COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 388, 12 April 1902, Page 3

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Cook County Council was held yesterday, when the following members were present : Messrs Macfarlane (Chairman), Tombleson, King, Graham, Hutchinson, W. Cooper, Mossman, and JexBlake. ” CORRESPONDENCE.; A communication was received from tiie Department of Land and Survey, Napier, stating that £79 11s 7d had been certified to for metalling the Waimat-a-Ormond road, and stating that a voucher ior the balance of the grant £l2O should he sent.—Received. The Road Surveyor, Napier, wrote requesting the Council to forward a schedule of all works (roads, bridges, etc.,) in the . district, for (which: they wished that provision should be made on the Public Works estimates for the year 1902.3.—The Chairman said they had forwarded it before, and thev should send the list again.

The P.B. Road Board wrote opposing the Council’s suggestion that one health inspector should be appointed for the whole county, each Board paying a share of his salary, on the grounds that they have no funds available for the purpose. —The Chairman said that they could only reply to Dr Fitch, of Napier, that the Road Board did not see their way to fall in with, the proposal. The Waimata Road Board wrote agreeing to the Council retaining £IOO of its subsidy towards the contribution for metalling the Waimata road ; also approving of the Council si protest re excessive charges for revising valuation rolls. The Department of Roads, Wellington, wrote intimating that instructions had been given for the road surveyor at Napier to certify totlie payment of £2OO grant for metalling Or-mond-Waimata toad. It further stated that the Department had now agreed to supply the two urgent grants applied for, but that any further grants would not be available. Mr William Nettie wrote thanking the Council for so promptly passing a vote for the Ka'iti footpath, and trusting that the work would be put in hand early, so that it might be completed before the bad weather set in.—Received. 'The Wairoa County Council wrote agreeing to expend the £5 per annum ottered by the Council for maintenance of road from Kaitearahai bridge to Ruakituri crossing for two yearsSome discussion ensued as to whether the Wairoa Council were fulfilling the local Council’s offer in not taking any responsibility.-It was decided that the Wairoa County Council must, it they take over the money, be liable for the piece of road. Permission was granted to Messrs Sproule and McCutchan, Wharekopae, to erect swing gates. . . M. A. Neall applied for permission to cut firewood on the Waiapaoa river road, guaranteeing to keep alt tanner clear of the road.-The Engineer upon being asked, informed the Council that the road ran in and out of private property, and that it was a rather risky matter to accede to the request The application was declined.,

ENGINEER'S REPORT.

In hi 3 report the Engineer stated that the wet weather had delayed the work of metalling the Waimata road. The contractor had quarried and broken his stone and was now engaged in carting. The road machine had lately been employed on the Waiapu inland road, which had practically been reformed over the worst portions. The machine was now engaged in forming up, preparatory to metalling, the short piece of road near the ford, through Mr Hutchinson s property. The metalling of Puatae Hill had been satisfactorily completed. A'dispute has arisen in .connection with the formation and metalling of the Waipaoa river road. The contractor was instructed by the Council to complete his formation prior to metalling, whereas ho (the Engineer) found on inspection only somo six or eight chains of formation completed and the metal of inferior quality heaped up along the centre of the formation rendering it difficult to properly inspect the portion already formed. The excuse given by the contractor was that being afraid of wet weather he had been induced by the settlers to proceed in this manner. The clearing of the main outlet drains was being proceeded with. A contract had been let for carting maintenance gravel for Gray’s Hill—some 150 yards will have been delivered in a few days. The metal was from Waerenga-a-hika ford (the only material available) and was of inferior quality, fully 3 to 1 of sand. He was afraid that it would be of little permanent good as most of the material would wash or blow away. As he had previously pointed out to the Council a good job could only be made by breaking up the road and napping the stones, and afterwards giving a coat of broken metal. This would not be more costly than carting the present rubbish. The boat at Pakarae had been disabled during the recent flood and was being brought to Gisborne for repairs. The survey and trading of the Huanui-Tauwhareparae road was being proceeded with. On the Mangatu road 41 miles had been graded and levelled which, when let, would complete the road to the Mangatu stream. A small party was also engaged in completing the culverting of the front portion and widening the culverts to 14 feet. On the Tolago-Hick’s Bay road a bad spot dangerous to traffic required attention. A culvert and filling being necessary. The approximate cost would be £lO. With regard to the road machine the Chairman suggested discontinuing the work as funds were low. Cr King asked that the machine should be kept on and used to remove the mounds on the sides of the road in the Gisborne riding, and this was agreed to. In connection with the contract for the

formation and metalling of Waipaoa River Road, it was decided to withhold payment until the Engineer was satisfied with the work done.

Be Gray’s Hill it was agreed that the road should be made in sections as the Council could afford it, and the present gravel being put on the road would serve this year’s purposes.

Discussion took place regarding the Pakarae punt, the Chairman stating that Mr Shaw received the sum of .£lO per year for the maintenance of the ferry, and it was a condition of tire license that he should keep it in repair. It was decided to repair the old boat and send it back as soon as possible. Speaking of the Tolago Bay-Tokomaru road the Chairman said that repairs were required near the boundary. Since the Waiapu Council had constructed a wheeled road to Tokomaru there had been considerable traffic on the road, and the work suggested by the Engineer should be done. He moved accordingly.—Crs Jex-Blake and King supported the motion, the latter remarking that one would soon be able to drive through to the East Cape. Another member said that the Waiapu Council were bragging a lot about their roads but after the loan money was expended there would be a different tale to tell. The motion was carried.

Division of Riding. Cr King’s motion for the division of the Te Arai riding was discussed. The Chairman said that the Te Arai riding was fully represented at present. He quoted figures in support of this statement. Cr Jex-Blake said that it was proposed to take off part of the Waikohu riding. _ Cr Graham said the notice of mution

was to divide the Te Arai riding so that it would have three members instead of two. Cr King said that the matter had been threshed out at a previous meeting, and the Waikohu members were agreeable. Cr Cooper replied that he was present at the meeting and was not in accord with Cr King’s views. Cr King; But you said nothing at the time.

Cr Cooper: Perhaps not; and this is the time to speak. Cr King said that the matter had been fairlv and honestly discussed at a previous meeting, and an arrangement arrived at. It was shown that the Te Arai riding could bo cut into three, in such a way that there would only be £2OO difference in the representation of Te Arai and Waikohu.

The Chairman said that nothing appeared on the minutes as to a decision having been arrived at. Ho was not present at the meeting, and could not state what had taken place. Cr King complained that the minutes did not explain what had been done and what agreement had been arrived at. Cr Jex-Blake said that the only division that was required was to give that portion of Te Arai near the Coast another member. The Ngatapa Road Board could be thrown into Patutahf. Cr King moved, “ That Te Arai have an extra member, so that the southern district might be more justly represented.” He showed that the settlers on the flat in the vicinity of Patutahi could outvote those in the Te Arai and southern portions of the county. Cr Ivlossman thought the Te Arai residents approved of Cr King’s suggestion. Ho fully recognised that justice was not being done to those living near the Coast. There was a general complaint that members did not travel the roads in the

locality in question, and it was only fair that the district should have a member of

its own. He thought they should have two members for Patu tahi, and one for the southern Coast portion. Cr King said that he was fighting on the principle that the man who paid a shilling in rates should not have the same say as the man who paid twenty. It was explained that the Te Arai riding at present took in Patutahi, and had two representatives. Cr King’s motion sought to have a third representative for that portion of the riding near the Coast, so that small holders on the flat could not out-vote those, in the back blocks. The Clerk stated that the present representation was as follows : —Tolago (£381,506) one member, Waimata (£378,719) one member, Whataupoko (£261,907) one member, Gisborne (£282,575) one member, Waikobu (£721,831) two members, Arai (£951,612) two members.

The Chairman said the representation was based upon the present rateable value of European properties. Cr King said that he wanted, to see a man from Hangaroa to represent that district. He did not care how many members they had from Patutahi. The question of the severance of the Ngatapa station from the Waikohu riding was discussed, but the Clerk pointed out that to do this a petition would have to be obtained with the signatures of twothirds of the ratepayers in the district affected. This would mean a little trouble to obtain.

Or Tombleson- pointed out that tho valuation of Hangaroa, Tiniroto, and adjoining districts was not large enough to warrant them having a member, unless it was thought that special consideration should be given to the back-blocks. Tho valuations of the districts mentioned would shortly amount to .£200,000, and warrant them having a representative. After further discussion, the Chairman moved as an amendment that the Waikohu riding should bo divested of the lower portion of the Ngatapa Road Board, and that a new riding be formed, to consist of the lower part of Ngatapa station, tho Patutahi Road 'Board, the Te Aroha Hoad district, Hangaroa, and surrounding districts, with two members, and that Te Arai district also have one member, the otkor four ridings to remain as at present. This was agreed to, and it was decided to write to the Ngatapa Road Board, ask-

ing them to form their district into two wards, so that the division mentioned might be effected.

YARDS FOR TRAVELLING STOCK. Or Jex-Blake complained of the position of the yards at tho foot of Gentle Annie. About two years ago the Council decided to erect yards in the locality mentioned, but the matter was allowed to slide for a time. He afterwards went with Cr Mossman to view tho proposed site, huf they could not come to an agreement. The site pointed out was in his (Cr Jex-Blake) opinion a regular bog, and unfit for yards. He asked Cr Mossman to get another member of the Council to approve of the site, and suggested Cr King, Instead of erecting two. large yards they had put up three small ones, and the site chosen was altogether uneuitable.

Cr King said that he understood the yards were to be erected on the spur near Craiil’s. People said that they would not put sheep in the yards. Cr Mossman said that after hearing from Cr Jex-Blake that objection was taken to tho proposed position of the yards, be agreed to Cr King visiting the locality with himself, for the purpose of inspecting the site. Cr King did not turn up at the time appointed, and the next thing he (Cr Mossman) heard was that the timber was on the ground. The Engineer had seen the locality, and eonid could ni t find the fault that Cr Jex-Blake had pointed out. The Engineer agreed that the yards should be erected on the present site. He (Cr Mossman) had travelled the road in question for over twenty years, and had never known it to be flooded. The yards had frequently been used, and recently there had been one mob of 3000 there. The reason that three yards were erected instead of two was that it was more advantageous to drovers in drafting their stock. He had greater interest in the yards than any other member of the Council, as it was the only road he could travel. Was it likely that a man who had travelled the district in question for over tweDty years would erect yards in a swamp, as Cr Jex-Blake would have them believe ?

Cr Jex-Blake said that he had passed the locality on many occasions, and had often seen it flooded, as had also Cr King. Mr Craill had told him that it was simply a farce putting the yards in their present position. The Chairman said that sufficient had been said about the matter. Tho Council did not attribute blame to any member.

A SURVEY WANTED. Cr Cooper notified bis intention of moving that the Council be asked to survey a road up the Maugatu in order to give access to the properties of Messrs Campbell, Guthrie-Smitb, and Barron Bros.

A ROAD DRAIN. Cr Jex-Blake drew the attention of the Council to the state of the road drain near the Bridge Hotel. The water was lying there very badly, and something should be done at once. The matter was referred to the Engineer.