COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1162, 29 September 1882, Page 2

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

The Council met at the usual hour. Present: J. W. Johnson in the Chair, and Councillors Clarke, Chambers, Gannon, Westrup, Ferris and Weston. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed with a slight alteration. OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE. The correspondence outwards was then read by the County Clerk. INCOMTNG CORRESPON BENCE. The following is a portion of the letter which was received by the County Council in reply to their letter of the 9th Sept., with reference to the Native Lands Division Bill. The letter to the Borough Council was published in our issue of the 16th instant :—

The Town Clerk says :—“ That in reply [ to the letter of the Cook County Council of the 9th instant re Native Lands Division I Bill, I am directed to quote a resolution | passed at the last meeting of the Borough Council, viz., “That this Council regrets that through inadvertence a copy of the resolutions by this Council affecting the Native Lands Division Bill was not sent to the County Council. It wasjby not intentional discourtesy, but simply, and only by the overi sight of the mover of those resolutions.” The letter was ordered to be acknowledged. I 2k letter from the Colonial Secretary was | read re importation of sheep, which was ■ ordered to be acknowledged. i The Minister of Public Works wrote acknowledging the Council’s letter of the 14th instant, with reference to the encroachment of the Waipaoa river near Ormond, and stating that the same would be enquired into. The Colonial Treasurer wrote asking to be i furnished with a list of the Road Boards in the County, the number of members thereof, | and the place where the Boards’ office was ; situate. ; The County Clerk was directed to reply. The following letter was received from Messrs Brassey and Fraser with reference to the Bye-laws :— , The Chairman of the Cook County Council. BYE-LAWS. Dear Sir, —As instructed by your clerk, 1 we have perused the existing bye-laws and the statutes referring or likely to refer to ; them in connection therewith, and we beg to send herewith for the consideration of the , Council draft of new bye-laws relating to I peddlers and hawkers, slaughter-houses and ! traffic on bridges. For these we find a 1 warrant in the Counties Act and the I Slaughter-houses Act. The first bye-law, re- ’ lative to proceedings in the Council, we have not interfered with. With regard to that relating to pounds we have nothing to Ray, except that the charges under tables IY. and X’. should be revised in accordance with the mode of giving notice prescribed by tlie Auckland Provincial Impounding Ordinance of 1874, which seems to repeal i>y implication the mode of giving notice in ear- j tain cases prescribed by the Provincial Ordi- ! nance of 1867. For the other bye-laws we 1 have been unable to find any warrant what- | ever, and in this connection we would refer | the Council to the Counties Act, section | IS3, by which the power of the Council to > make bye-laws is limited. Wo venture to suggest that a committee I of the Council should be appointed for the ! purpose of revising the bye-laws, and we ' shall be happy to attend any meetings of such committee to advise thoron and ex- [ plain our draft. Wo have been asked by the Clerk to state 1 our f«e in thil matter up tv date. We have 1

fixed the same at £lO 10s. Brassey and Fraser. The Chairman considered it would be best to allow the matter to stand over until the next meeting, so that the question could be looked into. It was resolved that this should be done. Mr H. Williams, of Tologa Bay, wrote asking for permission to proc’aim his stockyard a pound at Tologa Lay. It was moved by Cr. Ferris, seconded by Cr. Chambers, and carried, that the request be acceded to, and that Mr Henry Williams be appointed pound-keeper, subject to the yards being passed. Deputation from Borough Council. It was resolved that the standing orders be suspended, in order that a deputation from the Borough Council with reference to Mr Oxenham’s contract be received. The deputation, consisting of His Worship the Mayor, Crs. CJarke, Tucker, and Town’ey, were then introduced by Cr. Westrup. The Town Clerk, Mr J. Bourke, and the Borough Engineer, Mr John Drummond, were also in attendance.

The following letter was then read : - Cook County Council Office, Gisborne, 12th Sept., 1882. Sir, —I have the honor by direction of this Council, to remind you that the timo for which the tramway plant was lent to your Council, will expire on the 30th inst., and this Council has resolved, that on that date the work of delivery of gravel, by means of the steam engine at present in use, shall cease, unless on or before that time the Borough Council will enter into a bond to indemnify this Council for any loss or damage they may sustain in law by reason of permitting the use of a tramway on the County road.

1 beg to remind you that the copy of the former bond entered into by the Councils, in reference to this tramway, has not been returned to this office.—Yours, etc. J. Warren, County Clerk. His Woi’sbip the Mayor, Gisborne Borough Council.

His Worship said that at the end of this month the liability of the Council would cease. He hoped the County Council would meet the Borough Council in a proper spirit in this matter. The Chairman said that the County Council must protect themselves. They wanted the metal brought down and this was a question which should have been settled long ago had it not been for the Borough Council returning the deed, submitted to them, unsigned. Borough Cr. Tucker, as one of the deputation, made a few remarks with reference to the question in dispute. His Worship the Mayor wanted to know whether the County Council wished the gravel to be supplied to them. Cr. Westrup was of opinion that it would be better to take time to consider the matter. His Worship the Mayor said he thought the Council should have considered this Before, and he thought the Borough Council had a right to an answer at once. Cr. Chambers said the risk referred to in the letter in question might only be imaginary. The Chairman then pointed out that the deed was incomplete, seeing that it had never been signed by the Borough Council. The Mayor of Gisborne : Don’t you think that that is a very good job. The Chairman: No ; I certainly do not. You asked us to trust you, and we did so in all good faith, but you have not trusted us. We signed the contract and sent it to you for your signature, and you returned it to us unsigned ;in fact you refused to sign it. If any blame is attachable to our Council we are perfectly willing to take it upon our shoulders, but I do not see why we should be blamed for simply looking to the interests ofjthe ratepayers. After some considerable discussion, in which Crs Clark and Townley, of the Borough Council, and Crs. Chambers, Gannon and Ferris took part, It was moved by Cr. Gannon, seconde I by C?. Chambers and carried nem. eon., “That a Committee be appointed by the Cook County Council to confer with the Borough Council with reference to this matter the committee to consist of Mr J. Woodbine Johnson (chairman), and Crs. Westrup, Chambers "Ferris and Gannon, with full power to come to terms, and enter into the most advantageous terms for the County re the tramways, the said committee to meet at 10 o’dock (This day.) The deputation having thanked the Council for the interview granted to them, withdrew.

Mr W. Morrice wrote to the Council, enclosting a report from Mr XV Reynolds, C. E., with reference to certain contracts on the Gisborne-Wairoa road. The following is a copy of Mr Reynolds letter ;— Gisborne, Sept. 20, 1882. Sir, —I have to-day, at your request, examined a portion of the XVairoa Road (the second contract), with a view to ascertaining (1) The batter of the cuttings ; (2) the width of road in the solid ; (3) whether or not scrub had been cleared at the top of the cutting. (1) I made 12 measurements of batter. The average result was inches to a foot. The steepest batter was 4 inches, the flattest 7.} inches to a foot. (2) I measured the width of the road at 10 points. The width of the solid was in every case less than 10ft., and in some places the total width was barely 12ft. The points selected were on straight portiont of the road. (3) It appeared to me that for the greater portion of the length of the road no clearing had been done on the top of the cutting.— I am, etc., R. Reynolds, C.E.

After considerable discussion, it was moved by Cr. Clarke, seconded by Cr. Gannon, and carried, “That a Committee consisting of 1 Crs. XX’estou, Johnson, Clarke, and Gannon proceed to view the road in question on Saturday next, accompanied by the County Engineer, and that a thorough inspection of the work be made.” It was also agreed that Mr J. O. Barnard be communicated with on the subject. The question of the Tuparoa road, referred to in a letter from the Southern Cross Petroleum Company, was referred to Mr J. O. Barnard, of the Survey Department. Messrs T. J. Dickson and H. A. Down, as : sureties fur XV. Allen, contractor for a section on the Mangatu road, which was to have completed by the end of October, asking for an extension of time for three months, us the road was at present in such a state that any gravel put on it at present would be thrown The County Engineer bore out the statements in the letter, and recommended an ex- ! tension of time. It was then agreed that an extension of three months be granted to Mr Allen on the understanding that at the end of that time the penalty would be enforced. Mr XV. Howarth, of Mukuuri, wrote with reference to a mistake in Ins rates, and asking the Council to rectify the same. It was resolved that Mr Howarth uhuuld be informed that he ought to have objouted ut the time the Revision Court sat. The following letter was then read from A. McDonald, Esq., M.H.R. Gisborne, 23rd Sept,, 1382. To the Chairman Cook County Counoil. Sir,—l beg to draw your attention to the 1 amount voted by Parliament some £34,000 for : roads and bridges in the East Coast 'Electoral j District, and to urge upon you the necessity t of applying to the Government for an early 1 expenditure of the same. \ 011 are aware by the “ Roa«lsau<l Bridges : Constiuctivn Bill " passed t bis hint, sension, i

that works undertaken by County Councils and approved of by Government will be assisted by the Government to the amount of 75 per cent. 1 would, therefore, suggest if your Council intend to take advantage of the above mentioned Act, that it would be advisable to make an early application.-- 1 am, etc., a. McDonald. It was unanimously resolved to acknowledge Mr McDonald's letter and to thank him for the same, also at the same time to inform him that the Council had on the receipt of his, letter taken action in the matter. The following important letter from the XX airoa County Council was ordered to be acknowledged with thanks :— X\ airoa County Council Office, 22nd September, 1882. EAST (’OAST ROADS. Gentlemen, —Following up my remarks on the above subject I have the honor to direct your attention to the very large area of Crown and Native lands in the four East Coast Counties. From official sources the following is the estimated area : -

To open up and improve an estate of over one million acres of land belonging to the Crown is a work the importance of which can hardly be over-rated ; the above figures are supplied in order to furnish additional reasons why this portion of the Colony should no longer be neglected.—Yours, etc., J. Gemmell, County Chairman.

On the application of Mr AV. R. Ball, secretary to the Poverty Bay Highway Board, it was resolved that 30s be refunded to the Highway Board for certain repairs to the County road. The sum of £5 5s per annum was ordered to be granted to Mr G. L. Greenwood for his services in connection with the Licensing Court. The report of the County Engineer was then read. engineer’s report. Council Chambers, Sept. 28th, 1882. Sir.—l have the honor to inform you that tenders have been called for the following works, viz : —Repairs to Mangatu-Waikohu and sections 1 to 2, Gisborne- Wairoa roads, gravelling portions of main road. There was not sufficient time to prepare plans and specifications for the repairs of the river banks at Kaiteratahi or for new bridges, Tologa Bay. The balance of original grant for GisborneWai roa road is £5OO unappropriated, and there are about 7 miles of road yet to be formed between Waihau and the boundary of the County (Te Reinga). If it is the intention of the Council to have this work carried out, I would recommend that tenders be called as soon as possible for same. There are 9in. pipes laid across the road at Matawhero : these are found to be too small to carry off the storm water, and I would recommend that they be replaced with 12 inch. Mr Oxenham expects to commence delivering gravel to us in a few days, and I would asK authority to have the first 100 yards (if required) utilised in repairing road from Makaraka to the bridge.—l have, &., Geo. J. Winter, County Engineer. The report, with the exception of the last paragraph but one, which was deferred for further consideration, was adopted. PAYMENTS. Payments to the amount of £387 were passed by the Council. A letter was read from Mr F. J. Piesse, manager of the Southern Cross Petroleum Company, stating that the sum of £lOO had been paid into Mr Barnard’s official account, as the Company’s contribution towards the formation of the Tuparoa Road ; and also that Mr Milner had paid in £lO towards the same object. A letter from the Secretary of the Poverty Bay Highway Board re Bridge on the Taraheru Creek was deferred. Tenders. The following tenders for the A 87 Contract, Mangatu Road, were then opened :— Buller and party, £39 ; Boland, £6O ; Boland and McGarvy, £64 ; Cohen £27 10s. It was resolved that Mr Cohen’s tender be accepted. ASS Contract, for earthwork and culverts on the Ormond-Opotiki Road, also a bridge : Boland, earthworks £220, bridge £5O ; Buller and party, £185; McLeod and Hubble, bridge £33, repairs to roads, &c, £9B ; 1) and M. J. McLeod, culverts and earthwork £79 ss, bridge £24 10s. The lowest tender was accepted. In the A 91 Contract all the tenders were too high, and none were accepted. Fresh tenders are to be called for. For A 89, gravel for 200 yards main road to Ormond, the only tender was that of Mr M. Boland for £24 Ils Bd, which was accepted. Mr George White, of Toroa Station, and Mr John Trimmer, of Tawiti, wrote to the Council, asking to be appointed Registrars of Dogs without any remuneration. Their request was unanimously granted. The Council adjourned at 11.30 p.m.

Crown Lands. Native Lands. Tauranga County . 98,694 Acres. 850,445 Acres. Whakutane County. . 272,762 Acres. 1,395,276 Acres. Cook County . 370,868 Acres. 846,097 Acres. Wairoa County . 298,(506 Acres. 200,316 Acres.