BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 15873, 12 July 1922, Page 11

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

At the fortnightly meeting of the Gisborne Borough Council last evening, there were present: The Mayor (Mr. G. Wildish), and Crs. R. Robertson, T. Todd, F. Collin, 0. E. Bickford, F. Gray, F. Ball,' W. A. Bowie. Leave of absence was granted to Crs. H. 11. De Costa and I). W. Coleman.

An application for reconsideration of a. notice served upon hint by the building inspector was received from Mr. 0. Ferguson. The notice affected a small iron shed which he. had erected under the stairs of his restaurant, in ignorance of the by-laws, to store rubbish cans and waste from the restaurant. The. shed in no way interfered, he wrote, with the fire escapes from the theatre adjoining, and indeed proved a boon to shopkeepers by preventing the breeding of Hies. The Mayor stated that a. building further up tho road had been condemned and the committee had taken an opportunity of viewing the building concerned in the letter. The building had undoubtedly been put up in infringement of the by-laws.

Cr. Bowie asked if the building and sanitary inspectors were favorable to leaving the shed.

Cr Bickford said that anyone seeing the building would agree that it was an improvement on the old conditions. Cr. Ball moved that the building be allowed to remain at the pleasure of the Council.—Cr. To"dd seconded the motion. Cr. Bowie said that the Council was inclined to allow people to put up buildings in infringement of the by-laws, and then let them leave the buildings when put up. They would be doing it all over the borough if this went on. Cr. Ball pointed out that the building could be wheeled away cm a wheelbarrow". Cr. Bowie recorded his vote against. the'motion, which was carried. An application for permission to erect a tar distillery at Bright street, on the river bank, was received from Rest ar, Ltd.—The application was granted, the Mayor stating that the building would have to be carried out in accordance with tho by-laws and the wishes of the Health Department.

The secretary of the Master Butchers' Union applied for a monthly return ol sheep and cattle killed at the municipal abattoirs, for the purposes of an agreement between -the union and Messrs. Oppenhiemer and Co., for the handling of runners received from the abattoirs. —lt was decided to afford the desired information.

The Reserves Committee submitted the following report,: A meeting of the Reserves Committee was held on Monday last, there being present: The Mayor, and Crs. Bickford and Collin.. Sports groxmds: The application of the associations usuig these' grounds to be allowed a set-off against the fees for necessary improvements effected to the grounds, was considered, when it was decided to recommend that the Council adhere to the arrangement adopted by the committee's report of May 15, in which the matter of keeping the grounds in order was to be undertaken by the sports bodies usiug the same. An inspection was made of the training shed upon a piece of land adjoining this reserve, for which the Poverty Bay Rugby Union are inviting tenders, closing at noon on Saturday next, and your committee would suggest that the Council empower them, to submit a tender for this building; a deposit to be paid this year, and the balance to be found out of next year's revenue.' Botanical Gardens: The matter of cyclists and others causing a nuisance in these gardens received attention, when it was pointed out that the Council may, from time to time, make such by-laws as it thinks fit for the purpose of regulating the use of any reserve, cemetery, recreation ground or other land; also, under the. Public Reserves and Domains Act, the trustees having the control of any reserve set apart as a recreation ground, may prohibit the public from entering or encroaching on any part of tho reserve so planted, laid down or renewed; but otherwise shall not make any disposition of the reserve whereby the public are excluded from free access thereto, except on certain days not exceeding ten in any year; also may prescribe the • games which may be played in the reserve/or any part thereof, and regulate the/use of such reserve for such games, ■'and may prohibit the playing of any games at times when the reserve would bo thereby damaged, and prohibit altogether the playing of any particular game therein. Your committee would suggest that, in accordance with these powers, the Council pass a by-law prohibiting any cycling in these gardens, and , requiring persons ■ using same as a thoroughfare to get-off and push their bicycles, as on tho footbridge. To Aral watershed : It was mentioned that at this reserve there were sonic valuable scattered clumps of totara, and, without/ in any way spoiling the reserve, this timber could be sold, and your committee would recommend that the Council call tenders for the right to cut the totara on this reserve at so much per hundred basis, the contractor to plant young trees in the place of all trees felled or damaged. Tenders for shingle: Tenders were opened for tho supply of 6000 cubic yards of Kaitaratahi shingle, and your, committee would recommend that the tender of Mr. W. "Wilson, at 3s 4id per cubic yard be accepted; also that 'of Mr. G. Brown, at 8s per cubic yard be accepted for 1000 cubic yards of shingle from Haiti, beach.

. The report was adopted, the proposal concerning the timber at the watershed being held over. The matter of the tender for the shed on the Reserve was referred, to a committee of the whole Council.

The engineer (Mr. John A. McDonald), in the course of his report, stated : Waterworks, top line: Everything is in order and working satisfactorily. The amount of water through the Venturi meter the week ending June 26, was 5,780,000 gallons, ,ins for week ending July 3, was 5,150,000 gallons. The rainfall for Juno, was 5.08 inches. Buildings: During the fortnight 13 permits were issued, the value of the buildings feeing £2629 10s (including two dwellings, £1450).