COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 372, 22 March 1902, Page 3

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

The Council met yesterday. Present: Crs Graham, Cooper, Hutchinson (in the . chair), Tombleson, Mossman, and King. _ In regard to the Kaiti drain, the Engineer stated nothing had been done in the matter. It would place the Kaiti Board in an awkward position if the drain were filled in, as it would cause the surrounding land to be flooded. What had been arranged with tha Board tvas that the Kaiti local body should put a culvert across the main road, but they had not done so. By filling in the drain it would not hurt the city road, but would flood DeLautour road. By the contour of the country, he thought the drain should have been taken down one of the side streets, as their Engineer had advised. —Cr Cooper thought that there had beon enough tinkering in connection with the matter, and that the drain should be filled in.— Ur Tombleson considered that enough time had been allowed the Board to make arrangements. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr John Howarth gave notice that, the decayed vegetable matter in the Patutahi drain being so offensive, he could not proceed with the work of clearing it. Fresh tenders had been called. Mr R. N. Jones, solicitor, wrote, stating he had been instructed by Mr H. Currie to call attention to the fact that he - was suffering damage through the shortness of the supply of collars. He was unable i to register dogs, and would have to go

over the same ground again, which was never anticipated when he took . over the contract. Unless steps were immediately taken to put Mr Currie in hi? proper position, he would have to take such steps in the matter as he may be advised. In any case, Mr Currie would expect the Council to make some compensation for the loss sustained. The Clerk stated that the letter was most unreasonable, as there were ouly 1980 in the registrar’s book last year. Deducting the Maori dogs, 1800 should be a fair estimate to start with this year. As soon as he had learned that Mr Currie was short, he immediately ordered more collars, but they had been carried on to Auckland, causing delay. A fortnight from when he heard of the shortness of collars, a further consignment was received. The Chairman did not think the Council could be held liable for anything further than actual expenses. —Received. The Arai Road Board requested that particulars of the Karawa bridge loan be supplied them, —Supplied. Mr C. E. Armstrong, Public Works Office, Gisborne, wrote stating he hac been instructed to inform the Council that their letter in reference to the use o; the Gisborne.Karaka railway for a supply of Kaiteratahi gravel had been submitted with the Engineer’s report, to the Under Secretary, Wellington.—Received. Mr Charles Gray called the Council’! attention to the necessity of cleaning ou the drains on the Gisborne-Ormond road

The outlet drains also required attention, especially the one leading through Mr Nock’s property. Cr Tombleson suggested that the most straightforward reply would bo that the drains were cleaned out last year, and the Council was not responsible for the outlets.—lt was agreed to reply to that effect. Mr Peter Wright, Motu, requested that a portion of the old road be improved where it came to the Motu road, at the deviation of the road through Downes’, now Bridges’ property, to enable him to get a dray into where he was now building. The length of the road to be improved was five chains, cost about £2 10s, which the writer would do the work for if this sum was granted • by the Council. On the motion of Cr ' Graham, seconded by Cr Cooper, it was decided to grant the request. Messrs Sproule and McCutchan, AVharekopae, applied for permission to erect a swing-gate across the Wharekopae road, and a similar gate at the point of exit. It was their intention to fence off the road and remove the gates as soon as the road

was available for wheel traffic. As the application had not been advertised for the statutory 14 days, consideration of the application was deferred. Mr N. H. Shaw wrote, by direction of the Motu Settlers’ Association, asking that tho surfaceman on the Motu road be instructed to break up the boulders in tho various creek crossings, and those that cropped out on the surface of the road in places, as their presence caused unnecessary jolting and wear and tear to wheeled traffic. Tho Engineer statod that Mr Jackson, Government overseer, had agreed to lend the Council’s workman any tools required, and ho had instructed the suraceman to do what was required. The Secretary to the Treasury wroto, stating that with reference to the further loan of £2OO (being 10 per cent on £2OOO loan) for metalling road to Quarry Reserve, Patutahi, he had to point out that the Council must forward the Chairman’s sealed certificate to the effect that the original loan of £2OOO had been exclusively expended upon the works for which it was made, and had been found insufficient to complete the said works, and that tbo further expenditure contemplated was covered by the previous consent of tho ratepayers. It would also be necessary for the Council to levy a fresh special rate as the security for this further loan, in accordance with sub-section 3 of section 68 of the Local Bodies Loans Act, 1901, —The Clerk said he had prepared tho required resolution in order to comply with the Department’s request. Mr J. H. Fergns wrote that a great favor would be conferred on him if tho feeling of councillors re wool branding on sheep were made known, and also if they as a body would assist in trying to remove tho exemption from branding now covering the Cook County.—Or Tombleson said an Act had been passed in connection with sheep branding, which had to be adopted by the different Councils. The Cook County Council had not adopted the provisions of the Act.—Received. The Engineer, Mr De G. Fraser, reported : Contract 20 : Formation HangaroaTiniroto road satisfactorily completed, excepting culverting. Contract 25 : Deepening and clearing drains, Ormond Domain and road, satisfactorily completed. Contract 22 : Formation near Poututu station satisfactorily completed. Contract 28: Metal repairs, Lavenham road, completed. The contract for clearing drains on this road is now under way. Contract 27 : Metalling Wainui road, near creamery. This work is now completed, some 16 chains of road having been metalled. The grade of the road has been reduced to 1 in 13, and the ford re-fixed. Contract 26: Supplying horses for road machine. The contract time having expired, I would ask tho Council whether it proposes to continue the work. The machine is at present engaged on the inland Waiapu road, eight miles of which is practically reformed, and the machine is now proceeding with work beyond Kanaekanae. Contract 24 : Metalling Waimata road. The contractor expects shortly to have the requisite quantity quarried and broken, and will then proceed with the reformation and spreading. Contract 33 : Formation and metalling, Waiapu inland road. The contractor has made a start with this work. Contract 29 : Metalling on Putae Hill. Will be completed in a few days. The balance of metal ou the back will also be used in repairs to hill on north side. Contract 23 : Carting to metal depots. Will be completed in a few days, with the exception of some stone breaking at Kaiti and Wbataupoko depots. Contract 30: Walsh’s drain completed. Three contracts for clearing drains are

also in band. Urgont repairs have been effected to a number of bridges in different parts of the county. Repairs to the extent of £lO are much required on the Panikau road before the winter sets in, and the Tatapouri and Makarori will require surface labor for a month. survey party is now engaged in tracing the road line in connection with the Hunui loan works, and work is also being carried on at Mangatu. I may state that with regard to this latter, that the Lands Department have notified that they have for the present stopped expenditure. The work done under the £SOO grant has completed two miles and twenty chains of road (which will require, however, to be widened in places), excepting culverts, which lam now having put in. I propose shortly to proceed with the forina'tion work from two miles twenty chains towards the trig station and down the siding to the Mangatu Valley. A new Coney level and staff is required for the Council’s use, nay own instruments being in use in other parts of the county.. Several recommendations contained in the Engineer’s report were agreed to. It was resolved that the road machine should be kept on the inland Waiapu road for the next three weeks until this road was finished. The Engineer stated there were eight horses employed, which with the driver cost £2 a day for the working of the machine. Mr W. L. Oates asked permission to put a culvert across the drain near his section at Makauri. —Permission granted, Cr King remarking that others put in culverts without asking leave. A petition was brought before the Council by Messrs Mungo, William Douglas, and James Andrews, Whangara loan district No. 2, consenting to a special rate of 2£d in the £ being levied on their sections for a loan of £3OO under the Loans to Local Bodies Act, 1901, for the purpose of constructing a bridge over the Waimoko river and approaches thereto, the currency of the loan to be 26 years, rate an annually recurring one until the loan was fully paid off; interest the rate of per cent. The resolution granting the request was confirmed, and the petition will be sent to Government. The Council decided to pay the cost of the survey of the river road, Mangatu, but the account for the survey of the Ridge road was held over pending the result of the Council’s communication to the settlers asking them to consent to this survey being paid out of the loan umney.