BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 525, 30 October 1890, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The abive body met on Tuesday eveninp. Present: The Mayor, and Cra Whinray, Joyce, Lewis, Dunlop, McLernon, and Coleman. Captain Winter, County Engineer forwarded a plan of propose! alterations to footfoidgo on Taruheru river. He estimated tlie total cost at £lO6 15s 6d The report recommended a lifting span in place of a telescopic span. His Worship said the Committee had gone into the matter and come to the decision that it would not be wise to do anything unless a more substantial work was made. Mr Sunderland had said he thought the Freezing Company would contribute £25, and they had thought the Whataupoko Road Board would contribute £25. and he aleo considered that the County Council should also contribute a fair proportion. He did not gee why the Borough should contribute more than it) fair share. Cr Dunlop said the Road Board and County Connell were almost the same. The Mavor said the accounts were separate, Cr Coleman thought before anything was done thev should know their legal position. The Mayor said there was no way o! ascertaining that definitely except by taking acase into Court, »nd that would then ba open to appeal. Or Whinray had no doubt on the matter, and he thought the question should never have been raised. Cr Dunlop considered they should be aatisfiad on the point before incurring' any further expanse. Cr Jnyoa had no doubt at all on the legality of the structure. Ha would sooner the Council were on the defensive than to institute any action. Cr Dunlop said the Council should defl. nitaly know its position in regard to the control of the bridge. The Mayor said his belief was that the bridge had never bean properly transferred, but the Borough had allowed the bridge to bs on the stale terms as the other bridges, the Borough paying twc-'-hird« and the County one-third of the cost of maintenance.,

Cr Coleman said it would be well to gat the opinion of a solicitor on the question, and bring it up when the matter was being gone into in a conference between the Councils. Cr Dunlop considered that it was unfair that the Borough should nay more than tbe County, and an effort should be made to hove the matter more equitably arranged. Ha considered that the bridge was so Impor. tant that it could not be done without. In reply to Cr Joyce the Clerk said the committee of private persons who had got the bridge constructed had obtained the sanction nf tho Marine Department, but tbe Council had then nothing to do with it. Cr Coleman moved, and Cr McLernon S’oonded, that in the "vent of Messrs Nelson Bros, contributing £25 towards the recon-, etruot-ion of the bridge, ths Whataupoko Road Board be requested to contribute £25, end the balance of cost, estimated at £6O, be equally divided between the Borough and Conntv, and also that a legal opinion be taken an to the legality of the structure. Cr Jovoe considered that it would be unnecessary expense to obtain legal advice, the sanction of tbe Marine Department being sufficient. After further discussion the motion was carried unanimously. Cr Joyce thought it might be possible to get £35 from Messrs Nelson Bros, if, the opening was made 35 feet. Tho Mayor said that Mr Sunderland had said it must be 35 feet wide. In hie report the Borough Inspector wrote that two ironmongers placed ploughs on the footpath outside their premises, and having referred their attention to it they had asked him to bring the matter before the Council Cr Whinray thought, until the traffic increased, there was no need for the Council to interfere. Cr Lewis said the Inspector should attend to such matters without bringing them before the Council. Theploughs not only obstructed traffic, hut were dangerous. Cr Joyce quoted the bylaws, showing that anyone could bo fined for exhibiting goods in lhe streets. In the case ot soft goods ho did not think there would be anything objectionable. Cr Whinray doubted whether there was any obstruction. Cr Dunlop considered that the Inspector should carry out his duty in suoh matters without reference to the Council. Cr Joyce thought in the case of clothing and such things there was no need to offer objection ; the report having been made the Council should give some instructions. Cr Coleman held that it was not necessary to rlgorous'y enforce all bylaws ; In a case of the kind it was more in the discretion of the Inspector, and where there was obstruction or danger he should give notice to the delinquents. It was decided that in case of any obstruction the Inspector should give notice to the persons offending. In regard to the testing of the fire mains the Inspector reparted that everything had gone off satisfactorily. There being no report from the Overseer the Mayor said he thought there ought to have been a report concerning the bridge not having been opened to let the hulk Retina through. —Tho Overseer then made an explanation in regard to the bridge, and Councillors considered it satisfactory. Messrs Finn and Chrisp. solicitors, having dissolved partnership, the Clerk asked for Instructions as to tho Council's solicitor in future. On the motion of Cr Lewis, seconded by Cr Joyee, it was resolved that the senior partner, Mr Finn, be appointed. Cr Lewis referred attention to the state of the drain in Gladstone road between Bright and Grey streets. The stench arising from it was, he said, at times suffoca'ing. The drain had been cleaned out many times, but each time had to be deepened, Which only made it worse.—There was a discussion on the subject, it being estimated that £8 would satisfactorily do the work, and it was decided to postpone the application until next meeting, when the Connell's half-yearly balance would be made up.