TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 105, 6 May 1902, Page 2

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ' ■ lunoil met on Monday. Present: Mn'firs Okay (f baiiman), W.ireliat , McDonald, Brown, Hopson, Gr»y, Tit?, arid Wright, Mr Lepptr was granted leave of absence. The Moa foreman (Mr Kennedy) reported on work done during the moraii. Wit'i Mf Brown's consent he had obtaint d 20 six inch pip'.s for culv.rt near Zig-zag, part of the cos* being paid by the Moa Farmers' Union and th» Dii" f'ompiny. .Mr Brown's action was confirmed.

The Junction-road foreman (G. Walker) reported he had le" the contact for ear ting boulder.-; to 0. White at 4s p»r yard. Tho w st of Ingl-iwaod required c nn?cting with metal to the Junction roud. Td be dot.e. Tne foremun also reported in M lin'.r claim of 6< for shifting fence near the toll-gate.- 0« the motion oi Mr Gray 3a was authorised to be paid to Main for the work in question. With reference to the contract from S'oifolk-road to Inglewood, foreman gtatr-d Mr Jutftm had transferred nis contract to Mr Tarry.—Mr Julian is to b j notified the Council holds him 'o the con'ract. The Waitara foreman (Mr Holmes) reported on work done. The Chairman stated he had instructed the surveyor and solicitor to l wke steps to acquire, under the Public | Works Act, Mrs Jones' property a' Fiiz.oy, required for widening the County-road. He also advised that it yould be well to include a poi tion of the l.*te Mr Bellringw's property in :he eutue process, in order to get a olear title.

The Onata foreman reported on werk dona. He stated the Harbour Board had uo reason to complain as u lie quantity of me'al pi iced on the Harbour-road, 100 yards having been put on that road. The Chairmm stated the Council's application to the Harbour Board Tor additional s'ore hsd been refused. He had instructed the foreman not to put any more s'.one on the roid. Mr Tate brought up the question of the claim raised by the Harbour Board for outstanding royalties amounting to £5. The Chairman explained the circumstances and stat d that he expected to urmge the nutter satisfactorily. The Paiihaka foreman repott-.d he hat redecked two small bridges near Wadt-'s property and repaired decking to two other bridges. The Chairman referred to the necessity for executing certain works to bridges in that part of the Parihaka : Riding taken ovi-r by the now County, anil stated that he had authorised work 'at t'i'G 0 oriui bridge. He whs euro th« Council would be backed up by thrEgmont County fur any necessary work done.

Mr Wiight stated that under bpc- > ion 31 of the Countieß Act th's mattor was provided for, an<l 'he Council would ho liable for damages c-'Uied through neglected work. Ho moved that Mr R .y'« opinion ba obtained a# to thf Council's position. Mr Gr.iy to.ik the opposite view of the Council's position, but considered the Council should repair any dangerous places. Mr Biown considered the auditor would object to payments for work outside the County. The Chairman said the Bill wag one of those rnshfd through the Hour without any forethought, and therefore there were many points not provided for. He was quite prepared to take his share of the lisks of expenditure for keeping the roads and bridges in eafe order.

Mr Gray considered the foreman should be relieved of bis services to tbe Council, After further discussion, the Ohairman's action was confirmed, the account for tho work at; Ouinui bridge to be passed on to tho new County. Permission was givra to the Parbaka foreman to employ labour for ;ep iirs to the ui*io road near Okato. j The bridge carp nter, Mr Lambert, leported lvcommeoding concrete pier ••sith wing wal'a at Ngatoror.ui bridge. It was a difficult j'>b, and he recommended tenders bein* calleJ for fch° work. Mr Lambert attended the Council and stab d he considered the>°e were not sufficient struts and couute. struds on the job. Tiim was some pine the'e, but ha it uu ilfsirahle to mix hardwood ai<d pine. After some discussion it was decided 5o ell for tenders for tbe work, A uthority was given for a new pipe culvert i.ear Mr pro perty, Mr Lambert explained the state of *.he Maog&nui bridge, and poin'ed out oy means of a ekeich plan the cheapest means of temporarily strengthening tbw structure and preventing the " swing " now oxisting.—Authority was give < for tho work to be done as soon atP'.itsible.

The Engineer, Mr Skinner, reported examining the bridge over the W«iuogoru river, at Seutry Hill. H> stated there wis every prospect of the bridge collapsing, and he rtcommend d n new bridge i f two spans, and tlnee l'eet higher than 'he present biidge; :.!ao that the work be done by coi - trac\ The Chairman s»id tbewoli could only be doi.e piecemeal, and tiierefoie it was advisable to proceed with tie piers first. I* wss moved by Mr Tata, that Mr J, Skinner p epare plans for a new bridge and that the piers bj pul in hand Messrs M u-D mald, Brown aod Hopson urged ;h.t arrangement should b mad') as io chirgi s tor pla'is nnd sm - i vices rend, red Cy any engiiver appointed to csrry out works for tbe Council, Mr Brown rnowd that a scl.edule of chargfS for proftssi wal services b-i obtained from Mr J. Skiuner ai.d Orball and Mackay rnd suimit'ed to the next meeting if the Council.Carried. The bridge cirpenter wis instructed to stack any old dt eking and other timber that might be us-ful for approaches, etc.

Mr Wright raised (ha «[ue4io i of (•h rtening raoaS of lhe badges. Tf.e iiridga carpenter agreed with this suggestion and was iusftuofcid ta ban i in mind. 6. I aylor wro'a urging t!.at tlie > enhance ton tunnel st Slippery Hi!, Kiiinata, ihould bo femiod in,— Agrm d 'o. Foreman McHanigan repor ed on Mr Coleshy's claim. Mr (Jol s'iv waited on the Council in lefiionce to a claim for £SOO on acomic of los< of time, royalty, etc., on I'oi't-iin contrao w»k. The'Jhairmtn sail the Uouocil di-j not rtcoguiso any claim from Mr; Colesby, except »h regarding royalty, i»n ) fhia was beinp k»pt back until the' Public! Trustee was aatiefitd M to the

o "tiers of :lia land f ■>ui wh>c i stju# w is 'ak-n. Air Co!f;s'iy said ♦lift amount of ity-ilty pmrt to natives was between £7O ard £BO. Members tvere agreed tb*t die contractor should be paid this amount. The Chairman thought the contractor should satisfy the Public Trustee that he had paid the royalty. Mr Coleshy said the Native Re--1 serves Am nt «ou'd not recog'ise payments made by him to the natives. It was decided that the chairman , interview Mr Fisher on tbo matter, Mr Oolesby to furnish a statement of royalties paid.

A copy of the committee's report on the contractor's other claims is to be forwaidt d to him. The Chairman reported that the county solicitor had advised that he lid rot think the county could expend iny money on roads, etc., in the Egrnont county, and that the latter body was not liable to repny any money ao -xpsndiid. He had advised that the Colonial Secretary be atked to allow the Taran»ki county to spend some money on tho ro»d, pending the election of the tinw. Council, the Government to bs asked to repay the amount later. The agents notified the arrival of the Gaies' crusher, and it was d cided to send the plant to Inglewood, where the rest, of the plant was. Mr F. Morris, Tapuae, wrote r» the claim for 9d per yard royalty on (tone, and declining tha Council's offer of 3d. ! It wna pointed out that the majority >f tli- a'-one came from the beach, and '•ai umply catted over Mr Iforrit' land. It nas decided to off«r 3d a yard for the b«ach stone, and 6 j for atone from the river. Mr A. B. Gamlin was accptsd a* a surety for the Irssee of the Inglewood south toll-gatr, The prirate s<cretary to hi* Kxoellency the Governor wrote that Jth* Council's petition re the Henui bridge had been forwarded to his sdviaom. The Chief Engineer of the Roads Department wrote in reference to the same matter, which would be u dealt with according to law." Mr Wripht withdrew his notioe tt motion dealing with the matter. Mrs Woods wrote re the Winerika bridge site, claiming j£2s for land required from her farm. Mr Gray thought the best thing waa to build a pile bridge. No action was taken. The Road Surveyor notified that the time for stating amounts required to bn placed on the Estimates had been extended to 24th May.—lt wasdeddei to apply for the £1450 for the Juuo-tion-roid out, The chairman and Mr Gray «en authorised to make arrangements for removing the crushing plant from Okato to Waiwakaiho. Tenders were accepted for carting metal, as follows-No. O 5, E. George, 7£d per y> rd anH 10s per day for caH; Nos. 06 Hnd 07, Oliver and Kvndnl, B|d per yord and 10a for cart; N«. 08, - Foreman, Bjd per yard and 10s per day for curt.

Mr Hopson roovd that a monthly statement of overdraft And outstanding rates bn supplied.—Carried, Thn Chairman thought that as fb* area of the Council waa now rorfaced the number of members be iwduefd to seven. He moved accordingly. Seconded by Mr Gray ard carried. The Chairman then morod that tb* balance of the Parihaka ridino, valued roughly at £92,774, be takla over by the Council in oorjunction with the Oma'a riding.—Carried. The Chairman and Kr Tkte wtrt appointed to have full power to deal i *ith the H«nui bridge in connection | with the Commission wirch waa to ait on the matter. Mr Wright brought l up tk» question of trnc'ion enpinoa using County planks in crossing bridges and not re-"tacking them properly.—Mr Johnstu .'s (tb* owner) attention is to be draw a to th* matter, JjAceounts were pasted :—AtmiaiVtration £73 6) Bd, Moa riding £l7O 9» lOd, Wai ara £72 6«, Omata £95 2a 2d, Parihika £llO 9s fid; totd £5Bl , - 4s 2d. « The Council adjourn' d.