COOK COUNTY COUNCIL

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2174, 25 April 1908, Page 1

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL

The monthly meeting-'of the Cook County Council was held-'.yesterday. Present': Captain Tucker (chairman), Crs. \\ T . 1). Lysnar, A. F. Matthews, T. Holden, 11. 'White, W. ]). «. MacDonald, It. Sherratt, and E. Boland.

COIMUCSPOXD^CE. The clerk of the AVairoa County Council wrote, in reply to the letter informing the Council that it was proposed to alter the Cook County -boundary, that as the proposed alterations affected the properties of Messrs Cordon, Glnssford, J. .1. Parker, J. C. Parker, Jex-Blake, SV.-’,and 0. Smith, Coup, Richardson, -Tulldck, and •Bayley, the alterations could not ho agreed to, and asked-that" the Council amend the proposedboundary line. It was decided to consult the settlers interested as to their desire to hare the houndary line altered. Mr. Arthur .Tvemptliorne, AVcstmere, lvaitnrntahi, asked that the Council allow him £25 for repairs to the Pukopapa road..

The report was granted. Mr. -AV, S. Short, Chief Engineer for Hoads, forwarded a ■ cony of the “Gazette” notice- •'glaring Taka pari AVauk-auranga, Mangapoikc* roads td bo County roads.—Received. Air. AW F., Hale, To I dga’&iy, - w rot e preferring;chaygCft of mismanagement against the poimdkeeper arid ,ranger at Tologa Bay, alleging that ' the pound keeper was often intemperate, and showed partiality to the stock owned by certain ratepayers. Furthermore, that he had unlawfully im)ouiuled stock from the roads; also, hat the pound had not been properly declared a public pound. Air. Halo was present, and offered to give evidence bearing out the charges’. The Chairman said some of the charges could bo the subject of an action between the parties in. the Magistrate’s Court. Cr. Lysnar said the Council should call upon Air. Agnew for an. answer to the charges, Air. Hale said ho would bo able to substantiate his charges. The poundkeeper had been convicted upon charges laid by him, Mr. Halo, and his wife. He held tho Council was liable for the actions of the pomidkeeper. Captain Tucker said that if the charges made were true the position was unsatisfactory. -

Cr. Boland said the convictions were obtained on merely technical points of law. Captain Tucker said the Council was entitled to a satisfactory explanation of the charges from tho poundkeeper. Cr. Shorratt said the charge of intemperance was the most serious. It was decided to inform the poundkeeper that charges had been laid, and if there was any repetition of misconduct his services would be dispensed with. f Mr. AI. D. AA'ilkinson applied for tho right to lay a trainwav from-Ita-kauroa into tho Tahora district for the purpose of carrying timber, and lie would allow other settlers to use the tram if the application was granted.

Tho Clerk said the road was not under the control of the Council, hut was a Government road. The Chairman said he would like to see permission • granted, but was afraid that if a. tram was laid down the District Hoad Engineer would cease to improve the road. It was decided to formally comply with file law and advertise the application, and to -deal with the matter at the next meeting of the Council. The Marino Department informed the Council that the •application to declare Tologa Bay a port had been forwarded to the Customs Department, and asked the Council To define the boundaries of the land over which it was -proposed to have jurisdiction as if harbor board.

Tho Customs Department informed tlie Council that the trade of Tologa Baj - is not sufficient to warrant- the expense of making it a port and establishing -a Customs-house. Cr. MacDonald said- the Council could ho made a Harbor .Board with the bay being made a port of entry. Cr. Lysnar said a Harbor Board had no power to make port charges unless a harbor was declared a port. It was decided to ask the Marine Department to declare tlio Council a Harbor Board with jurisdiction over /Tologa Bay. Dr. de Lisle, District Health Officer, sent notice that the old police station at Ormond was in an insanitary condition, and should be pulled down, that a portion of the Kin Ora dairy factory was infected . with borer, and the infected timber must bo removed,? and that certain buildings previously condemned had not been removed. Cr. Matthews said the action of the Health Officer was most autocratic, and the Council should inot harass ratepayers, It" was decided to refer tlio letters to the County Solicitor to prosecute the owners if thought advisable. Mr. Vincent ,Pyke, manager of the Bank of JjTiajv Zealand, forwarded the usual form' for signature for application fors.tho Council’s overdraft for tlio present year.—Deceived. Mr. A. H. Burgess complained of the formation of a drain on Darwinroad, Kaiti, as it was too shallow to carry off tho flood water;' -also, he referred to the need to cut down gum trees that overshadowed the road. The letter was referred to the Engineer. The resolution empowering the Council to levy, a rate of one-forti-eth of a penny in the £ for the reconstruction of bridges- in the County, and the rebuilding- of Mangapapa bridge was confirmed. Mr. J. McKinley asked for payment of £lO 16s for work done in the metalling of College-road, the work having been authorised by the Engineer. The Engineer said his instructions had been exceeded, and ho had certified an account for what ho had ordered! It was decided not to pay tho amount. 1 Mr. W. H. Beatson asked that the road from Waereiiga-a-hika to the ford be gravelled, -as it -was in a bad condition, and would get worse when the wet weather set in. ; The letter was referred to the Engineer. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The County Engineer, Mr. Do G. Eraser, reported as follows: Contract 1038, Waihuka Valley road: This road is practically completed as far as 6 niiles 13 chains peg. With regard to continuation of the formation of this road, I should recommend that- work be left over until the spring. Contract 180, road formation, Mangumaia to Barron’s: This contract has not been -completed according to .specifications. The contractor lias been notified to widen the road -and properly construct- tho culverts, etc. Contracts 183 and 181, road formation, Mangahauniia: About 150

chains practically completed. I have arranged with the contractor to tin*continue further formation full width, and am endeavoring' to have the bridle track formed throughout with balance of funds available. Contract 197, erection of bridges, AVaimata: Concrete piers erected and timber piling at first bridge. The work lias been corisiedrably delayed by heavy rains. The -steel work should arrive about the, middle of next month. Contract 198, erection of bridge,

Pakarue: 'The contractor, is now engaged putting down coffer dam for concrete piers, the timber for which will be delivered in a few days. Steel shipped oil April 9th. Contract 2UO, metalling near Peach’s, Gisboino-AA'airoa road: Completed ; 960 yards of Patutahi metal have been spread over three of the worst sections of the road.

Contract 210, formation ami metalling Riversido road. AVhataupoko: This contract is still in hand, having beo,n -delayed this mouth through the had weather anil difficulty in obtaining gravel. About 12 chains still require metalling. 'Contract 218, metal ropairs near AVaiohik-a : Completed.

Contract 220, metalling East Coast road, Alangatuna: 267 yards delivered.

Contract 222, clearing drains, Lsivenhairi, Patutahi, etc:: Completed. Contract 223, 'metalling Quarry,Ngatapa road: This contract 'lias, been delayed by wet weather; some 350 yards of stone delivered. Contract 224, formation and metalling AA r aimii sandhills: Good progress has been made with the cartage of stone, some 600 yards of boulders being delivered. Contract 225, metalling GisborneAA'airoii road, near Harris’s: This contract lias been in hand some weeks, but delayed by tho weather. I have not yet ■received a return of stone carted.

Contract 227, formation portion of Darwin road and draining: This work should be finished in the course of a week.

AVitli reference to instructions that I should report on a proposed expenditure of £6OO on the East CoasCroad and Hauiti-Takapau road, I should recommend that on tile, former section some 20 chains of road bo metalled near the. top of I’outae Hill, and that on tho north side of Tologa Hill tho boulders be taken up and broken. A contract could bo let immediately for this latter work, and the metalling near Poutao taken in hand in tho spring. AVih regard to the liauiti road, three sections of short lengths of road should be me+alled and tenders called for same immediately after the winter.

I have, as instructed, surveyed a site for stock paddock and quarry reserve near Alangatokcrau, and will get plans prepared as soon as possible. AVitli regard to the Paramatu road, I -have interviewed Air. T. Coleman on the matter, and have resurveyed tho proposed line to meet tho wishes of the Natives interested. Air. Coleman -ha's fixed the value of the land proposed to- be taken at £l2O, the Council to fence. This is a moderate sum to ask, and I should recommend that the matter be settled by agreeing t 0 the value and having the road line at once fenced. Owing to continuous wet weather and heavy floods, many of the roads have suffered considerably, and a number of extra hands have had to he employed. The Council’s horses and drays have been employed for the last month in carting metal for repairs near AVaerenga-o-kuri, and if the Council considers it advisable the horses might be turned out for the winter when the present work is completed. Tho ronort was adopted. -•-On —the—motion —of—Or—Boland,—it was decided to break up the boulders on tho East Coast road, and- to postpone metalling the road -until the spring.

The Clerk reported that the overdraft oil April'2sth was £6936 13s sd, and the receipts for the month: General fate £575 3s 6d, soeeial rate £27 17s 3d, Native £75 16s sd, sale of stone £3lB 18s, dog registration £39 10s, and land fund £l9ll Os. Cr. AVhito gave notice of motion that £6OO be spent-on the Te Arai road to the rivo'r, and that the Government be asked to put the road to the settlements in good order. The tenants would never be -able -to work their farms unless the road was made passable.

Cr. Lysnar said that he agreed to the proposal, but- would rather see a loan raised to put tile road in order and the £6OO used to nay the interest.

The Engineer said it would cost £6OOO to put the roads of the settlement in order.

The Chairman thought the Government should he asked to nay for the settlement roads.

It was decided to ask the Government to metal the roads of the settlement.

The tender of Air. H. O’Sullivan was accented for metalling roads in the Motu district at.Bs ner yard. The special order abolishing AVaikohu riding and constituting the AA’aipaoa and Alangatu ridings were con•firiried.

Other matters reported elsewhere were dealt with, and the Council adjourned.