MUNICIPAL MATTERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16115, 2 May 1923, Page 9

MUNICIPAL MATTERS.

FIRST MEETING OF NEW COUNCII.

The first- meeting til' Llio new Buroiii! Council Was held last ■evening, time \h iug present: The Mayor (Mr (!. Wild ish), and Crs. 11. 11. UeCosta, F. tlrav Y. Collin. 11. K. Hill, V. E. Bickford IV. W. Coleman, f. Mirlield. T.Tudd, am

T Corson. Tho first business of the evening was the swearing in of the councillors, each in turn malting his declaration that lie would to tlie test of his skill and ability exercise the powers vested in h.'m by the Municipal Corporations Act. The Mayor welcomed the new Council, commenting that all had had previous experience of Council work with the exception of Or. Corson, and would do their best for the comnumily. He hoped their term would he lonolicial lo the borough. Or. Coleman thanked the Mayor for Ins welcome, and congratulated him on his re-election. They had had dilfer•enees of opinion in the past —sometimes very keen differen.es —hut the Council as a whole realised that I lie Mayor was endeavoring to conduct the meetings in a- business-like manner, and they would i'jt hesitate to give him due deference. They would possibly have difficulties in the future, but lie would give, the Mayor every support in matters which lie felt were ji the interests of the borough. He expressed the Council's sympathy with the Mayor in the illness ot Mrs Wildish, which must involve considerable mental suffering at this time.

The Mayor briefly expressed his thanks and the routine business, of the meeting was proceeded with. Speaking on the subject of remits to the Municipal Association’s Conference, Cr. Todd, suggested that the Council should send forward »a remit concerning town planning. He also moved that it be a remit to the conference that municipal accounts be .standardised on a suitaide system.—Cr. Coleman seconded the motion, which was carried.

Cr. llill moved that it he a remit that the Parliamentary roll be used in conjunction with the municipal roll for the purposes of biennial local body polls. The Mayor seconded this motion, which gained general support.

“1 should like to have a remit sent down to the effect that the Mayor of a town be elected by the Council,” said Cr. Mirfield.

One of the City Councils has already put that in stated Cr. Gray. Cr. Mirfield was assued by the Mayor that before the Council’s delegate was instructed, the Council would be given an opportunity to discuss the remit. The. Council carried a resolution to allow ratepayers 5 per cent discount on rates paid within 30 days of the due date. A further resolution expressing a decision to consolidate tho current year's rate' was .carried unanimously.

On behalf, of the P.B. Football Association Mr H. V. Crighton wrote asking that the reserves committee of tlie Council meet shortly to decide the question of the allocation of playing areas, since, 'at a meeting of delegates of the sports bodies concerned,- a deadlock had been arrived at between the Rugby ''Union and the Association. The matter was referred to the reserves committee. ,

The St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Cliurch committee wrote to the Council, again askihg it to redeem its promise to fill in the drain on the church property at til© intersection of Crawford road* and Wainui road. The drain was not, as the engineer claimed, a natural watercourse (the letter stated), and did not carry away stormwater, as another drain was provided -for the purpose. Until tha Council fulfilled the agreement the Icommittce would not complete the dedication of a portion of tho section to the Council.—ln the course of discussion Cr. Collin stated that the Council had entirely met its obligations in respect of the drain. There had beer, no arrangement to fill in the drain right across the section, but only on the footpath.—Cr. Todd mentioned that he had understood the position was .as Tlio trustees had assumed. It wps an Jiopcst mistake on the part of the Trustees, lie was sure. works committee meet the trustees with a view to removing the existing misunderstanding. Mr’D. Ross requested an extension of the time allowed him in Which to remove the barbed wire from the fences of his property in Stanley road.' He desired to obtain Departmental authority and to secure an estimate of the cost. The Council’s requirements would be complied with.—“'The Government will take its own time about it, but I think we ought to explain that no time must be lost,” remarked the Mayor.—The Council agreed to grant the required extension of time.

The Inspector of Health forwarded a copy of a memorandum received by him from the Director-General of Health, ns follows: “In view of the recent reports as lo a. serious outbreak of plague in India, I shall be glad if you will ensure that all local authorities, .harbor boards, etc.,' eqnliime then- anti-rat measures.

The Mayor remarked (Jiat they should take steps to advise, the public of the necessity for the keeping down of rats. ‘Tf - the Council is going to supply rat poison, well, and good,” remarked Cr. Collin. ‘‘lf it is going to supply rat food it is not all right. I guarantee that the ’ rat poison'-supplied by this Council did not kill one rat",’ lie- continued;, •‘they do well on it.”

j The Mayor explained that, the “poison” had been obtained through Dr. Mercer from the Health Department. It was agreed that enquiries be made for some more effective eradicator. The A.M.P. Society’s solicitors wrote forwarding documents irl connection with the .“Turanganui river bridge loan (1923) of £33,500, for verification and execution. The resolution attached was carried, and Cr. DeCosta was appointed, with the Mayor, to witness the seal of the Council.

On the basis of a complaint made by Cr Collin, regarding the danger involved in the .practico of young lads riding around the-botanical gardens at breakneck speedy it was decided to ask the traffic inspector to take action to prevent the practice. The mistaken belief on the part of some cyclists that they are entitled to thq'crown .of: the road, was referred to by Cr. Todd, who urged that it should be made known that when a faster vehicle is overtaking him a cyclist must give way. Unless the law was observed, he said, some one would eventually be killed.

The abattoirs manager reported that 207 head of cattle, 1341 sheep and lambs, 120 pigs, and 10 calves had .been slaughtered for local consumuption. ‘ The manager reported a local butcher tor failing to feed his,stock, while in the yards, and recommended that the offender he warned that a repetition, of the offence would lead to a prosecution. The Mayor advised the Council to •carry out the recommendation of the manager.—The report was received. The Mayor moved formally that Ihe Council approach the Governor-General for precedent consent to the raising of the loan of £2OCO for unemployment relief during the coining winter. Cr. Bickford seconded the motion, which .was carried.

Cr. Todd pointed out the necessity o making plans for the relief of uncm ployed.

Cr. Corson mentioned that the Post-master-General hair]promised when in Gisborne that ho would further consider the prosecution of the re-building ot the Post-office. That work, if it were put in hand, would do something to relieve unemployment. H© moved that the

Hull, Mr. Coates, be reminded of this promise. ~ The motion was seconded by Cr. Todd, and supported generally. It was decided that the Council meet in Committee on Monday Week to go ii.it.ti the estimates for the ertsuing year. Cr. Corson drew attention to the inadequate number of polling booths in connection with the recent election. At Kniti the inadequacy of the arrangements was most apparent, and many people went home without voting. There was only room in the booth, he had been toltl, for two men and n dog. He thought they should lie caivjful that such congestion did not occur again. Th© Mayor said he was glad the mailer had been brought up, an it had been in his mind. He thought that before another election the returning officer should supply the Council with a list of the polling booths, arid if the list was too small, they should add to it. The Town Clerk mentioned, in reply to a question, that the returning officer received a fixed fee for the election, and the other expenses were, paid by the porough. Cr. Collin agreed that the arrangements were shocking, and the matter was dropped on the Mayor’s,assurance that they would he better next time. As a wind-up to the meeting, Mr. Wildish was installed in his office of Mayor by the Deputy-Mayor (Cr. M. IT. DeCostn), who congratulated him on being elected for a third term, and upon the high esteem in which he was held by the public of Gisborne. It behoved the Council to give the Mayor all the support possible, and to work with unanimity for the good of Gisborne and district.

The Mayor, having made his statutory declaration, remarked that the term before the Council would be an important one. He did not want the running of the Council to be a one-man job; they all had a share in the administration of the Borough., He would welcome criticism, so long as it was fair criticism. He had had loyal support'from the past Council and from the staff. The staff was liable to criticism, but he felt that they were a “good gang,” who had the interests of the Borough at heart. The town clerk/and engineer were both loyal, and would be found to he bound up in the interests of the Borough. Tie was clad to be back in the Mayoralty, as lie bad wished to see the completion of the ferro-eoncrete bridges. ire hoped they would work harmoniously for th© good of the Borough. (Applause.)