TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 90, 8 April 1902, Page 2

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The Council met on Monday. Present: Messrs Okey (chairman), Wareham, McDonald, Brown, Hopson, Wright, Gray, Tate, and Lappon In reply to Mr Gray, the Chairman said no reply had been received from the Treasury, so the toll-gates in the Parihaka Riding bad been allowed to lapse. The Special Committee (Messrs Okey, Tate, and Lepper) reported the following leases had been arranged for the toll-gates as under: - Inglewood S,, .£27 10s per month, B, Morris ; Moun-tain-road, £7 10s per month, B. Mor- j ris; Junction-roid, £l9 per month, D. I Robertson ; Waiwakdho, £53 10s per month, F. P. Lonsboroug'h; Omata, £34 per month, Dan Penwarden. j A petition against the proposed new bridge at the Henui had been citcu-1 kted throughout the county for signa-1 ture, and was submitted for approval i before being sent to Wellington. With regard to Mrs Jones' strip of land at I Frzroy there did not appear to be a clear title, but £lO had been offered in I place of £25 asked. In relation to Mr i J. H. Colesby's claim for £843 16s 4d,| the committee had very carefully considered the various items. In the main they considered Colesby had no claim, but certain items required further explanation. They recommended that £32 19s 7d be passed in connection with amounts set out in the report. Tb.6y recommended" that Colesby be paid royalty on stone subject to the native agent, being paid for stone taken from native land. The report was adopted. The Junction-road Ewt Foreman submitted an estimate for filling up culvert near Nor Folk-road. He reported that the culvert near Rugbyroad required repairs. He applied for fourteen 12inch pipes for a culvert on the TamU n'd* f the Zig Zag. Tho | suppliers to the Kaimata creamery ' asked that the road be widened. The Foreman whs au'ho ised to bave the required metal broken for .repairs to road; a'so pipes asked for. The question of widening road at the creamery was left in the hands of the riding mAbers. On the motion of Mr Hopson, it was decided that settlers on the Zig-zag be served with notice to cut the overhanging scrub. « The Junction-road Foreman reported that he had ordered timber for Cunningham's and Waiongona bridges, and that with assistaace he could put the timber in place.—Authorised. The settlers asked to have a small pieco of road metalled from the main road to the Durham-road station and a culvert put in.—Authorised. . The Waitara Foreman reported the bridges in fair 1 order order except the Waiwakaiho and the long bridge at Sentry Hill, both of which required attention. Mr Tate urged that th° Muff'S „„* oy '■he Foreman should be taken in hand aa soon as possible. He also advocated that the Waitara poundkeeper be allowed to impound cattle on the Coun'.y road within the township —Agreed to.The Chairman stated with reference to the Lepperton bridge, £2OO had been set aside for repairs thereon, and ho advocated that the money be spent instead of merely allocated. The Omata Foreman reported thatthe stone supplied by the Harbour Board for the Breakwater-road was too rough to spread. He recommended that tenders be called for c-irtiug broken metal as per list submitted. In the event of the Council deciding to drive a tunnel in connection with the Whinereka stream he advised that tenders be called. It was decided to call for tenders for carting metal. Mr Wareham moved that the question of tunneling at the Whinerek* stream be left to the chairman and engineer.

Mr Gray advocated a concrete and pile bridge.— over till the afternoon sitting. The Panhaka Foreman reported that the Waiteika and Waiauai bridges were in a very rotten state,

Mr Wright said there were a few questions of repairs on the road now included in the Egmont county. The Chairman pointed out that the Council had now no power to do any work in the new County. The Railway Engineer wrote stating 1 that the department was empowered to protect railway property without recourse to the Supreme Court, and that l if the notices erected did not prevent removal of stone from the Waiwakaiho the department would take further action. Messrs Wright and Hutehen applied on behalf of 0. E. Hoby for a reduction in the current year's rate on part section 19, Hua Village, which had ceased to be occupied as a licensed public house (Village Inn, Bell Block). Left to the chairman and clerk to deal with. In reply to Mr Hopson, the Chairman said the defaulters' list would be made out on April 21st. The loglewcod stationmaster forwarded a claim of .£8 10s for demurrage of trucks at Durham-road. The clerk reported that before paying Mather, the contractor, he had inquired of the New Plymouth stationmaster whether there was any demurrage charge, and had been informed that so far as he cou'd find there was not; but two days afterwards the present account came in.—Held over for further inquiries. Amin Burke, a Syrian, applied for a hawker's license.—Granted.

Mr Mark Hbpson wrote pointing out tho dacgorous state of the approach to! the Ngatora bridge caussd by heaps of' timber, and to the existence of a drop! of 30ft., which required fencing. \ Mr F, J. Morris, of Tapuae, applied ■■ for payment of Is a yard in respect of ■ 300 yards of stone csrted fiom or over '' his property. i The Chairman moved than an ofter I of 3d a yard be made to Mr Morris.— j Carried. The County Solicitor notified that; one of the sureties tor the les-es of the ' Inglewood South gate refused to sign the lease.—lt was decided to cill on the lessea to provide another surety. F. P. Loasborough wrote stating that owing to the closing of tho Heuui bridge on 23rd nit. he had not collected 4s on that day, and that as his rent was 35s par day ho naked for a remission. It was decided to allow applicant ono-lmlf the rent for that day. A. G. Turner, collector at Puciho gate, wrote pointing out tint owing to the non-erection of tho gato between Mansh aud October, ho had It.st fully X 47 by persons going through without payi n gi aud lie asked for consideration. The Chairman explained that Turner had become an inmate of the refuge, < and the collector appoioted by him had taken the'profit. | Mr Gray movud that the sureties be ' called upon to pay up the amtunt

owing. He strongly urged that con-' cessions should not by made. I Mr Wright thought some oonsidera- J tion should be given to applicant, | The motion was carried. 11. Mayn applied for payment in re- j sp cfc to taking down a fence.—Re-! ferred to the foreman. j T. P. Hughson applied for some 1 filling-in to be done to a ho'e near his store. —Agreed to; Mr Gray's action in authorising a culvert and other filling being confirmed. D. F. Greanway wrote objecting to road drainage be'n? turned on to' his property at Puni-o. -R fired to the foreman. Mr Mackey wrote expressing hid diss itisfaction at the work done in front of bis property at Inglewood. He bad lost a chance of selling owing to there being only a footway entrance instead of a roadway. , Mr Brown moved to refer the matter to the riding members.—Carried. Mr J. Hawken wrote stating that he did not consider the quantity of fillingin arranged for in respect of his property at Pitzroy had been done. Mr T. K. Skinner reported that according to his estimate the amount of earth placed in the gully in question was 300 yards short. Mr E. Bayley waited an the Council and requested a modification of the charge for use of the stone crusher. He was willing to pay £2 a day when working, and 10s a day for the engineer when not working.—The previous resolution of the Council was then rescinded, and it wis decided tha< the charg* ba j£2 10a for each working day, and 10s a day when not working. The application of H. Humphries for a slaughter license on section 7, Okato Town Belt, was granted. Applications for the poiition of dog tax collector to the various ridings were considered. Finally the following were accepted:—Waitara riding, A. Gilbert, Sd per dog; Omata and remaining portion of Parihaka, R. Rodgers, 5d ; Moa, J. Caddy s|d. Fourteen applicatiocs were received. Tho tender of Mr Wil ! iam Mather of .£2O 10a for earth work on the Mountain-road and repairs to Waipuku road was accepted. Other tenderers were Thos. Sullivan £2l, Beadle and Hardy £2l. Three applications wert received for the appointment of bridge carpauter, from Owen Pen warden, Omata; J, A. Limbert, Mangaweka; J. H. Rodgers, Urenui. Mr lambert was appointed. i Tenders for making dog-collars were received from M. Ramson (6d each), and J. Culpit (5d each), and the latter was accepted. Mr Sole, surveyor, waited on the Council in reference to drainage of two streets in Ohilmin-town, Fitzroy, which it was proposed by the H*nui Road Board to divert into the Devon-road,' in connection with the fixing of nent levls, j -1Z '.'-airman mentioned that the channelling should be pitched. Mr Sjle agread, and it was under- j stood the Council would agree to tt.e woik being done. The Chairman gave notice to move that the portion of the Parihaka riding left in ih-» Tarinafei Coun'y ba added to; and worked in conjunction with the Omata riding, Discussion on the subject of county representation was adjourned till next meeting. Mr Hopson brought up his notice of motion that the resolution of 26th January last dealing with tho expenditure of £6 on a piece of road proposed to be t.k: n into the suggested borough of Inglewood, be rescinded. Seconded by Mr Brown. Mr McDonald opposed, as the road needed attention and there might not be any borough of Inglewood for some time.

Mr Brown considered the £6 wuld be thrown away. It would take £2O or £3O to do the thißg properly. The motion was lose on division, Mr J. Skinner, surveyor, attended and gave his opinion on the Whioereka bridge eife. He recommended the building of a concrtt« tuuntl, It whs decided to proceed with arrangements for doing the work. Mr Tate referred to the state of 'he ■'long bridge" ne»r Sentry JHill, and it was decided that Mr Skinner inspect and rtport on the site for a newi bridge. ! Accounts were pawed as follows: Administration, £64 12s; Moa riding, £159 4b; Omata,£lß2 13s lOd; Waitara, £132 Is 2d; Paritaaka, £125 1 7s lOd. Mr Wright moved that an account of £33 in connection with tbe petition re Henui bridge be reduced to £2O, as a pro'ess against the chairman's action. Mr Brown also speke. The Chairman said the signatures had to be obtained in the proper manner, and the work had bean carried out as cheaply as possible. No action was taken Mr Gray referred to the foreman of the Parihaka riding. It was decided to keep him on for the remainder of the month. Mr Brown referred to the bad state of the Council's reserve?, and s<id an independent man should be sent to make a thorough inspection and report. Settlers were compelled to clear ragwoit, and they comp] lined that on these reserves the pest was not dealt with. Mr Hopson agreed. The matter was hft in the hands of the chairman.