COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2064, 26 April 1907, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

A special meeting of the Cook County Council was held at noon yesterday. There were present: Hon. Captain Tucker (chairman), and Grs Harding, Lysnar, and Sherratt. TENDERS. Tenders for formation and metalling -10 chains at Waikohu bridge were dealt with, tho tender of Messrs accepted on'the motion ol’ (Jr. HardSPECIAL ORDER. Tho Chairman moved the confirmation -of the special order made on March 22, for raising a loan of £BOO for the purpose oi’ restoring tho Ngatapa road £SOO, bridge and formation A rob si ereck £3OO, a special rate of one-fifth of a penny in the £' to he levied on the Ngatapa road district No. 2. This was confirmed. QUESTION OF OFFICES. Mr. Warren, County clerk, said the office accommodation was inadequate. Mr. Fraser’s room at the back was like a furnace in the summer, and Fhon a fire was lit in cold weather the place smoked so badly that it was untenable. The front offices were not large enough, and the . strong room could not contain all their valuables. He thought the time had arrived when he should be relieved from the outside counter work, as the whole of his time was required at the. books.

The Chairman thought that until they got larger premises they could have all jiapers, etc., that were not in frequent use collected, and placed in'the hank, or some safe depository. Cr. Harding said he would meet the Council in any way. Ho would build brick premises to suit their requirements, or if they decided to secure premises elsewhere he would cancel their lease at a moment’s notice. He thought the Borough Council and County Council might combine and have offices built. But the Borough Council were more ambitious and talked of a Town Hall. The County Council were paying £Bl a year for their present lease which had four years to run. If brick premises were, built they could not get the offices on he same terms, hut he thought satisfactory terms could ho arranged between the parties interested. Cr. Lysnar thought their best plan was to Imild offices, and sub-let what they did not require. He understood the Borough had a .suitable site for snob a building.

Cr. Harding said the Borough Council had a site near the storm crusher, and another next the drill shed. Cr. Lysnar asked if they could not call tenders for premises like the .Library Trustees had done. The Chairman thought the host plan would be to approach the Borough Council in the matter, and see if the two councils could not work in unison. Cr. Sheratt said the Borough would require as large office as the County. The one meeting room would do both as the County met during the day and the Borough in Ihc evening. It was decided to write to the Borough Council on the question.

lIANGAROA ROAD Cr. Lysnar said that he had boon asked to bring up the matter'of a maintenance man lor the Hailgoron rijul. ' This road .had been lately taken over by the Council,'and they ’did not know whether io keep the mail on' or let ldm go. The district vlas ill funds and th- raid in good repair. Ho thought it a great pity to let the road- fall into disrepair. The matter was left to the e'ngl-

NGATARA ROAD. Letters were received from the Ngatapa ratepayers, and Mr. AV. D. S. Macdonald, asking the Council to connect the road running through AVailmka with the Ngatapa-Rakan-roa road. This would mean a great saving to the ratepayers. The road would run through a grazing run leased to Messrs. Hutchinson Bros. The Chairman said the matter could he left to the next meeting of the Council, in the 'meantime the Clerk could write to Messrs. Hutchinson re compensation.