COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 996, 8 November 1881, Page 2

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

The meeting held on Friday evening last was the last sitting of the old Council, consequently nothing but proforma business was transacted. The Council disposed of the complaints re the performance of Oxenham’s contract by resolving on the motion of Cr. Johnson that the Borough Council be written to asking it to have the line properly ballasted with shingle, and that the Borough Engineer be asked to proceed with the County Engineer to inspect the line, and give instructions to the contractor to re-lay such portions as were found to be necessary. With regard to Pound fees, and the terms on which poundkeepers are to hold their pounds in future, Cr. Johnson’s motion for the matter to stand over for the consideration of the new Council was adopted. It was decided to communicate with the Minister of Lands, on the subject of obtaining the sums passed in the late Session for expenditure in this district. [By the Stella, we learn that a letter was received from the Government notifying that arrangements were being made by which the County could become possessed of these sums]. A new license was granted to Mr. W. Harvey, for a slaughter-house at Waerenga-ahika. The Engineer’s Report was read. It recommends that, with regard to settlement on the Homestead system, at Motu, the Lond Board should be urged to set aside a block of 2000 acres situated to the south of and adjoining the land already surveyed by the Government for settlement under the Deferred Payment System, and extending in a southerly direction to where the main road crosses the Pukekiwi Creek under Kaipono ; also, that

80 acres of Section 5, Block 111., be set aside for the Accommodation House site. The report, which is unusually interesting thus continues :— “ These lands are situated about 50 miles from Gisborne, and about 9 miles from where the road enters the bush. It is all heavily timbered with rimu, kahikatea, matai, totara, and pukitea, &c. The under hush is principally tawa, which is easily felled and cleared ; the soil is a rich alluvial deposit, fairly level and well watered, the lower flats along the bank of the Waiwero Stream are liable to be flooded.

Goods can be conveyed by dray for the first 26 miles of the road (William Cooper's). From thence there is a fair bridle track which with the judicious expenditure of the sums (£6,500) already voted by the Government can be made into a dray road for summer traffic.

With, a view of obtaining the 5000 acres granted by the Land Board for Homestead Settlement, Cr. Chambers and I also inspected the Hihiroroa Block, which contains 3637 acres. This is Government land situated to the south of the Waikohu Block, and about 5 miles off the Opotiki road ; the soil is of good quality, but covered for the most, part with heavy fern and scrub, and sufficient timber for fencing purposes. There being no flat land on the Block it is not suitable for selection under the Homestead System, but is well adapted for pastoral pursuits. It is fairly accessible either by following up the Waihuka stream, the Tangihanga Valley or through the Okahuatiu Blocks.

My reason for mentioning only 2000 acres as suitable for selection in the Motu is that the surrounding country is too rugged and broken to be utilised under the Homestead System, but I am of opinion that the greater portion of the proposed selection can be cultivated.

If the Council deem it advisable to take up the 5000 acres as granted in the Motu Block, it would be necessary to ask the Land Board to make some special condition as to occupation and improvements for it would be impossible for single families to improve separate sections of 320 acres in such a manner as to fulfil the present conditions. I informed you at last meeting that I was of opinion that the block of 200 acres selected by me at Waihau, for an Accommodation House reserve, had been taken as a site for the township and suburban lots. Upon inspection I find it to be so, and there is no block now of sufficient area suitable for the purpose. I would recommend that the Council apply for one acre of the township adjoining the main road, also a 20-acre suburban lot for a paddock and the balance of the land in one block to the south of the road ; this latter would be rough and broken, but the soil of fair quality.

The recommendations of the Engineer were agreed to. Cr. Porter proposed, and Cr. Scott seconded—“ That in addition to the 2000 acres, that the Council apply to the Waste Lands Board to have a selection of 3000 acres in the W ai-kofiu-Matawai Block, near the boundary of the Motu, in order to complete the 5000 acres.”—Carried. Cr. Porter’s proposition relative to voting compensation to Mr. Higgins, of Ormond, for the loss of his horse, through the alleged state of unrepair of the Ormond Road, was negatived through not finding a seconder: A long discussion took plsce re establishing a ferry at Wharepaea, on the Waiapu river, and it |was eventually decided that enquiries be made as to the necessity for a ferry at the spot indicated. A communication was received from Mr. W. K. McLean, showing, in tabular form, the amounts, at compound interest required to be provided annually for interest and sinking fund on a loan for £7OOO for 10 years. There are two tables—one calculated at 6 per cent per annum, and one at 4 per cent per annum. Cr. Graham, on behalf of the Finance Committee, presented the documents as their Report. The Council did not entertain the question, pending the elections, and the polling of the ratepayers. It was affecting to see the Councillors almost moved to tears at the remarks made by Cr. Johnson, intended to be complimentary to Mr. Graham on his retirement from the Council. We say ’‘intended,” because Cr Johnson has only good words to say of any one, as a rule, but, on the august occasion to which we aliude, his feelings so overcame him as to deprive him of the power of a sufficiency of speech absolutely required to do honor to the gentleman “ spotted ” for panegyric. But, affected as Cr. Johnson was, in patting Cr. Graham on the back, Cr. Graham, was visibly, nay, almost risibly affected in essaying a reply. He, however, succeeded after a while in returning thanks for the extensive honor done him, and resumed his seat, with his blushing honors thick upon him. Thus ended the last chapter of the chronicles of the sheep kings of County Cook.