COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 201, 31 August 1901, Page 3

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Cook County Council was held yesterday, when the following members were present : Messrs Maefarlane (chairman), Cooper, Hutchinson, Graham, King, Tombleson. correspondence.

Several telegrams were read from the member of the district regarding the Cook County Vehicles Licensing Bill. The Chairman said that Mr Carroll had all the information required. The Chairman said that the Counties Bill, if passed, would include the powers sought by the Council. If the Counties Bill were dropped they could go on with their own. The subsidy list from the Government

Department was received, and showed that for the year the County Council and Road Board received .£2500, of which amount the Council obtained £12392 13s sd. The Clerk stated that the amount received was slightly under his estimate, as he overlooked the fact that under the Act a county could not receive more than <£2500 in subsidy in one year. Cr Graham thought the Council should pay the amount due to the Road Board in full /or the past year. He proposed a motion to that effect, which was seconded by Cr King and carried. The statement of revenue and expenditure for the Karaka telephone showed that there was a refund due to the Council of £l4 14s. The revenue had been £l6O 13s 4d and the subsidy £ll6 16s. The expenses amounted to £172 14s 6d. There was also a refund from the Waimata telephone of £.TB Is Id. The five years having expired, the Government would now take over the Waimata line. Permission was given to Mr H. Wall, of Karaua, to put a culvert over the road at that place, the work to be done under the supervision of the Engineer. A lengthy circular was received from the Education Board upon the subject of technical education, being upon the lines of the report furnished by Mr Hill, Inspector of Schools. —Received. The Ormond Domain Board asked to have certain road works done by. the Council under the supervision of the Engineer. They were to contribute the cost of same. —-Agreed to. IIAXOAROA-TINIItOTO KOAD. A report dealing with the IlangaroaTiniroto Road was received from Mr Llewellyn Smith, together with plans and tracings. The Engineer said where they were taking the road was the right place, but it would be best to do the work at once, instead of in dribbles.

The Chairman said the whole question was the spending of the X’Boo. Ho would rather see tho Public Works Department take over the road* as it was futile to make one with .£3OO. Ho thought they should give tho settlers a horse-track if they could, but he could not see what else they could do with X'3oo. The Engineer stated that tho contract for the X3OO had been laid off, and was now ready to let. In reply to a question, the Engineer stated that when this work was completed a horse would be able to get through without much trouble.,—lt was decided that tho Engineer should submit his plans to the Commissioner of Lands, and that the work should be proceeded with. engineer’s report. Mr DoGennes Fraser, County Engineer, reported: Contract 7, collecting beach shingle,

Puatae; The contractor has now some 697 yards stacked, and a small quantity has been spread on the hill as weather permits. Road formation. Gisborne-Mahia road : This contract has been completed satisfactorily as far as peg 46. Reducing grades, NVaipaoa river road : The contractor is still engaged at these cuttings, and tho work will be inspected as soon as I hear that they are completed, probably in a few days. Contract 19, metalling Waimata road : On my last visit (20th inst.), tho contractor had some 250 yards quarried at tho face, and about 70 yards carted out to the road, all in spawls. Repairs to Waipaoa bridge : Most of tho timber is on the ground, and the contractor will proceed with the work ns soon as tho river is low enough for opera-

tions. Metalling, etc., Murewai road : There has been about 450 yards of metal quarried and broken. No work has yet been done towards formation. On tho Gisbornc-Tolago road the worst portion is near Waimoko bridge, and I should recommend during the summer that the approaches bo metalled and portion of tho hill re-formed. At Tapuae point, owing to continuous trouble with the running slip, a track for wheel traffic has been cleared round the point, which is available at threc-quartor tide. On the Gisborne-Wairoa road the road is bad at Ahimaniwa, and should bo metalled from Tiniroto towards Te Reinga. Owing to the nature of the ground, it is very boggy and a number of culverts will have to be renewed this summer. I would also advise that tenders for maintenance metal in the depots be called for at an early date ; also that instructions bo given re clearing the slips on the several roads. Not much damage has occurred this winter, and the work could best bo done by engaging a good party ivith competent ganger. This would apply to the ArikiTaparaparac road aud Gisborne-Morqce road, and some slight extra labor on other lines. I attach herewith roport re Pholp’s section, Wainui. Considerable slips have occurred on the Ivaraka siding, and also on Inland Waipu road. Extra labor has had to be employed. Repairs, etc., have been effected to Scott’s bridge, No. 80, and it will be necessary also to repair bridge 90, near McLean’s, tho studs being decayed and tho stringers requiring understrutting. Many of the bridges tnroughout the county requiro repairs and strengthening, and 1 propose, with the consent of tho Council, to gradually do this work as occasion offers. As men-

tioned in my last report, the Te AraiMurewai road has been badly cut up with heavy traffic during tho wet xveather, and considerable repairs will have to be effected both with white stone and Patutahi metal.

The Engineer also reported on Mr Murphy’s complaint with regard to drainage at Wainui, recommending tho deepening of the road drain for half a mile, at a cost of between £5 and 416.

Regarding Mr Murphy’s complaint, it was decided to do the work as soon as the funds of the Council permitted. Other works were treated in a similar manner.

It was decided to ask the Engineer to report on the main Makauri outlet drain, a petition having been received from a number of settlers with regard to it.

VI AN GAT U NO. 2. A petition was received from the owners of property in the Mangatu No. 2 as to taking a road through the block, the signatories agreeing to pay interest on a loan of .£3OOO for the construction of the road.

Cr Tombleson thought the petition should be advertised, so as to allow for objections.

Or Jex-Blake considered the Council could do nothing with the petition. The Chairman said a very important point was involved, and he did net think the Council should be a party to allowing the petitioners to rate any settler unjustly. On looking over the petition he noticed that the whole of the property involved was valued at £19,900, and one of those who did not sign was the owner of over £7OOO worth of property, and it would appear there was a possibility of the majority attempting to coerce a settler into contributing to a loan in which lie was not benefited. The settler referred to. Mr Campbell, apparently did not benefit to any appreciable extent by the proposed loan, and he (Mr Macfarlane) would like to be assured that Mr Campbell had lmd an opportunity of knowing what was being done in the matter. Mr Cooper assured the meeting that Mr Campbell had had an opportunity of objecting, and had been in the county office whilst the matter had been talked over. Mr Campbell was acquainted with all the facts, and was in a position to have appeared at the meeting that day to oppose the passing of the proposed loan. If members wished to obstruct him (Mr Cooper) in the passing of this matter, he would know’ how to act in the future, and would not support members in anything that did not interest him.

The Chairman said that that was a very pretty view to take of the matter.

Cr .Tex -Blake did not see where the Council could stop the petition, as they had more than half of the settlors.

Cr Coo per did not sec why they should be blocked in their progressive ideas because of one man. The Chairman said notice should be given to Mr Campbell about the matter. Cr Cooper said the matter had been thoroughly threshed out. Supposing Mr Campbell did object, what could wc do ? The Chairman said it was only optional for the Council to agree to the petition.

On the motion of Cr Graham it was decided to accede to the requost of the petitioners. A similar request from the ratepayers of Tahora block to raise a loan of £IOOO was also granted. GISIIO It NIS - TIN lItO T O ROAD. A petition was received from Mr Lissant Clayton with respect to the deviation of the Gisbome-Tiniroto road, stating the advantages to bo derived from the same. On the motion of Cr Jex-Blake it was decided to forward the petition to the Surveyor-General. THIS RECENT CONFERENCE.

The Chairman gave a review of the proceedings of the recent conference of County Council delegates held in Wellington. Heretofore, he had been opposed to joining the Counties Association, but lie thought lie would have been neglecting the interests of the district if lie had not

joined this year, when so important a

a measure was under discussion, and particularly as the Premier had asked all

counties be represented. About 70 delegates wore present, representing a number of road boards as well as counties. A report of the proceedings should have been to hand before now; but, as it was not, he would explain briefly some of the

more important subjects dealt with, and proposed alterations, etc. (1) As to the the policy parts of the Bill: The franchise question did not occupy long, the Conference being emphatically unanimous that it should be allowed to remain as at present. (2) The question of dual local government was fully discussed, nearly every one of the delegates taking part. The result was to show the variable conditions and customs of different parts of the colony, the North Island being nearly all for the abolition of road boards, and tiio South Island held the opposite view, except some far south districts. Road Boards had a strong champion in Sir George Cliff jrd, representing the Waipara Board, Ashley (not having the Counties Act in force), as well as the representatives of Solwyn, Ashburton, and Geraldine (who work with Boards). The feeling of the Conference was in favor of the abolition of dual government, but in order to avoid a division decided to leave the clause as

printed. Native rates and special rates : Strong recommendation that they be on same footing as European. Biding accounts it was requested to have audited. A deputation of about 20 members waited on the Premier with the report of the Conference’s proceedings, and wore well received and thanked by him for the work they had done, and ho assured them that their recommendations would have great weight with the special committee of the House when discussing the Bill. AVith regard to the franchise he, however, was

strongly of opinion that the innovation was in accordance with the times, and as to the other policy question—the merging of Hoad Boards—he was equally positive that the present system of dual local government should bo abolished, and that if necessary counties be made smaller, and that the people should take more of the local government on their shoulders. For this reason tho Bill was a good Bill, by extending the functions of the counties. His (Mr Mncfarlane's) opinion was that there was considerable chance of the Bill not becoming law this session, as the majority of the members of the Special Committee were almost sure to be in favor of leaving the franchise as it is, and tho Premier, rather than drop out the clause for extension, will drop tho Bill. He would be sorry if it was dropped, for as amended it is a good measure. AVith regard to subsidies, the conference had some difficulty in getting a solution, and it was decided to ask that those counties which are most needy, and which strike the largest rates, should have preference. Tho Premier said his wish was to improve counties’ finance, and ho would probably legislate in the matter this session. As to the judgment given in the AVhataupoko rating case by Mr Barton, he had sent the clipping containing the report of the case to the Secretary of the Association at AVellington, and had been informed by him that a Magistrate had given an opposite decision in AVellington in a similar case. Tho conference passed a resolution that those counties which levied the highest rates should get the highest subsidies, and that the i 62500 limit should ho taken off. Mr Macfarlano further added that in talking with delegates in AA’ellington, he found that those representatives in whose districts tho broad tyre for wheels by-law was in force expressed tho opinion that this by-law was one of the best methods possible of conserving the roads.

OTHER MATTERS.

On the motion of the Chairman it was decided that a rate of -:j-d in the £ be struck for the year ending March 31st-, 1902, payable on September Ist, 1901, It was decided, on tho motion of Cr •Jex-Blake, to ask the Government to set aside a piece of laud at Parikanapa as a stock paddock.