BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume V, Issue 637, 23 July 1891, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

An ordinary meeting of the above was held on Tuesday night. Present: The Mayor, and Crs McLernon, Dunlop, Lewis, Taylor, Hepburn, Coleman, Harding, and Whinray. Several circulars were read, and then a notice from the Harbor Board, that the use of the Borough offices would no longer be required,—Cr Lewis said they cauld only reply that they regretted losing good tenants. —Decided to accept the notice,

AUDITING OF ACCOUNTS. The Audit Department wrote stating that the Auditor could only efficiently do his work, on the members of the local bodies using their vigilance in regard to outstanding rates and their collection. The Mayor said this circular was the outcome of the recent defalcations. Cr Harding: I think this auditing is a perfect farce. The Mayor said the auditing was no doubt a certain check on the members of the bodies themselves, Cr Coleman said the circular evidently meant that the members must see into the state of the rate list. Cr Dunlop said the auditor could not possibly tell whether a defaulters’ list supplied to him was proper, though the Clerk might say it was. The Mayor said the Department evidently required a defaulters’ list supplied to it, and that the members should go through it, and from their local knowledge could tell whether it was correct—the defaulters’ list ought always to be a small one. Cr Coleman said the auditor had been at fault in not having a certified defaulters’ list to be guided by, A SMALT. VOICE FROM KAITI. A letter was read from the Kaiti Road Board, in regard to the work done on the esplanade. A cheque for £l9 had been made out, but the Board thought it was entitled to £25. Cr Coleman said he understood that the payment made was a final one, Cr Taylor did not see why the Council should pay for pipes which were merely to drain the Kaiti Board’s district. The Mayor said that in two bodies of the kind, they should try and work together—they had agreed to give the money, and he considered they were morally bound to give the £25, especially on the report of the Overseer favoring it. On the Mayor’s explanation, Councillors thought the money claimed should be paid, and it was unanimously agreed to do so, The Overseer made a general report. CVBBSBIB's BIBOBI—PAYMENTS—FIRE BRIGADE'

The following accounts were passed for payment :— Hospital and Charitable Aid Board £59 10s, J. Somervell £9O, H. McKay £5 19s 9d, Lyon and Blair £1 10s, Sundries £4 Ils Id, Harbor Board £5 16s Bd, Jones and Co £4 3s sd, J. Hird £2 10s 9d, Ready and Clements £5 ss, J. Kenny £2 7s 3d, N. Hopkins £5 Iga, A. Robertson £2 3s 9d, Cr Coleman suggested that the Council, in fairness to the Fire Brigade, should provide those members entitled with long service medals. He proposed to that effect, and Cr Harding seconded.—Carried, OSNBBAL MATTERS, Cr Whinray mentioned that his attention had been called to trees being planted in the streets without permission, and also others cutting them down. Permission should be obtained from the Council, The officers should report on thtse things, and the bylaws be complied with,—Cr McLernon did not think people were likely to enter upon planting trees upon the street to any great extent. —Cr Dunlop said that though they rpight be glad to see trees planted, they should know that Jha trees were such as would not be objectionable.—Cr Whinray ■ And that they are not planted too near the channel. He wanted the work done under proper supervision—he favored tree planting itself.—lt was mentioned that Mr Reynolds had planted some trees,—The Mayor said they could easily be altered if the distance was not a proper one, but blue gums should not be planted on the streets —The Overseer said Mr Reynolds had asked him the proper distance in planting the trees, but he did not k ow whether it bad been followed out. Cr Dunlop urged the pushing on with the reel street footpath, Or Harding referred the Overseer's attention to the state of the drain in front of the City Butchery, and Cr Hepburn urged that it was necessary to have the gorja and silver poplars cleared away in Aberdeen road, Crs Whinray and McLernon said It wsa most unfair that the Council should have to bear the expense of clearing away furse and poplars that spread from private property on to the roads,—Matter deferred, A SPECIAL MEETING, A special meeting was subsequently held to adopt the balance sheet, and the question of investing the sinking fund more profitably was mentioned by the Mayor, £3OO being now idle in the hands of the Commissioners. It wag thought that it might be put to a special account iu the Bank,