COOK COUNTY COUNCIL

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1537, 19 August 1905, Page 3

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL

Tho monthly mooting of the Cook County Council was hold yesterday. There wore present: Captain Tucker (chairman), Ors. Murphy, Harding, Gray, OJaylon, and White.

CORRESPONDENCE. Tho Publio Work 3 Department wrote staling that there would be objection to the Waikobu railway bridge being oonstrnoied so as to bo available for road traffio as well. The looal authority must pay the additional coal involved, oonetruot road approaches, and outer into an agreement to contribute towards the mainten-

ance of the bridge at the rßte of 2a per foot of its total length per annum. The inoreaaed Goal of the bridgo would havo to bo paid in advanoe. Tbe Engineer stated the additional cost of maintenance would be about £ls a year. The extra cost of the bridge would be a fourth or fifth.

Or White said in any oaso a bridgo was not badly wanted at this point, as it was ono of the best crossings of the Waikohu. Tho Harbor Board wrote asking tho Connoil to join in urging on tho Government tbe neoossity of reinsta'ing Tuahinc Point lighthouse The Council decided to oomply with tho request. A letter was rooeivad from the Wairoa Council aooopling the Connoil's offer to hand over ail.land fund that accrued to the Cook County CoudoU in mpaot to lands in Buakituri Valley. Mr J. L. Spence, Tiniroto, wrote asking that his fourths be handed to him as they oame due, as ho had completed tho road into his section. He applied for a grant of £5 to aseist towards putting tbe five miloe of road in order.

The applioation wa3 granted, to bo paid in throe months. The Mota Farmers’ Union wrote referring to the very unsafe state of the etook traok between Poulutu and Te Earaka, One small bridge had been washed away, and many of the Bide cuttings were almost impassable. It was decided to inform settlers that steps would bs taken to reinstate the bridge. Mr Vernon Milford, on behalf of Tahora settlers, wrote stating that the Hon. J. Carroll had been asked to have £IOOO put on the Estimates for forming the Wbare-kopa?-Tahora bridle traok into a dray road, and asked tbe Connoil's endorsement. If the Government gave this the settlers wonld rate themselves for another £IOOO to pash on the road this snmmer. The Connoil endorsed the request. Mr R. McNeill, Pacemsta, wrote asking the Connoil to cut a drain from section 47 along the ooaoh road to section 67. new road. He was willing to bear half the cost, whieh wonld be about 6s per chain if tho work were done by contract. The Engineer was instructed to inspect tbe locality and sae if the Counoil could comply with tbe request. Mr RofcertaoD, on behalf of Tolago ratepayers, forwarded a number of resolutions passed at a meeting bold on tbe 12th instant,

In dealing with these the Council decided to consider tho request that the Takapau-Hauiti road be formed at least half a chain wide when the estimates were considered next month. The Connoil resolved to grant the riding the use of one of the road machines, as requested. In respect to Mr Kenway’s rates, it was decided to reply that they could only be transferred to Tolago riding by the enlargement of the riding so as to embraoe the particular portion of land.

ENGINEER’S REPORT. Me DeG. Fraser, Engineer, reported as follows: — m . . . Contraot 121, metalling Wainui road : Twonty-seven chains of this contraot have been completed, and a further eight chains laid off for formation and metalling, the atone for which is now being brokeo. Contraot 123, Hangaroa bridle track ! Timber is being cut for bridges and oulverts from the road reserves, and arrangements made to open up a horse track towards Orr’s. »' Contraot 124, road formation, Poututu. Reported as completed. Not yet inBP Contract 127 : Erection of piers, Wherekopae bridge. Considerable delay has taken place in the start of this work. The contractors have assured me, however, that a start will be made tnis week. Contraot 132 : Formation and metalling Cook street, Tolago. Eleven obains formed, three chains metalled, _ Owing to continuous heavy rams during the past two months considerable damage has ocourred on all the siding roads, and a number of extra hands have bad to be put on to keep traffic open. ■ , On the East Coast road slips, partioul. arlv at Tolago Hill, have ocourred. The punt at Pakatae was swept some chains down the river. 1 would recommend that •when extraordinary freshes occur the punt foe out out of service, aa an accident is liable to occur under the present circumWainui road has been considerably cut by the carting of heavy material, metal, etc., wbieh might well have been provided for during the summer months. The wheel tyre bye-law could with advantage be extended to cover this section of road. A further supply of maintenance metal is required. On the Waimata a number of bad slips have ocourred, which are being removed as rapidly as possible ; the ford crossings, bv accumulation of silt, give considerable trouble after each flood. The bridging of those rivers is urgsoily requirod. ' The Gisborne-Waicua road has auilexed from the heavy rains. Near Harris’ ths read threatens to break away, and the Tiniroto end is reported as more or less blocked, and one bridge unsafe for heavy iSraffio, - .. On tbe Gisborne-Morere road the principal damage w.a- on “Jerry’s cutting.” Traffic is, however, now opened, nod when the proposed bridge is ewtad this bad portion of road will be avoided. The main road from .the town boundary to Patutahi, Hakauei, and Ormond, and to Muriwai is in excellent order. Beyond Kaitaratabi, where the river shingle bos been used, the roade have cut up badly, and are very heavy. . The Karakst cutting has given unusual trouble this season, and as the river was almost continually in flood the whole of the Whatatutu and Maogatu traffic has had to take the cutting road. The fords about Mangatu are, therefore, now heffig fixed up, which will facilitate traffic, On the Poututu stock track I am taking steps to have the small bridge, which was swept away, reinstated. The <tr»ok also badly requires repairs. On tho Motu road a small bridge near Smith’s should bo done away with, and a large culvert with embankment substituted, as the turn is muoh .too sharp for a team of horses, and ground adjoining the bridge approach ia rotten. The total extra cost to the Council caused by the Jate bad weather will be j about £260 to £270 for extra maintenance ! labor. Plans have been completed and tenders called to close to-day for erection of the Maraetaha bridge at No 3 crossing. |Flans and specifications have also been prepared for work on the stock traok to the amount of £SOO, and I propose calling for tenders when the weather is more settled. Several small bridges within the County will have to be renewed and repaired shortly, particulars of which will come before the Council in my annual schedule for maintenance. It was decided to inform Mr Shaw, of Pakarae, that in times of extraordinary freshes the punt should be put out of seryice, and that the Council would hold

I him responsible for tho maintenance of tho punt. I Three tenders wore rooolved for the Maraotaha bridgo. Mr W. Poryor’s tender was not admitted. The otlioE two tenders I —P. MoLonghlin (£946) and Jas. Brown (£939 12s 9d) -woro muoh in exooss of tho engineer's estimato and wero declined. Tho matter waa loft with tho engineer to arrange, and the Council leoidod later to accept tho tender of Mr J. Brown with modifications. Mr A. J. Cameron waitod on tho Counoil on behalf of tho Poverty Bay Road Board, and requested that the Connoil take over j tho road at Matawhero from Biggs’ to Mrs Green’s, and from tho Royal Oak Hotel to tho Abattoirs

Tho Chairman proposed that tho Council pass tho usual resolution for taking over tho Abattoirs road, which was agroed to. No action was taken In regard to the request.

Or Harding’s motion that the Counoi resoind the resolution of Juno 16th to re pair Waipaoa bridgo was oarriod.