BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 359, 3 October 1889, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The Council met on Tuesday evening, when there were present —The Mayor and Councillors Townley, Dunlop, Lewis, Lucas, Hepburn, Taylor, Coleman and Harding.

The Secretary of the Dunedin Exhibition forwarded a card of invitation to the Mayor, and the Council decided to acknowledge receipt with thanks. The Electric Light Company of Wellington forwarded a statement estimating the cost of having the town lighted by electricity. The Mayor caid it would be useless to consider the question at present owing to the scarcity of funds. Cr Townley : It all depends on our artesian well, wbe her we strike wa'ec or not. The letter was then laid on the table. SHOW or FUNDS. The Manager of the Bank of New Zealand wrote stating that the overdraft had reached its limit, and that any cheques which the Council intended to draw would have to be provided for. Cr Lucas : Now where is the money to come from? The Mayor said the letter had been submitted to the Finance Committee that after noon. They considered that the only means of raising the money was by getting a mortgage on the Council’s property at Makaraka, which was occupied by Mr Booth, and also on the house in Roebuck Road. He thought some arrangements might be made with the Bank for a further overdraft by giving these properties as security, but failing that there were no means of providing funds for the current expenses other than the rates, which were coming in very slowly. Cr Lucas said the Council were precluded from pledging rates, under a heavy penalty. The Mayor said that was providing the last year’s rates did not include the overdraft. Cr Townley said the Council should try and dispose of the smaller property. In reply to a question the Clerk said the rents amounted to about £BO a year. The matter was then held over until the accounts came up for payment. Mr H, J, Gilberd wrote asking that the balance due on bis original contract be paid in to his credit at the Bank. ROAD overseer’s REPORT. Gladstone Road Footpaths: I have carefully examined the footpaths from Customhouse Street to D rby Street, which is about 45 chain*. To tar the same between the above-named streets with two coa's ci gas tar will take 4117 gallons, at 4d per gallon, £6B 12s Gd. Picking up and levelling ths same with a few loads of beach shingle, and preparing for tarring will be about £3O, making a total cost of £9B 12s 6d, If one-third of this expenditure is paid by the tenants or land owners, it will then cost your Council £65 15*,—Artesian Well: Mr Gilberd, the contractor, is pushing on with the wall. At the depth of 520 feet he met with something very solid, and which still continues. The bore is now down 540 feet. Mr Gilberd has applied for the remaining 50 per cent, on trie 500 feet contracted for; £277 10. j .—l would ask your Council to have the water channels pitched or concreted between Lowe Street and Custom House Street during the dry weather, as the water seems to lodge very much opposite Graham, Pitt and Bennett’s. To lower the crossing at Custom House Street would be an inconvenience to vehicles going over. The water channel has got deepened through being cleaned out from lime to time.—Day s labor : £9 Ila 6d. Thia include, carting and Shing's. With regard to the artesian well Cr Luc is thought that the original contract was for 600 ft, which had been completed. The oS-r of Mr Gilberd for the continuation of the work, ana the Council’, reply to same, were read. Cr Luca, .aid there was no doubt but that a fresh contract had been entered into. Cr Dunlop eaid it was pretty clear that Mr Gilberd was entitled to the money on the completion of the contract. The Mayor : I think it makes little difference to Mr Gilberd whether he gets the money now, or on the completion of the present contract. Some of the Councillors expressed an opinion that the money would be very acceptable, taking into consideration the present ! hard time., — »OCNDKE,PE»’S BSPOBT.

Mr Faram reported:—Recreation Ground: The fence has been repaired, and 20 horses are now in grazing. With one exception (a small poplar), Ido not see that any of the tree, have been barked. The digging of the docks exceeded my expectation. I made a mistake. Only one-third of the ground has been cleared, I discharged the men, and will bring before your Council some cheaper, but at the same time effectual, method to remove them. Pound: I have received £7 16s for poundage fees daring the past month, which amount I have paid to the Town Clerk. Cr Lucas drew attention to the fact that a large number of horses had been driven from the Haiti and impounded in the Whataupoko Pound. He was inclined to think the impounding was illegal according to the U'h Section of the Impounding Act, which stated that al| hqrsea should ba impounded in the nearest accessible pound, and he considered that the Borough Pound was the nearest to Haiti, There was, he said, no doubt that the action of the ranger was illegal and he held himself liable to a penalty not exceeding £5O. The persons who had their horses impounded could take action and make the poundkeeper pay the coats, It was a very important matter, especially when they considered that lor two chains on ?«qb sijie of the river was io th. Borough boundary, and all horse, impounded thereon would have to be taken to the Borough Pound, which meant a big d-ffer-anca in the chargee, as the fees on the Whataepoko were much higher than those charged by the Council. He moved that the Wha'aa poko ranger be written tn informing him that all bones takan from Haiti would have to be imp sanded in the Borough Pound. The Mayor .aid .ome persona would perbaps rather have their animal, impounded in .be Whataupoko Pound. ‘ Or Dunlop thought the question' was I Whether or not th. Borough Pound was the b Bearcat. Cr Townley .aid that Fisher was the authorised County ranger, and he doubted very much if the Council were empowered to go an Haiti and impound. . ‘ Or seconded the motion. He laid it wa. a vary good one, especially from a monetary point of view, a. it would be an infeme to the Cqut)<u|. The motion was then put and carried.

PAYMENT?. On the aoGoanta doming up for payment, tome of the Councillors did not see the use in pawing them as there was no money in the Bank, and the cheques would not be met. The Mayor said the Council could not refuse to pass the accounts. It was a mere admission of the correctness of the accounts, tod conaeqaently there could be no risk. If any Councillor got a man’s goods, he was bound tn pay for them in some way. Cr Dunlop thought that by passing the accounts it would mislead people. He felt Bure the Councillors would hold themselves personally Hable by the passing of the accounts.

The Mayor laid it was quite dear no cheques wou’d be made out until arrangements bid been made for their payment. . Cr Luoas pointed opt a section in the Act referring to the matter, and he considered the Council were unable to pass the accounts. The Council decided to pass the accounts on the understanding that arrangements Would be made with the Bank on the follow. Ing morning. Ths following accounts were then passed •— W. H. Clayton, £7 19s 8d; W. 0. Skeet, £1 15s; Burch and Hooper, £9 4a; W. Morrison. £8 3s ; J. Perston, £3 3<; H. Read* £1 13*; Parneß and Co., £4 17s 7d ; repairs, £2 0* 8d ; W. Grey, £2 2s; H. Partington, £2 9s ; W. Pool, £2 9s 6d j A. lawyer, £1 17«; H. J. Gilberd, £277 10a : K Haoohe, £2 17s 6d. TINDERS TOR CHILDERS ROAD. The Mayor laid the Council should refuse to open the tenders in the face of the letter that had been previously read from the Bank. Although it was quite possible for them to Etho tenders, it was not to accept any. were now hardly in a position to add to •tia’ing liabilitiri. Tbs Clerk said there was about £l4O due worn the Government for subsidy and about Am to ratoahr they«ar> The priwai

I engagements of the Council amounted to £647 10s, that was less that night’s payments. It was stated that, the expenses would amount to about £lOO a month till March next.

Cr Townley proposed that the tenders be opened. The Council could curtail the day labor.

Or Lucas said then they would have nothing done on the streets. It was the height of madness to accept any tender. Before the tenders were called he asked : “ Where’s the money to come from ?” and the Council treated the matter lightly. They were now including all the outstanding rates as if they were cash. Cr Townley : We are in a very satisfactory position, Cr Dunlop said the Council were well aware of their position at the last, meeting. The Mayor: Ido not think we were, at least the Council did not think the financial state was as bad as it is. Cr Whinray: Wa knew the limit of our overdraft.

Cr Dunlop seconded the motion. Cr Coleman did not think the Bank would advance any money on the Council’s property. The Mayor said he was very doubtful himself on that point. Cr Coleman thought that the time for opening tenders should be extended till next meeting. He moved an amendment to that effect.

The Mayor seconded, and in doing so he said that in the face of the present difficulty there was no alternative.

Cr Townley said they could open the tenders, and hold over the one. It would only disappoint one man, whereas now there were four men held in suspense, and the Council were also holding the deposit of each tenderer which would amount to fully £l5. The Council then agreed to open the tenders, the lowest one to be held over. Tenders were received as follows

P. McLoughlin (formation) £59, Whataupnko gravel 5s 4d per yard, beach shingle 3a, Waipana river gravel 4s 6d. F. Hicks (formation) £2l 15s, Whataupoko gravel, £l3O 10s ; total, £152 s*. Mclntosh and Doleman (formation) £37 10s, beach shingle, £93 5s 2d; total, £l3O 15s 2d. T, O’Donnell tendered for the formation and supplying M-itawhero gravel at £ll4 15s. It was decided to hold over Mr O’DonneH’s tender,

The Mayor said the culvert in Grey Street wanted immediate attention.

It was also agreed to repair the culvert in Roebuck Road, opposite Mr Finn’s house, Cr Whinray said they could step out of the ordinary run in this case, —

Or Tnwnley : We generally do, Cr Wninray (continued)—get prices for stone culverts, which he thought would be much cheaper, The want of funds again cropped up, and the Council decided only to expend £1 on these works,