COUNTY COUNCIL

Patea Mail, 6 August 1881, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL

The monthly mooting was held on Wednesday. Present ; Messrs Dale (in the •hair), Horner, Partridge, Gane, Brower, and Bridge. BOULDERS FOR ROADS. Messrs Mace and Bassett offered 500 yards of large gravel, to be delivered at Hawera or Normanby at 4s 9d per yard, these being stones larger than could be used in ballasting the railway line. Mr Gane: It would be a good opportunity for getting these boulders. Chairman : If they are going to have a new County at Hawera, we would rather they should buy them. Foreman: There is a good road between Hawera and Waihi creek, and these stones, when broken, would do well for patching that road. The price would be the same as our last contract for gravel from the beach. A stone-breaker would be useful. Chairman ; The Council determined at the last meeting not to cart new metal on roads until the fine weather set in. The contractors will not be able to deliver these stones after three mouths. Foremen : Gravel could not be carted to Hawera at that price, and these stones would be cheaper. Mr Bridge : We might leave it over. Mr Partridge: A pity Councillors Winks and Hunter are not here, or we might have decided it now. (Laughter.) Mr Bridge : They are asking the full price for these stones, whereas they cannot use them on their railway contract in any case. Agreed that the letter He on the table till next meeting. STOPPING TRAFFIC. Mr Bridge : I am told that the men working at Whenuakura bridge, while it is suspended on chains, have to leave their occupation in order to prevent some persons from forcing their way across. We have power to close that bridge, and I think we should make an example of some one. Damage to the amount of £SOO might be done in a moment. Mr Brewer: 1 think the work on that bridge is so far in progress that very little harm can be done. A heavy waggon might do harm, but not a horseman riding over it. It is a serious thing to be pulled up there nearly a whole day. Mr Bridge : I do not object to persons going across while the bridge is not suspended in chains. Mr Brewer : While we have an Engineer, I think it is hardly correct that a Councillor-ehould speak to a workman. Engineer : A workman told me there had been no trouble until yesterday, when a person was said to be In a regular tantrum because he could not get across. Mr Gane : I must endorse Councillor Bridge’s action in the matter. I maintain it is the duty of every ratepayer as well as every Councillor to report anything that he thinks is in the public interest. Chairman ; If persons had forced their way across, in spite of the notice, I should take action, Mr Bridge : I totally disagree with Mr Brewer, that a Councillor should not speak to a workman. I would not interfere with the Foreman of Works, but I consider I should have failed in my duty if I had not brought the matter, before this Council. Mr Horner : Hear, hear. OPENING CROWN LAND. m’lean’s cases, &c. Chairman : At the last meeting, the Council passed resolutions in reference to opening up land, and a reply was afterwards received from the Minister of Lands. I had an interview with Mr Rulleston in Wellington, and we went through the question. Mr Wray, Land Commissioner, had previously received instructions to lease this large University Reserve in two or three large blocks, for say 14 years. The deputation which came to the Council wished, and I understood the Council also wished, that the land should be leased for 21 years, in email lots. Mr Rolleston promised that a Government surveyor should be sent to lay off a road. If the surveying was let by contract, as the deputation suggested, it was generally found that the best road was not obtained by this method. After laying off the best line of road, and if the land is suitable, it will be cut into 200 oi* 300 acre lots, and leased for 21 years instead of 14. The Kaharoa track behind that reserve will also be re-surveyed. A piece of land between the settled district and that reserve will also be pnt in the market as soon as Sir W. Fox has settled certain native claims. The remainder of the Momahaki block behind Waverley will be put in the market first, as soon as roads are made

tlirough it. As to Otoia and Whakamara land, it was said the weather is bad for bush surveying, but directly the fine weather sets in the back country on those blocks will be surveyed and opened to settlement. Another matter was as to the weight of loads on roads, and Major Atkinson has promised that the matter shall be dealt with if possible in one of the amending bills to be brought forward. As to the railway from Waverley to Paten, it is intended to be gone on with directly the surveys are completed. There is a question of two routes, and the Government purpose being guided by their engineers. The route is not decided yet. The railway will be opened nearly up to Manutahi as soon as the rails can be laid. I gave the Government an estimate of the goods that came in through Patea port during the last twelve months, and also the produce sent away. I stated the probable number of passengers coming in and out of the district; and I gave an estimate obtained • from business people in Paten of the quantity of goods sent in a northern direction. There will be a question whether the railway shall go inland from near Manutahi by an easier route than tunnelling, or whether it will go seaward. There is some question of the through line going direct from Normanby southward by N an inland route, and that would give a branch line to Hawera. The question of a County representative also came before me while in Wellington, and I took certain action as Chairman of Council. I found in Wellington that plans had been prepared in the Survey office, under directions from Government, on a population basis, and there was a question as to giving this district a County representative. An understanding had been come to, as far as the two New Plymouth members were concerned, that a piece of Grey and Bell district should be attached to the borough of New Plymouth, and the northern portion of the Egmont district was being attached to Grey and Bell. Then a block was shown giving a member to this County down to Waitotara river boundary. Ministers had been informed by Mr Bryce that he believed the electors of the Waverley Riding would prefer to remain a portion of the Wanganui district. I therefore called a meeting of the Waverley Riding to ascertain the wish of the electors, and only a short notice could be given because a meeting of the Cabinet was expected to be held to consider the Representation Bill. The Waverley meeting was held but adjourned for a week, and then the result seemed to show they did not care which way the matter went. The resolution of the meeting went against us, but I think a majority of settlers would be in favor. The Hospital road was also a matter that came before the Government, and that will be considered and the question be dealt with. As regards McLean’s claims, the" Government have agreed to pay the money. I took the evidence with me, and laid the whole matter before the Government. Mr Gane : In reference to the railway line from Manutahi to Hawera, did you understand that there was any probability of taking the line farther inland ? Because if the line is carried to the mouth of the Manawapou and then through a tunnel, the nearest station for Whakamara settlers would be 12 miles away, making 24 miles there and back. Mr Bridge asked about the per-centage deducted from land fund for a line to Opunaki. The Chairman said no Waimate sales took place until the land fund was taken away entirely, and there was therefore no fund accumulating before that time for the Opunaki line. COUNTY RETURNS. Mr Bridge asked how it was that this County was one which had failed to send official returns by a certain date, as Mr Black was usually so punctual. The Chairman said the auditor could not complete his rounds by a certain date, and this County happened to have been visited by him too late for the accounts to be audited in time for the return required by Government. TRAVELLING EXPENSES. Mr Bridge proposed a vote of £lO towards the Chairman’s expenses in visiting Wellington and obtaining a satisfactory settlement of McLean’s cases, thereby relieving the County of a serious expense. Mr Gane seconded, and considered the vote a right one. Mr Brewer and Mr Horner concurred in thanking the Chairman for the satisfactory results of his visit to Wellington. The motion was carried unanimously. The Chairman thanked the Council, and said he spent several days over this matter

in Wellington, il being important to get it settled before a change of Government. WAVERLEY STATION ROAD. ' Chairman : The road from the Waverley Station to the County Road is being cut up by traffic going chiefly to northern parts of the County. In fact Hawera and Manaia are using that piece of road for their timber and other goods. Waverley Town Board are not in a position to improve that road, as they have scarcely any funds, and it is hardly fair that the whole expense of repairing that road for general traffic should fall on the small township of Waverley. Not long ago this Council assisted the Hawera Road Board to repair the piece of road up to Normanby, that being virtually a district road. I move “ That the Engineer bo instructed to prepare an estimate for putting the Waverley Station road in proper repair.” That piece of road will be urgently required for the next year or so, and if we have to spend £SO or £6O, it will be a benefit to the County as a whole. Mr Brewer seconded. Mr Horner: I was never more surprised than to hear our Chairman expatiate on tlys piece of road at Waverley. It only shows that these local bodies cannot do their own, work. The Chairman lays it down that the whole County benefits by that piece of road ; therefore let the County pay for it. I quite agree with that. The whole area benefits from that bit of road, and you ask that the County should support it. As we are constituted, and having our wings clipped and limbs curtailed every day, we are yet asked to do the work of email bodies which are unable to do it for themselves. If you take away Hawera ns a borough, you take away a large amount of funds that would otherwise be spent on the whole County. We are finding fault with the principle on the one hand, and accepting it with the other. I could not vote for this. Mr Brewer : I am pleased to see our Chairman move in this matter, although somewhat surprised after the way he spoke of the road between Hawera and Normanby. I don’t believe in strict redtapeism. We are practically using that road for the benefit of the whole County. Chairman : After we get the Engineer’s estimate, it will be a question whether we should not proclaim that piece of road a County road. After the grant made to the Normanby road, I consider that what was good for that road is good for this. Motion carried, Mr Horner dissenting, and the names being recorded on division at his request. Mr Bridge : I don’t bind myself by this vote to do more than consider the Engineer’s estimate. After other business, mentioned elsewhere, the Council adjourned.