BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 448, 1 May 1890, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Tns above body met on Tuesday evening, when there were present : Crs Coleman (in the chair), Townley, Harding, Taylor, Hepburn, Lucas, Dunlop, Whinray, and Lewis. Cr Townley was then installed as Mayor. Mr J. B. Brooke applied for permission to transfer section 72 Disraeli street to Mr F. Allen, his appointee.—Granted. The Fire Inspector reported:—The firebell has been rung the last two nights for fires that were outside the Borough. I would ask your Council, to try and stop the foolish practice. It means that the firemen have to turn out, the custodian has to light the engine furnace, and your Council has to bear the expense of the fuel. What is the use ot ringing the firebell when the fire is miles away ? la reply to the Mayor the Inspector said he did not know who rung the bell. The Mayor considered that it was the duty of the nightwatchman to report himself at the engine shed when alarms were raised like these at night, so that he could give any information that was required with regard to the fires, and he should also be in a position to state who it was rang the bell. Instead of that he paid no attention whatever to the brigade. This was a very loose practice, and people could now go and ring the bell without the proper authorities knowing who bad done so. After an alarm was raised the engine shed was always open for over an hour, so that the watchman had ample time to report himself. He (the Mayor) was astonished at the speed in which the steam was got up on the last occasion, for when he reached the shed, a few moments after the first alarm, there was a pressure of 101 bs, and hau the fire occurred intown the Brigade could not have got the hose out fast enough with the supply of steam that was on. He moved that the nightwatchman'be informed that he should report himself at the engine shed on an alarm of fire. Cr Lucas seconded. He thought that as the nightwatchman was a servant ot the Council it J was only his duty to find out where the fire] originated. It he reported himself, as sug-j geared by the Mayor, it might be the means! of stopping people from rushing madly and] ringing the be'l when the fire was miles out of I town. He thought that people should use some discretion before raising an alarm of fire. The motion was then carried. Cr Lewis was appointed a member of the Finance Committee. The Overseer’s report was read, recommending that half-a-dozen strong poplar trees be planted al the corner of Boebuck and Aberdeen roads, and also at the junction of Custom House street and Childers road, to prevent the further encroachment of traffic on the footpaths. He also recommended the repairing and kerbing of the footpath on the west side of Peel street, from Gladstone road to Palmerston road.

It was decided that the pop’ar trees be planted, and that the matter with regard to Peel street be left over till the annual estimates came before the Council at their next meeting. Accounts‘were passed as followsA. Muir, £3 9s; E. Whitlock. £1; bridges account, £1 ss; Town Clerk. £l6 13s 41; R. Robinson, £4 6s 8d ;T. Faram, £l3; E. Wilkinson, £l3 ; Nightwatchman, £2 3s 4d; T. Morrison, £8; J. Smaill,£l; Returning Officer, £1 Is; W. J. Quigley, £1 Ils 6d ; C. Rice, £5 ss; E. 1 Hooper, £4 15s; W. Grey, £4 4s; J. Knipe, £4 4s; G. Reed, £4 4s; T. Corcoran, £4; Gisbobnb Standard, £3 18s.

Two tenders were received for painting Mr Booth’s house, at Makaraka, viz., T. Morrison (accepted) £l5 10s, and F. Hall £l6 19s. Cr Taylor sard he bad received several complaims in reference to the footbridge being left open, on some occasions for over two hours, the school children being especially the sufferers, as they were unable to get across during the dinner hour. The Overseer explained that the bridge was only open for about an hour on that particular day, and he left it open to save the expense of getting extra men to swing the bridge. Cr Lucas said that people should reside in the Borough, and then they would not be put to such a great inconvenience. The Mayor considered the explanation perfectly satisfactory. Cr Dunlop gave notice of the following motion: "That the Council shall consider the advisability of striking a general rate of Is 3d in the £ for the ensuing year; or paying the interest and sinking fund of the £lO,OOO out of the Borough fund account; and of leaving uncollected the special rate of 6d in the £.”