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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3774, 20 August 1883, Page 2

read:— From the Ranger, Avith rcferenco to MiThomas Mitchell's complaint, read at last meeting, about his coavs being impounded, explaining that the cattle were impounded-*** tAvo days after the men had finished felling the willows Mr Mitchell refers to. From Mr F. Sutton, M.H.R, acknowledging receipt of tho presentation of plate forwarded to him, and thanking the Council for its kindly expressions toAvards him. _ From Mr'R. A. AVilsou, Clive, complain? in--" of tho state of a ditch in front of his house.—in connection ■ Avith this a menu). was read from the road overseer stating that as soon as the re-forming of road was comI pletcd he felt confident Mr Wilson would bo satisfied. . „,. ' ~ , From Messrs Munro and McDonald, asking for some assistance towards keeping in .epiur-some tlxe utiles of roai} Ipachng £pm the main road, 'Peia}ie riding, to thQirlioi,w-. stead, which was now in an inmost impas: sible state. The applicants stated that they had so far recciyed no assistancefrom oitiic?: the Council or tho local Road Board—U , Cunningham proposed, and Cr Ivnnoso seconded, that a sum of £30 be granted iov tho purposc.--Tho Chairman thought tho application w&s scarcely in order. It should

havo come though tho Road Board.—Cr Cunningham agreed to the letter being referred bade to the Road Board, and the ni-ietcr dropped. From the Inspector of Slaughter Houses, reporting favorably on the private houses under his supervision. , . From the Colonial Secretary, pointing out that the seal used by the Council is not in accordance with section 10 of the Comities Act, 1870.—Tho chairman was authorised to procure a proper seal. From Captain W. R. Russell, calling attention to tho unsatisfactory state of the Omahu-Okawa road. Any outlay of money in repairing tho lino as it is at present would be unwise—The Chairman said he had instructed Mr Kennedy to report upon the road, Avhich had been done as follows: — "On the 7th instant I inspected the road, and agree Avith Captain Russell's statement Avith regard to the damage done to the road by the recent Hoods, and further as to his explanation of the cause. The course suggested Avould no doubt meet the case, hut not in the way contemplated Avhen the road aviis laid off. The true remedy I consider Avould be to cut a straight channel for the creek for a distance of about a mile, clearing tho flax, etc , for half a chain on each side. This Avould give a good outlet for tho water, this portion of the valley having considerable fall. From the valuable nature of the land I feel confident the suggested work Avould at no distant date bo adopted, and Avere the road now to bo shifted to tho higher level it might then bo thought advantageous recur to the present one. — Cr. Dolbel said it aviis impossible to make the road a good one in its present, position It aviis quite four feet too loav down, and should bo on the side of the hill. The idea of forming a road along the edge of a SAvamp, Avhere it occasionally had five feet of water over it, aviis ridiculous. It aviis a Avastc oi money to do anything more to it.—Cr. Rymcr concurred, and moved that the overseer be asked to report Avhat it Avid cost to make tho road live feet higher up along tho swamp.—On the suggestion of the Chairman it Avas agreed to embody in Cr. Rymcr's motion an instruction to the overseer to report also on the cost of the work proposed by Mr Kennedy. —Tlic motion, as amended, Avas carried unanimously. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The following report aviis received from the County Engineer: —• New Road Pctanc-Pohui—l have to report completion of tho engineering survcv of tho above road, plans, sections, etc., of Avhich, completed for a distance of 17 miles, havo been forwarded to AVellington. the total length of the road is 20 miles 1G chains. Tlie balance of the plans arc m hand and will shortly be and a complete copy deposited in your offico. I have much pleasure in stating that tho line of road is better than avus anticipated Avhen the sketch survey avus made, and Avill, when constructed, be a great improvement on the present one. Road Napier-Pa tea, section OmahuOkiuva.— The contractor for completing the formation, etc., of this section has nearly finished his contract. The recent floods did some slight damage to a portion of the road (vide my letter of the 14th instant). The contractor for the erection of tAvo bridges over the Okawa creek commenced pile driving on the 7th instant, and is making good progress. Road Board Plans.—Plans of the Maraokakaho, Patea, and Hcrctaunga Road Board districts arc hercAvith fonvarded.— I have, Sec, C. D. Kennedy, County Engineer. ROADS CONSTRUCTION OR,* NT. The folloAving correspondence between Mr Sutton, M.H.R., and the Public AVorks Department, respecting the County grant under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act aviis read :— To the Minister of Public AA r orks. AVellington, 27th July, ISM. Sir, —I have the "honor to call your attention to Avhat I must consider the unsatisfactory Avorkiug of the Roads Construction Act, 1882. If tho Act is to be of benefit to tho local bodies I feci sure that uouic radical alteration in its administration is necessary. The Hawke's Bay County Council has, as you are iiAvare, undertaken liabilities under the impression that tho Act Avould bo administered in accordance with the terms issued from your office. Some mouths since a telegram aviis sent to the effect that Avhen counties had expended their portion, aud such expenditure was duly passed by a Government engineer, the GoA'oriimcnt Avould contribute its share. Subsequently avo avcio informed that upon tho certificate being obtained tho Government would mako progress payments. .In the month of May, in accordance Avith the instructions as avc understand them, avc applied for a grant of money, and forwarded a statement shoAving avo avctc entitled to claim it. More than six Aveeks elapsed before any notice Avas taken of the application, or any instructions issued to have tho work inspected. After many delays the necessary instructions Avero issued for the inspection, and as the AVorks were reported satisfactory I naturally thought thero Avould bo no difficulty about the money. I therefore sent in an application for £1500 on account of the grant, AA'hich seemed to mo to bo reasonable. Auother delay, Avhich to mo is quite unnaccountablo, has occurred, and I find that, while I requisitioned for £1500, your department has only fonvarded £ 122. AVhat it means, or lioav it is arrived at, I cannot say ;it is not in accordance Avith any instructions issued to us from your office. I understand that the County Council are required not only to spend their oavii money, but also to provide the portion that the Government should furnish. I hear from Napier that the amount forwarded will not moro than meet payments for the next week, and that the County Council must cither provide funds AA'hich Government should provide or alloAV contractors to Avait for their money. I cannot think that the country Avill submit to this much longer. AVc have complied Avith tho kiw, and I think avc have a right to expect that the Government should keep its part of tho bargain. I Avould strongly impress upon you tho necessity of issuing such instructions as will enable local bodies to luioav what thoy are expected to do. At present it is all confusion, and most unsatisfactory.—l am, Sec, F. Sutton, Chairman Hawke's Bay County Council. Public AVorks Office, AVcllington, 3rd August, 188,' J. To tho Chairman of the Hawke's Bay County Council, AVellington. Sir,—ln reply to your letter of.27th July, complaining that the payment made to the pquiity on account of the grant under the JLoads and bridges Construction Act aviis only £422 instead of £1500, as requisitioned for, I am directed by the Minister for Public AVorks to state that tho £122 aviis gout as a progress payment, because upon the statement of the resident engineer, that sum Avas the Avholo of the ainout expended in excess of the sum to be contributed by the county ; that is to say, it AA'as tho aa'liolo amount expended out of the Government grant. With regard to the future lam to state that Avhen you informed the Minister that the County Council would moot in the second Avcek in August for the purpose of passing vouchers for payment, the resident engineer aviis instructed to inspect the works during tho first Avcek in August, and SiA'e a further progress certificate,'and the linister understood from you that this arrangement Avould bo entirely satisfactory to the County Council. —I havo, See, G. T. Benzoni, Acting Under Secretary, for Public AVorks.

To tho Minister for Public AVorks. AVellington, Oth August, 1883 Sir, —I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 3rd instant in reference to tho application of tho Hawke's Bay County Council for a grant of £1500. If I gave you the impression that I considered the arrangement proposed aviis satisfactory, it is evident avo did not understand each ether. I thought I h{4 pc-intpd • out ti&ity clearly 'tlu'it the proposal to pay £122 was not in accord Avith tho instructions issued, and that tho suggestion that the works should be inspected and reported on monthly, aviis inconvenient both to tho department and the country, and Avas establishing conditions Avhich wero not contempleted in the instructions issued. I do not feci in the least satisfied, as I must consider that tho County Council has been led into ft' •position it ahikildnot occupy, and that, •jyfiilo avo havo endeavored Jo' comply with |ho requirements of' the Act and'the intst'ructicjns issued under it, avo aro met with a very unsatisfactory alteration of the terms upon' which the grant Avns mad'o. It is no part of iho'dujiy of the County Council to Ussist the Government; it has paid its proportion of tho grant, and it was never con-

templatcd, I presume, that it was also to advance the amount due by the Government It would, I think, be moro satisfactory if you were to issue definite instructions m order that local bodies might knoAV what is their position, and Avhen they arc likely to obtain the necessary funds. _ You avill, I think, pardon me for reminding you that the different replies avc have received as to tho forms to bo complied Avith before the grant is made arc very conflicting, and I feel perfectly sure that the proposal to have all Avorks inspected and reported ou once a month isaltogether out of the question. I am sure that the district engineer is pretty fidly employed AA'ith the several contracts going on, and cannot possibly give the time required for a monthly inspection of the works in Hawke's Bay and the adjoining counties, and I think you will remember that I pointed this out to you. AYe have kept our part of the bargain, and I am under the imuression that I have good grounds for complaining that Aye have been misled.— I have, kef F. Sutton, Chairman HaAvkc'sßavCounty Council. The Chairman remarked that the money had not yet come to hand. "road overseer's report. The following report for the month Avas received from tho Road OA-crsccr : — I have the honor to report on the state of tho county roads and bridge.-, and progress made on contracts during the month as fol-

loaa-s : — Napior-To Auto Road.—The willow planting for the protection of the road near bank at Galbraith's corner, Clive, is being attended to where required. The tile dram at Havelock is completed, and the reforming of road between the hotel and police station is nearly completed. _ I begto recommend that a portion of this road between the Paki Paki railway crossing aud hotel be repaired at a cost of £50. I Avould also recommend the advisability of metalling about ono mile of road opposite the native pa at Te Auto at a cost of £(>(). AVitli the exception of those portions recommended for repairs this road is in very good order for traffic. Havelock-Omahu Road.—The tender of Mr Lynn having been accepted for reforming road near Captain Russell's plantation, Avork avill be commenced at once. This road is in very fair order for traffic. Ifastiugs-Marakakaho Road.—On examining this road I find it in good order for present traffic. Tiiradale-Rcdclyll'c Road.—The contractor for widening a porfiuu of this road near the railway crossing has commenced, and is making fair progress. The second bridge for the raiiAviiy'crossing has been newly - iloured and hand-raiN repaired as authorised. Metal repairs to this road has been carried on during the month Avhere most required, aud tho road is in very good order for traffic.

Kedolyffc-Omahu Road.—Tho metalling contract" between tho Omahu mill aud Omahii-Ngarurorobridge is completed, aud the road is"in very good order for traffic. bmahu-MangiiAA-have Road.—The contractors for No. 1 section of road has made good progress since the lato flood, and Mangataratara creek road contract is completed. MangiiAvhare-Patea Road.—O'Brien is making fair progress Avith his metal contract. There arc some surfacemen employed on this line of road attending to surface repairs. As a surfaco road in Avinter it is in fair order for traffic. Tareha's Bridgo-HakiiAvai Road. — An authorised Tareha's bridge has been newly fioored and hand-rails fixed. That portion of tin's road between the old racecourse and Meanee bridge damaged by the late flood has been made good, and a foot bridge has been erected over a creek opposite Mr Bicknell's, Puketapu. AVillow planting has been attended to Avhere required along the river bank bctAveen Puketapu and HakaAvai. Iv order to protect tlie planting from travelling stoclr, I beg to recommend that GO chains of fencing be erected from Mrllowse's gate to Messrs Nelson Bros.' fence near HakaAvai at a cost of £00. This road is in good order for traffic.

Mcanee-Pawhakairo Road.—l have examined this road (lately taken oa-ci- by the Council), and beg to recommend that £50 be expended in making good those portions damaged by the late flood.

Apicv Sheep Yards —Patoka Road.—As instructed I have employed the necessary labor to attend to surface repairs on this road, but havo deferred my report on the required repairs pending your decision in taking over other portions. AVestern Spit-KaiAvaka Road. —Tho authorised neoessiry repairs to tlic Petane bridge are being proceeded Avith, and the road is in very •rood order for triifHe, -\vitli the exception of that portion running along the river bed. Fetane-AVairoa Road. —Tlie re-forming and metalling of a portion of this road betAVcen the blacksmith's shop and Kiamate store has made steady progress during the month. —I have, Sec, John Tracy, Road Overseer. The several recommendations in the report were adopted Avithout discussion. TAKING OVER ROADS. Cr Kinross moved, pursuant to notice, that the road from llakiiAvai to MangaAvharc be taken over as a county road. Cr Dolbel seconded the motion, which Avas carried.

Cr Dolbel moved, and Cr Cunningham seconded, that the road from Patoka to the boundary of the Petane riding bo taken over by tho county. Cr Cunningham seconded tho motion, for the reason that thcro aviis a great deal of traffic on the road. He also believed in the principle of carrying a county road right through to tlie boundary of the county, other Aviso it avus only a district, road. After some discussion Cr Dolbel agreed to hold over his motion until next sitting in order that, he might be in a position to define the exact line the road should take. PETANE ROAD HOARD PETITION. The petition of the Petane Road Board Avith reference to closing the portion of road originally laid out from opposite the blacksmith's shop to the river, but not used for traffic, came on again for discussion. A letter aviis received from Mr 11. A. Cornford protesting, on behalf of his client, Major Richardson, against the road beingclosed. After some littlo discussion it aviis agreed, on tho motion of Or. Rymor seconded by Cr. Dolbel, that the petition of the Petane Road Board bo agreed to. The remaining business Avas of a routine character.