MEETING AT PATUTAHI.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 318, 20 January 1902, Page 4

MEETING AT PATUTAHI.

A public meeting was held at Patutalii on Friday night, to consider the (jiiestion of the destruction of county roads bv the carling of metal in wet ’.vealiier. There were between -10 and :,0 present, and intense interest was taken in the proceedings. Mr O. Gallagher was voted to the chair, and explained the objects of the meeting, stating that the Wairoa road had not been kept in proper repair, and that the outlet drains had not been cleaned for the past two or three years. The quarry road was also in a bad state.

Mr Mossman, one of the members for tire riding on the County Council, said he was aware that the outlet drains had not been cleaned for the period mentioned, hut the drain past Mr Smith's had been cleaned out a year ago. He hoped to have got the [/minin' one cleaned out, but funds won't not permit, and he would watch out. He had fought his best, but funds were the trouble. He stated that acton had been taken before the meeting was called to get the Wairoa road put in proper repair, the engineer having put 7U yards of metal on the road. His year was the worst the Council had experienced as more metal was being carted from the quarry than at any previous time He had secured instruction to have the Wairoa road thoroughly repaired, and Mr Gallagher had been empowered to order as much metal for the road as 'it may require from time to time. In regard to the stoppage of trailie in wet weather, Mr Mossman stated that the side road near the quarry was being fenced and locked. He could not do any more in the matter. (Voice : Can’t do less. Laughter.) Mr Mossman : I did all I could. (Voice : What about the mud ?) Mr Mossman : I can explain that, I think. Mr Mossmar. went on if) explain as to how poor metal had been put on the road. He had noticed when blasting that the metal seemed good, hut when it broke it contained a lot of loose small metal. This small stuff was being

being shovelled into the carts ; and he asked the tallyman if lie had not been instructed to examine the stone. The tallyman replied in the negative, and Mr Mossman told him about the complaints tli.u were in the air about poor metal being put on the roads. 'l’lie tallyman agreed to put the stuff on one side, and since that time he had not heard any more about it. Mr Doherty : Where lias all this muck gone to for the last two or three rears ? Mr Mossman : I have not been on the Council for more than a year, so 1 do not know.

Mr Doherty : Who keeps the management of tlie quarry ? Mr Mossman : The tallyman. Voices : Oh ! Mr Bayliss : Can you tell me, Mr Mossman, how it is the road is not kept in repair while the depots are being filled ? Mr Mossman staled that the road was being kepi in repair, for he had arranged for a man to he put on. j\ir Bayliss : Ls the same price given for the metal tiiis year as last year ? If it is so the slufT is not worth it, as it is broken too small. Mr Mossman : The breaking of the stone to a smaller size is owing to the new crusher now at work. The mouth of the machine is at present close, but doubtless it will improve as the crushing continues. Mr Doherty spoke very strongly on the matter. lie stated that for every 100 yards of stone carted out of the quarrv, 20 yards was pure mud. If Mr Mossman had stopped the tallyman from carting the rubbish, where had all the rubbish gone to for the last two or three years ? It was not at the quarry. He considered the present Council' the most wasteful one they had ever hud, Even ff they got £IOOO from the Patutahi riding they could not keep the roads in order and have a clean sheet. A Voice : Quite true. Mr Mossman considered that Mr Doherty should get into flic Council, Whiph elicited, a reply from Mr Doherty to the effect that he did not wish to have that honor. Mr Mossman reiterated that the road this year had carried more traffic than at any previous time, and would continue to earn- a heavy traffic until the train brought into town Hie gravel from the Big River Mr Bilham considered the speakers were wandering' from the subject, When the Patutahi Road Board controlled the quarry they stopped the carting of metal in wet weather. The Wairoa road was then in a good state, but now the road was cut up and the Council used the ratepayers money to repair it. Perhaps they would blame the Engineer, but they must remember that he was the servant of the Council. The Council had obtained about £521 a year from them in rates .—and what had they received in return ? One ratepayer had got the drain past his place, cleaned out, and he did not see wiiy the other drains should not also he cleaned out. They were groaning under the bad roads, and lie considered there should he a change in tiie Council. The roads were being destroyed through the imbecility of the Council. (Hear, hear). Mr Mossman said the roads had only ■ been cut up by the bad weather. The roads had never been properly formed. A Voice : Yes, they had. My Mossman : No. Voice : You mean the County roads. (Laughter.) Mr Doherty : What has become of the mud and clay taken from the quarry for the last two years ? Mr Mossman : The ratepayers ought to know. I was not then in the district.

A Voice : They gave Is 5d a yard for it. Mr Doherty : No, 'ls 7d. One third of it was dust. Look at the metal the Borough Council gets ! A Voice : There’s a difference in the Councils.

Mr Doherty : Yes, the Borough Council gets stone and the County Council mud. (Laughter). Mr Mossman stated the Borough Council took their metal in bulk, while the County Council used the smaller stuff, and in consequence the metal used by the Council was inferior. He would tell the Council the opinion of the meeting. A Voice : Yes, we are a happy lot. (Laughter).

The Chairman stated that as the Council received £521 from the riding they should clean out the drains. If they could not get tlie work done hv fair means, they would have lo get it done by some other means. They had two members representing them in the Council, and he thought they should not allow the Chairman to do as he liked. lie considered that the Patutahi district had been greatly neglected.

In reply to Mr Bayliss, Mr Mossman stated that he did not know how, many yards of stone came out of the quarry. Mr Bayliss stated that he would like to see the Palutahi Hoad Board resume control of the quarry. A Voice : You bet we will.

Mr Rodgers spoke against allowing the Borough Council to take such a large supply from the quarry, as it was at present doing. He considered there should be some regulations on the subject.

A lot of discussion their ensued as to whether royalty was charged to the Borough Council, and on one ratepayer stating that he would give £5 to the hospital if it was found that lie was incorrect that no royalty was charged, the subject dropped. In replv to Mr Bilham, Mr Mossman said that the plant at the quuarry belonged to the Council. Mr Mossman asked if it was not intended to send a resolution to the Council. A Voice : I suppose it will be “ received ” like the last. Mr Smith : You should make a strong protest. Mr Mossman : I will. Mr Bilham proposed, and Mr Smith seconded, that the following resolution be sent to the Council :—“ Resolved that this meeting of ratepayers to-night assembled to consider the bad state of the roads, consider that the present state of the roads is due to the County Council not attending to and supervising the carting of the stone from the quarry and itoepieg

■he Work of caning during wet and . i.-ad weather, and that the good stone i has been allowed to lie taken by the j Borough Council, while the inferior ! and bad rubbish has been carted i'or i the County roads.” The resolution was then put and i carried. |