BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume V, Issue 678, 29 October 1891, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

A* ordinary meeting nf the above was held on Tuesday night. Present: The Mayor (Mr Townley), and Crs Dun op, Somervell, Taylor, Harding, Wbinray, Joyce, Lewis, and Akroyd. The Fire Inepector reporied that the night

carta had been re aired. The Overseer made bis usual report, in which he stated that the timber for the Taru heru cart bridge had nearly all bren delivered but a drficiency in tbirteeng supplied (though with an extra amnuntof 14 feet lengths) made a difference of l w o feet. The Overseer said the full price was claimed.

Cr Dunlop said it would not be to the advantage of the Council to have to cut the extra foot as well as pay for it. Cr Joyce did not think it mattered mu h whether the extra foot was delivered so long as the Council was not called on to pay for

it. Qr Taylor asked to have the specifications read, and said be did not think white kauri had been delivered—he took pale kauri to mean white, Cr Romerveil said the timber was to be delivered according to specifications, and Or Dunlop said the Works Committee had not yet inspected the work. Cr Wbinray thought, in regard to the lengths, that the contractors had done very well to get so near the length—they seldom got exact measurement in purchasing timber. Cr Somervell did not see why a timber merchant should be in any way distinguished from a carpenter, who, if he contracted to supply a certain length, would have to do it accordingly—let the merchants cut off the extra foot and take it away. Cr Harding did not see any necessity of a long discussion—the matter could be deferred, and no payment made until the Works Committee had inspected the work.

The Mayor said the question of length of timber was before them. Cr Dunlop moved, and Cr Joyce seconded, that the Council decline to pay for the extra length supplied. Cr Whinray moved that the matter be left in abeyance until the Works Committee had dealt with the subject. Cr Joyce said the Committee would have no business to ask them to pay for more timber than they required. Cr Harding said the Committee were not likely to approve of anything that was not fair, Cr Lewis said the County Council would have to pay a proportion, and would scruti nine the account if the Borough Council paid f°r anything not ordered Cr Harding said the contractors ought to have known in that " thirteens” Was a very difficult length to get.

The motion w»s carried. It was decided to give Mt K”0X8 Drogress payment of £5O. In regard to Mr Doletnan’s Contract for which the time had expired, ft was decided to leave the matter until the work was completed. The Overseer suggested that ths iilver poplars be grubbed from the upper end of Gladstone road.

Or Akroyd thought the owners of property Should be required to clear away the nuisance, and it was dpcided to give notice accordingly Captain Winter’s plan for the Tarnheru footbridge was submitted, but no estimate, except a rough one of £lOO, had been made Btiliaing bb much as possible of the old Work* The Overseer gaid the plan and estimate Would not be ready for a fortnight, as Gap tain Winter could not giv* much time to it. The Mayor eaid it would be better tn defer the matter until next m*e’ing, when th°y ennld h«ve the specifications and everything before them. This wag agreed to.

The following accounts were passed for pavment. besides salaries;—A. R. Muir £3 15". J. Burns and Go £1 10* 6d, R. Knnx £5O. Humphreys and Davys £3 12«, sundries £2 18® 3d, Kennedy and Evans’ account wag held over, The following tenders were received fnr pain'ing notice hoards on the bridges • J Bobb, £6; F. Hall, £4 18s; T. Morrison. £8 ss. Councillors commented on the difference, and (’r Somervell said that was the smart bnvs coming from the Gisborne School. Mr Morrison’s tender was accepted. The Mayor raised the question as to whether the Council should accept the Government valuation as a bash for their rates, or appoint a Bnrongh Valuator. In reply tn Or Lewis h* said there was th® same right of appealing against one valuation as the Other.

Or Lewis said the objection was that the Government valuation was only taken once in three years, Cr Akrovd said there were only two or three objections to the Borough’s valuation last year. Or Whinray thought the matter might Biand over* Or Dunlnp said there might be a change in the Government method of valuation before long.

The matter was allowed to stand over. Or Whinray said that at a previous meeting he had staled that 6" a week waa h®ing gnt for a shed on the foreshore, and Mr Adair had since informed him that the rent he was ■apposed to get was only half the amount stated.

Cr Joyce said Mr Burns had informed him in regard to the foreshore that he did not intend to nse any nortion of the road. The Mayor said Mr Bums was probably unaware that more than the width of the roadway belonged to the Council, In any case it did not seem to matter much, as the Board appeared to have fallen in with the views of the Council, and that the question was set at rest. The Mayor said those who are organising the races on Boxing l Day wished to know on what dav the holiday was likely to be kept up. Th* re was a general discussion, Cr Harding saying that the Club wished to fall in with the views of th® business people. The Mayor said he would sooner see the holidays remain as they were, making the late night Thursday.—Cr Joyce Baid there was "nothing but racing—too much blessed raring,” ’J’hfl matter was propped, Councillors mainly bring in favor Of the holidays falling on their due dates, Boxing Day being on the Saturday. Cr Taylor said that the briars required Olssring away in upper Aberdeen road as well M the gorse. He said it looked unsightly to leave a lot of briars on the rqad after Mr DeLautoor had, without being asked, gone to the expense of clearing away the gorse in front of his place,—Agreed to spend a small |om on the work,