mr Marcliant and the Engineer have been inspecting the pipe line, and the reports will he sent- in when inspection is finished, but this work lias taken so much time that there has been no opportunity to thoroughly enquire into various matters in connection with the duties of the staff which has been placed under his control. This also applies to the Sanitary Department. Abattoirs. — Mr Robinson and myself inspected these works and found them very satisfactory, with the exception of the water supply, which should be connected with the Borough mains, and the cost of connection paid out of the Abattoirs Accou-nt. Under the -bylaw the manager is under the control of tlie Town Clerk and should, in my opinion, remain so, as Ids work is altogether a business proposition. The road to these works requires attention, but the control of portion of the road is under the Cook County Couneil, and. the new siding will make an alteration in costs. This matter can be held over until next report. —A. J. Paterson, Borough Engineer.

His Worship said the report was of a general nature and did not require discussion. Cr Collins, however, took another view and proceeded to question the Engineer. In reply to Cr. Collins the Engineer said that a reorganisation of the working staff was necessary. After making .a query in regard to PatutaLT stone Cr Collins pointed out that there would be 'not more than 4uoyds. of Patutahi metal available for the whole of the roads in the Borough during the ensuing winter. The Engineer would be blamed for the bad roads next winter, whereas the fault would be with the Council for not having the Straker at work earlier than December to bring in a better supply of metal. Mr G. R. Wyllie applied for permission to build a septic tank on his section, No. 120. Rut'ene Road, and supplied plans.—The permission was granted, subject to the usual conditions.

Accounts amounting to £450 11s ltd were passed for payment, and several small matters of general business were discussed before the conclusion of the meeting.