CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 68, 5 April 1902, Page 2

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

The Council meo <i*'< Waitara on Friday. Present: Crs. (chairman), Webb, Elliott, Hicks, Mm ley, Oliver, and Foreman. J. M. Laurent wrote asking for payment for ten diys work on the Uiitiroad. _L. Webb wrote repudiating his liability for rates. H, F. Raven wrote asking for repairs to tfce Hickman-road.—Left to Works Committee. Mr. Milsom wrote requesting that steps might bu tnken fo raige a loan to further metal tbe Junction-road at Matau. After somo discussion, in whicb it was pointed out that the "thirds" on some of the roads were Frrqueatly mortgaged trebly and yet the settlers got bo proper road, it was decided to offer a reward for the discovery of a gravel pit in tha Matau Valley. G. W. Rogers applied to have his section omitted from the rating area for the 500 loan on the Okoka-road —Agreed to. Tbe Public Trustee wrote re the estate of the late Wm. Hazel hurst r"conily killed in a gravel pit that a claim would bo made on the county. A letter from t he County Solicitor, Mr. J. B. Roy, was slso raad staging that the contractor had effected a sufficient insurance to cover compeusaiion in this c;w>.

The County Solicitor wrote dr.iwii'g attention to a recent decision rotative to liability for accidnnts in cases wh«r« gravel was left in heaps on tho side of the road, aad advising that stipulations should bp made with contractors so as to cover this liability Or Webb referred to the question of guards for water tables, particularly as to securing their protection from damage. Tbe Foreman considered that in equity the Cour.cil was enlit'eei to protect the water-tables. Or Webb mentioned the case of water tables bning destroyed on the 3uncfion-road, at I'arata, through cart-' age of timber by bullock waggons, aud |he moved that Mr Sargemt bo notified that the Council will take action in the matter if further damage is caused.—Carried. The County Solicitor advis?d relitive to a proposed loan for work a l . Pukcaruhe.

The Courity Solicitor reported that the appeal in the case of the Council v. Wickham Flower has been Heard by Mr Justice Conolly, who had allowed the appe.'il on tho ground that tha omission of the word "occupier" was fatal to the demand. After some discussion the question of further aciion to recover the rates from Mr Flo wr was left in the chair- j man's hands, after conferring with oho solicitor, ■

Notifications of contributions payai ]• was received from the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Cr. Foreman conaidurtd that tbe rate for this purpate was becoming oppressive. Ho did n»t object to thi* hospital expenditure, bat to that on tbe | refuge, which ho considered had been , extravagant. | i Or. Oliver stated that when the caw | refuge wis proposed he underato-.d the 1 expenditure was to be sprnnd over a period, but the Board had decided to 1 wipe off the cost in two years—a course j which 1)0 objected to. He bad also dissented from the e-.ui .ui of r,ew quarI ters for tne nurses.

Tho engineer*, Messrs Orbell and Mackay, reported that the Junctionroad centract had been stopped owing to bad weather; the work on the Okoke road w-s bdng delayed, and the contractor had been informed to put mdre teams on. On the Mimi-Mokau-road little progress was being made wish the metalling) owing to the difficulty of obtaining metal. Messrs Cameron and Brooking waited on the Council and stated that they were only losing money over the J unction-road Furangi contract. They asked for an extension of time till next summer, for a return of their deposit, and for payment for work done.

After considerable discussion it was decided that under tbe exceptional circumstances of the fas' 1 , the contractors be paid iu full for the 45 chains completed, and 75 per cent on the balance of the metalling done; tid that the time for completion b'< • extended to the end of tbe year. H. George waited on the Council relative to his contract on the Okokeroad. He produced the engineer's notice calling on him to employ nine teams, a request he deemed outrigeoop, as he contend, d it was impossible to work more than six drays in the pit. The contractor made some severe remarks on the way be considered he was treated by the engineers, and maintained his work was well in hand. The Chairman pointed out that the contract specified that it was for the engineers to decide on the question of progress. ■ Mr Orbell explained tbe difficulties he had with the contractor, who had latterly taken up a very antagonistic attitude. He attributed the want rf proper progress to the fact that Mr George had another contract on which j his teams were engagnd. Hi alsi pointed out the necessity for the w6'k being finished before the winter.—No action taken. A formal order was passed altering the representation on the Council as follows: T.korangi one member, Ngatimaru two members. A petition was received from several settlers at Fukearuhe asking that steps be taken to raise a loan of £650 for forming the deviation road from Wai-iti-road to Gilbert-road.—The Council was unat'l) to move in the matter owing to uo definite area being decided on. Mr youlhey Bak*r waited on the Council and submitted a plan of the deviation road and asked that forma) consent be given to the exchange of land for tbe deviation of parts of the Nor'h and Wai-iti-rrads. He urged that the matter should be carried out without delay. Agreed to. Mr B»ker further requested the Council to consent to raising a loan for forming the ro id so as to gve access to his property and to that sold by bim to Mr Watkins. • The Chairman informed Mr Baker tiißt the solicitor advised that it required more than one settler's property to constitute a special rating area. After a lengthy discussion, in which it was pointed out that tbe other settlers were desiroijs of a loan being raised for formiogjother puts of the road, further consideration of the matter was postponed. In the meantime the Treasury *vi>s to be applied to relative to tho question cf minimum rating arrw. The fallowing tenders were received for metalling on the M<mi-Mok»u road:—J. H. Co!o<by (sbe'l rock) £l2 per chain, H. Jon s, Uruti, fur south portion ,£B6, and for north £lO 4s. The tender of H. Jones was accepted. Applications for tbe position of surfaceman in the Mokau Riding wtr. received from H. McLoughlio, A.

Sangste l , G. Orr, and W. Murray. Or trie mo'.ioa of O. Oivei, s c >nded by Or. Murley, W. Murray was appointed The Engineers were requested to make written application for all sub-i----diett on money spent on the Junction, Purangi and Okoke-roads. Accounts amounting to £921 13 3d wero passed. The Council rose at 5.45 p.m.