COOK COUNTY COUNCIL

Gisborne Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1707, 24 March 1906, Page 3

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING,

Tho ordinary meeting of tho Cook County Council was hold yostorday, whon tho following members woro pres sent: Capt. Tucker (in tho chair), Crs Harding, H. Konway, P. T. Kenway, A. F. Matthews, Caviuiohaol and H. H. Wall. CORRESPONDENCE.

An offer of £lO from Mr Thomas Daulton was accepted for tho purchnso of four or fivo matai troos standing on tho road between Mr Parker’s and Mr Flood’s, which wore liable to fall and block tho road. Mr Cuthbert Carr, Newcastle upon Tyne, wroto acknowledging rocoipt of tho Council’s letter, in which they offered to accept tho sum of £IOO, undertaking out of the interest to koep tho cairn and grave, and fencing round it of the lato Capt. Oswald Carr, at Euakaturi, in order in perpetuity. The family of docoasod considered the arrangement a most gratifying one.— Eeceived. Messrs D. Macfarlano, W. Dobson and T. Lougher, of Hauiti, ratepayers in tho Paremata special loan district petitioned tho Council to have the balance of tho loan money oxpendod in cleaning out and deepening tho existing outlet drain. —Decided that the Council could not deflect monies to this purpose. Messrs Driscoll and Doody wrote re their Hauiti contract, pointing out that they had made a mistake in part of their tender, which should have been £IBO instead of £loo.—No action taken, tho contractors not having signed the bond. Mr Charles Gray wrote asking the Council to clean out the city drains along the Whataupoko-Ormond road, where it passed his property. Ho offered to contribute half the cost of the work. Consideration deferred. The District Health officer wrote approving of Mr Thelwall’s report of scarlatina at Tiniroto and neighborhood. He was forwarding Mr Walter White’s report re scarlatina amongst the Maoris to Dr Pomare, with a covering note requesting that action be taken.

Under date of February 16th the Department of Eoadg requested that all works for which the Council held authorities [should be proceeded with as vigorously as possible, and that all claims for all moneys due to the Council for work done be forwarded to Mr D. G. Robertson, Road Inspector, on or before the 15th March.

The Clerk said that had been applied for on the 7th inst, and a fourth list had been submitted on the 14th March.

On the guarantee of Mr M. B. Mander the Council decided to extend Malone’s contract on the Mangamaia road, Mangatu, another 20 chains, repayment to be made when the proposed loan was authoiised. Permission was granted to Mr Arthur Clements to remove a small amount of timber off the road line leading in to the Whararoa station Waimata, which he desired to use for battens for a wire fence.

Mr Wilfred H. Perry, of West-Ho, Waimata, wrote asking the Council to forego the provision that he should metal 20 feet on either side of the

gates which he had been allowed to

erect on the road. There was a great

scarcity of metal in the locality, and further it was not required. The Council could not see their way to depart from their former decision. In reply ter Mr W. F. Hale, of Tolago Bay, the Council decided that it could not lease any land betwooutne road and creek just below the Wai*

mainu bridge at Tolago. A communication from the Waiapu County Council in regard to the necessity of a survey being made of a deviation of the Qisborne-Waiapu road at Tauwbareparae was referred to the Government and member for the district.

A letter from Mr JohnD. Robcke, of Hurewai, in regard to the road to his place was referred to the Engineer to report. Letters from Messrs E. J. Black and Tullock in regard to the road to their properties were also referred to tho Engineer. Permission to move a gate about two chains along the Kia-Ora road was granted to Mr 0. E. Bartrom, provided he complied with the conditions in regard to metalling approaches, etc.

ENCROACHMENT ON ROAD. Correspondence was read from Mr Blair, solicitor, in regard to the road through section 2, Te Karaka, upon a portion of which was situated Mr Evison’s building. The Council dedided to adhere to the present line of road, insisting on the removal of the building from the road.

ENGINEER’S REPORT. The Council Engineer reported as

follows: . , , “ Contract 130 : Erect'on of bridge and forming approaches, Maraetaha. —This work will be completed in a few days The contractor is also engaged in obtaining stone for metalling the blook cuttings at

the approaches. Contract 131 : Erection of bridge, Wharekopae, at can! crossing.—Good progress is being made. One trues erected ready for rivetiing, and practically all

material on the Bite. “ Contract 131 b : Erection of bridge MaDgatu.—The centre oonorete pier Bnd the abutments are completed. The steel work has arrived in the colony, and will be forwarded to the bridge site as soon as posßiblOi “ Contract 133 : Eoad formation, Rotorua stock track.—Good progress is beiDg made, and the contractor expects to finish his work in a fortoight. ■ “ Contract 136 : Erection of bridge, Waipaoa river.—The timber for above is expected to arrive shortly. I have not yet received the shipping notes for the Bteel trusses. 11 Contract 138 : CartiDg metal to depots.—Completed. '■ Contract 139 : Quarrying and spawning and breaking metal from Gray’s quarry.—Some 500 yards have been taken out. lam also having 20 chains of road metalled from Goveroment grant. <> Contract 141 : On the Waimata road, between the Po;t Olioe and Martin’s, some 600 yards of creek boulders have been collected, and are now beiog broken for repairs for the northern end of this road. The steno is of good quality, and much superior to Gray’s quarry. “ Contraot 142 : Tolago Flat.—Some ten cr fifteen chains of this road is beiDg lifted and broken, and rendered fit for wheel traffic. The same contractor haß also broken about 200 yards for repairs on Tolago Bill. “ Contract 145 ; Metalling Gentle Annie Hill —l3l chains of this road have been mslalled from Govo nment grant. “ Contract 149 : Formation and metalling, Motu Township—33 chains have been completed satisfactorily, the road haviog been run parallel with the fence and part of tbo old formation abandoned. “ Contract 151 : Waihnka Valley—No wo-k has yrt been started on this contract, but the contractor expects to commence in a fow woeks, he having in hand an adjacent contract. “ Contract 152 : Mangamaia road.—The contractor has made good progress with this work, and is within 30 chains of the

saddle. “Contract 354: Erection of enoep 1 bridge. WbareKopae.—The material for ! this work is now conveyed on to the site. I “ Contract 155 : Formation and metalling Wainai. —INot yet commenced ; will be pot in hand in a few days. “ Oontraot 156: Formation, Mangaheia. I have, aooordiig to instrootione, made

arrangements with tho tenderers for this work, to_tako up tho ooutract at my estimate.

"Contract 157: reformation, oto., Hauiti-Takapau—l am informed by tho I contractors that thoy aro unwilling to tako up tho oontraot, having, thoy state, mado a inistnko in thoir prieos. I should, under tho oiroumstanoos, rooommond tho Council to loavo this work ovor, as tho soason now i is late for doing this olass of work, and a hotter result would bo ob.ainod by calling for tondors in tho spring I “ Contract 158: Carting and breaking boaoh bouldors for Tntapouti Hill. —The I contractor informs mo ho is making a start to-day.

“ I bog to attaoh horowith oorrospondenoe, oto, and ostimatos tolativo to proposed read, Puatao; also particulars ro I store at To Karaka onoroaohiug on tho OouDty road. 11 Plans have boon prepared for some I eight miles of tho proposed Waihuka road, aooordiDg with tho request of tho settlors. This lino has boon continued to join tho lower Motu road near Bilham’s, and a I further sum of £IOOO will bo required in I addition to present loan, to oover oost of extra formation, compensation, surveys, and fenoing, Plans aro also ready for 5i | miles of tho Mangahauria road, and should tho Oounoil oonsider it advisable to at onca prooeod with this work, it is proposed to first run a graded bridle traok under contract, and to put in pormanont oulverts I the full length of the wateroourses, also

completing tho formation at theso points. This latter work I propose to oxeoute oursolvos. I should bo glad of tho Council’s instructions in tho matter. “ With regard to tho Tokonui rood, I have still two men employed at repairs, und would ask instructions relative to future work.” TOLAGO BAY BRIDGE.

Or Harding urged tho adoption of a uniform rate in regard to the tolls charged for crossing tho Tolago Bay bridge. There was a sum of ovor LBO above tho amount required for interest. He thought tho adoption of a uniform rate would be popular, and tho returns would bo more than sufßoient for their requirements. Gr H. Konway suggested that alternative tenders should bo called at the higher and lower rates, and this would make everything safe. Ho moved to this effeot. Or P. T. Konway seoondod the motion. Or Harding moved ss amendment that

tenders should be oalkd at the lower rate. He was oonfident that the returns would be more than sufficient to meet all charges for interest. Or Wall seconded the amendment. He was against tolls for bridges and roads. It was going baek to old-fashioned ideas, Tbe lower they made it the better. The amount was carried. LEAVE OF ABSENCE.

Or H. H. Wall asked for leave of absence for several months, as he wbb about to leave for Home.

Or Harding : Everybody is going away. It just shows you the price of wool. Our prosperity is taking all our good settlers away.

Leave of absenoe was granted, to Or Wall as desired, members wishing him a pleasant trip,

MORERE ROAD. On the motion of Or Wall, it was decided to ask tbe Engineer to report on the drains on the Morore road.

Or H. Kenway ; I take it that it will be a complimentary report on the same lines as the others. (Laughter.)

KARAKA STOCK PADDOCK. It was decided to lease the Karaka stook paddook to Mr L. C. Alien on condition that he put the same in order, and

obarged at the following rates: —Sixpence per hundred for the first thousand, and threepence per hundred for every additional hundred.