HAWKE'S BAY COUNTY COUNCIL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3858, 28 November 1883, Page 3

HAWKE'S BAY COUNTY COUNCIL.

This Day

Ordinary Meeting. The Council met at 10.150 o'clock. Present: Messrs Sutton (chairman), Cunningham, Kinross, Coupcr, Rymcr, Wil- . liams, and Dolbel. FINANCE.

Tho Chairman read a statement .if expenditure showing a total of .CUSS ISs Sd for the month. Balance at bank, £2111 Os lOd; after payment of vouchers, £1252 lis. TENDERS. Messrs Walker and Johnston's tender for cutting flax on the Omahu road was accepted at £5 por chain. Messrs Murray, Roberts and Co.'s tender for corn sacks to be used in the diversion of tho Ngaruroro at 7s 7d por dozen Avas announced by the Chairman as having been tho lowest had been accepted. Tenders formetalling the Omahu road wore read, and Messrs Cooper aud Warren's was accepted as being tho loAvest. CORRESPONDENCE.

A letter was read from Mrs Elliot in reference to tho impounding of some cows. Iv connection with this a letter was read from the Hanger, in which a direct contradiction Avas given to tho statements of tho former.

From Chairman of Heretaunga Road Board, in reference to the cutting of the road by county road contractors on Karamu and Longlands roads.—Resolved that tlic overseer bo instructed to report on the damage done. From Captain Russell, complaining that the ratepayers' money ivas being frittered away on the Omahu-Okuwa road.—ln conXnection with this letter the folloAving was read from tho County Engineer:—" On this matter I reported in August last recommending that a clearing bo made through the flax (assisted by small drains, Avhich the creek will eventually enlarge and make its ordinary course) to alloAV a free escape for flood Avater. This Avork has, however, been delayed, owing to reasons Avhich you no doubt aro aAvare of, and my suggestion has not yet boon carried out. When it is, and tho road metalled, I have no hesitation in Saying that the line taken will meet the approval of the Council." From the Public Works Department, in reply to a request that the vote of £1000_ bo hanucd OA-cr to tho county for the opening of the Kuripapanga and inland Patea road, ancl forwarding application forms for progress payments for work certified to be done from time to time.

From the Treasury (telegram) apprising payment of £1058, u"nder|Roads and Bridges Construction Act.

From tho Property Tax Commissioner, Stating that a proclamation aviis being prepared for the gazetting of lands under tho Crown and Native Lands Rating Act.

From W. R. Carruthcrs, District Railway Manager, stating that tho Raihvay Department would bo prepared to contribute half the cost of tho work for tho diversion of tlic Ngaruroro, to tho amount of £175. .From tho contractors for flax cutting on Omahu road, asking for an extension of timo OAving to the Avet weather.—Mr Rymcr thought that it Avould bo much better to allow"the men to abandon their contract.—Extension of time granted. ROAD OVURSUKII's REPORT. The following report from the Road OA'orsecr was road, and tho several suggestions therein contained agreed to : — Te Auto Road.—Metal repairs havo been attended to Avhere required during the month. It is in very good order for traffic. Havelock- Omahu Road. —I have rcuoAved with drain pipes ono culvert near Havelock. Reforming between Captain Russell's gato and Omahu is completed, and it is in very good order for traffic. Hastings-Hampden Road.—Surfaco repairs botweon Maraekakaho and Hampden have been attended to during tho month. On examining this road I found several culverts very much decayed. As authorised I havo fonvarded drain pipes to replace the old Avoodcn culvorts. It is in fair order for traffic. Tareha's Bridgo-Hakawai Road. —As usual Avhen every littlo fresh comes, this road betAvecn the old racecourse and Meanee bridgo is more or less damaged. The remaining portion is in very good order for traffic. Woodthorpc-MangaAvharo Road. —As authorised there aro 300 drain pipes laid along this road where required for culverting same. Before cul verting and metalling- bad portions between its junction with tho Pukititiri road to Mangawharo I beg to recommend the advisability of making afresh survey, as the grades of gradients afro too steep for Avhecl"traffic. There arc two surfacemen employed attending to repairs. Considering the late bad Aveather it is iv fair order for. traffic. MangaAvhare-Turarau road to Patea. — Tho Aveather having been so unsettled of late very little progress cau be made Avith metalling contracts. There aro eighteen men employed attending to surfaco repairs, reforming-, and crowning road before metalling. Wnikonini-Pukititiri Bush road. — As authorised tho erection of bridges and culverts on No. 2 section bctAvcen Mr Bolton's station and the Bush is being proceeded with. Napier-Omahu road. —>- Tho necessary metal repairs have been carried on during the month where reqiuped. It is very good order for traffic. Western Spit-Kaiwaka Road.—This road to its junction Avith the river is in good order for traffic. Petane-Wairoa Road. — The metalling bctAvcen Petane and Kiamati storo is near completed, also the drain contract near native pah. It is in good order for traffic. My attention having been called to an open drain at Hastings opposite the Town Hall, the members of the Road Board arc iabout closing this drain by cutting one 'higher up at the cross road to carry off storm Avater. I beg to recommend that a culvert be put on the county road in connection Avith tho Road Board drain at a cost of £10. Tho county has on hand as many 18-inch drain pipes as will do this Avork.

John Tracy, Road Overseer engineer's retort.

Tho Engineer reported on tho works under his supervision as follows :—

Protcctivo'WorksatMouthof Ngaruroro. —Plans and estimates Avero prepared and ! forAvardcd to your office ou tho 20th ultimo, since whioh date Mr Maxwell (on behalf of the Raihvay Department) has visited tho site, and Avhilo approving of my designs has recommended that the training Avails should bo constructed of bags filled with shingle, a suggestion, tho practicability of Avhich cannot bo doubted, and which I havo therefore adopted. Mr Orr has been engaged to carry out the plans; ho is now preparing punts and arranging preliminaries, and expects to commenco tho actual work on the 29th instant. No. 2 Contract Bridges on Omahu-Patea Road.—Tho contractors (Messrs Glcudmning and Griffin) have only a few hours work to complete their contract, which lias been carried en in a very satisfactory manner. Arrangements haye been made to place four floating timbers on tho left bank of the Ngaruroro River above Omahu to prevent further encroachments, which threaten serious damage to county roads. Flax Clearing on Omahu-Patca Road.— /Tho contractors havo been unable to do -Anything on account of tho very wet weather This is to be regretted, as through tho delay a portion of the road has again been flooded. ' . . ~ , County Honda.—Description (for gazetting) of the following roads are herewith

forwarded:—Meanee Bridge to Korokipo, Hakawai to Manga whare, audApllcy sheep yards to Pohui (via Patoka.) C. D. Kennedy, Civil Engineer. PETITION. A petition from certain settlers Avas read praying that Mr llallett's line of road from Petane to Pohui be adopted in place of that laid off by the County Engineer, the consideration of which Avas postponed from last meeting. Tho petition having been referred to the engineer, Mr Kennedy replied that tho question Avas narrowed down to this,— Docs tho Council wish to improve and shorten the road to Taupo, or is it their object to provide accommodation for the petitioners irrespective of the Taupo roadP If tlie former, tho road had out by mo should bo chosen, being more direet'and having better gradients; if the Litter, then Mr llallett's road should lie hi ken.—Tho Council saw no reason to alter Mr Kennedy's route. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr Cunninghan, on behalf of the Petane Road Board, asked whether the Council Avould improve the Petane road where tho recent accident occurred.—The Conned voted tlic sum of £10 for the purpose. On the motion of Mr Cunningham the engineer was instructed to report on a new lino of road between Patoka and Pohui, provided the owners of the property through which the road would pass acquiesced. NOTICE OF MOTION. By Mr Sutton : "That, in tho opinion of this Council, clauses 37 to 41 of the Counties Act 1870 Amendment Act 1881 should be brought into operation in this County. ThatTa petition bo prepared, as provided by clause 38, askinsr that a.special order maybe made by this Council declaring that upon tlic expiring of tlie present Council tlie members of tho Council shall bo tho chairman of the several Road Boards and Toavu Boards Avithin the county."

SrsciAL Meeting,

The annual special meeting of tho Council was then hold for tho election of chairman for tho ensuing twelve months. On the motion of Mr J. N. WiUiams Mr F. Sutton avus unanimously re-elected chairman. The Council thon adjourned.