TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 95, 8 May 1900, Page 2

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The County Council mot on Monday. Present: Messrs. Okoy ( hiiirniaii), Horror-its, Price, McDonald, Adlani! Mrfjtilhm], Tate, Phillips, and Lcppcr! iI; whs resolved to liqtye the i'unilio 1.0 11 house lined.

I A dismission was raised (o «h':'.i!or Mr. Sykes had r.,irnt:d out, the <>> 'lor of the Council and remove ! the obstructions ho hud pliiued oij tuo

roads. After much discussion Mr. a Price moved and Mr. Adlam seconded d that oil obstructions be removed or fi action will be taken. The motion was carried. The Junction Road Foreman advised ii that the hundred yards of gravel in - McGee's contract should be altered to boulder stone, the contractor being j willing to the alteration, and to carry out the whole contract with stone at ( 3s per yard. He also asked that ] tenders be called for carting broken ( metal for repairs on Mountain and i Junction roads. ( The suggestion to substitute stone i for gravel was adopted. j Extension of time for contract was ; granted to Mr. J, Jones. ] Contractors behind with work are < to be notified that penalties will be < enforced. Tenders for carting metal are to be I called for. The Waitara Foreman reported that : the grading of Big Jim's Hill was ( completed, but more metal was re- i quired. He complained that the Waitara Harbour Board carts had been < carting Big Jim's pit in the wet from • weather and badly cut up the road. Authority was given for the supply of sufficient metal to finish the hill. i Omata Foreman reported the necessity of calling tenders for carting i metal as early as possible; also that before long a new culvert would be required for the creek near Mr. Watson's, Oakura. The question of tenders was referred to a Committee. Mr. Tate reported the result of his inspection of the bridge for which the the Egmont Road Board requested assistance.—After some discussion, Mr. Lepper moved, that as the Council were noli liable for repairs to the bridge they regret being unable to grant assi»tance.—An amendment, that the matter stand over till the work was necessary to be done, was carried by i the Chairman's casting vote. The Paribaka Foreman reported that the wheel of a timber waggon carting 1600 feet of timber broke through the Waiau bridge in April. The bridge had : been temporarily repaired, but required the attention of the bridge carpenter. ; He also reported the Wharekino bridge ,as dangerous for heavy traffic. —It was ' resolved, on the motion of Mr. Mc--1 Cullum, that the County solicitor be : instructed to take action against the persons damaging the Waiau bridge.— . i The Foreman was authorised to em- ; ploy a carpenter to repair the bridge. —The question of repairs to the Wharekino bridge was postponed, i The bridge carpenter's report was ' read. Mr. Colesby's application for return

of deposit on contract was complied with. Consent was given to the transfer of lease from Mr. Rye to Mr, Nelson B. Bishop of section 81, Taiurutangi. In connection with the allocation, the Chairman reported that it was gratifying to note that the revenue exceeded the estimate by .£195. The Bank overdraft on March 31st stood £389 higher than the previous year, but there was £203 cash in hand, the increase being accounted for by the ridings' overdraft. The riding ac- ' counts stood aq follows: , Moa, overdraft ~ £479 6 10 ' Waitara, cr, ]9B 7 11 Omata, overdraft,, 34 9 10 ' Parihaka, cr. .. 2 4 7 , The Expenditure lor the year was:— Biding, Roads, Bridges, Sundries. £ £ £> i Moa .. 1379 560 92 i Waitara.. 1138 185 117 Omata .. 973 95 130 Parihaka.. 909 351 48 t £4398 £l2ll £387 On administration ,£9OO was spent, including clerk's salary £l7O, valuation of county £2OB, interest £lB2, trave 1 - ling expenses £94, dog registration £62, election expenses £3B, printing and advertising £3O, law post* and audit £59. The following was the estimate of revenue for the current ; year\ General rates of two-thirds of a penny in the pound i £ s. d. Moa Riding ~ 1482 0 0 ' Waitara Riding ~ 814 0 0 1 Omata Riding ~ 830 0 0 ' Parihaka Riding., 1011 0 0 ! Tolls ■ Moa Riding ~ 670 10 0 : Waitara Riding ~ 630 0 0 1 Omata Riding ~ 420 0 0 4 Parihaka Riding ~ 409 10 0 j Subsidy on rates ~ 500 0 0 Dog tax ~ .. 200 0 0 ( Licenses 180 0 0 j Rent, reserves .. .. 117 0 0 f Sundries ~ ~ 83 0 0 , £7347 0 0 ( This estimate exceeded that of last 1 year by £524, which was accounted for \ by rates on increased valuation of r property, £349; increase in toll rents, i £152, and sundries £23. In dealing I with allocations for the current year r he strongly urged upon the members e the desirability of making provision a for reduction of the Bank overdraft, f and for this purpose £750 had been set aside out of the estimated revenue; t £SOO of which had been taken pro s rata from the riding revenue, and £250 from the general revenue account, s He recommended the following alloca- v tions for expenditure:— i BidiDgs Rates Tolls Eeserves Total £ £ s. £ £ s. 11 Moa .. 1161 670 10 112 1943 10 Waitara 616 630 0 1246 0 fi Omata.. 646 420 0 1066 0 fi Parihaka 797 409 10 1206 10 g Hospital and C. A. 417 0 g Administration 718 0 1( Amount towards reduc- d tion of Bank overdraft 750 0 t: C £7347 0 a The votes should provide sufficient G for the ridings, with exception of perhaps the Parihaka Riding, but the latter would be assisted by a grant !1 from tliu Qpunftke Town Board fur ® rol'und of one-third cost of work b.ejnj> lone in the Opnnakp township, in addition to wiiich rates that had been fci rccoivGi ed ffopa tl p Native Trustee \ wo Id l>e an additional credit. The si .wlmiiiixtratioii account was cut down f ( to £'7 S 8 ; probably this might not bi \ tuilij if'iit to see the ye.irout, but tin ri account would tie allowed to overdraw f ( if riij'.iii-ed. In conclusion, he asked s! the members to carefully guard ex d: pwrJJture and keep well within the a<

amounts allocated, otherwise the desired improvement in the County's t financial position would not be attained. The allocation was approved. i The Whakatane Council wrote, ask- ( ing for a copy of the Council's by-laws, i —A copy is to be forwarded. i The question of voting a grant for ( poisoned grain was deferred. i A deputation from the Borough Council, consisting of His Worship the Mayor (Mr. Dockrill), Cr. Cattley (Chairman of the Health Committee), and the Town Clerk, waited on the Council to ask their co-operation with reference to pigsties. The Mayor explained the action taken in the borough, adding that such action was useless unless those on and over the town belt could be dealt with so as to ensure cleanliness. The Chairman pointed out that the Council had no power in the matter which was under the control of the Road Boards, but he stated that the foreman had been instructed to report anything obnoxious. The Mayor said that it was very desirable that united action should be taken, and tbat to facilitate matters the Borough Council were willing to place one of their inspectors at the service of the County for a short time and over a limited area, without any charge. Cr. Cattley also addressed the members, stating that he had several reports of dirty pigsties outside the borough boundary. Mr. Tate said he was sure the County Council would be glad to afford every assistance in their power. The proper course would be to set the Barrett Road Board in motion, and if that body delegated its powers to the Council action would be taken. The Mayor thanked the Council and the deputation withdrew. On the application of Messrs. Guy Brothers for a slaughter license on sections 49 and 50, Opunake, Messrs. Hugh Bailey (representing the Crown Dairy Company and the milk suppliers to the factory) and Mr. Phillips attended the Council. Mr. Guy was also present. _ Mr. Bailey stated that the proposed site was too near the factory. There was danger of the water supply being affected, and the proximity of a slaughter house would be detrimental to the factory, Mr. Phillips described the position of the site, and urged that a large number of cows and several settlers using the river water would be injuriously affected if the application were granted. Mr. Guy explained that the natural trend of the drainage would not be towards the water, but to the middle

of the section. After some further discussion, the application was referred to the Foreman for his report thereon, it being understood that when it was considered a note of the objections raised would be made. A deputation from the Egmont Road district, consisting of the Chairman of the Road Board (Mr. Glegg), the Hon. Thos. Kelly, and Mr. S. Rundle, waited on the Council with a view to the Henwood and Manutahi Roads being made County roads, Mr. Glegg handed in a petition which, he said, had been signed by settlers in all parts of the district. An outlet to the Mountain Road was urgently required between New Plymouth and Sentry Hill, and would servo to afford great relief to the two existing roads. Financially, the Council wquM not be out of pocket by taking over the roads. Mr. llundle quoted figures to show the revenue derived by the Council from the district, and contended that the Egmont Road settlers had a good claim to a larger share of the money raised, The Hon. T. Kelly said it was not only a question of finance, but of policy. It was the function of the County Council to inquire into and meet the requirements qf tho pr)nstjt|)encv. He mentioned that at the time when the Council was brought into existence in 1866, the Egmont district had been asked to surrender the endowments it possessed, and that they, in a weak moment, complied. Had they kept those endowments there would have been no necessity to come begging aid from the Council. He suggested that if the Council could not help the district in the direction asked, they should hand back the reserves. (Much laughter.) The matter was then generally discussed, and after the deputation had retired it was decided to postpone consideration of the request till the noxt meeting. Mr. J, P. Carolinthen waited on the Council, on behalf of the American Road Machine Company of Pennsylvania, and gave details of the roadmaking machines now in use, explaining the great saving of time and expense effected by the use of such machines. He also gave a rough estimate of cost, landed at Wellington, and undertook to forward all details from America. The action of the Chairman relative to culvert at road to W. Bayly's/ slaughter yard was confirmed. [ A letter was read from O. J. Kmickey j stating that the pit from which gravel j was being taken had iun out, and that it was necessary to open another pit. : The matter was left in Mr. Tate's : hands to deal with. 1 Mr. Horrocks drew attention to tho Gazette, in which the Junction Road ! from Durham Road to Tarata had been j gazetted as a Government road and re- , gazetted as a county road. After a long discussion, it was dee'ded that a j deputation, consisting of a reprc-senta- £ tive of the Inglewood Town Board, tho Council, and the settlers of Tarata t md Purangi, should wait upon the Government to explain the inability of v the Council to spend money in metal • ling the road unless the Government i assisted. Messrs. Symes and E. M. | Smith are to be asked to assist the t Uouncil in the .matter. A letter was read from Mr. Taun- 1 ton, also a valuation report ina lo by Mr, 1). McAlluin with reference to the a strip of land required by the Council s for widening tho road at Te Iteiiui, I Much amusement wn-s caused by the .■eading of the valuation, which was as ii ollows:—.Land, including well, JJ2OO, k ihrubs, oti-., £250; I'nmage to carnage b Irive, £su,' (Loud laughter.)—No (i iction was taken, ti

Consent was given to the transfer of a license. I, Mr. 0 Rourke wrote, complaining of damage done by the contractors in ' carting stone from his section.—lt was i decided that the contractors be notified that they will be charged for all , damage done, and the amount deducted from the contract. Mr. Price stated that the Alfred Road had been gravelled as far as the junction with the County road.—lt was resolved that the connecting gravelling be attended to. Mr. Colesby's complaint as to the damage ho was suffering in consequence of being delayed with his contract was deferred. < Accounts amounting to £536 19s 7d 1 were passed. , The Council rose. I