COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 67, 15 February 1884, Page 2

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

A meeting of the above Council took place la«t night in the Council Chambers, Lowe Street. Present—W. K. Chambers (in the chair), and Members Gannon, Westrup, Milner, and Clarke, The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. correspondence. The following correspondence was then read; —To Mr, Stevenson re artesian wells at Makaraka. Mr. Stevenson, who was present, explained the circumstances under which he applied to the Council for part payment in repairing the artesian well, He had laid out £4O, and, if the Council would pay that sum, they could take it over. Mr. Chambers moved, “ That half that sum be refunded to Mr. Stevenson.” Mr. Gannon seconded the motion, but would like to have some writing from Mr. Stevenson as a record of the matter. Mr. Westrup would sooner that Mr. Stevenson made the well over for a stated sum. The water was of benefit to the hotel. Mr. Stevenson was willing to assign the right of the water, as long as it flowed, to the Council for the sum of £4O. Carried, “ That £l2 10s. be paid to Mr. Stevenson.” Letter to Constable Pegley appointing him dog-tax collector. To Mr. Steggall re pound fees. The Clerk said he could get no reply from Mr. Steggall although he had sent to him. Letter to the Mayor re construction of Haibor Board. To Mr. Gudgeon re new road across his property. The following answer was then read :— Fort Manaia, Jan. 18, 1884. Sir,—l beg to acknowledge receipt of your telegram of the 11th inst. ..... You inform me that the County Council propose to take a road through my land, and ask me the price per acre, I presume you have the power to do this 1 cannot but think that the Council are shirking their obvious duty in that they have not taken steps to arrest the encroachment of the river upon their road, but prefer the easier method of themselves encroaching upon private rights. Moreover, the proposed road will in no small degree damage a small property like mine by cutting it up. ... Subject to my lease to Mr. Newman, I am prepared, for my own part, to accept £l5O for value of land taken and damage to property, provided the Council undertake to convey to me the site of the old road, so that even if washed away by the river, should the river change its course in the future, I may recover my own. Under section 21 of the “ Public Works Act, 1882,” I think it is incumbent on the local body taking land for roads to fence either side of the same at their own cost. If this is not so I shall also require the land to be fenced at your cost.—l am, &c., W, G. Gudgeon. The Chairman asked how much land it would take from Mr. Gudgeon? The Engineer stated about two and a-half to three acres. It would cost about £l5O to construct the road. Cr. Gannon did not think they should look at the exact value of the land, as it would deteriorate the value of the property. In answer to Cr. Westrup, the Engineer said there would be about ten acres of land left on the river side of the new road. Cr. Gannon thought it best to take it under the Public Works Act, and then Mr. Gudgeon could be heard as to the value. Cr. Clarke thought the powers conferred under the Public Works Act should be used very guardedly. Cr. Westrup thought it best to close with Mr. Gudgeon, as he thought it the cheapest plan and better than arbitration. It was finally agreed that the land should be taken under the Public Works Act. To Messrs. Ward and Kenny re their client, Mr. John Robinson, being sued for rates. The following answer to the above was then read :—

Vfaiapu, Feb. 8. 1884. To Chairman and Councillors of the Cook County Council, Sirs, —I beg to inform you that having been recently sued by your Council for the rates, I have been compelled to come to Gisborne at considerable expense and inconvenience in order to defend the action, and on my arrival found that the case had been withdrawn. I therefore respectfully submit that my solicitors account for £3 3s. (which I enclose) should be defrayed by your Council. I have &c., John Robertson. The Clerk said that a mistake had been made in sueing Mr. Robertson, as he was not in possession of the land. The land had not been through the Court yet. Cr. Milner said Mr. Robertson was occupying the land and running sheep on it. The Chairman proposed “ That the three guinea’s be paid.” Cr. Clark seconded the motion which was carried. To the Commissioner re Wm. O’Meara’s rates. To Mr. Stagpoole re nomination for Tologa member. To Partutahi Road Beard for balance of money due on drain works. To Patutahi Road Board re enlargement of main drain and application to Government for the same. To Mr. Barnard re Gisborne-Waimata Road. To Mr. McFarlane re rating for Mangatu Block. The following letter from Mr. Crail re deviation of roads through his property was next read :— Patutahi, Jan. 22, 1884. To the Chairman, Cook County Council. Sir, —I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of December, 1883, re deviation of road through my property, and in reply to inform you that I have no objection to the said deviations, but that I shall require compensation for the area taken at the rate of £lO per acre; also the sum of £lO for extra fencing in consequenee of the old line of road being kept open through section 9.—Yours, Ac., Rocert Crail.

The Chairman moved, and Cr. Milner seconded—“ That the Engineer be appointed a valuator for the County under the Public Works Act, for the purpose of valuing the proposed property, Cr. Gannon thought it best to have some independent party. Mr. G. L. Sunderland was appointed. Letter from Mr. Henry H. Wall, objecting to the proposed deviation of the GisborneWairoa road fronting section 99, Portutahi district. It was resolved to take the road Mr. Wall advised. Ormond, Feb. 4,1884. To the Chairman and Gentlemen of the Cook County Council. Gentlemen, —I have the honor, as Chairman of the Ormond School Committee, to inform you that I am requested by the said committee to complain against the stench arising from the premises of Mr. Curtis, butcher, at Ormond, On Friday, the Ist instant, the smell was so bad that the children frequently complained to Mr. Higgins, their teacher, ana the door had to be closed to keep out the smell as much as possible. As the health of the children is of vital importance, the committee hope you will see to the removal of the nuisance as soon as possible.—l have, <fec., A. Skillicorn, Chairman Ormond School Committee. The Clerk said that he had sent word that the School Committee had complained, and, strangely, had received a telegram the next day from Mr. Skillicorn, saying that he had inspected the slaughter-house, and found it quite clean. January 24th, 1884. To the Chairman Cook County Council. Sir,—l have the honor to draw your attention to the condition of the drain along the west portion of the Gisborne-Waimata and Ormond Road, which passes through my property. The drain is a good deal silted up, and, unless it is cleaned out before the wet weather sets in, that portion of the road to the Waimata will certainly be impassable. The length of the drain is about 80 chains. I may add some of my drains lead into this road-drain, and I cannot clear them out until the main drain is done.—l am, &c., Charles Grey. It was resolved that tenders be called for clearing out the drains complained of. The next communication was as follows Ormond, February 14th, 1884. To the Chairman of Cook County Council

Sir, —I hereby make a claim on your Council for a sum of not less than £5 for loss of time on the River Protection Contract at Kaiteratahi, and of being the lowest tender for it, and also for the delaying the tenders and deposit from December 24th to January 10th. I have lost other work through waiting on it. E. O’Dwyer. The claim was not entertained. The next letter considered was as follows Tologa Bay, Feb. 2, 1884. Sir, —I have the honor to state, for the information of your Council, that the Resident Magistrate, has decided that in the matter of entire cattle being at large, the poundkeeper is the only proper person to lay an information for such an offence. Some time ago I impounded two rams in the public pound at Tologa Bay, and directed the poundkeeper to levy penalty, which he did, but which the owner refused to pay, and the rams were liberated upon payment of pound fees only. I in due course laid an information, which was dismissed on the above ground. I have since communicated the result to the poundkeeper, but he declines to take any further action in the matter. I respectfully submit that some action by your Council is called for in order to set this question at rest.—l have, W. F, Ham. To the Chairman of Cook County Council, Gisborne. The Clerk was instructed to acknowledge the receipt of the letter, and to refer Mr, Hales to the Impounding Act. Auckland, Jan. 30, 1884. To the Chairman of the Cook County Council, Gisborne. Sir, —As I shall be unable to return to Gisborne for some months, I beg to hand you my resignation as a member of the Cook County Council, and have to request that you will have the goodness to communicate the same to the Council Board at their next meeting.—l have, Ac., J. L. Allanack. The notification of the £l,OOO grant from Government was also read. The consideration of this matter was deferred until a future occasion. The following communication from the Borough Council was next read and the consideration of the same postponed Town Clerk’s Office, Feb. 14, 1884. Sir, —With reference to our application to Government for £1,500 under the 18th section of the Roads and Bridges Construction Act for the purpose of building a bridge over the Turanganui River, I have the honor to inform you that the sum has been granted and I have now to request you to take into consideration the question as to whether or not your Council will bear a portion of the cost of construction of the bridge—the position of the whole matter having been fully explained to your Committee last evening, I have, Ao,, J. Bourke, Town Clerk. To the Chairman of the Cook County County. It was resolved to sue the Matawhero poundkeeper, under clause 5, for pound rereturn, and to continue sueing him until the returns were made.

engineer’s report. Council Chamber, Gisborne. Feb. 14. 1884. To the Chairman, County Council. Sir, —I have the honor to submit the following report for your information and guidance. During the past fortnight I have inspected the line of road along the coast as far as Hicks’ Bay, and find that it will require a considerable sum of money to put it in repair before the winter sets in. The attached schedule will show you my estimate of the works which I consider necessary to be undertaken in the various localities. Before expending large sums of money on a temporary road, such as this one is in many places, I would ask your Council to consider the advisability, or otherwise, of having the best line of road surveyed and formed. There are many places where the road can be deviated and grades eased with advantage, and as the lands on the coast are being rapidly settled, I deem it advisable that money should be expended on permanent works. Contracts.— The contracts for erection of Karaua Bridge and Oweta Road drains and formation are being satisfactorily performed. The other contracts I have not inspected since my return from the coast. Repairs. —I would ask authority to have the holes in road between the Waiparoa and Arai Bridges repaired with gravel, at an estimated cost of £lO. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obed. servt., Geo. J. Winter, County Engineer. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIRS, EAST COAST ROAD, FROM GISBORNE TO HICK’S BAY. £ 1. Wainui Flat, fascining, &o 45 2. Makarori Hill, repairs, &c. .. .. 5 3. Tatapouri Hill „ .. .. 10 4. Tapuai Rocks .. .. .. .. 4 5. Pakaiae to Waitotara (inland track) 85 „ „ (coast track) 12 6. Waitotara and Puatai Slips .. .. 10 7. Te Kohe to Uawa River .. .. 45 8. Uawa River to Marau .. .. 15 9. Anaura Hill .. .. .. .. 35 10. Waipari to Tongoiro (via the hills) 10 „ (making track over rocks) 50 11. Tongoiro to Waihoa .. .. .. 15 12. Tawhiti Hill .. .. .. .. 50 13. Whareponga to Tuparoa .. .. 10 14. Tuparoa to Reporua .. .. .. 10 15. Reporua to Waipu River .. .. 5 16. Te Kautuku .. .. .. .. 50 17. Howera to Hick’s Bay .. .. 40 £456

The Chairman said that the total amount of £456, as recommended by the Engineer; had better come out of £1,000; He was Surprised at the small amounti The Engineer explained that the amount was merely for repairs, and not for any per. manent work. He would advise the Council to pay Natives a few pounds to the track in repair. Re the East Coast Road, the Engineer said he would advise that the Government be asked to survey the road, as they had never yet done so, Cr. Milner wished that it might also be notified to the Government that the Natives had occasionally blocked the road by putting a fence across it. The remainder of the report was then adopted. payments; The following payments were then passed Bolan, £5; Malone, £l9 55.; J. Harris, £1; Devery, £3 155.; Christian, £2 Bs.; M’Cloud, £7O ; D. A. M‘Cloud, £65 ; Brownlow, £l3O ; O’Dwyer, £5; Te Kooti, £2 10s.; Engineer, sundries, £lO Bs. 6d.; Salaries (Engineer’s), £33 6s. Bd.; Clerk’s, £2O 16s. Bd.; Kirk, £lO ; Labor, £3O ; Parnell and Boylan, £3 Is. 6d.| Adams, £7 9s. 6d,; Government Printer; £1 15s. 6d.; D. Malone, £280; Bolan, £75 i Cross, £8; Petty Cash, £5l Robertson, £8 Bs.; Porter and Croft, £2l 10b, 4d. TENDERS POE METALUNQ, Resolved that tenders be called for metalling the road now being formed across Scott’s Flat; tenders to be in at an early day. TENDERS FOR CLEARING DRAINS. W. Judge, (informal), Withers and liyari sections 2,3, 4, at Is. 6d. per chain. D. Malone, sections 8, Is. 71d., 4,3 s. sd, ; 5, 2s. sd; per chain. McLindon, all at 2s. 6d. per chain. Olsen, section 8, Is. 6d per chain; Cochran, section 1, Is. 9d. ; 2, Is. 7d. ; 3, Is; 7d ; 4,5, 2s. 2d. per chain. O’Dwyer, 1,2 b; 6d ; 2,2 s. ; 3,2 s. 6d. ; 4, 8 ; 5,2 s. per chain Quinn, sections 1 and 2, is. per chain. The tender of Quinn was accepted for sec* tionss 1 and 2 ; Ryan and Witters for 8 and 4, and Dwyer for 5. PATUTAHI DRAINS, Judge (informal), 2s, 3d. per chain ; D» McLeod, 9s, 6d. per chain ; McLindon, £1 9s. per chain ; Stevens, 109. per chain; McCloud’s tender was accepted; BAST COAST ROAD. Cr. Milner said if they were going to do anything to the road, they should do it 4t once. The Chairman said the question was as to where the £l,OOO was to be expended, and not when it should be expended. He would propose, “ That £7OO be expended on the East Coast Road, and £BOO on the Waimata Road.” Cr. Gannon agreed with the proposition; which was carried. It was resolved that Mr. Winter be asked to form amended schedules under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, with a view of forwarding the same to Government. The Council then adjourned until 2 o'clock on Friday fortnight.