COOK COUNTY COUNCIL

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1935, 17 November 1906, Page 3

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL

Too monthly mooting of the Cook County Council waa hold yoaterd&y. PrcooDt : Captain Tucker (chairman), and Councillor.? Harding, MacDonald, H, Konway, Matthews, and Carmichael, On tlio motion of Cr Harding leave of absence was granted to Cr White. The Council’s balance sheet' showed revenue collected at L 272 6s 9d, overdraft L11,G79 12s Sd, required for payment LI6SQ 6s 3d. The overdraft on QOth Octuber stood at xjH,uoi ivs act; on 17th November, Llß,33B_lSs lid- Advances, LIBBS us lOd. Grants applied for L 877.

Tho following communications were road and deals with : From Me Fred Bull, chairman lalo Kaiu Road Board, C3riifjing to eovrceSness of an ooeount enclosed from J. Broanaban, and statieg expenditure authorised by Haiti Board (including grant' from county of £10) before is was taken ovtr. Tho winter pointed out unoolleotod ratos owing to tbo Board were in excess of ibe amount, and be thought those had bson coliecsod up to tho present tim’’. Tho total amount of Ihn account was £33 16’, work done on DoLatonr to Tyndal roads. The clerk stated that about £SO to £6O for rates were still outstanding oa this road. The engineer stated that work had been done on the road) piri of which wee finished. The Chairman said it was neoaseary that the aeoount should bo paid by somebody now the Haiti Board was defunet. Or Harding moved that the aeoount be paid, as it appeared that the work had been done. Cr Matthews said he did not hoar the first part of the discussion. Tbo Chairman : That was beoause yon were talking, Or Matthews, and net pay ing attention; Or Matthews: I was consulting ooun* oillora on certain matters. We do not have the opportunity of gotting councillors together often, and I was consulting them on an important matter. The Chairman : I do not dispute that, but we oame here to do business, not to - Cr Matthews : I am aware of that, but it is 11 never too late to mend,” and 1 am mendirg now if you will allow mo, and we will get through business quicker if you let me go on, He seconded Cr Harding’s motion that the amount be paid, whioh was carried. From Department of Justice; enolosmg oopy of rider added by jury to verd'.ot on inquiry into the death of Miohael Hickey at Te Karoka. Tho rider was as follows : —“ That the attention of the Cook Counoil be oalled to the dangerous state of the road at the spot whore tho body of deceased was found,” and recommended that it bo fenced, ' Cr Lysnar said it was not possible to fence the road. Tlic Engineer said that a fonco could be erected, but it would not remain thcro as tho road was slipping away. A heavy load would probably break down the bank. The view lino had been surveyed, but it was impossible to get any further without tl:c Public Y/orks Department made a move. Cr Lysnar : Close the road. Cr Matthews : Tlic Government aro calling our attention, to what they are absolutely responsible for themselves. The Engineer W’as instructed to again approach °the resident Engineer at Tc Karaka and await reply. A Gazette notice was read, which extended the provisions of the Noxious Weeds Act, 1900, so as to include the African box thorn as a pernicious weed. It w-as pointed out that to include tho district tho Council would have to pass a special resolution. On tlio motion of Cr Kenway the matter was ordered to lie on the table. . From the Clerk Wairoa County Council, asking the Council to lend his Council the use of boring plant for the purpose of taking borings at Terrant’s Crossing on the Nuhaka-Gisborne road I with a view of erecting a bridge thereat. Bequest granted. Telegram from WairoaCouncil: lvoau from County boundary to Tc Reinga in bad order. This Council expended LG out of your LlO voted, About L 25 more required. Will your Council vote that?’’ This matter was hold over till Cr Lysnar s return for his opinion on the subject. Cr Lysnar said ho had been twice along this road the other day and it seemed to bo in "ood order. He thought the Wairoa Council were wrong. There had been a slip further along in the Wairoa County, but on the Cook County side the road was in good order . It was resolved to iniomi \\ airoa Council that this Council were informed tlial the road was in good order from the County boundary to Te Reinga. i From Mr M oore, asking if the Counci would put tho old Gisborne Motu road it repair near his place, About L2O was re

quircd. Applicant to bo informod road not under Council's jurisdiction, and to be advisod to apply to body controlling tho road. Tho Bangor's roport showor! that (50 head of horses and cattle had boon impounded in dill'oront pounds in tho County from October 10th to Novomber 15th, Bceoivcd. The Engineer’s roport was road ns j followJ: “Contract 1110, erection of bridge at M-stnwhero: Tula contract iu practically oomplotod, and may bo opened for tndlio in n fow days. An excellent jib baa been made of the work and the centrum pushed on, notwithstanding many ditlioultloa, with great expedition. *■ Contract loDn, Puatao deviation: Fail progress has boon made with Shis work the oonSrnomr having about 110 ohnins tr ojtnplein; the total dittnuc 1 of the deviation ((bout 5 mile?) will probably bo open for trnllio iu the course of fivo or six weeks, " Contract 157, ro»formatlon, ETnuili : The oontrsolor bus made a mart with this work, which was lei about 10 days ago. ! " ContraoS 159, bridle track formation, Maungabaukua : Practically oomplotod ; a furshcr oonSroot on ibid road bus been let io tbo same contractor. “ Subsequent to ludt meeting a numbor of cuntrnoss had boou let fur metalling and formation woike. Tenders lor fivo other oonSruots will bo boforo you to-day. As shero bavo boon oovcrnl oouiplainls made by waggon and cosob drivors regardieg iho Motu road, I would rospeoifnlly lay beforo tho Council some particulars. After thi seyoro floods of July tho vvholo of tbo road

foe a diet moo ot *lO miles wua practically blocked trom end so oad. At To Kanikt three chains wore completely washed ou*, and the fords at Poututu had from 6 to 15 [jet of tnlt in tbo cuttings. Largo slips occurred near Hutchinson's turn oil, uiuuen.ua slipi along iiiddlo’a bmndiry, aud at Mangatawa tbo toad for 15 cb iitm

had droppul at much as 13 fcot, aud was impasssblo oven for ho.ses. Other eubsi-

y denoes of tbo road ocauirod at different 3 spots as far as Ilaugatiri and pust Winter's 3 road junction, aud tbo road generally was 3 in a deplorable condition ; from Sho school , oreok on to the Motu bush vary oousidor--3 ablo slips had taken plaoo aud numorous , out-outs washed out, I first visited the ’ Karaka cutting on 251 h July, aud dircaied a party to make a temporary dray track. . Oj 30ih July 1 graded and sutvoyod a [ deviation aoross the railway tunnel, and Mr Symington proceeded on to Motu to inspect damages there. Horses and scoops ! were employed at all fords os scoa as it was possiblo to work at them, and a , number of men were put on in throe gangs under the permanent surfacemen. On 28ih to 3lst August I iuspeotsd this work aud laid off aud

pegged q number of deviations whore the old road hud disappeared, and ou my tt.* turn I made arrangements os soon as a oars track could bo opened up for Mr J, Malono to prooeed boyond Maogataroa and clear the road with plough aud scoops to the school orock. She whole road was again inspected by mo on tbo 6ih to Bih October, and as by this time nearly 28 miles of the road was fit for wboel traflio attoniion was directed to the position from the school oreek to Bridge's saddle. Oa this part, from the nature of the ground, it was found impossible to utilise the horses aud sooop, and everything had to be moved by piok and shovel, Muoh difficulty was experienced owing to want of culvert timber, aud the work was neoossarily slow, However, a week ago the whole lino was made passable again for wheel traffic, and at once the road was naturally rnshod by waggons aod vehicles of all sorts, aud wet weather haviDg ogam sol in Lho road was badly ploughed out, and blamo immediately thrown on the surf&oemen aod the Council's officials. Hud tdoso waggone, eto.,kepi off for a few days whilo the road (which nad never progorly drioo) was soft, I do not think muoh inconvenience would havo resulted, but, as it is, tbo drivers of conveyances seem anxious 10 blamo somebody, and havo numerous suggestions to make as to how the woik should or should nos bo done. I may say Shat it was to bo expected that fine weather would prevail at this

Boason, olhorwiso many bad npotn would havo boon faseined, I would conclude by saying that ovory effort was mado 10 opon up tho lino of traffic with as litl.lo iocouvouionco as possible to tho publiei Mr Macdonald, tho member for I,lie riding, and living within a few chums of the portions of roads eoinplancd about, rondorod mo most valuable assistance in generally keeping an oye on tho men employed and expressed his satisfaction to mo at the maimor in which they had worked, and .1 think will bear mo out that many difficulties occurred such as want of labor, etc, of which outsiders know nothing. As regards the general supervision of tho work on this road about, four days of Lbo overseer’s timo was takon up between Ist and 4th of August and 12 days of tho Engineer's botwoon 23rd flOtli July, 28th to 31st August and sll> and Bth October. Having many other roads to look after I was quite unable to give furthor attention, as other parts of the district had equal claims on the overseer’s

and Engineer's sorvices. “ Witli rogurd to flood damages generally, tbo amount expended by tbo Council to date is about £1250 ; ol' this amount £OOO has boon spoilt on tbo Motu road, tho balance being dividod over many miles of road within tbo County, on all of which tho work of clearing is well in hand and likely to bo complotcd in a very short timo.” “ The road loading to Mr Branson's property at the u'ppor end of .Waimata being carried away, it is probable a deviation may bo neeossary. I propose shortly to meet Messrs Branson and Htraehan on tho ground and will report later to the Council.” Diaeusaion took plao? ou the pail of tho Engineer's ropoit dealing with tho Motu road.

Tno Chairman said ho was glad iho E

gineev bnd troaiod tho sutj ci folly. If iho waggons had not ruahoa iho road its condition would bavo boon much bolter. Tho Engineer said thal no doubt mistakes bad boon mado in phots where earth had bcon Oiled in. Had they cxpeoted auoh wet woQthor, much more of it wou'd have bcon faaoinod. Or Maodonald endorsed what the Engineer bad said, l’bo road was in a Very bad slate, only two toams bad got through without acoident. A lot oould not got through, and left thoic loads on tho roadaido. Tho ooaoh got through onoo, but they had sioos started to go through with paokhorsop, It, howovor, was not now even passable for horsemen. It wuh now November, and tboro was no sign o( sammor. Tho mon had worked vory eatisfaotoriiy, but i) was very difficult to get them to stay up thero, as they oould cot gos provisions. Ho trustod iho Engineer's report would bo published fully in tho press. The Engineer had told him about £2O or ig3o would fasoioo tbo worst places. Too Chairman : It would have betn bettor to oioso tbo road. Or Macdonald : You cannot ehui off 100 to ISO pecplo liln that ? Or Hireling said that au c-xporioDced man who reoontly went up there told him that it was possible to make She road p>ssable. If it would not oetmore than £3O or £4O, ho would movo that that arnouut bo parsed, and tho Engineer bo instructed to put tho road right. Or Konway called to tbo fuot that, according to tbo Engineer's report, £GOO out of tho £I2OO emergonoy money had boon spool on this road. Oihor roads required aitontion, and rnonoy should be spaot tborp. Ho would not oppeso spondiDg sufficient money to make the road passable, but objooted to spending any moro than absolutely neossßary, At tho same time, he suggested that Iho Oounoil express their satisfaction at tbo woik done by the Engineer and his staff. Cr Macdonald said with reference to the LOOO mentioned by Cr Konway, it was not more than their share. In this caso it had not given the relief they should have had. . lie would second Cr Harding's proposition, At Motu there were 100 to 120 people short of provisions and they wore entitled to some consideration. The Chairman : They should rely more on potatoes and less on Hour. Cr Harding : They had blight last year. It was a pity that LOOO had been spent when LilO or L4O would complete it, Cr Matthews would support the motion saying l\Vc district was not getting its fair shave. It seemed to Cr Macdonald that the whole expenditure in his riding should be located in tho Motu road. Tlio Kauaokauae road had been neglected. Cr Harding : We never hear anything there, Cr Matthews : The money should be divided over the riding, and not be spent in any particular part. Cr Macdonald said he was in touch with other settlers in the district, but they only asked for expenditure when it was nccosK.nrv.

Ci’ Lysaar supported the motion. Settlors wanted stores now shearing was coining on. ahe Engineer said the Motu people were most patient, He had not had one single complaint from a settlor there. .1 licy simply waited for him to open the road. The complaints of all come from waggoners and cooclnnon. Cr Kenway : You get it more than anyone. The engineer said he did not mind that. It was finally resolved that the Engineer be instructed to famine the road so as to make it passable so long as the work did not cost more than LUO With regard to the bridge at Matawhero, Cr Lysnar asked if it was intended to have a formal opening. The Chairman : No, The Council “ docs good by stealth and blushes to find it fame.” Cr Ken way was against any formal Opening, Cr Harding thought if would bo a pity not to havo a formal opening, it being a new class of bridga in the dissrios. Tug Chairman : There is far too much of this aoit of thing in New Zealand. Cr Matthews moved that the bridge bo fotmally opened by she engiaeor advertising tho faot in Sho papers. Tais was carried. Tho Giork said that tho nest rato nc? tioes now being sonl out wero at tho advanoed rate. This would bring tho wholo oounty up to the same level. last year Tologo and Patuiahi wero tho only two tidings in which the higher rata had been struck, but this year the remaining six ridings would oomo under tho higher rate.. Messrs A. F Kennedy, E. M, Hutchins eon, and T. McGregor, ratepayers in Tohora No. 2, coneontcd to a special rata of 1 1-l Odin tho iG for tho loan of £LCOJ for tho purpose of forming a dray road, commencing at peg 6u, Wann-kopac-Koracgu road, and ending at junction of said road with WiiatikopaeMu'.uera read,—Cr Harding moved tho usual resolution, which wos parsed. The movGr expressed autprico at tho small amount on tho estimates for this road (£250), and £IOO of this bad boon spoLf, A short distance further cn tho East Uoast Trust Board wore making 2J miles ci road, and this work was well iu band. This matter should bo pointed out to tho Government.

Tho Chairman supported this view, and a resolution was passed to this cllaot. With rtfersneo to tho Tokonui road, it was pointed out that a further £JOO had bten promised and was not forthcoming, and Councilors said settlors should bo warned that unless tho amount premised (£100) bo forthcoming the Council would step the work, Tenders wero oponed and dealt with rs fol'ows: — Contract 169, motel in depots, Wcimata to Pcriy’s, etc.: P. MeLaughlan, 8 > 61 yard (declined), Contract 170, quarry me-tnlfrom Giay’o, including nepping: W. Baynes 7i 33. John Hiil 5s 10-J-d, Color and Doe 5s 9d.— The lntt rained was sre-'pted. Contract 172: Carting spawls to depot : - P. M. McLougblan 3s, 4s Gd, Gs ; Partington 2s, 4s Gd, os Gd; Barrow and Bcctson Is 9d, os lOd, 8s lid ; liogers and Manson Bs, 4s lid, os 4d. Barrow and Keelson's tender accepted. Contract 173 : Lavenham road, metalling, liogers and Manson 2s del per yard accepted. Contract 174 : Metal repairs, Makarori and Tatapouri, Partington, Makarori, Gs Gd and Ss Gd ; Tatapouri 7s; Brosnahan, Makarori, 6s Gd; Tatapouri, Ss Gd and 7s Gd. Partington’s tender accepted subject to arrangements by the Engineer. Tho usual annual holiday arrangements wore agreed to by tho Council, The Council adjourned until the 28th.