COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 846, 21 March 1903, Page 3

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING

Tho ordinary meeting of the Cook County Council was held yesterday, when the following members were present :

Captain Tucker (in the chair), Crs White, Clayton, Matthews, Dobbie, Gray, Hard ing, aud Richardson.

CORRESPONDENCE

Mr Thomas Caldwell, of Hauiti, wrote in regard to the private road mentioned by Mr Iteeves at the previous meeting. He pointed out that Mr Iteeves had every assistance granted him both by the Land Board and the writer. It was now two years since he had agreed to let Mr Beeves have the said right of way through his land, Mr Iteeves agreeing to pay a certain compensation for the privilege. Nothing stood in the way of Mr Iteeves having the road but the mutter of compensation, which did not appear to be forthcoming. The Chairman said that the statements of Messrs Iteeves and Caldwell were directly opposed to each other. It was decided to send a copy of Mr Caldwell’s letter to Mr Iteeves. Mr W. Graham and others wrote askiDg the Council to reconsider the question of granting .£ls as a subsidy to deepen the Mahunga drain according to the Engineer’s ostimate. It was a county drain. They thought the Council were entitled to give a fair proportion of the cost of deepening the drain, as it would be a benefit to a portion of the Inland Waiapu road. The sottlers had subsciibed £SO, us

they admitted it partly benefited private proporty. Cr Dobbie gave notice of motion to rescind the former resolution, and grant tbo request of the settlers. The Tiniroto Fanners’ Union wrote thanking tbe Council for sending the road

machine to the Wairoa-Gisborno road.

stating that the settlers wore pleased with the work dono by it. A letter was enclosed to Mr Hursthouse, and the Council’s support asked on the subject.—Cr Clayton said that the letter referred to the proposed expenditure of a further £2OO on the Hangaroa Tiniroto road, which it was

hoped the Council would support them in

getting. It had been promised that when the first £2OO was expended on the road that the second £2OO would be granted.—

'he Council decided to forward the letter

with a strong recommendation that the money should be spent while the weather

was suitable.

Mr G. White, ltuangarehu, Te Karaka, drew attention to the state of the main outlet drain running through Mr Bond’s property, commonly known as Scott’s tiusb, which was in a bad state with fallen umber and vegetation. Mr Bond was prepared to heip if the work were done at once.—The Council decided that as the druin appeared to be a private watercourse hey could not entertain tbe request. The Borough Council asked for payment )f £123 16a 6d, being 11 28ths the Couu. oil s share of the maintenance of the Turan-

ganui and Taruheru bridges for six months, also £5, being a third of the maintenance of the Taruheru footbridge for 12 months. The Waimata Road Board wrote agreeing to have work done on the Waimata road in terms of the Council’s letter of .Vlarch 10th. -It was decided, on the suggestion of Cr Matthews, to do the work by day labor.

The District Health Officer, Napier, stated he had decided to place the matter of the Malawhero felltnongery in the

hands of the Public Prosecutor, to take proceedings against Mr Bourke, and the Department would recover cost of pro-

ceedings from the local body responsible. The Treasury forwarded a statement of the advances received by the Council un-

der tbe Loans to Local Bodies Act, 1901, and giving particulars of the interest

payable. The Railway Department wrote stab

ing that the Council's request for a supply of old rails would be duly consi-

The Postal Department informed the Council that their letter of the 10th inst.,

in regard to telephone concessions, would

receive immediate attention,

The County Ranger reported that 60 head of horses and nine sheep had been impounded during the past month.

engineer’s report. Mr D. G. Fraser, County Engineer, reported :—“ Contract 43, erection of bridge, Waimoko: This contract, which is still

muoh behindhand, is likely to be pushed

on this month as the difficulty of the timber seems to have been overcome, and most of other material is on the

ground. “ Contract 45, metalling Wairoa-Gia-borne road: Completed. “ Contract 48, supplying horses for road machine: Tbe time having expired for which the machine was authorised to be

employed, work has been discontinued, and the machine laid up. Contract 51, road formation, Mahia road: The contractor reports about 50 chains completed in the rough. “ Contract 52, metalling Tolago-Hick’s Bay road: Completed. “ Contract 55, metalling with gravel, Whataupoko Ormond road: Completed. “ Contract 58, breaking and stacking stone, Wainui: The contractor proposos to start this work in a few days.

“ Contract 60, metalling, Mangatu : 20 chains have been completed, and as a large number of drays are being employed good progress should be made during the coming month. “ Contract 61, metalling Motu road : Somo 20 chains have boen completed,

and from the same Government grant

considerable improvements have been effected on the road by reducing steep

grades, etc. “ Contract 62, deepening outlet drain, Makaraka: Practically completed. “ Contract 64, metalling at Hood’s road and Kaitaratahi: Work has not yet been started, although it is important that the metalling be pushed on. The contractor promises, however, to start on Monday DOXt.

“ Contract 65, clearing outlet drain, Patutahi: This work was to be under way before the Council’s meeting. No start tiad been made on Monday last. lam unable, however, to say if the contraetor has yet commenced work. 11 Those surfacemen who have been off their several sections have received instructions to resume work. I would recommend that a rough whare be put up for the Tolago-Hick’s Bay roadman. Mr W. Cooper has been good enough to him to camp and make use of a portion of his land near Puatae, and as the man on this section has more than the usual exposure he should, I think, have some hotter shelter for part of his time during

the winter. “ The fencing of the road taken at Poututu is being proceeded with. I have, howevor, received a notification that Mr Foster had arranged with the Council not to run the line through the old stockyard. No instructions have been given me to that effect. Ido not see any objection to stopping the line temporarily at the stockyard as desired by Mr Foster, providing the extra cost (£1) was made good, and that there is sufficient room between the river bank aod the yard for travelling stock." It was decided to expend £lO towards the erection of a whare for the Tolago BayHick’s Bay roadman. In regard to the Poututu road, the Chairman stated that Mr Foster had made no arrangement with the Council through him to run the line through tho stockyard. —It was decided that the Engineer should proceed with the line as at first proposed.

LIGHT RAILWAY TO PATOTAHI. The County Engineer presented ths following estimates in connection with the construction of a light railway from Makaraka to Patutabi 11 Estimated cost of constructing light railway line from Patutahi quarry to Makaraka, 10 miles : Cost of line : Formation, 800 chains, at 10s, JE4OO ; bridge approaches, £97 ; 19,200 sleepers, at £2O per ton, .£3840 ; plates, fastenings, etc., .£l5O ; laying rails at 4s per chain, £l6O ; surtile crossings, etc., £l5O ; rails, 181 b, 280 tons, at £22, £6160 ; ballasting, 15 yards per chain at 3s, £IBOO ; land for easement of curves, £IOO. EDgine, £BOO ; duplicate parts, £SO ; 20 trucks, at £ls, £300; 2 carriages, at £IOO, £2OO ; vans, etc., £IOO. Sheds for produce, etc., at £2O, £IOO ; tools, etc., £SO ; engiuo shed, £SO ; tanks, £2O. Aroha bridge, £4OO ; other bridges and culverts, £l5O ; Waipaoa bridge, £2500. Summary ; Cost of line, including rails£l2,Bs7; rolling Btookebsds, fits.- -***' ~4.n0U ; tools, , ;• bridges, culverts,

Die., £3050 ; contingencies, 5 per cent.j £B7B. Total, £18,448. Expenditure: Interest on £18,448 at 4-} per cent, £784 ; maintenance, labor, ana cost of running, engine-driver £l6O, fireman £124, guard to act as tally clerk £124, two maintenance men £240, fuel, oil, etc., £IOO, £738 ; sinking fund, £3OO per annum; total estimated expenditure per annum, £!822. Receipts: Saving of cost on haulage on 3300 yards of metal. £B2B 15s ; probable receipts from borough for 4000 yard?, £500; saving wear and tear on roads, six miles at £6O, £360 ; freight and passenger traffic, £400; total estimated receipts per annum, £2OBB 15s. It is presumed that the item freight and

passenger traffic will largely increase in a few years, and that portion of this profit, together with the sinking fund to be provided, would be sufficient to renew and maintain the line and rolling stock a-oc-casion required. On the other hand, it must also be borne in mind that the present quarry is not inexhaustible, and that at no_very distant date, nr-'- ”f,ing an increased expenditure an . « nerving an increased area.”

Cr Matthews said tbe Onvernmri-.t bad not given a decided answer us to rails which the Council asked to., '""a Kngi-

neer had furnished his estim-ue on the assumption that the rails weuld have to be purchased. Cr Matthews proposed the following resolution, which was carried : “ That the Chairman, Crs White, Clayton, Dobbie, and the mover be a committee to report at tho next monthly meeting of the Council as to the best means of financing the construction of the lino, with the understanding that the ratepayers interested decide by referendum whether the line be constructed or not.”

31 AIN’THNANCE OK ROADS.

The following table showing the cost of maintenance of county roads during the years 1901-2 and 1902 3 was submitted by the Engineer:—

Wbataupoko to Mangopapa, II miles: cost per mile per annum £122, metal .£3BO 18s Id. culverts, repairs and bridges £35.6, metal in hand.

Mangapapa to Nock’s store, 5 miles: £20.6 por mile per annum, metal £lB4 10s sd, culverts, repairs and bridges £BO 8s 6d, metal in hand.

Nock’s store to Ormond main road, 3 miles: £3.6 per mile per annum, metal £2l 10s, culverts, repairs and bridges £l, metal in hand.

Turanganui bridge to Tatapouri, 8 miles: £27.9 per mile, metal £432 7s 4d, culverts repairs and bridges £2l, metal in hand. •Wairoa Junction to McLoughlin’s, 4 miles: £56 per mile, metal L 427, culverts, etc., L2l, metal in hand. McLoughlin’s to Waerenga-o-kuri, 9 miles : L 10.5 per mile, metal £SO, culverts etc., £l4O.

Waeronga-o-kuri to Te Reinga, 30 miles: £8.7 per milo, culverts, etc., £521, machine employed 7 weeks. Waipaoa Bridge to Sandhills, Murewai, 7 miles: £21.2, metal £550 11s 6d, culverts £2B.

Waipaoa Bridgo to Chambers’, 7 miles : £69.9 per mile, metal £964, culverts £ls. Main road, Reid’s gate, to Waipaoa Bridge, 4 miles : £203.5 per mile, metal £l6lß 8s 4d, culverts £10.6. Makaraka to Waerenga a-hika, 4 miles : £153.2 per mile, metal Ll2ll, culverts L 14.6.

Waorenga-a-hika to Kaitaratahi, 6 miles : L2O por mile, metal L 229 15s lOd, culverts L 11.6.

Kaitaratahi to Waikohu Bridge, including saddle road, 10 miles : L 25 per mile, metal LIOO, culverts, etc., L4OO.

Waikohu Bridge to Waipaoa station, 18 miles : L 8.3 per mile, metal L6O, culverts, repairs, etc., L 240.

Waikohu Bridgo to Motu, 38 miles: L 5.9 por mile, metal L2O, culverts, repairs etc., L 432.

Waiapu inland road, 22 miles : L 22.2 per mile, culverts, repairs, etc., L 976, machine employed 7 weeks. Tatapouri to Tolago, 27 miles : L 6.2 per mile, culverts, repairs, etc., L 336. Arakihi road (Tolago to Hood's and Kiore), 20 miles : L 3.8 per mile, culverts, repairs, etc., L 155.

Tauwhareparae (Tolago to Lowdon Hill), 30 miles: L 5.7, culverts, repairs, etc., L 345.

Panikau road to Murphy’s, 13 miles: Ll.O per mile, culverts, repairs, etc., L 26. Waimata road to Lardelli’s gate, 17 miles : L 14.5 per mile, metal L3O, culverts repairs, etc., L 464 (does not include proposed gvants of L 250) Murewai-Morere, 28 miles : L 4.4 por milo, culverts, repairs, etc., L 250. Inland Waiapu branch, 8 milos : L 3.1 per mile, culverts, repairs, etc., LSO. Tolago-Maogatukurau, 8 miles: L 7.0 per milo, metal LBl, culverts, repairs, etc., L3O.

■ Total: 3274 miles, metal L 6261 Is 6d culverts, repairs, and bridges L 4552.12.

Total maintenance for two years L 10,713 13s 6d, per annum L 5356 16s 9d. Or Matthews moved, “ That each member be supplied with a copy of the schedule of the cost of maintenance of the Cook County roads.”

MISCELLANEOUS. It was decided to make the price of Patutahi stone to private buyers Is, and to local bodies 6d.

The Engineer stated there were several new hands on maintenance work, Some of the men previously employed did not care to return, and others had been engaged in their place. The Council had about the same number employed as before, and at the samo rate of wages. A specimen of the ragwort weed was exhibited by Cr Clayton. The specimen was over a foot high, and had yellow flowers. With regard to the new road machine, the Chairman asked what should be done with it. They did not want it ornamenting a back yard.—Cr Clayton said that travellers were pleased with the transformation effected on the Tiniroto road.— Cr White remarked that the Council had one white elephant in this direction already, and that they did did not want another.—Cr Matthews hopod the Council would give Whataupoko an opportunity to test its valuo before it was sold. The Road Board intended to obtain the use of it for a time from the Council.

The Engineer was instructed to have the survey in connection with the Waimata bridge proceodod with. The Chairman placed before the Council the position of the Makauri main drain, and tbo necessity for carrying away tho water poured into it from the adjoining country. He understood that Mr Hursthouse had stated that £IOO would probably be voted for the purpose.

JIE HUESTHOUSE'S VISIT. Councillors compla' .ed of the shortness of the visit of the Chief Inspector of Roads, and the fact that they were not aware of his presence until he was about to loave. Cr White said it was arranged at last Council meeting that when Sir Hurst-

house arrived Councillors were to be informed in order that they could point out their requirements to him. It was understood that Mr Hursthouse would stay a week or ten days. The Chairman said the Council might have understood Mr Hursthouse would make a longer stay, but it took two to

make an agreement, Ho had heard Mr Hursthouse was in Gisborne, and had endeavored to throw himself in his way, and he had endeavored to get in conversation with him by telephone on Saturday, but could not get him. Cr Clayton : When a man comes on business he should give local bodies a chance to see him.

Cr Richardson : He came though my district (tho Motu), but I did not know anything about it. Cr White : The reason I mentioned it was that we expected so much from Mr Hursthouse’s visit, and now he is gone. The Chairman : “ Blessed 16 he who expects nothing, for he will not be disappointed.” Although it is a pity we did not have time to summon the whole Council, Mr Hursthouse would think that there was sufficient representation to make known their requirements. I did not known of the meeting until the Tuesday morning. Cr Clayton : He did not show you decent courtesy. The Chairman : I wish all Government officials were like him. I cannot wish to meet a more pleasant gentleman. Cr Clayton : Mr Carroll, in speaking to me some time ago, stated that we would have an opportunity of seeing Mr Hursthouse regarding our requirements. The Chairman : If all the Council saw him do you think we would be in a better position ?

[ LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS. - - mption of Or Clayton, the followOu - tana adopted :—“ That this ing resolution fiaverfiijient the Council urges upon tno . ' - ( *om necessity of appointing memoers this district to the Upper House, pointing out the inadequate representation of the North Island in that House.” Cr Clayton said the district ought to have two members. They had not had representation for a long time,