PAREMATA ROAD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1837, 18 August 1906, Page 3

PAREMATA ROAD.

THE PROPOSED DEVIATION. At the meeting of the County Council at 2 p.m. yesterday, the ohaitmau said tboy weio now prepaiod to take objections to this road, and he road tho engineer’s report showing that thero was a difference in maintonanee and length in now toad. To make tho old rood fit for traffio would moan ,£776. There was a sheaf of cbjtotions to hand saying that tho preposod road was for tho benefit of private in dividual?, and not for tho public. In reply to Cr Ljsnar, tho chairman ssid that most of tho objectors were natives—nearly all had boon before the Oounoil beforo, A more recent objection from a native complained that tho road would be no benefit arid interfered with his cultivation. Ho claimed L3QO ao aoro.

In reply to Cr Konway. tho Engineer said tho proposed road would bo infinitely bettor for maintenance if metalled ; ofeying the old road would only last for about three year?. In reply to Cr Lysnar, ho said ho pro forrod the now road as tho best. His previous estimate, ho pointed out, was based on a probablo value of the land, while he had since been informed that muoh larger demands wou’d bo undo In reply to Cr Lysnar, tbe ohairman said tho natives might not bo ratepayers, but they ohjooted as owners oi tho land, and not as ratepayers. Mr Boland being invited to speak, said tho old road was drilling away, wbilo’ihe new road could bo made a permanent job of, and would not bo subject to fl’ols as the old road. Ho strongly argued in favor of the new road. As to tbo native valua tion of L3OO an acre, tho Government Valuer had valued bis (Mr Boland's) land adjoining at Ll2; bo would place the value of the native land at not more than L3O. His own valuation included hill 1 land.

Cr Kenway: You have an offer to meka ?

Mr Bjland said if tho Council took the road and fenced it oil the sellers would raise a special loan to form and bridge the road,

The Chairman asked what tho sott'e

would be prepared to do ia regard to cam pensation olaimed by tbe owners, Mr Boland said he cou'd not epoak on that without ocnsultiog tbe others interested. Hs failed to see bow there could be any compensation to pay. Tho Chairman : In that ease there will bo nothing to pay. Are the seit’ors, who would be in a much better positon than wo are to say, indemnify tho Cmnoil ? Mrß.lanisaid they had always b en givm to understand lhat ihe Cour oil would takr tho road, but had no; the funds to make is, which tho Couco.l undertook. Cr Hardir g said wbilo the cl > m for £‘6oo was excessive, bo thought ihe amount allowed would ben good dial more than Mr Bo'and estimated.

Mr Bobir d said that only the other day sections in tho heart of tbe Government township had been sold for .£SO. Cr Hording said they could cot tell what these sections wou'd go up to now if they oould offer a good title. Some people might go into the box and say they were prepa-ed to pay a largo sum.

Tho Clerk said that the claim fer j£3oo an acre meant that tho oase would hate to go into tbe Supreme Court. The Chairman said be did not see how they oonld do anything without farther in formation. He thought tbe settlers could Indemnify the Council to some extern. They might be able to make an arrangement with the natives—settle the matter out of court.

Io reply to Or Kenway. Mr Boland Ba ; d they all knew what natives ware to deal with ; none knew which was his partiou'ar pieoe of land. He was afuil they oould do nothing in tbe way of airarging with the natives to sell.

Cr Maodona'd suggested the Council might agree to give a certain sum. The Engineer said the Couacil had agreed to take and fenoo the laud np to d 625 an acre. His estimate bad been made on tbe basis.

Or Kenway : Will delay make any difference ? The Chairman : No. Cr Macdonald : D.rectly they know you are after it they will build whares on it. Mr Boland said they bad started last week to plant potatoes on the road line.

The Chairman said that would not m.k i much diffsrmo.-, there would be a time to take them oat.

Or Lyanar thought the Council oould proceed on their old resolution.

The Chairman said that lift the amount indefinite. Tbe settlers should put i; that they would undertake the work for a certain amount of subsidy, £l5O, as already approved of. Or Harding thought they should not hesitate at paying a little compensation—it oould not be such a great sutn, and they should decide wbethor or not they would give wbat the settlers asked. There w>s no comparison between the two road 3, Or Kenway moved that if the settlers were prepared to raise a loan tuffioie t o meet all claims for compens ttion abovs the £25 an aore agreed to by the Couneil, they were prepared to go on with thß work immediately. There was no doubt expenditure on tbe old road would be swept in a few years, and that everyone would prefer the new road.

Mr Beland himself had privately offered to pay £lO an acre.

Cr Macdonald said it would not be fair to rate these few set'lers for what would become the main Coast road. Or Jjysnar '■ Let ns increase the amount. The Chairman : I am prepared to double or treble it, but let us have something definite, or we will be led on into au inextricab'e condiiion of thing-. Or Matthews said if the Engineer told them it was to bo a read to suit the Ooas! people generally they should consider it in that way, aud not think of saddling the whole cost on the faw sutler-. They should decide it as a general matter of in tar-est to tho whole county, and give what tboy could afford, ‘“The Chairman .- P,eo’soly, wo want to giva what we can afford, «ud not hive to incur on indifinite expense.

Cr Matihswscn moved that the matter b 9 deforred, to enable erq dries to be mado from competent valuers as to the valao of tbo land.

Or Kenway aLored his motion to read : That the Council hatoby offjra tha settlers affected j£2oo in tbe terms of the Engineer's report, provided that they rate themselves ior the balance rrqairsi by ppeoial loan, On this undertaking 1h; Council do the work.

The Chairman secouded the motion, which was oarriid uoaairnourly. The point was raided by Or KaDway »s to whether an unexpended loan of JE67 for which this road wat practically a oootinuanco oou'd be spent on i\ The Clerk said is oould only bo dine by getting ihoso affected to s ; gn it, which ilr Boland undertook to give eff et to,