BOROUGH COUNCIL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15639, 5 October 1921, Page 7

BOROUGH COUNCIL

The fortnightly meeting of the Gisborne Borough Council was held last evening. Present : Crs H. 11. DeCosta (Deputy-Mayor) F. R. Ball, R. Robertson, T. Todd, C. E. Bickford, F. Gray, I). \V. Coleman, F. Collin, and Dr. Bowie. An acknowledgement of the Council’s protest against a levy proposed by the Gisborne Hospital Board was received, from the Minister of Health, who proposed to further communicate the result of his investigations.,-—Received. A letter from the Te Hapara Ratepayers’ Committee suggested that time be' given to ratepayers unable to immediately pay cash for water connections. —The Deputy-Mayor remarked that there were a- number of people who would find it hard to make a straightout payment, lie considered that these people should be allowed a certain latitude.—The matter was left in the hands of tho town clerk. Tho Mangapapa Town Board intimated its willingness to meet the requisition of £4, in respect to half cost of the erection of an electric light on the borough boundary, and of £1 6s 3d annual quota towards maintenance. —It was decided to put the work of erection in band. A petition of householders residing in Crawford Road, Kaiti, requested the in elusion of their properties in the borough area, “on account, of the insanitary conditions owing to the lack of drainage.” The petition was signed by eight ratepayers of the Cook County.—Tt was decided to inform the petitioners of the correct course to bo followed in connection with the application. A request for the free use of the Childers Road reserve for tho purpose of a combined sports meeting on 20th October, was received from the Amateur Athletic and Harriers’ Club, and the Gis borne High School principal. The letter pointed out that the meeting was primarily in the interests of ihe young runners at the High School, whose club was to receive all profits up fo £lo. The Deputy-Mayor- remarked that thr High Scliool usually got the ground free. If any other organisation came in, how ever, the fee of £F> should bo charged, ns (lie Council could not. create a precedent of a type that would lend to endless trouble. —The Council decided to inform the promoters of tho sports meetings that if the amateurs ran, the foe would be charged. The Works Committee reported as follows :—Your committee have to report that (lie matter of dust nuisance was the subject of a; report from the engineer, and after giving tlm matter careful attention, it was decided to ,advise Ihe Council to give the engineer’s smrgestiru a trial for tho ensuing six months. Thr engineer's report being as follows: “At present cleaning is done by two men sweeping and one man with horse and cart picking up. From the Post Officio Carnarvon Street (Gladstone Rond! 1 swept daily; Childers Road from Read’Quay to Disraeli Street once a week • Wninui and Butene Roads all concret channelling onco a- week; Roebuck Rond bridge throe times a wee.k; Kaiti bride and Peel Street bridge daily; Wm. Pet tie bridge once a week. On Saturdanight two men put. in three hours one’ cleaning Gladstone Road, picking np al’ rubbish ctcctra after 10 p.m. Strop’ watering carts have been sent out who, required. Of course, at times the due’ nuisance springs on us suddenly, and a!' (earns being out on other works, it the,’ takes some time to get a man and team .1 have seen heavy rain at night time, and next morning the streets quit© wet. and by 10 o’clock the wind has sprung up and brought down clouds of dust, 1 would suggest, with regard to the strop’ cleaning, we have u man daily on the streets with a hnnd part picking up al’ droppings, say from the Post Office t< Derby Street, and have a deni” at the old fire si at ion. The man with the band cart to put- all sweepings there, and r could he removed daily by our teams. / would suggest, re street watering,, tha’ we send a watering cart out every fine day, and give the’main street a good sprinkling, and, if necessary, to stop on nil day, On extra dusty days for tlv three watering carls to be out; the tw< big ones in Gladstone Road, and tlv small one in tho back streets.” The com mitfpc also reported thnt a visit of in spection was made to Harris’ buildings Indstone Road and Cohden Street, who it was agreed to recommend that, on a■omit- of the site being beyond the brie’ area, and tho great advantage nccruin to residents whilst waiting for (lie trar at that intersection, Mr Harris he pci mitted to erect a verandah on Gladston Read with posts, subject to same bein built in similar construction to tb verandah at present in existence on hi bri r, k premises.

Cr. Coleman stated that the more li thought over the proposition, the mor> he obiected to it . II was no good tcllin him that a. verandah could not be put ir without posts. The Council had provi ously refused another applicant, who ha/’ already built, and who had also deelnr ed a hanging verandah impossible. Who’ the Council turned down the nppllca tion, however, the applicant had man aged it.—Cr. Todd supported Or. Coir man. —Or. Ball also supported the older tion,.and remarked that he was indeed ifavor of extending the bride area rich up Gladstone Rond.—Cr. Collin, pointed out that if the nnpliennt were allowed iput posts on Cobden Street, and not oi Gladstone Road, the job would look r “half-pip” pnc. v The rgpoft was adopted, on the vote of the Deputy-Mayor, Ors. Ball, Bickford, Coleman, and Todd votjng against U-* / In view of tlio cjoseness of the vot ing, Cr. Coleman immediately gavi notice of motion to rescind the resolm lion.

The engineer, Mr J. A. McDonald, rc ported that eleven new electrical Conner lions had been authorised during tin past fortnight, making the total number now 1892. Fourteen wiring permits foi new works had been issued, and 13 transfers approved., No coal or fuel oil liar’ been received at the powerhouse. One hundred and forty-nine chains two yard,of cable and nine poles had bpen erect ed. The mileage for the tramway servh< was 2434, run in 448 car hours; 15,621 passengers had been carried. A numbei of complaints had been received regard ing the Cook County Council’s night soil service, which usually crossed Kaiti bridge at about 9 p.m. Four applicants had passed the required traffic test and had been granted licenses to ply for hire. Five motor lorries, three private cn/s, and two public earls had been re fpgietcrpd. The traffic inspector had made several vdjts to' j lie suburbs with a view to enforcing observance rg thp bvlaws. The amount of water through the •Venturi meter for the week ending September 12th was 4,320,000 gollans, and for the week ending September 19th 4,770,CC0 gallons. The mains had been laid for the Te Hapara extension of the water service, along Chalmers Rond from Gladstone Road to Birrell Street, and along Birrell Street to Redmond Street. The workmen were awaiting pipes and fittings, having received'during the fort niviit four six-inch and five four-inch valves. Six building permits bad been issued, foil alterations, reinstatements and three new dwellings totalling in value £3846. The renovation and repainting of the hand rotunda had been completed.—The engineer’s report was adopted. On the motion of Cr. Coleman, seconded by the Deputy-Mayor, it was doto'again let sections on Kaiti beach during' (i.e' supjipef ipqnl(}.s fpp clipping purposes.

The Council received a formal intimation that the date of the Municipal Conference had’ been set for October 4th (yesterday).—Cr. Coleman, in respect to the intimation that the Mayor had gone to represent the Council at the conference, asked how the Mayor could represent the Council when he had not known their views. He thought that- a special meeting should have been called. He objected to this kind of tiling, and ns one 1 of the elected representatives of- the people made a formal protest against such conduct.—Or. Todd remarked that the Mayor had referred the order paper to as many of the councillors ns he was able to see in the time at his disposal. Ho had consulted him, and they bad discussed the matters contained therein.— Cr. Coleman : That’s worse still. Its a direct insult to the. Council.—Cr. Collin : It appears that only two of the Council Had any brains.—The Deputy-Mayor remarked that the Mayor had received the letter at a moment when it was impossible to confer with tho other councillors. Cr. Coleman's remarks almost amounted to a vote, of censure on tho Mayor.—Cr. Coleman: Yes, and I’ve got a jolly good mind to move it.—Cr. Bickford remarked that the Council should have more copies of the order paper, and Cr. Coleman declared that the Mayor should be instructed to move that greater notice of the conference be given.—The letter was received.

In reply to a letter relating 1o flm Cook County Council procuring its own sanitary depot, the Cook County Council • wrote pointing out that this was a most! unfavorable time for undertaking such j an expense. It was impossible to avoid’’ coming through the boi-ough, but the' Cook authority was prepared to conduct, the service through the borough by any route suggested. Other conditions subject to objection had bec’n remedied. Tho reference lo Ibis subject in the engineer's report was dealt with in conjunction with this letter.—The Deputy-Mayor expressed the opinion that (lie CookCounty’s offer was reasonable. It was suggested that the Council he requested to commence its service at a later hour.— In reply to a question, the engineer stated that only about four houses in. tlie borough, outside’of To Hapara, remained unsewered.—Tho permission to. use the Council’s depot was conceded, at the Council’s pleasure.

The Council received from the Inspector of .Stock (Mr J). Ross), a “reminder to clear land of noxious weeds,” the weed indicated being fennel.—Received. A letter from (lie District Healtli Officer requested Ihe Borough Council, at tho instance of the Department of Health, to take active measures for the destruction of rats within the area of the borough. The letter pointed out that the rat menace in this country is a serious one, and can only be overcome by local authorities taking energetic measures. The officer recommended that a vigorous “anti-rat” campaign be instituted.—The Deputy-Mayor thought (lie Council recommend householders of the borough to undertake the extermination of rats. He proposed that the Department- should be requested lo supply poison for the puriKi.se. —Cr. Ball considered a. “bob-trap’’ would do the job better than poison.—Cr. Collin heartily supported the suggestion of the campaign against the rals, nsi they were doing untold damage.—The Deputy-Mayor thereupon moved that the commencement of the campaign should be advertised, and that all householders and. shopkeepers should be urged to join their efforts for its success.—The resolution wsa carried.

A letter vrag received asking for the hearing of a deputation from the Fruitgrowers’ Association on the matter of tlie control of hawthorn as a preventive of fire blight propagation, and the cooperation of the Council in any efforts put forward to that end. The members of the deputation nominated were Mr W. It. Lloyd Williams, president, and Mr W. 11. Hall, secretary, of the lorn) As sociation, and Mr M, Davy, local resident - orchard instructor.—Mr Williams briefly outlined the object of the deputation, in the same terms as on the previous evening to the Mangapapa Town Hoard.—ln reply to a query from Cr. Bickford, Mr Williams said that while hawthorn was allowed to blossom there was no'possibility Of controlling fireblight.—The Deputy-Mayor asked if the deputation wished the Council to pass a. resolution asking the (iovernment to '"azotic hawthorn a noxious weed in the' area of the borough.—Mr Williams renlied in the affirmative,—-Mr Dnvv explained that hawthorn had already been declared a noxious weed, but that the administration of the regulation whs in •he hands of the local authorities.—The deputation then withdrew, and in ri. abort, discussion around the Council table,; it. was siivgested that it was no hardship on the owner of a, hedge to have to ciit it down to a reasonable height.—lt was resolved to declare hawthorn'a noxious weed.