BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1149, 16 September 1882, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Borough Council took place last evening. Present: His Worship the Mayor, Crs. Whinray, Clayton, Lewis, Tucker, Tutchen, Clarke, Townley, and Brown. The three latter gentlemen then made the necessary declaration and were congratulated upon their election.

The minutes of last meeting were then read by the Town C’eck and were confirmed. The outgoing correspondence was read and approved of. A letter was read from Mr A. Parnell, asking to have a drain in Childers Road either stopped or covered in. After some discussion it was resolved that the Engineer report upon the matter at the next meeting. Ewen Can e.on ■wrote relative to “that bullock,” asking for a refund of £4 7s, loss sustained of a valuable bullock through the race not being properly baitened.—Cr. Lewis moved, that the amount be paid, and this was seconded by His Worship the Mayor.— Cr. Tucker moved as an amendment that the bullock be not paid for. He said that the question was only a try on.—Cr. Clarke said he would second it, but said it simply contradicted the motion. —The amendment was earned.

The letter which was proposed to have been written at the late meeting of the Cook County Council to the Borough Council was read. It was as follows :— Cook County Council Office, Gisborne, 9th Sept., 1882. To the Borough Council of Gisborne. Sir, —I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of yov.r letter of the 16th ult., in reference to the opinions expressed by the Borough and Cook County Councils on the Native LandDi vision Bill. lam directed to state that this Council regrets that your Council should have considered any action of theirs either discourteous to your Council or at variance with the interests of the district as it has always been and is still the wish of the County Council to work in harmony with that of the Borough for the general welfare, This Council had no intimation from your Council of the resolutions sent to Mr McDonald in reference to the Bill in question until their meeting on the 3rd inst., and then it was unanimously considered, and the Council are still of the opinion that the alterations suggested by your Council would be most injurious to the settlement of lands in the district. There then remained no time to confer with you before the mail closed, viz., on the day following this Council meeting. The conference might have taken place if your Council had intimated your desire to do so, and the Native Lands Division Bill being essentially a matter that pertained to the Cook County, this Council could not in the best interests of the district miss sending their letter by that week’s mail which must have happened had a conference been held on that day. With this explanation the Council feels certain that you will see that no act of discourtesy was intended and that you will regret having written the letter of August 16th, which it is now my honor to acknowledge.—l have, etc., J. Warrex, County Clerk. His Worship said he thought the letter should be acknowledged, and the matter dropped. Cr. Tucker spoke strongly against the action of the Cook County Council in expressing an idea that the question was not one for the Borough to consider. He asked to have an expression from other Councillors. Cr. Clarke thought that it was enough for Councillors to confine themselves to Borough business.

Crs Whinray and Tutchen agreed with Cr. Tucker. Cr. Townley thought that as many of the Councillors had an interest in out-country lands, they had a perfect right to discuss the matter of the Native Lands Division Bill. Cr. Tucker then moved, and Cr. Whinray seconded— That thin Council regrets that through inadvertence a copy of the resolutions by this Council affecting the New Zealand Land Divslon Bill was not sent to the County Council; it was by no intentional discourtesy, but simply and only by the oversight of the mover of those resolutions. Cr. Clarke said that the time of the Council should not be frittered away in discussing outside questions altogether away from what he considered the province of the Borough. Seconded by Cr. Whinray and carried. A circular from the Wairoa Road Board was then read re the equal distribution of money, and asking co-operation. The Cook County Council wrote as to the responsibility, iu case of accident, of the Borough Council re the steam engine employed in connection with Oxenham’s contract. After a conversational discussion, in which nearly all the Crs. took part, Cr. Tucker proposed, and Cr. Tutchen seconded, that the Council be requested to state if they desire to terminate the contract. Cr. Townley was of opinion that a committee of the Borough Council should be appointed to meet the Cook County Council, and moved an amendment to that effect. Cr. Tucker withdrew his proposition, and the amendment became a substantive motion. It was agreed to, and decided that as early as possible the matter should be discussed between the two bodies.

Crs. Tucker, Tutchen, Townley, and His Worship the Mayor, were then appointed a Committee. Cr. Lewis introduced Messrs Featon and Sigley, a deputation from the Library Committee relative to the erection of the building proposed. Mr Featon said that the Cook County Council had agreed to give £6O per annum for their offices and he trusted the Borough Council would do the same. If so the Library Committe could see their way to carry out their intention. Discussion ensued and plans were submitted. Cr. Tucker moved that the subject be reconsidered. An argument ensued as to the power of the Council under the Act, the question being as whether it being necessary that all the Councillors should be present before the matter could be reconsidered. Cr. Whinray gave notice that he would at next meeting move, that the matter be reconsidered at next meeting. Mr Featon thanked the Council. exgineer'h report.

Slß,*-! have the honor to forward the fol* lowing report on progress made during the past fortnight. Contracts.—The contract for the formation and spreading shingle on Carnarvon street, is being proceeded with. The formation in some places was found to be defective, and instructions has been given to the contractor to make good the same. Complaints have also been made as to the inconvenience and danger to the safety of foot-passengers, through the quantity of shingle remaining unspread ; the contractor has received instructions to at once commence spreading on those portions of the footpaths which have been passed.

The contract for spreading' shingle on Derby street is nearly completed. The contract for delivery and spreading river shingle from Ormond has been commenced, and the work is now being proceeded with at a satisfactory rate of delivery. As to the quality, I find by the tests made in accordance with the specification the following results are obtained :—The greater of the material delivered gives an average of 50 per cent., a small portion GG per cent., and a small portion 33 per cent, of clean shingle, out of thr 75 per wnt. specified

guage, viz., quarter of an inch and upwards. The above tests only refer to the material delivered up to 11th September, since which date the material delivered is of a much better quality, being of larger size, and more free from silt and other impurities.

I then proceeded to inspect the river shingle bed at Ormond, with a view to ascertain if a better description of gravel could not be obtained, and having carefully examined and tested the gravel-bed in various p’aces, am of opinion that great difficu’ty will be experienced in obtaining gravel, equal in quality, to that contracted for and specified, viz., £-inch and upwards. Owing to the late floods the greater portion of the bank from which the largest sized metal was obtainable has been displaced, and is not available for delivery. lam of opinion that the best description of gravel obtainable will not average more than 66 per cent. In river-bed shingle it becomes almost a matter of impossibility to obtain large quanties of uniform size, or clean without screening. The specification provides that te-,ts of 1 cubic yard are to be made whenever thought advisable, and I would suggest that your Council agree to take the residue of the material below the guage specified, at a reduced rate per cubic yard. My reason for recommending such a course is that a large quantity of soil or sand is required to round up the sides, and the material condemned as not being in accordance wi ,h specification, would be well suited for the purpose required. Of course the price to be paid for such material should be somewhere near that for which ordinary soil or sand could be obtained.

Tally-Man.—The contractor having completed arrangements for delivering night and day, it will be necessary to appoint some o le who will devote the whole of his time to this work, so that he can enter each delivery. This Mr Cooper declines to do, and owing to his illness I have temporarily engaged the services of Mr Hamble.t until your decision on the matter is known. Nesbitt Road.—l have coTected information, as requested, on the dates of the taking over this road and find that the survey of the Mahia-Napier Road (of which Nesbitt Road forms a portion) was completed on January 1877, but the warrant for taking over the roads was not signed until the 12th June, 1879.

The dates given by Mr Morgan for the erection of the addition to the dwellinghouse, which shows a slight encroachment on the road line is July, 1875, and the date of the erection of the stable is December, 1877. Outlet Drain—Cobden Street.—ln accordance with instructions this work has been completed, and I would suggest that 12-inch and 15-inch pipes be used, which can be obtained from the various cross streets, many of the pipes now in position can be taken up and utilised for this purpose, as the formations of the streets having been completed, the ordinary water-tables are available for the surface water.

Mr Oxenham expects to have completed the delivery of the first complement of four thousand cubic yards to which your Council are entitled according to the specification, in about a fortnight’s time, and I purpose having this quantity spread between the Borough boundary and the Roebuck road, and would beg to recommend that steps be taken to get the Aberdeen-Palmerston Roads and portion of the Lytton road, from Gladstone to Aberdeen Road, ready to receive the gravel, and enable the same to be removed from the various depots. This work can be done by tender or day labor as may be decided upon. Disraeli Street.—l would beg to recommend that some temporary works may be undertaken on this road, principally on the low-lying portion of the road, and between Gladstone and Palmerston Road. Read’s Quay.—During the past fortnight I have found it absolutely necessary to repair portions of this road by a few loads of beach shingle. Cattle Wharf.—ln accordance with instructions I have caused battens to be placed on the cattle race, with a view to the prevention of accidents.—l have the honor to be, Sir, your obedient Servant, John Drummond, Borough Engineer.

A long discussion took place relative to the. metal supplied, but it was eventually decided to adopt Mr Drummond’s suggestion that 2s a yard be paid for the condemned stuff. It was resolved to leave the question of a tallyman to the Engineer. The vexed question of Nesbitt Road was the next matter discussed, and subsequently left over for further enquiry. Cr. Tutchen moved that the pipes on hand be used in Cobden-street, and that the drain be closed, as at present it was dangerous.— The Engineer was authorised to put down pipes and cover in the drain at the intersection of Cobden-street and Aberdeen Road. Cr. Townley took objection to the proposal of the Engineer as to Disraeli-street. Cr. Tucker gave notice that he would move that the resolution at present in force be re-considered. The report was then adopted with the alterations above mentioned. Accounts to the amount of £l2 6s 6d were then passed, this sum exclusive of payments of interest on special loan amounting to £305 12s Bd. In the matter of Mr W. Daly’s application made some time back for the drainage of his property, some diversity of opinion appeared to prevail, but eventually the matter was allowed to drop. The Town Clerk called attention to the fact that Cr. Berry Lad not attended for four consecutive meetings, and asked if his Couicellorship would elaps j. —As this was an adjourned meeting the Councillors were of opinion that the seat was not vacant. Crs. Brown and Townley were re-elected as members of the Finance Committee. Cr. Tutchen gave notice that he would move at next meeting that instead of the whole Council being a Public Works Committee three members should be elected to act. Cr. Lewis spoke of the bad lighting and general neglect of the lamps. The Town Clerk was instructed to write to the contractor. Cr. Tutchen said that Mr Bull had offered some blue gum trees for Camarvon-street. A letter was directed to be sent to Mr Bull thanking him for his offer. As the question of trees had cropped up it was resolved that Mr Wilkinson be instructed to take steps to have persons, who are found wilfully or through negligence destroying trees, punished.