TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 28, 5 February 1901, Page 2

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The County Council met en Monday. Present: Messrs. Okey (Chairman), Horrocks, Price, McDonald, Phillips, Tate t McCullum, Lepper, and Adlara. The Chairman, immedia ely after the reading of the minutes, referred to the lamented death of the late Queen, and moved a resolution of 1 egret, which w*s carried unanimously, and a copy orderel to be forward d to the Governor.

The committee appointed to' inquire into the ques'ion of a atune crusher reported that Mr. Tate had b<.ea authorised to ptoced to Auckland to seothe working of a crusher there. The Moa Foreman's reperfc was read and dealt with.

The Stratford County are to be notified of repairs to ejie of the bridgoa on the border of the counties, and that the work will be done and a proportionate part of the expense charged. Correspondence between the Council and Lands D.partmenfc relative to the subsidy for work on the Junction —Puiangi Road, was read, whereby it appoared that the Department had forwarded &u ngrr-ement for a grant of £550 as a £ for £ subsidy. Tbo Chairmau said thore was bo mention in the vote of a condition that the Council wore to mean tho grant [with a similar sum, and the epecific*'tion hd been held over till the Government had decided. He suggested that the Minister of Lands should be I interviewed and the facts placed hofor* him, showing that the vote'of £2OOO wan unconditional.

Mr. Prite advocated calling for tenders for the expenditure of the .£SOO already granted, and to which no conditions were attached, and nfterwards to call on the Minister to continue the work.

The Chairman : The position is very awkward. The Chief Surveyor, Mr. Strauchon, will not say what the nature of the work is.

Mr. Horreckß movad that the Chairman, with two members for the Moi Riding, interview the Minister. He said that it was understood the Minister would shortly be in the district and might ba acces«ib]e. The grant had been obtained under pressure. £2OOO was placed on the Estimates, and only £7OO offered up to the present, but that amount was free from a ondition. It was clear the Department were doing all they could to prevent the spending of the money ia order to swell the surplus. Mr. McDonald did not approve of a deputation going to Wellington, as it would be a waste of meney.

Mr. McCullum considered the County had not complied with the conditions and stipulations.

The Ohiirman : There is ko condi- 1 tion attached to this vote, it waa given right out. He pointed out that the road was put on the County by r,he Government, who were advised by thtir engineer that the cost "f putting the road in ord«r was £2500, aud on this a grant of £2OOO was made. It seemed a direct attempt of the Department to override a resolution of the Houst, and he considered this should Dot te tolerated.

Mr. Adlam confeacied that the right course to have taken wra to have spent the £SOO already notified ks available. If that were not spent it would lapse on 31st March.

Mr. L*pper raised the point as to whether the £2OOO grant was not the same as the Olifton County grant which had been spent.

Mr. Tate said the Council had a good case to lay before the Government. It was no use tho Clifton County spending money on the road unloss the Council's portion was put in ordor.

Mr. Hoi-rocks drew attention to the tendeis called for by Messrs. Mackay and Orbell under the direction of Councillors Price and McDonald being useless on account of pit rnotal being specified instead of Dioken boulder stone.

Mr. Price disclaimed any knowledge of the contents of the specific ition, as did Mr. McDonald.

Mr. Price moved that fresh specification and tsnders be obtained for work covered b/ the grant of £SOO, subject to the approval of' the deputation appointed te interview the Minister of Lauds.

The Clerk explained that he had seen Mr. Strauchon, who had pointed out that it was a question whetber under the terms of tne grant it would not be his duty to spread the expenditure over the whole length of the road. Afror some further discussion the motion was cmied. The Waitarj, Foreman's report wtvs read. The Oun.ta Varoinan's i*-p.)rfc was

Mr, Adlam mov<d that tho handrail at ths Itatikura Bridgo bo repaired temporarily, Mr. McCiillum Raid he agre-ti with Mr. Adlam, but he (Mr. Adlam) mint | oot forget th*t the Council was a progressive body. The motion wjs carried, Notice is to ba giv.?n to certain persons to clwirgorso elf tho road. Tha Parihaka Foreman's report was read.

Mr. McCullum drew attention to the cectssit.y (f repairs to decking of bridges being attended to. He moved that 500 fe t of timber ba supplied at once, Carried.

The Chairman said that the Engineer had telephoned that something must be done at once to repair the Waiau bridg", It s?omed as if a new i bridge was necessary. I Mr. McOullum advocated that before any money waa spent a report should be obtained from the Engiueer, with cstima f e of coat for repairs, and for a new iron bridge. Mr, Price urged that the Bridge C \rp- : nter be sent to repair the bridge.

Mr. Horrocks moved that a notice be posted at the bridge, warning the public that only loads of limited weights be taken over the bridge, also that tho Bridge Carpenter report as to whether the bridge could be repaired, and if so, what was necessary. After some discussion, the metion was carried.

The Solicitor (Mr. J. B. Roy), advised the Council in relation to the collection of the dog tax, that the Road Boards bad no power to appoint collectors. The Council can, however, appoint the nominees of the Road Beards, and this course will be adopted A letter was read from Mr. Tarry, stating he could not take the contracts for carting metal on the conditions named by the Council, and he expressed an opinion that he was being harshly dealt with, The Moa Road Beard notified that they were about spending on the Tariki Road, near the Manganui Bridge, and ilso where it joined the Junction Road. As this would entail on the County the necessity of forming and metalling from the present edge of the metalling to the intersection of the Tariki Bond they propostd executing the work and charging the County with its portion. Mr. Horrocks siid that the position of the Taiiki Road in connection with the Oouuty was a matter of some doubt as no Gazotte notice cou'd be traced. Mr. Price traced the history of both j roads with a view of showing that the j application was in order and the County's consent necessary. He moved that the necessary consent be given for the Moa Road Board to do the work. After t-omo further remarks the motion was carried. Tho Oanui Dairy Factory wrote, consentim.' to pay ono half tha expense of the work necessary to give access to tho factory. It w.is decided that tenders be called , for dog collars. The Chairman stated that Mr. L&wn offered 15s per acre for a gravel reserve of about 7 acres, on condition that if he fenced it in and was disturbed in his tenancy within 3 years he should be recouped .£3 towards cost of fencing. It was decided to call for tenders for tenancy of the gravel reserves. The Railway Department notifi-d that in 'fixing their fences they wojld keep cl*ar of the formed road. A circul-r was recsived from the New Plymouth Harbour Board relative to valuation charges of the Department, and askiog that combined action be taken to resist piyment of the claim.

The Chairman considered that details should be furn'shed by the ValuerGeneral, as it appeared that the whole cost was now borne by the Public Bodies*. Twßnty-f"ve per eent, of the last increase in valuation went in charges. Mr. Adlam advocated co-operating with th« B>ard. TheOh»ii-aian moved that tke Valuitioa Department be asked how the charges are made up and the shares arrived at. Mr. Lepper, in seconding the motion, said be looked upon the action of the D-»pai tmmit as being daylight robbery. Mr. AdUm moved that the Council endorse the action of the Harbour Board. Mr, Tate swonded the motion.

The Chairman pointed out that the Council was in a differeat position to the Board, as its subsidy could bo deducted.

The Colonial Secretary wrote askiog for a return of auctioneer's licenses

granted in the County,

The Chairman mentioned that at present the County derived no benefit t'fjm auctioneer's licetses, and he thought this sheuld be made known to the Colonial Secretary. A- hawkw'ij license was gran'el to Ottum Siuph. ilr. Price give notice of motion to incease hawkers' license fets.

Samu'l Jones applied foi- the right to cut all (hx growing on the County read from Pungarohu to Okato at 3s per ton. Tho request was complied with.

W. B yly wrote relative to the toll ga'e at Waiwafeaiho.

!Mr, Lopper inquired what was b«iu& don« as to those persona who were .evading payment of toil at tho Oiuato The Chairman said thoy woie being noted and tl at action was being taken, All loimaliiios were now in order.

Tenders were opened for carting metal, audthu following were accepted : —No, 7, Swan, 3s 3d; No. 8 aud 9, jG. Jordan, 3s and 3d 2d; WaUara, Samps™, 2s B£d ; No. 2 and 3, 0. J. Knuck.iy, ii 4d, and 4a 1 Id. | Mr. Tate, pursuant, to notice,! (moved thaA fche i ©solution declining jtj as<isi tha Egiconc Road Board |be rescitided. Ho aaid he was la'siLt from the Council when (the resolution was passed, and jibe advocated that some consideration i should bo given to the Road Board, as ■judging matters on ihiir merits She Hoard deserved assistance. He further moved that the Uoutcil contribute to J the cost of reduokiiig thu bridge, tho JespvuKO of which would be about „C 9. f Mi. l'ricfi seconded the ::m'ion, and i strongly urged aid hcin;, given. { Mi. Lepj-jr on principla, a.-i jhe considered the Council not having jinniiti'V oi)'>u,-h fur it* owii rtcniirinuant-a

would he acting wrongly in subsidising the Road Board.

The Chairman supported the motion. Mr. Tato, in reply, gave a graphic description of tho road in tho winter. On a division, the motion to rewind the tho minority being Messw. llonocks, Adl'ira, >.!.■::' !ullm:», and Lopper.

IV to assi-.t the Hoard in redeoking tho bridge was carried, Air. Lopper protesting. Mr. MotJull um moved that the Engineer bo asked tD draw up plans for the work required at Oakura hill.—The motion lapsed.

Mr. Price moved that the collection of tolls be abolished from Marsh 31st, 1901. He considered the time had arrived for abolishing the tolls. The main jrafiic was with narrow tires, and if Mr. Adlam's proposition were carried , out there would be a great saving of expense. Taranaki was the only place having te'ls in the colony, and the 7 gates in the County meant a loss for collection of at least £IOOO, He knew that men who had come into the district in poor circumstances and had taken to toll-collacting were now very comfortably off. '

Mr. Adlum seconded. He considered there would bs no financial hardship on the County if the tolli were abolished. Although he was a Councillor he did' not know whether the toll keeper was authorised to colleet tolls or not as some refused to pay and went through the gates without paying. Proper tires would save £IOOO a year. Mr. Phillips considered the question was one for the ratepayers to decide.

Mr. Tate said the advocates of abolition of gates bad missed a very important point and that was: where was the ,£2OOO njw collected from that source to come from ? The wheel tax when imp»s°d previously only brought in about £750. If the gatfs were abolished it would be a case of getting out of the frying pan into the fire. As the general election would occur in November next he urged the matter being postponed till next year so that the ratepayers might express an opinion on it.

Mr. Lepper opposed the motion. Mr. McOullum, referring to Mr. Tate's opposition to the motion reminded the Council that Mr. Tate had a toll-gate at his own door and worked eight and day to get it removed, and having succeeded now opposed the same concession to other Ridings. He had no fear on the score of revenue.

Mr. Horroeks said the question was] entirely a financial one. Atprtsant' the Council were about experimenting, with machinery for lessening the coat I of roads and it would embarrass the Council to be deprived of the moans of payins for tint machinery. There was a gco.l deal to bo said in favour of a wheel i-ix, but so much depended on its co'leci-mn.

Mr: McCullum inquired what would b.j dono with the additional rovenue arising from the increased valuation. The Chairman: I have no doubt it will be Rpont. It will all be required as well as the three-farthing rate. He added that none of thoso who advocated abolishing the tolls had shown how the deficiency caused thereby was to be made up. They had to face on exceptional expenditure of £ISOO for road machinery and yet it was proposed to take oft* £2OOO received from tolls. Moreover, he was not at all sure that the ratepayers would consent to a wheel tax, and be reminded the Council

that this tax waa a very hard one to collect. Their income for next year would be increased to £5500 by the new valuation, bat ag against that there was a<2s per cent, rise in stone, and increase in other items. If thd public believed in having the roads " starved," the tolls could be taken off, but if they were to be maintained the necessary expenditure must bo met. At the same time, he was confident that in twe years time the County funds would permit of the Council doing away with the telle. Mr. Price replied, and urged that an some members had left the meeting the voting on his motion should be postponed until noxt meeting. This course was, after a protest by the Chairman, adopted. It was decided to advertise the sale of the right lo collect tolls, a* time would not permit of postponing this action until after the next meeting. Accounts were passed and the Council rose.