BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16175, 11 July 1923, Page 9

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Tho Borough Council met last even ing, the Mayor (Mr. G. Wildish) pre siding. There were also present:. I I'll II DeCosta, F. Gray. F. Collin, I V Hill I) W. Coleman, T. Corson, I Mirfield, and T. Todd. Leavo of. absence, was granted to Cr. C. I'.. Riekford

1 An application for the provision ol one chain of kerbing for tho footpath in Ktanlev Road, to prevent the us© oi the footpath by wifs and Iradesmous vehicles, was received from Mr. «'. VV. l-t-ifich, who offered to pay half the cost of the work, and later lo extend it and "drive the by-law breakers to the culvert, which has been provided for them. ' —Tlki Mavor said that he favored acceding to the request.—Cr. Coleman asked whether it would be quite suitable to do ji section. Ho did not believe in doing tho job for those who could afford to p'av half tlho cost, and throwing expense" on a neighbor who could not afford to do the same thing.—-In reply to Crs. Mirfield and Todd Cr. Coleman, added that if the Council got the work done at half cost it- would incline to hold back the rest of the work until the other residents found half the cost. It the work needed to be done, it should be, done out of the general funds.—Other councillors thought that the. completion of part of the kerbing would be ah inducement to the Council to finish the job. and on the motion of Cr. Mirfield, it was decided to accede to the request. _Ct. Coleman voted against the motion. Dr. W. B. Mercer, health officer, certified that certain premises, situated in Bright Street, were unfit for habitation, and should be pulled down.—The Mayor explained that three months had been given to the occupant, to find another "house, and he moved that the health officer be advised that the building would he pulled down when thai period elapsed.—Carried. Clare and Clare advised that the necessary work was being done to bring the firm's oil store within the requirements of the Act.—Received. The Vacuum Oil Company asked that a temporary license to store dangerous foods be issued in respect of their present building in Grey Street, pending tho building of new premises in Peel Street, to plans approved by the borough officers. —The dangerous goods inspector recommended that the application be not granted.—The Mayor said that there had been more than one application for an extension of time, during the past twelve months. He thought tho Conned should take some stand.—After discussion, it was decided, on tho Mayor's motion, that tho company be advised that a temporary license would be granted for six mpnths, and that no further extension of time would be .allowed. Reports upon the year's work of the Waiteata park and Rutene Road reserve committees were tabled, and were commented upon as* very satisfactory. Messrs Dalgety and Co. forwarded the Texaco Company's specifications of sheet asphalt pavement, asphalt concrete base, asphalt macadam pavement, and asphalt concrete surface course. The agents offered to supply any further information desired, and to discuss quotations for the supply of asphalt.—The communication -was handed to the engineer. Mr. W. Graham, as requested by the Council, forwarded samples of Hicks Bay basalt for inspection by the Council. He offered to ship a few hundred yard* of tho metal in spawls, if. the Council could arrange shipment. It- was decided to thank Mr. Graham for the trouble lie had taken, and to hand the samples to the new borough engineer when appointed. Six Borough Councils consulted by the (iisborne Council advised thai their respective electrical- engineer?, were, responsible directly to the Council for the departments under their control. The Wellington City Council wrote that the electric light engineer was under, the tramways and power department, and was responsible to thci head of that deColeman said that if any change were to ho made.in the. system in Gud)orhe,-'they should do it before the new engineer was appointed.—Cr. Collin signified that he intended to bring this matter up in general business. of Upper ..Gladstone Head, Hlwfors and Clarence [lands, and Haig Street petitioned the Council to proceed -with the electrical reticulation of the streets named.—The Mayor said that the electrical < engineer had been asked to proceed with the work.— Cr Coleman mentioned that the majority of the ratepayers affected would undertake to instal the electric light.rIt was decided to pass the petition .on to the electrical engineer. Cr. .Httl criticised the manner in which sjfHapara had been treated, and the Mayor commented that they did not want any "merger business." —Or. Hill: Well, the original estimate of £IB,COO was 'for the installation of water and electric light.—Cr. Coleman, in reply to Cr. Hill, pointed out that the money had been spent, and Te Hapara people were not complaining about their treatment on that score. He remarked amidst laughter that the proof of the benefits derived from the borough electrical supplv and Water was the efforts of people outside the borough to come inside.—Cr. Colliu: Including people at Mangapapa.—After further cross-table talk, tho motion was carried. An application from Mr. F. Collin for an auctioneer's license was approved. COMMITTEE DEPORTS. Committee reports were submitted to the Council as follows: > Reserves.—A meeting of the Reserves Committee was held on July 9, there being present: The Mayor and Crs. Bickford, Collin, and Mirfield. Your committee have to report that a visit of. inspection was made to Waiteata Park, when it was agreed that instructions bo given that all briars and blackberry growing upon the reserve and to the centre of the road adjoining thereto be eradicated by the Council's staff; also that tho owners of sections in the vicinity on -which blackberry is jrrowine be ascertained and a list handed to the Government inspector in order that they can be served with a notice to have the noxious -weeds cut. Public Works.—A meeting of the Public Works Committee was held on Jnlv 9, the Mayor and Crs. Coleman. DeCosta and Gray being present. Your committee have to report that a, conference was held with the Presbvterian Church trustees in resrard to the Wainui Road acquisition when it was agreed to recommend as a solution to the disoutu that tho trustees increase the dedication of land for road to 40 feet on Wainui Road and 60 feet on Crawford Road. The Council to pine and fill in the stormwater drain right through tho property and also to pay for survey and at Government valuation for area of land acquired. . Regarding Graham Road and Clifford Street those were referred to the encrineer for information as to levels. etc., whilst the matter of Riutene Road conveniences was held over for Cr. Btckford's attendance. Cr. Todd drew attention to the fact that/the Council had referred to the Reserves Committee! the question of handing over to the Waiteata Park Association the rant from the park, to assist in the further improvement of the park. Thel question had not been dealt with. and ho wanted the Council not to fonret it.—The Park Association was onlv a'sMng for the use of £l3, and it would not go very far, in view of the extensive nature of the work undertaken. The results to date had been marvellous, and had been done much more cheanlv and efficiently than tho Council could do it. During the nextl two years the blackberry and briars would have to be dealt with carefully, and the Park Committee would undertake! this. The Mayor pointed out that the committee had dealt with the blackberry and briar, in the report. Cr. Coleman said it had been practically agreed that all moneys received from the letting of the parks should be spent in the park. The nark committees were doing excellent! work, and ho would

move that Iho Council give thf. rental to tho Park Committee to handle. The motion was carried.

The tramways return, furnished with tho engineer's report, was as follows : Mileage 2316, car hours 429, passenger;. 13,540. The health inspector reported three cases of infectious disease during the month, nonplusing one case of typhoid [ever, scarlet- fever, and crysaplens respectively. The engineer reported that the Yenluri meter bad registered a flow of 5,290,000 gallons of water in the week ending- June 25. and 5.260.C0 for the following week. Eleven building permits had been issued for work of a. total value of £2732, .including a dwelling and a shop and dwelling. The; impounding for .luiie- totalled 7>l horses and 15 head of cattle.

<"V. Cray reported that, ho had received numerous complaints of straying cattle on Kaiti. it. was decided to make an example of one or two owners of stock found straying mi the road, if conditions did not alter for the better. Cr. Mirfield commented on the road repairing work done in lower Ormond Road. He said that it had been done one day and within a. couple of days the road was as bad as ever, about the worst road in Gishorne. He wanted to know why they could not put on a. substantial quantity of material, so as tto keep the road permanently in repair.

Cr. Coleman said that the trouble was not confined to the roads recently repaired. The portion of Roebuck Road, which had at his suggestion been scarified and rolled down again, was now asbad as ever.

The engineer pointed out that on account of weather conditions, the supplies of shingle coming to band were very short, and little work could be done.

Cr. Hill declared that a- lot of shingle had been coming out of the gravel pit that the Council had condemned.

The 'Mayor promised investigation of this allegation, Cr. Hill promising his assistance.

The abattoirs manager reported that 292 head of cattle, 1261 sheep and lambs, 106 pigs and B calves were slaughtered for the; month ending Juno 30. Twelve head of cattle and three sheep were condemned. In connection with tho: Council's direction that owners of condemned stock be notified, the manager stated that this had been, done in each case, but it- was sometimes impossible to get in touch with the owners;. He reported F. Collin, Eckford, and Fisken and Ludwig for yarding more than three days' stock at one time. One offence in each case had been committed. Cr. Collin stated that he had given instructions to tho abattoirs manager that any of his stock remaining in the yards after 48 hours was to be killed. Cr. Mirfield said that order had been given in his hearing. Cr. Collin further alleged that sixty per cent, of the hides from his cattle were being cut. He could produce a- report from the hide buyers. Cr. Coleman suggested that the complaint should be put in writing and considered by the Abattoirs Committee. It was hardly the thing for Cr. Collin to complain as a councillor of what was done to him as a master butcher.

Cr. Collin agreed to put the complaint in writing, and to produce the report of the skin and hide buyers.

A resolution embodying tho striking of a consolidated rata averaging 6d in the £ over the wholcJ borough was laid before the fJonncil.

Cr. Coleman asked that special arrangements l>e made for accepting payments of rates in two instalments,- in order to relieve the ratepayers.

Tho town: clerk raid that the staff now accepted part payments. So far as he knew, no one had been turned down in this respect. If a. man offered to pay half his rates, they accepted willingly.