COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XII, Issue 1077, 19 December 1903, Page 3

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

I The ordinary meeting of the Cook I County Council was nelu yesteruay morning, mere being present ; Captain 'iuc.ier tin the chair;, and ers A. T\ Matthews, Clay Loll, E. | Murphy, C, Gray, Richardson, and J. A. Harding. The Clera of the Patutahi Road Board wrote, notifying tnc Council that the Board did not intend to striae a rate for the year ending Maren 31st, 1904, but would accept the subsidy as usual. The Chief Engineer of Public Works wrote stating that the Cook County Council were authorised to spend £IOOO on the construction of the

Uawa Bridge (£ for £). A deputation from the Liberal Association, I consisting of Messrs E. I'. Joyce ti-rcsident), Harris, and Dickson, waited on the Council, and urged | tnat the Uawa bridge no pushed forward with ail possinie speed. It was decided to have the plans prepared and proceed with the approaches to tiie bridge. Air 1), Todd, Waiinata, wrote asking to be allowed to use fourths accruing from the rents of his and’his brother's properties.—Granted, Air C. VV. Hursthousc forwarded a letter from the Gisnorne Borough

I Council, stating that the Council did not intend to proceed with the erection of the bridge over the Tarulieru, but awaited an arrangement I between the local bodies interested as to a suitable site for the Tlie Gisborne Borough Council also wrote in regard to the bridge, asking the Council to attend a conference to fix the site. After considerable discussion, it Was re solved not to attend the con-1 ferenee, as the question of site did not interest the Council in any, way, I It was decided to express the Council’s views upon the bridge site by letter to the conference. The Mangamaia loan of £I3OO fur

the construction of a dray road in Alangamaia special district, was approved by the Colonial Treasurer, on conuition that the Council take all the necessary, steps and comply with the Act.

Mr Henry Currie, Sanitary Inspector, wrote stating that lie would he pleased to give bis services as sanitary inspector for the ensuing year for £IOO ; and also to give £25 for the right to collect the dog tax. Mr Currie reported a ease of neglecting sanitation, and advised tiie Council to deal stringently with those people who did not use hygienic measures until compelled. Tne application for the post was held over.

A letter was read in reference to me Council’s grant of £l2 for the Cemetery road. Air AlcNcil had tendered to construct three chains ol road for £ls. , The secretary of the Tolago Bridge 'Committee wrote asking the Council to urge that the Government grant again placed on the estimates be availed of at once. Mr H. Morice wrote informing the Council that a telephone was to be erected between Patutahi and Ngatapa station. The shares would be available until Saturday, the' 19th, at 2ns. By tak ng one share, the' Conncil_ could connect with the quarry- ft was decided to do without the telephone. Dr Deijisle wrote in reference to’ tiie insanitary state of the drain near Aislanie’s hotel, and suggested that the drains be opened out to the river.

The Engineer said that it would he impossible to open the drain out to the river without much trouble and expense, and possibly, when it was completed, it would not stand. The Chairman asked what they were to do, in view of the opinion of the Engineer on the one hand and of tiie Health Ofliocr on the other. was resolved to write to Afr ruslabie in regard to the drain, an acknowledging a letter of the

25th ult., call ng attention to the dangerous state of a certain road in tiie township of Buckley, the secretary of the Roads Department stated that enquiries were being made, and the Council would he further communicated with on the subject. A letter was received from a number ot Mangatu settlers, requesting permission to advance £4O upon repairs to the main Mangatu road, Horn VVbatatutu to I-legarty’s, to .be recouped from the ordinary maintenance money becoming due upon the road, until the amount expended had been reimbursed.—Received, Mr .J. S. Spence, Hangaroa, wrote asking to he allowed to use ‘the amount of his fourths accruing from his rents to make an approach to his homestead, as the road ho was now using was unsafe.—Decided to give permission to use the fourths as accrued. Mr Coop wrote in reference to the vote of £lßl for Maractaha road, asking the Council to expend the

money in contract labor, and not to employ maintenance men.. The Clerk was instructed to write to Mr Coop, and explain that the money was a rc-vote.

The Department of Lands and Survey forwarded, a copy of the proclamation in regard to taking lands foi roads through sections 1 and 3, Blocks I. ami V., Uawa Survey District.—Received. Mr Geotirey McLean .wrote requesting the Council to put a road machine on the Whatatutu road, Crs Harding and Matthews were adverse to putting on a machine, the Engineer agreed with Cr Harding, that unless the road were metalled it would be useless to form lL It was decided not to use the road machine, but to use the money in metalling bad portions ot the road, under the Engineer’s supervision.

Mr Howard Kenway wrote in . reference to tho Waimata crossing, and explained his willingness to put proper gates oil live fences on the old road iiiic, and allow permanent right of way to the Council to the old lord on their side of the river. It was agreed to allow Mr Kenway to erect gates, the plans to he altered accordingly. The Borough Council wrote, asking the Council to contribute their snare of third cost, amounting to £35 4s lOd, of acquiring the Awapuni Cemetery site. A letter fro'm. Mill. C. Jackson, receiver for the native owners, to the Town Clerk, was read, notifying the Borough Council of the award of £9Ol 4s lOd by the Compensation Court to (lie native owners of the land taken for the purpose of abattoirs and cemetery ; £B6O had been paid, and £95 •1s lOd was still owing to the natives. The Clerk stated that the amount was already included in the aecou nts. Messrs J. W. Nolan, James Macfarlanc, A. F. Kennedy, and Andrew Tuoliy were rc-elcctcd Trustees of the Hospital. Mr Sinclair drew the Couneil’s attention to the unsafe condition of t.ie bridges near the Waiapu houndary, and to the bad state of the roads, and asked the Counci, if new -bridges could not be erected and the roads formed, that two men he put on for a month, to make the bridges safe for another year. Cr Clayton said the request was very reasonable. were rotten, and there was nothing to nail the decking io. Mr Murphy pointed out tlie consequences to the Council if an accident occurred, and proposed that men he put on to do the necessary woi k.

The Engineer stated that the bridges could not he repaired any longer, and that the rivers were unfordabl.e. The Chairman : We arc then face to face with an expenditure of £llOO Cr Gray said iho Council had no funds, and the bridge would have to be erected out of loan money.

Cr Murphy said that the Tolago people would not be in favor of a further tax upon themselves. All their rates were spent at tho Gisborne end. Tho County Council could do tho work and meet tho

expenditure with next year’s rates. Tho Council decided to put sufficient men on to have tho road put in order at onee. Tho Engineer said the road wa« part ol the main road, but had never been formed It was a reproach to the district, and wa» a sad contrast to the roads across the Waiapu boundary, which were in good order.

it was decided to raiso a loan, the boundaries to bo settled by the Council that afternoon. Cr Alatthews moved that the salary of tho Council’s Engineer be augmented by £25 a year. Cr Harding seconded tho motion. He spoke of Air Frasor’s valuable services to the Council, and considered that he was justly entitled to the consideration,— Carried. The County RaDgcr reported that 91 horses and cattle had been impounded during the month. The Clerk stated that the rates were coming in slowly. £4BB 8s had been collected, of which £69 were arrears. Two summonses had been taken out in extreme cases, and had been paid. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The Engineer’s report was as follows :

“ Contract 56, metalling Wainui road: The contractor expects to have the necessary metal broken and stacked by tho end of the week. “ Contract 60, metalling Mangatu road: The wet weather has considerably delayed the progress of this work. Only three drays are, however, being employed in place of five, and I havo notified the contractor accordingly. » Contruct 72, Wharekopae road formation : Fair progress is boing made, though much delay has occurred through broken weather. << Contract 75, road formation,Mangatu : This contract is progressing slowly. Work has been completed in the rough throughout. It will probably take a month to complete. “ Contract 76, Lavenham bridgo approaches : Tho formation has been practically completed, and tho metalling is to be proceeded with at once. 11 Contract 77, road machine : Some 20 days’ work have been put in, but broken weather has caused considerable delay. “ Contract 'BO, building ferry punt, Pakarae : Tho contractor informs me that all timber has been ordered, and is waiting shipment to Pakarae. 11 Tho work of carting metal to depots is being proceeded with satisfactorily, and a considerable amount has been delivered at the cemetery and other depots ; 684 yards have been carted to date. “ Bepairs have been effected to Ngakaroa bridgo and to several culverts. “ The work of painting tho several bridges will be proceeded with os soon as tho weather appears thoroughly settled. “ I have laid off the line for bridle track formation at St. Ledger’s, and tenders are called to closo to-day for the following works -.—Contract 73, formation, Wharekopae (second section) ; contract 78, carting to depots ; contract 83, re formation and metalling, Wbangara j contract 85, quarrying and stacking metul, etc., Gray’s Hill ; contract 86, delivery of metal, Lavenham road ; contract 87, constructing bridle track, St. Ledger’s.” TENDERS,'

The following tendors were received : Contract 78 : B, Pitcher, 5s per yard for depot 12, 9s for depot 28 W, Peryer, 6s 6d per cubic yard, or 5s to take it from present pit, to be of good quality ; P. McLaughlin, Gs per yard for all gravel. W. Peryor’s tender for contract 78 was accepted, subject to tho tenderer executing a contract satisfactory to tho Engineer, the Council to do the stripping. Part of No. 85, Waimata: 0. Evans, Haiti, 63 per cubic yard to gate, and 5s 6d per yard to Nock’s storo (accepted). No. 73, Wherekopao : J. Malone, £1 18s formation, extra drains 10s, pipes 15in 9s, Win 7s 6d, 9iu 53 3d, 6iu 3s. timber £2 3s per 100, ironwork 6s per lb ; W. Jones, formation £1 18s, extra drains 10s per chain, 15in Bs, 12in 5s 9d, 9in 4s 9d, 6in 3s, timber £2 per 100 (acceptod). Contract 83 : _J. McLaughlin, broken metal 83, formation 25s per chain (accepted). Knox : Formation 30s, culverts Is 6d per foot, metal iu place 10s 6d per yard; J. Harvey, formation 355, metalling 93 Bd. It was decided to pall for tenders for tho Lavenham work and the remainder of Hray’s Hill. The tender of R, Pitcher for depot Ho. 1? contract 78 was accepted, and the tenders of M. Bowe in 12b and 13 and J. Davies for 20a and Bruce’s gate were also accepted. Do" tax : £l7B for county and £25 for the borough, Mr Thehvall; £l6O 5s for county and £25 for the borough, Mr H. Currie. Mr Thelwall’s tonder was acceptod. It was decided to got tho work dono on St. Ledger’s road by someone in tho vicinity, on account of its isolation. Cr Bichardson spoke on tho bad stale of tho Motu roads during tho winter months, and asked if tho Council could not do something in the matter. Tho heavy wheel traffic made tho road so impassable that it would be almost impossible to bringTmyone down to town should they meet with an accident.

Tho Chairman thought it would be a just thing to tax wheels. Cr Gray pointed out that it would all come to the satao thing ; the land owner would havo to pay. If they put a tax on wheels, tho carters would charge extra for doing their carting. Or Clayton gave no'ice of motion to apply for a loan to metal Bishop’s rise, near Patijcanapa, which was almost irnpos: Bibio to ascend in wot weather.

The County Council meet on Monday, 28th inst, to confirm the order for tho Motu special loan. In reference to the loan for bridges the Council decided to raise a sura for the reconstruction ot all budges that havo fallen into delapidation throughout the country. The rate of one-fortieth of a penny will enable tho Councit to borrow JIGOQO.