COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 335, 8 February 1902, Page 3

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Cook County Council was held yesterday, when the following members were present: Messrs James Macfarlano (in the chair), King, Hutchinson, Mossman, Jex-Blake, and Tombleson. GOVERNMENT VOTES. With r»gard to the lapsed Government votes, the Chairman stated that he had interviewed Mr Carroll and given him particulars. He had brought up the question of the Nuhaka road, and the Minister had promised to give the matter all the assistance in his power. A communication was received from Mr Carroll in reference to tbo road grants, stating that he was informed by the Roads Department that it was not anticipated there would be any difficulty if the Council sent the contracts as requested in tho circular re lapsed votes, except under No. 8063, in which case the Council had stated that the trustees of Maugatu had executed .£SOO worth of work preparatory to handing over the road to tho County. Before making the payment some further > information would be required by the De--1 partment. A telegram was received from Mr C. \V. Hursthouse, Chief Engineer of Roads, stating that tho Chief Surveyor at Napier was making inquiries as to works in hand and liabilities entered into in respect of these agreements, and when his report was to hand tho question of whether they would be re-granted to the County would be considered. Tho Chairman said that the reply was far from satisfactory. Cr Cooper said that Mr Hursthouse was evidently now to tho business, or olse he | was endeavoring to shuffle out of the matter. Cr Mossman was of opinion that the reply was a put-off. The Chairman considered the position was good enough to make the Government pay. Tho Clerk said that the Survey Department had so far not made any enquiries. It was decided to inform the Department that the information was available. The Department of Roads wrote, stating that it was improbable that the moneys voted by Parliament for Gisborne, Tolago, Hick’s Bay, and other roads could be authorised, but if tho Council pointed out which were most urgent the matter would be brought under the notice of the Minister of Lands. The Chairman thought the Council should have selected a few”of the votes. Cr Jex-Blake said this course had been followed. The Clerk pointed out that 17 of the votes had been applied for, representing over £3OOO. It was found that the amount of the votes applied for reached £4600.

Cr Jcxß'ake said the lapsing of votes was opposed to what lit Duncan had said last autumn, that this year’s votes would be available early in the year. It was decided to request that the votes for two urgent works be authorised, viz., East Coast road, £'looo, and Wairoa road £i>oo. TKLKI'IIONE EXTENSION'. A communication was received from the Telegraph Department with reference to the extension of the telephone line to Tiniroto, stating that it was regretted that the request for extension could not be granted. A Councillor expressed the opinion that the Government must be keeping the money for the Coronation. ORMOND ROAD. Mr G. K. Pasle.y wrote calling attention to the had state of the drain on the south sido of the Ormond road. The Engineer was instructed to get the work done. PATCTAUI IIOAD BOARD. The Patutahi Road Board forwarded the resolution passed by the meeting of ratepayers held on January 7th in reference to the state of County roads. The Chairman stated that the Engineer was attending to the matter.

TE KARAKA DRAIN'S. A complaint was received from Mrs Evinson, storekeeper, Ivaraka, re the filthy state of the drains surrounding her shop, and asking the Council to attend to the same. It was decided to write to the Ngatapa Road Board, as the local Board of Health, having control, pointing out that people were draining their slops into the road drain. WAIROA COUNTV COUNCIL. The Wairoa County Council wrote with reference to an offer by the Cook Council of the rates from run 52, Tuahu S.D., towards maintaining the road from the ICaitarabai bridge to the Ruakituri crossing, pointing out that at least a mile of the road was part of the main Gis-borno-'Wairoa road, and from any point ot view the Wairoa Council could not bo asked to maintain it out of its funds, but if the Cook Council would allow £lO per year the Wairoa Council would maintain for two years this piece of the main read and the bye-road leading therefrom to the Ruakituri bridge. It was decided that the Council should offer £lO for the maintenance of the road, and ask if the Wairoa Council would consent to a revision of' boundaries.

ranger’s report. The ranger, Mr Parsons, reported that 176 horses and 38 sheep had been impounded during the past month. TUE WAIKOHU BLOCK. Mr J. E. Foster waited on the Council in regard to his objection to the taking of land for a road through the Waikohu block, the principal ground being that the proposed road deviation would out oil the supply of water for stock by taking away the river frontage. The Chairman said that there was no doubt that the road would be a nuisance, but they could decide what the compensation for taking the land would be. Mr Foster said the road would bo an unmitigated nuisance. At present lie was only lodging an objection, and the question of compensation could ho considered afterwards. 1 ?

In reply to tho Chairman, Mr Foster refused to give evidence at the meeting as to the damage caused by the road. He could not say at present what the value of the damage would bo. It was decided that Mr Foster would be informed when he would be required to give an estimate of the damage done, the Chairman informing the objector that if the Council had tho money they would take the road. It was further resolved that Mr Walter Hutchinson bo requested to meet tho Council with regard to the portion of his laud affected by the taking of tho road.

ENGINEER’S REPORT. The County Engineer, Mr De G. Eraser, reported as follows : Good j,-ogress lias been made with the several contracts in hand, and the end of i lie present month should see the balance of maintenance metal delivered I would respectfully point out to your Council that the greatest damage is being done to the roads by carting with heavy loads and narrow tyres, as much as 21 yards of Patutahi metal being put on drays with tyres of from 21 to 2f inches. One of the drays employed has what appears to be 5 inch tyres, and comparatively little damage is done. It would be advisable to have your tyre byelaw in operation before next season. The contract for metalling Patutahi road to the quarry has been completed, but some repairs will he necessary owing to the late heavy carting. On the Wairoa-Clisborne road a contract has been completed for metalling 401 chains near Gentle Annie; a steep grade in the road lias also been reduced, On the Waimata road the balance o' spawls from the road and the quarry has been carted to the depot, and arc now being broken. The contractor is now employed quarrying the balance of metal required. I am a’so getting picked stones from creek .'aid ready for breaking near Richardson’s hill. The contract for metalling Wainui road near creamery is being energetically pushed on and more than half the stone delivered and a large proportion broken. The road machine lias beer shifted, 'and is now working 'rom the Ivaraka toward Orr’s, Inland Waiapu road. Good work is being done. It has been found necessary to purchase another plough to keep the machine going. Repairs are being effected on the Wairoa road. I have arranged that the contractor for depot metal on this road should deliver his quantity direct on the road. A gate l;<,s also been erected at the quarry, which is locked after rain, to prevent a.iy carting during wet weather. I cpnend herewith report on Walsh’s chain. As Mr T. O’Donnell's maintenance contract expired last month I have arranged with him to tempordy continue until the Council demaes for the future.— D. Cl. Fraser, County Engineer. Outlet drain —Messrs Tombleson and Walsh.—With regard to this matter, on which I was instructed to report, 1 may state that in company with Cr I'ombleson I visited the locality on

Int Slot January, and attach herewith i-ugh sketch. This drain has been run across the main road to its outlet at the river, and follows generally the c rection of a natural depression or vatereour.se much overgrown with ness, etc. Apparently to obtain bettei ground for cutting the drain as an c tlet it has been constructed on fairly solid ground, and not actually in the swamp and the level is slightly higher—consequently while acting as an outlet for storm water from the main road culvert and lands adjacent, it docs not effectually drain the swampy land on Messrs Tombleson s and Walsh’s properties. The railway Department has constructed a bridge across the swampy watercourse, but the embankment runs across the outlet drain, the effect of which lias been to block storm water in the drain for a short distance until it is backed to the lc-el of the swamp. While this would cause a further amount of water to lay on Messrs Tombleson and Walsh’s properties, I do not consider that any appreciable damage or backing up of water would be caused at the" culvert on properties west of ti,e main drain The Railway Department should, however, be requested to continue the outlet under the bridge as far as necessary.

In regard to the question of broader tyres, the matter was discussed at length by the Council. It was pointed out that to put contractors and others to the expense of getting broader tyres would mean that the Council would have to pay more for its supply of metal. It was decided not to enforce the by-law, and consideration of the matter was deferred until next meeting. The Engineer’s report was adopted.

TE AEAI SUBSIDY. Messrs Clark and Parker waited upon the Board in reference to the Te Arai Road Board subsidy. They pointed out that the Board was in a bad way financially, and if the Council refused the subsidy on account of the Board’s indebtedness that a rate would have to be struck to carry out necessary works. Considerable discussion ensued, and the Council decided to grant the Board the sum of £SO,