COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 36, 3 September 1887, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL.

A meeting of the County Council was h»ld on Thursday afternoon. Present: Messrs G. L. Sunderland (Chairman), Grav, Stubbs, King, Gannon, Dobbie, J. W. Sunderland, Chambers and Wallace. COBBBSPOXnXMCE. Ffcm Waimata Road Board re Taraheru footbridge asking for a grant of one»third of the proposed cost ot £w. Cr Stubbs strongly opposed any grant being made, as the bridge was not under the control of the County. There were far too many requests of this nature. He moved that the request be declined, Cr Chambers seconded,—Carried. From the Bofough Conncil re Mr Barker's stone. — Consideration deferred until the report of the Joint Committee be read. From the Colonial Treasurer announcing that a subsidy of £7lB Would be granted.—Received. The Clerk stated that the P.B. Road Board and the Ormond Boards had,not forwarded their returns and consequently there was a loss of subsidy thereby. From Waikohu Road Board complaining of cuttings on the road being iu bad repair.—The Engineer stated that the matter had been attended to. —Received. . From H. Williams, Tologa Bay, Oomplaining of A. Beeves' conduct re the Mangapeka bridge.—This letter contained some rather strong language about Mr Reeves', stigmatising one of his statements as “ a deliberate lie," that is if he were correctly reported by the newspaper.—Letter received. TE ABAI BOADB. The standing ordefrs having been suspended, Mr J. Woodbine Johnston attended as a deputation from the Te Arai Road Board asking the Council s consideration for the Te Arai district. The rates paid were very heavy, and the roads were in a wretched state. The Road Board had still a little money, about £5O, available and he would ask the Council to grant the Board a little subsidy. If the Council could see their way to giving £3 for £1 the necessary repairs could be effected. Cr Gray moved that when any new Works Were undertaken in that riding this be attended to first. Cr Chambers seconded. Mr Johnston said if the work were not undertaken at once the road would be perfectly impassable. The offer of t ie £5O was not a standing offer and t le money might not be available in a month from now. The Chairman said he could not support the voting of the money at once in favor of the resolution arrived at a few weeks ago re new works. Cr King contended that the road was not a new work and he thought the Council ought to help the Te Arai settlers. Cr Wallace supported a vote at once as this was merely a maintenance work, he thought they should not lose the £5O. Cr Stubbs thought the resolution re new works should be rescinded. Cr King moved as an amendment that the Council give £lOO to the Te Arai Road Board for this work. Seconded by Cr Wallace. The amendment was put and lost. The motion was then put and carried.

COBMESPOBDENCE BEBVMED. From the Public Works Department asking for certain returns re roads.— The Clerk stated that the answer had been sent. From the Poverty Bay Road Board applying for half the amount realised by th* sale of the materials left over from the old .College Road Bridge.— Request granted. ■ • TESDEBB. - ’ The following tender was received for the laying of drain pipes at Wae-reuga-a-hika —Jones, £7 10s.—Accepted. * ' ISE 8 OXS QUESTION. . 1

The Chairman reported, on behalf of the Committee appointed to meet the Borough Council on the matter, and also read Mr Barker’s eSer. He then detailed the decision re testing arrived at by- the joint Committee. rThis question has been fully referred to before in our report of the Borough Council meeting.] Cr Gannon moved that the test be

made. Cr King opposed as he contended that the Council had a good enough supply at the Patutahi. He also thought Mr Barker’s offer should have been made to run for more than a period of seven years. The Chairman. said the test should be made. There was no doubt in his mind that the supply was needed, and the quarry was in so central position that it was advisable, if possible, that Mr Barker's proposals should be accepted. Cr Dobbie seconded the motion. Cr Gannon said that the test propesed was a very cheap way of finding out whether the metal was in sufficient quantity or not. When the Gisborne North streets and by-streets had to

be mettalled this metal would be very handy. Cr J. W. Sunderland opposed the motion as be thought the time stated in the offer was too short. It should be 17 years instead of seven. Cr Gannon said the first question to decide was that of testing. When that was • ettled they could decide as to the price and the period. Cr Gray thought that if the Council had the stone tested it would be equivalent to the acceptance of Mr Barker’s offer. He felt sure Mr Barker would

increase the time. Cr J. W. Sunderland said MiBarker might charge one shilling a yard at the end of the period. The motion was carried, Crs King and J. W. Sunderland voting against it. Cr Chambers was absent from the room when the votes were taken. The Engineer wished that, if the work were carried out by contract, special stipulations be made that the tenderers be competent quarrymen. He asked the Council to allow day labour being employed. Cr Stubbs moved that the work be done by contract. There were plenty of competent miners in the district. The Chairman and Cr Gannon supported day labour being employed, as under the' Engineer’s supervision they considered-the work would be done cheaper.

Cf Gray seconded the motion. An amendment by the Chairman, seconded by Cr Ganndti,' that day labour be employed, was carried, Crs Gray, Stubbs, Wallace, and King voting against it.

BNC+INEEb’b BEI’OET. The above fbpbft was read and adopted.

COUNTY HOADS. The Chairman moved that lines of roads beyond the limits of settlement be main roads and that the maintenance cf them be in charge of the whole

county, Cr Chambers seconded. Crs Stubbs, Gray, Gannon, Wallace and King opposed and the motion was negatived. HEW HOAD BOARDS. The special order abolishing the Waimata Road Board and constituting the Whataupoko, Kaiti, and Waimata Road districts was then confirmed.

THE WAGES QUESTION. Cr Gannon moved that the resolution reducing wages to 7s a day be rescinded. Cr Wallace seconded. Crs King, J. W. Sunderland, Chambers, and the Chairman opposed a return to the old rate.

Cr Stubbs thought that for constant employment 7s a day should be paid, but for broken periods 8s a day should be the rate. Cr Ganfloti replied at some length, and the motion was put. Ayes; Crs Gannon, Wallace and Stubbs. Noes ; The Chairman, J, W. Sunderland, Gray, Chambers, King, and Dobbie.

payments. The following payments were anthorisee: — Hamblett, £ll6s -, J. Turner, £901 A. J. O'Neil, £B3 ; P. Maher, £l5 | Courtney and Pitcher, £29; H. Brownlow, £2B 18s; G. Moore and party, £22 15s ; Pearce and Graham, £l2 12s; 0. Young, sen., £8 17s; D. Malone, £23; T. O’Donnell and Quin, £2 5b ; Taylor and Bourke, £ll 8s ; A. Devery, £1 lOe; John Walls, £6 8s; W. A. Friar, £3 Gs; J. A. Harding, £8 Ils 6d ; J. Trimmer, £i 17s; salaries, £54 3s 4d ; Library Committee, £l5 j T. Partridge, £3 10s ; petty cash, £5. Some minor matters were attended to and the Council adjourned.