COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 23, 18 December 1883, Page 2

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

An adjourned meeting of the above Council was held yesterday afternoon. Present; Crs Westrupp, Gannon, Clarke, Allanach, Weston, and Chambers (in the chair). TRAMWAY TO PATUTAHI.

The Chairman said the first business was the discussion of the tramway to Patutahi. As there was a notice of motion standing in his name he would open the proceeding on it. The Council was not in a position to go to such a heavy outlay. Unless a large scheme was gone into more metal could not be brought to do ad the roads. Something ought to be done now to get a tramway or railway down to metal the roads. A permanent tramway he did not think advisabl . At present there was not such a large number of people travelling on a permanent tram from the country to make it pay that way. The Council would benefit this way with a permanent tram, as it would decrease the traffic on the roads, and would relieve the ratepayers being rated so much for the same, and it would increase the rates very much. The main concession they would have to give to a company would be the sole right of haulage for a number of years. It had been remarked that that would create a monopoly, but he did not think it would. The main inducement for the Council going into this scheme was the £lO,OOO. He thought that would be expended in two years, in view of this question he asked the Engineer to give him a list of the requirements of the Council for the ensuing six years, which was favorable. The regular haulage of metal would prove a great inducement to a company. The main thing was to get die roads into good condition, and to relieve the roads of less traffic, and also the ratepayers of being taxed so heavily with rates. This scheme would do that. In past years the expenditure on these roads took almost half the rates. This would also open up the country. He hoped the Council would pull together in this question. They had wasted the ratepayers’ money previously through the metalling of these roads. He was sorry there was very little information on this matter to place before the Council, He thought the only thing they could do was to get a private bill passed. The first thing the Council will have to decide is whether it is advisable to carry on the scheme. Then as to the course the road is to take for the same, and if they will buy the land from the land from the owners for it. He thought the Council should go in for this scheme of a permanent tram. He moved : — “ That the Council is of opinion that for the cheaper and more effectual metalling of tlie County roads it is advisable to hold out such encouragement as may induce a contractor or contractors to lay a permanent tram or radway from the town boundary to the Patutahi Quarry. That it is advisable, where possible, to run the proposed line on the main roads and that a Committe,* of the Council interview owners of land along the line of proposed route with a view of makingf arrangements for the lease or purchase o land.”

He thought the large landholders would most likely give the land. Half a chain would give room for two lines of rail on the roads. The cost of the land at the outside would be £lOOO.

Cr Westrup did not think it would cost that much.

Iu reply to Cr Gannon, the Chairman said the New Zealand Native Land Settlement Company would give half-a-chain for the road, but that was not the question. The question was to affirm the advisability of carrying out this scheme. Cr Gannon thought somebody ought to second the motion of the Chairman. He would do so pro forma, Cr Clarke did not think there was sufficient inducement offering for a company to undertake the work.

The Chairman said there was a company now that could be got to do it. In answer to Cr Westrupp the Chairman said he would not go by Mr Vesey Stewart, as he was such a visionary man. Roughly speaking he estimated the scheme at £30,U00. They would have to make this concession to a company that they would have the sole right of currying passengers, &e., &e., for a number of years. Tins, iu itself, would prove a large inducement. Cr Gannon said the motion of the Chairman extended much further than he thought at first. He thought it meant only for a tram to the Patutahi Quarry, and not to other places. That proposal now would defeat the first object they bad in view of getting the tram to Patutahi. He thought before they could attempt to come to terms with a company they should first see the ratepayers. Public opinion should be first expressed on this subject. He did not see how they could go into the question of having a railway to other places. He thought that tenders should be called for a tramway to Patutahi, to get metal for the roads. They would then have a nucleus to go upon, and after that they could go into the bigger question of a railway. By doing this, things would be put on a definite basis. It would be far bolter to start on a small scale at first. He would, therefore, move, as an amendment, “ That tenders be called for the supply of metal from the quarry at Patutahi, within a month. If the Council wanted a permanent tram, he would suggest that the line be taken to the North Quarry, but if only for a time, he thought the South Quarry was the better one.

Cr Weston would be very glad to see the Council spending the money they had available on this tramway to Patutahi. He begged to second Cr. Gannon’s amendment, lie was not in favor of a company. He thought the Council should spend the money in this scheme at first, and if they found they could nut carry it on then they could form a company. The Chairman was averse to this, because then there would be no inducemen*; to the company. If Ur Gannon’s amendment was earned out wooden sleepers would be put down, and nothing could be done. He was convinced that if his scheme was carried out in two or three years they could strike a rate of 2| per cent. Cr Gannon said that they should not keep the £B,OOO for the company, as the Chairman wanted. They had obtained the money for t,ie construction of the Gisborne and Pipiwak& Road, and not for the good of tiie company. That road should be gone on with, and that money used for the same, whether the company is formed or not. If they spent the money in the company that would be breaking faith with the ratepayers, and the Council should wash their hands of the affair altogether if that was the case. The money in hand now should be used for tlie purpose for which it was granted to them, and not for the benefit of a company. The Chairman’s motion went too far altogether, and was almost an impossibility. The Chairman said he did not i itend to divert the money for any other pi -pose than for the roads. He did not corsider if his motion w a s gone into it would prove a job, ai Cr Gar non st a ted. He wanted to keep the moß®y back to start a company. Cr Gannon said the action might lead to jobbery. It was wrong to keep the money to start a company. The Chairman said it would be folly to expend the money any other way, as it was

the only inducement they could offer to a company for the carrying on of this scheme. What this district wanted was cheap and easy communication between the port and the farmers, therefore he thought his motion was what was wanted. He was certain that the line could be put down without their putting their hands into their pockets at all, unless in purchase of land, and that would be an investment. ‘

Cr Clarke questioned whether they could pledge themselves for the next six years as would be necessary. The Chairman replied that they could pledge nothing. Cr Clarke said then he could not see how the scheme could be carried out. If the present Council could pledge the County rates for the next six years, then he would back the scheme up, but they could not do so. Cr Gannon, after explaining what he meant by jobbery being done by the Chairman’s motion, said it would be better to pass both motion and amendment, then they would have both irons in the fire. The ratepayers could then see that they were prepared to enter into a big scheme if necessary, and he thought that tenders ought to be called for, even if a man wanted a£l a yard for the metal.

Cr Westrup was of opinion that a company should be obtained and that the Chairman’s motion was a very good one, but he did not think that with regard to taking the railway over private property they could go into it. He altogether agreed with the general purport of the motion. 'The roads must be metalled, and he did not think the scheme as visionary as Cr Clark did. He did not think Mr Al eDonald had done justice io this district as he (Cr Westrupp) considered he should have done in the House of Representatives,

In answering the chairman, Cr Gannon said that his motion was only meant to see how much the work could be done for, for metalling the road. In his opinion the Council ought to use the money granted them from the Government. They certainly ought to make use of it, because a new Government coming into office would very likely repeal the law, and take the money back They could say “We gave you the money, and you would not use it, and the present finances of the Colony will not allow tlie granting of the money.” The Chairman thought that Cr Gannon had a very poor idea of the morality of the Government. Cr Gannon said that it had been done before, aud gave instances of the same. He did not object to a company, but he objected to the Council not having tenders called to see what the work would cost. He said this, if the metal was brought down at Is or so cheaper by a permanent or a temporary train, then the Councd would be both morally and otherwise responsible. After a great deal of conversation Cr Gannon said he would withdraw his amendment, but would put it as an original motion. Cr W’eston then moved as an amendment to the a motion to the effect that nothing definite be done, until the ratepayers be consulted on the matter. Ur Gannon wished to know if the Chairman withdrew his original motion of which he gave notice. The Chairman said he amended it. Cr Gannon asked what encouragement was offered iu the motion, Why not ask a company to coine and do it for this L7OOU or LBOOO ? He thought th At this was an effort to morally get the Council to commit itself. It dawned on him as the discussion went on that Counedlors were bent on binding themselves to a company* The Chairman said hr had put his motion us ho considered advisable and good for the district. He did not wee why lie should be accused of log-rolling. If Or Gannon thought that was wh.at he was doing he was much mistaken. Cr Gannon was sorr’y that such an important matter as this ocyuld not be discussed without confusion. Ho did not charge the Chairman with anything. The Chairman apologised to Cr Gannon. The first motion was then put and carried. Cr Gannon then put his motion slightly altered. Cr Weston would second it, if two months were inserted in place of one month. The Chairman was in favor of the motion, but he thought the time (two months) was too short. The motion was then put and lost. Crs Gannon and Weston voting for, and Crs Westrup, Chambers, and Allanach against it: The Chairman now addressed the Council as to the advisability of his second motion. Cr Westrup moved as an amendment that the Engineer be instructed to lay off'the best line of road to the Patutahi Quarry. Cr Clarke seconded, After much discussion the Chairman withdrew his second motion, and Cr Westrup’s amendment became the original motion, which was carried.

DOG TAX. Cr Westrup proposed “ That the Dog Tax be the same as lust year.” If possible he would like to see it less, but he thought that impossible. Cr Clarke seconded. Carried. DOG REGISTRATION. Cr Gannon moved, “ That the police ought to act as Dog Registrar’s if they could be got to do it. They could bo given a certain amount as remuneration.” Seconded by Cr Westrup aud carried. SALARIES OF OFFICERS. Cr Gannon proposed, ” That this matter be left over till Monday next,” as he had a few suggestions to make with regard to it. Agreed to. harbor board. Cr Gannon proposed that the Government be written to, asking that the outlying districts be represented on the Harbor Board. The Council then rose st 6 o’clock.