BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 442, 17 April 1890, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Az ordinary meeting of the above was held on Tuesday night. Present: The Mayor and Ore Whinray, Coleman, Taylor, Hepburn, Lucas, Lewis, Townley, Harding, and Dunlop. The request for a grant to the Cemetery M*»n brought up, and it was pointed out thst such a grant could legally be made,

I by the County Council. If the account would pass the audit that would ba sufficient. Cr Lewis seconded, and said he thought they ought to congratulate themselves on the small number of burials. The motion was carried unanimously. The Haiti Road Board wrote requesting the Council to consent to the appointment of Mr Faram as poundkeeper for the Kaiti, the Council to get the fees. Cr Lucas proposed that the request be granted. Cr Coleman seconded. In reply to Cr Townley the Ranger said he could not do the work personally, but must manage it by deputy. The Mayor said a decision would be given by Mr Booth, in a few days, as to whether a poundkeeper could do the work by deputy. It was resolved that the proposal be agreed to.

The Charitable Aid Board wrote applying for a vote of £ll3, as against £l3O in the previous year. In reply to the Mayor the Clerk said he thought there was no option in the matter. The rates of payment had been fixed as conveniently as could ba done.

Cr Lucas proposed that the request be acceded to. He said the estimates for the Hospital had bean gone into very carefully, and could not be reduced. Considering the number of patients in the Hospital, he thought it was very satisfactory the cost was not greater.

Or Coleman seconded the motion, which was carried.

Edward Whitlock wrote applying for a remission of a pound he had paid for a bus license which had been imposed on account of town passengers being also conveyed. He stated very few of such passengers were taken, and none of the other coachmen had been asked to pay for a license. The Clerk said the fee had been demanded from the other coachmen, but Mr Whitlock was the only one who had paid. The others wished the thing to be tested, but on looking up the laws he had been of opinion that it would not be advisable to take the matter into Court.

Crs Lewis and Lucas thought the case would be plain enough. The Mayor said it would be plain enough if they could prove that the coaches plied for hire for the conveyance of persons from one part to another in the Borough, In any case it would be a toss up whether they could get a conviction. It would just depend what Justices were on the Bench—Justices took most contrary views. Cr Townley proposed that the fee be returned. He did not think it was the intention to impose a fine on country coaches—they ought to be only too glad that the coaches came in and out. The same thing had been attempted in other places and ho believed had failed.

Or Harding seconded. Cr Lucas opposed the motion. The law, he thought, was plain and reasonable, and these coaches using the Borough roads should have to pay as well as town traps. Cr Wbinray would support the motion. He was opposed to taxation on principle. (Laughter.) Cr Lewis said there was no doubt these vehicles competed with the town vehicles. He disagreed with Or Townley when he said that it was not intended to make the country coaches pay. It the roads were bad and an accident happened they would want a remedy.

The motion was carried. For: Crs Townley, Dunlop, Hepburn, Harding, Whinray. Against: Crs Lewis, Luoas, Taylor, and Coleman.

The Mayor of Akaroa forwarded a circular requesting the Council to assist in funds for the erection of an obelisk to commemorate the hoisting o! the British flag in the South Island—Circular allowed to lie on the battle.

Cr Lewis presented a petition from persons in business between Bright and Grey streets, in Gladstone Road (N.), for the tarring of the footpath the same as the other paths had been done, Cr Coleman proposed, and Cr Taylor seconded, that the request be granted. Cr Whinray proposed as an amendment that the petition be not acceded to until the owners of the sections were unanimous. He thought the Council should be consistent. Before they had refused to do such work until all in a block had agreed to contribute. Cr Harding said he had been compelled to pay for the whole of .the path at his place. He would second the amendment.

Cr Lewis said all the occupiers but one had agreed. Cr Lucas thought it absurd for those who had built on sections to be denied the right of having the paths done simply because others who had not built had not consented.

Cr Coleman said the previous petition in regard to paths had been rejected simply on the score of want of funds. The amendment was lost. For: Crs Whinray, Harding, Dunlop and the Mayor. Against: Crs Coleman, Taylor, Hepburn, Lucas and Townley. The request of the petition was therfore acceded to. Cr Lucas presented a petition praying that a sum be placed on the year's estimates for the formation and gravelling of Lytton Road between Aberdeen and Gladstone Roads, and giving a number of reasons why the work should be dene, the main one being that this was the first road taken when patients were being conveyed to the Hospital. Cr Lucas characterised the road as a succession of sandpits, aud if the road were opened up it would relieve a good deal of the traffic on Gladstone Road. He thought the ratepayers in this district should be considered, and the construction of the road would be a great convenience. The petition was only to include the work in the proposed scheme of works.

It was decided to accede to the prayer of petition. The Mayor made a report regarding his interview with Mr Percy Smith concerning the electoral boundaries. Mr Smith had admitted that the East Coast district was one of. the most difficult tc. satisfactorily arrange. The Overseer reported :— During the last fortnight 18yds of river gravel have been put on Aberdeen Road, as ordered J by your Council at last meeting. This cost! £4 10s. Nos. 2 and 3 contracts lor clearing! out drains are being pushed on, but No. 1 is I not yet commenced. For asphalting, £l4 has been collected, and there is £l9 yet to come I in, some of the work not yet being finished. There are about 100 yards of stone at different places in the Borough. I would ask your Council to have‘this broken into two inch metal for repairs to various Streets, without your Council intend tu reserve it for pitching water channels. Day labor, £l2 19s 3d. It was resolved, on the recommendation of Cr Lewis, seconded by Or Whinray, that any suitable stone in the lot referred to be reserved for the water channels. Cr Taylor pointed out the unfairness of onw 1 contractor not having commenced bis work while the others had had to go on with theirs. The Overseer said the contractor had another job, and said he would be commencing the drain about Friday. There was no stipulation as to when the contracts were to be begun so long as they were completed in time.

The following accounts ware passed for payment:—A. Sawyer, £5 12s fid; Morgan and Partington, £1 fie; G, Bead, £1 15s; W. Gray, £2 7s 3d; bridges account, £1 12s fid ; T. Knipe, £18s; Gas Company, £2lBs fid; J. Perston, £3 ss; loan account—sinking fund, £200; half year’s interest, £3OO. The Mayor stated that it would be necessary to appoint two Governors for the High School, Mr D. Johnston’s term of office having.expired, and the decease of Mr McAra causing another vacaney. Mr Johnston was unanimously reappointed, and on the motion of Or Townley, Or Lucas was elected to fill the other vacancy. It was decided to call for tenders for painting the residence in the occupation of Mr Booth, the property of the Council. Or Lucas referred attention to a hole near the Hospital. There was considerable discussion on the matter, and it was eventually decided that the o.wreeer report on the thing, .. ..