MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 98, 3 August 1880, Page 2

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

YESTERDAY. The Council met at 2 p.m. Present — Messrs Macarthur (Chairman), M'Lennan, Sanson, Eookstrow, Lash, Gray, Linton, Keboell, and M'Beth. Mr Uray, who was recently elected for Awahou, tool* bis seat. The minutes of last meeting were read And confirmed The Ulmiman briefly stated the business he bad lians^cted siuce last meeting. He reported that he had ouly recently received *he name of the surveyor intended to be employed on the Makehun block, and therefore had not made application to the Goverument, for permission to enter on land, and survey same ; also, he had received a requesi f^om s >me natives in *bat district to see them over the road. Hence he had not taken any action. Re Gorge Ferry — He hud advertised for tenders for lease of this ferry, but upon r ceiving a copy of the Counties Act Amendment Bill he found that it proposed to give County Councils power to lease the ferries for 14 veara He therefore determined to continue working the ferry by day labour.no that the Council might tnke advant»ga of any provision of that Act. OORBESPONDENCB. Letter read from *he Manawatu Highways Board, asking for £110, being moiety of cost of making valuation. — The chairman read a reply he had sent, stxting the demand was ilK^ai. aud that 'h; Council had voted over £1800 as subsidies to the Hoard, in the face of which he thought the demand of the Highways Board was unreasonable. Two telegrams read from the Treasury, stnting that £259 Is 6d had been lodged to credit of the Council, being second payment on account of errant fdr Kiwitea roada, and thirteenth payment for JToxton Otaki road; al-o that, £217 had been lodged to credit of Council, being second and final payment for Kimboltou road, and second payment from grant for roads in ifitzherbert. Letter read from Air W S. Ptaite, inform ing the Council of Mrs Burr's bankruptcy. Letter read from Returning Officer, Awahou Hiding, stating Mr Alexander Gray had, beep-duly elected to the Council.: • Ciroulnr letter read from Colonial Secretary, asking for a return of tne amount

expended by the Council during the yea]* eacled 8 1st March) 1880, in indoor and out* door relief of the poor in the district. It was resolved to forward the return asko'l for. Letter read from John Row, asking payment of £4, fir 20 chains of bush he had felled on road line in" front of His property, Karero. Referred to the Engineer. Letter lead from Mr Hawkins, objecting to thp road from Foxton to the beach, on behalf of the native owners. Letter from Mr J. A. Stewart, Waikanae, containing a request to the < hairraan to visit Wnikanae to consult the natives re Paikakariki inland road. Telegram from Mr. A. M* Donald, stating Ihakara has removed the toll gate, pending his dispute with the County Counoil, and that he hoped to be authorised by the Government to communicate on his behalf with the Counoil - If so authorised, he had no doubt the dispute will be settled easily. Telegram read from Mr A. M'Donald, stating he was directed by Government to enquire into and report upon the oom plaints of the Ngatttmia and others re road from Waikanae to Foxton ; that he had not yet seen the Ngatihuia, but learned by a note from them to Dr Buller that they were to meet the Council yesterday on the subject. He' therefore supposed he had better not interfere. BOAD COMPENSATION.. Letter read from Mr John Davies, of Wirokiao, stating that ho would hold thb Council responsible for damage done to his. land. Manawatu-Kukutauaki No. 7d. by persons felling bush anddoing otherdamage, without his permission. The land in question haa been taken for the inland road. A. letter from Tamihana te Hoea was read, claiming the same land as Mr Davies had claimed for, and asking compensation for the same having been taken for the road. ' REMISSION OF RATES. Letter read from Mr Akers, Riverdale Farm, urging his claim for a remission of rates, (which claim the Council had rejected), on the ground that his land was rendered unproductive by the late flood. Mr M'Lennan sftid nothing new had been shown why the previous decision of the Council should be altered. — Mr Linton said there coulJ be no doubt Mr Akera' property had been greatly depreciated by the flood. —Mr Kebbell thought the valuation list should be altered to meet the case. — The Chairman said the Council had no power to tab? that course. The Council refused to allow tha demand. THE OTAKI ROAD. Letter read from the Otaki Highways Board, enclosing the following resolution : " That in the opinion of the Boaid, if the track to Wellincrton through t&e Horowhenua Riding is to be kept free from further obstructions, the Manawfttu County Council should take immediate action to determine the position and take legal possession of that part of it described by the Council in the New Zealand Gazette of May 3rd, 1877, as that part of the main line of road from the tui ning-in of the beach to the south of the Otaki river to the inland ford, from" thence to and through the tow*n of Hadfield to the beach to the north of the Otaki river." Mr Kebbell proposed, " That the Chair man bo authorised to take the necessary steps to obtain the right of road referred to in the resolution." Seconded by Mr Linton. Mr Saneon thought the Council should not purchase more than one road into Otaki. He wished to know how it would affect, the inland road. They should keep to the inland road. Mr Kebbell shid there would Ye very few claims for compensation on the road. In Otaki, all the town sections fronted the road, and Mr Gear would give the right of road, through his land: The Chairman sa : .d if they once admitted a claim, they would have to pay everybody on the line of road He Ruprgeated' that he should be permitted to take legal advice in Wellington as to whether or not the public had not an absolute right ovor the road. He had previously taken advice as to the rights of road, in connection with some land of his own. One lawyer told him that a road used for 7 years became a public road, another said 14 years, and a third said 21 years, whilst a fourth said he should shut up the road one day in the yoar. The motion was withdrawn. COUNCILS AS LAND BOAEDS. Letter read from Fatea County Co'incil enclosing if solution to the effect that County Councils should be constituted Land Boards, as, being elective, they are more likely to push on the sale and occupation of the waste lands of the Colony than the prdsent nominated Boards. THB COUNTY ENGINEER. Letter. read from the Manawatu Highways Board, enclosing copy of the followng reso» lution of that body: — "Proposed .by Mr M'Ewen, seconded by Mr Farmer, " That the Engineer's services will not be required after three months from this date, viz., July 8,1880." . This letter was discussed in committee during the evening sitting. SBROB IN VALUATION lIST. Letter read from George Davison, as follows : — Palmerston, July 22, 1880. I have the honor to draw your attention to an error in the valuation of No 4 Ward of the Manawatu Highways distriot. At the time of the Assessment Court sitting here, I objected to the valuation of my property, and had it reduced to £3 per acre. Since then I received a notice from the Board for rates amounting to £3 2s. Upon looking over the valuation list I find that the Judge of the Assessment Court made a note thereon reducing the amount all round to £3 per acre, but omitted to reduce the capital value; hence the mistake, which makes a difference of Us 4d. Trotting you will make this allowance, I have, &c, George Davison. Mr Rockstrow thought that if a blunder had been made by the Judge of the Assessment Court, the Council should let him rectify it. — Mr M'Lennan thought they might do what they had done before, not collect the extra amount. — Mr Maoarthur said the amount was a bagatelle. It was the princip'* they had to look to. No action was taken in the matter. DAMAGE AT KARERB. Letter read from Donald Walker, ->f Rangitikei Line, and others, asking that a culvert might be constructed to carry off storm water, the present ono not being large enough to carry off storm- water ; also, asking that a drain might be cnt to a blind creok on Mr Walker's estate. The Engineer reported thin had been done. THE FOXTONBEACH ROAD. Letter read from Mr S. M. Baker, Government Interpreter, covering the following letters fiom Ibakara Tukumaru : — . Foxton, July 88th, 1880. Friend Mr Macarthur— Salutations — This is a letter from me to you — to the Chairman of the Councilhaving reference to the road at the Mana«vatu ferry. This i» my word to you, i.e., of myself and my whole family, who have a right to the road lying between the fences which have been planted with gore*, and

those made of wire. Ido not like the gorge : badges beiuar out down, nor the wire which {•* fastened to the fences, but give me (£1,000) one thousand pounds, and I will then agree to the, gorse and wire being cut, bo that when our fence* are cut down, we shall have the satisfaction of knowing that the thousand pounds has done it. If you do not agree to give the thousand pounds, neither will 1 agree to the fences being cut by the Europeans The road is open for the coach to go along. Another evil which exists, is that, when the Europeans dig the sandhills, the sand drifts into our garden b, and does damage to them.— From Ihakara Tukumaru. Foxton, 3lst July, 1880. To the Chairman Manawatu County Conncil— { Friend, salutations. This is toy word to you. I have thrown open the gate "upon* my land — the one erected by Natana Pipito. I have now abolished that gate, so that from henceforth people, and horte*, and cattle, may go-along- that road" free; ■ i.c , the ro>id from theferry to the beaoh. But I make this request, that you give me £50 per annum for the post wbioh supports the wjhb of the ferry, which stands" upon my land. If you agree to this, I will allow you to have a fence put up on the other side of the river, to yard cattle when they are being crossed over. With reference to the money I demanded of you in my last letter, viz., the £1000, I. repeal that demand, but a separate arrange* ment may be entered into with regard to th? cattle yard I referred to. Enouojh.-^-From your friend, Ihakaba Tub:t;mab.u.< COMPENSATION. Mesßrs fJuerin and Gawley wrote, asking for £20 compensation, owing to the native toll gate having injured them as lessees of the Foxton ferry. In reply to Mr Roekstrow, the Chairman said that the 1 lessees distinctly understood' thotg no compensation would* be allowed them for bother caußed by the natives. The claim was, no. t allowed. GORGE FEB.BY. Letter read from Mr Staite, of Palmerston, demanding £150 as compensation, on behalf of John Harms, late lessee of the Gorjre Perry, whose lease had been cancelled ; also £40 special damages, and £10 money of his in possession of the Council. Mr. Rockstrow Baid the man who was at present working the Ferry was willing to ] pay £6 or £7 per menth for it. At present the Council paid £1 per day for working it. He suggested- the present workman's ' offer be accepted. The Chairman pointed out the Council had no power to let the Gorge .Ferry unless by tender. ...... . : The Council resolved to decline to pay the compensation demanded by Mr Staite. OBJECTIONS TO INLAND ROAD. Mr Kebbell moved, " That nil objections in connectioD with the inland road from Foxton to Otaki be considered by this Covncil on September 6th, at 7 o'clock p.m." Seconded by Mr Linton and carried. TEHDEHS ACCEPTED. -. For Kiwitea Road Lines .-—Section 3, £14 14s; 6, £82 3s lOd, Bryant & Co. Section 5, £73 ; section 7, £32 12s ; section 8, £68; secMon 11, £37 10s, J. M'Coll SecM'on 9, £34 3s 9d ; section 10, £15 2 8 6d ; section 15, £9 3s, Kor'te and Benseman. Section 4. £47 4s, Lang and party. Section 12, £06 93, Wilson and Dimond. For Horowher.ua Road Line. — Section 1, £1 per chain, d. Mitchell; section 3, I)! ODea, £1 per chain ; section 4, F. Shade, £1 2s per chain. FERRY HOTEL, OTAKI. Mr Kebbell brought under notice of the Council the fact that a £5 license had been issued to Win. Udy, of the Ferry Hotel, in direct opposition to the wishes of the Council, which had passed a resolution some two years a</o, suggesting that only £30 licenses should be issued. Mr Kebbell said he had heard from Mr Udy that he had obtained the lice''Be for £5, but could not find out how he got it for that sum. He thought the Chairman should enquire into the matter, The Chairman said Mr Kebbell's statement had greatly surprised him as the action of the Government, in issuing a£s license, was in direct opposition to the compact made. He would enquire into the matter. THE INLAND BOAT). Several amounts having been advanced to the credit of the inland road from the funds of Awahou and Horowhenua, it was resolved to keep on account in the books, showing the amount expended on the inland road from Foxton to Otaki, and the relative position of Horowhenua and Awahou ridings with respect to the Government grant of £30 '0 for the inland road. Proposed by Mr Kebbell, seconded by Mr. Kockatrow. Proposed by Mr Kebbell, seconded by Mr Rockstmw, and carried, " That a return be laid on the fable at the next sitting of this Council, showing the length of the inland -road from Foxton to Otaki ; first, ihe length from the Post office. Foxton, to the Manawatu River at Wirokino; second, from Wirokino to. Otaki." . Accounts amounting to £978 were passed for- payment, of which sum £489 will be refunded. • • ■