HOBSON COUNTY COUNCIL

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 168, 21 October 1892, Page 3

HOBSON COUNTY COUNCIL

The ordinary meeting of the Hobson County Council was held at the Council Chambers. Aratapu. on Wednesday, begining at 11.30 a.m. Present, —Crs. A. E. Harding (chairman), T. Bassett, M. Cobbald, F. Dargaville, and W. Spiers. The minutes of the last ordinary and special meetings were read and appro-red. Mr Slater wrote declining to pay £lO demanded by Council for work on road. Resolved that the Clerk write to Mrs Clark informing her that as Mr Slater has failed to keep his engagement with the Council, this Council releases her from her agreement so far as Mr Slater or his servant? are concerned. Hospital and Charitable Aid. —The Secretary North Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board wrote saying that Nelson Peterson, C. Hope, and Leo Raynor had been admitted to the Hospital from this district. Also that John O’Neill a resident of Costley Home had died. Mr Higgins had refunded the cost of his maintenance. Resolved that Dr Norton be asked whether he gave Messrs Peterson, Nelson, and Hope any certificates for admission to the Hospital. Kaihu Valley Road.—Messrs R. Houston and R Thompson wrote that the Minister of Public Works declined to take any steps in reference to the road occupied by the Kaihu Valley Railway. Votes for Works. —The Chairman reported that he had written t® the Minister of Lands calling attention to his promises of assistance towards roads in this district. Mr Houston wrote that he had urged works upon the Minister. The Chief Surveyor wrote asking for plans and estimates of works asked for by the Council. Plans and estimates of Tangowahine bridge and Tikinui Swamp road have been sent by the Clerk. Charitable Aid.—The Secretary N. A. Hospital and Charitable Aid Board wrote forwarding list of accounts for patients from this district. None of those named were known to Councillors. Mr Gaze wrote that he knew nothing of Stirling, a bill for whoso maintenance had been sent him. Mr E. C. Beale wired that he had forwarded cheque for £ls. Resolved that a letter of thanks be Sent to Mr Wordsworth for his free gift of a road oil Kopuru hill. The Kauri Company wrote that they applied to County for reduction of rates on moveable machinery and Opanaki block on the authority of the Commissioner of Taxes who had directed them to further apply to him if the Council refused. Resolved that a copy of the Company’s letter be sent to the Premier for explanation of the Commissioner’s conduct. Slaughterhouse Return.— Mr Sheehan wrote denying that he sold the red heifer to Mr Ross, also stating that he had lost more cattle than any other individual settler by nefarious practices and he hoped Mr Pullan would succeed in his strenuous efforts for the protection of settlers. Redhill Road.—Mr A. Morton wrote that Copedro was closing road at Redhill and serious trouble had threatened. The closing was a great inconvenience to settlers and he hoped the Council would act promptly. The Omu Block Rates.—The Commissioner of Taxes wrote re Omu block that the Kauri Company had never appeared on the roll for this block so that no alteration had been made. On looking up the last roll book it was found that the Kauri Company’s name was there. Resolved that the Clerk write to the Commissioner of Taxes furnishing him with full particulars. The Rodney Council wrote asking for copy of Harbour regulations of County. Charitable Aid.—Chairman reported tha he had sent J. C. Lindsay to the Hospital. The Auckland Hospital sent accounts for the maintenance of D. Sullivan, F. Anderson, and C. Stirling. Constable Scott sent account from W. J. Davies of £3 10s for burial of Schirefs. Resolved that the account be sent to Capt. Seymour. Mr A. Andrews Junr. wrote protestin against being rated under Drainage Board Mrs Mary Andrews also wrote in same strain. West Coast Road. —Mr Underwood, who was in r attendanee, wrote calling attention to the bad state of Webb's West Coast road, and offering to plough out a water table if the Council will throw the earth into the middle of the road. Resolved that the offer of Mr Uuderwood be accepted and the work asked for authorised. Wharau. Deviation.— Edwin Harding wrote offering £ls towards road between Wharau and Omu if Council will deviate road.

Resolved that Engineer be instructed to inspect locality and report. Hesketh and Richmond’s Account.—Messrs Hesketk and Richmond wrote re their bill of costs regretting that the Council should have thought charges excessive as they were not so. It was not the deduction asked for that was objected to, but that a question of overcharge should have been raised. It was not their practice to sue as they valued the good feeling of their clients too much. The Chairman after reading a newspaper report objected to said he had already stated that the report complained of was not altogether correct. What he reported was that items of 6/8 were put down for simply perusing letters of instructions to which he objected altogether and that several items of 10/6 were charged for perusing letters and some small services besides, which charges were considered excessive. He how ever liked the tone of Mr Hesketh’s letter. It was resolved to pay Messrs Hesketh and Richmond’s account less £5, as the Council considered the amount so far excessive, and that as custodians of public money they should be more careful than in dealing with their own funds. Tatarariki Drainage District.—The petition of Kopuru settlers for the formation of a Drainage district was read, signed by two thirds of the ratepayers affected. The signatures to petition were not attested according to Act, therefore the petition was not considered. Wordsworth’s road.—Mr West wrote asking Council to make Wordsworth’s road.— Deferred, no funds. Okahu.—Mr John Buchanan wrote saying he and others had no road to tfceir property and asking Council to make road, also offering to clear line at 2s 6d per chain. Mr Simpkin and others wrote re Dreadon’s deviation saying that the settlers had all but completed their portion of the work. They also asked that Mr Powell be allowed to erect his boundary fence on the edge of the formation as it would be a great protection to the work.—lt was resolved that Mr Powell he allowed to erect his fence as asked for. Mr Buchanan’s application was deferred for the attendance of Cr. Berridge, Kopuru roads.—Mr J. H. Thompson wrote complaining of bad state of road between Cobbald’s and Matthew’s as he had met with an accident there. Mr Mailer and others asked for a larger culvert near their properties as they were about to open drains. Resolved that the culvert be considered when the drains are completed. The outskirts. —Mr E. Griffin, Maungakaramea, wrote saying that he had completed the road work which ha undertook and asked for payment. Sundry requests.—Mr Brookfield, agent Bank ©f N. Z. Dargaville, asked for permission to take clay from hill near church for filling in. Granted subject to approval of the Engineer. Mr P. Langton wrote objecting to the amalgamation of the Okahu and Waiioa ridings, and proposing that all works be stopped in the Okahu riding till there are funds. Mr N. Moros, on behalf of the Regatta Committee, applied for permission to erect stalls on the Dargaville wharf for November 9th. Resolved that permission be granted the Regatta Committee to erect booths subject to the approval of Cr. Spiers. Mr A. Harding asked permission to kill three cattle on Motuparapara island as he was unable to get them to a slaughterhouse. Application granted in terms of previous resolution of Council. R. A. Lendrum, cadet, applied for an increase of salary as he had now served the Council for eighteen months. Resolved that an increase of £5 be granted from Ist November next. Legal question.—Mr S. Dickson wrote re road reserved on Section 135, perpetual lease (Redhill to Woollams) and asking Council whatever lessee could fence without leaving road open ; the same not having been surveyed. The Clerk had replied in the affirmative. Unlicensed peddling.—Sergeant Carlyon reported a breach of the Hawkers’ and Pedlars’ By-law and it was resolved that the County Solicitor be instructed to take proceedings against Mr Hill. Sundry.— Resolved that the usual remuneration be granted to Serg. Carlyon for his services as Clerk to the Licensing Committee. Mr Brewer, Registrar of Supreme Court wrote re rates recovered and. other matters. Mrs E. Walls wrote asking if any rates were due on land belonging to her by bequest of her brother Mr Kelly, This land is in the hands of the Supreme Court Registrar for sale for unpaid rates. Rate Book alterations.—Resolved that the rate book be altered, Carlyon (Police C©urt) to Dargaville ; G. Edmeacls to E. Eves, Redhill ; J. B. Smith to Marshbanks, Mangawhare. Mr McMnlkin wrote objecting to being assessed for seven acres he did not own. Name struck off Rate book.

Mr Barstow, Manager Kaihu Railway, objected to being rated for his house as it was Crown property. Name removed. engineer’s report. The Chairman, Sir, I have the honor to submit to you the following- report: Redhill, Copedro’s.—binder instructions from Cr Cobbald I have let the work of forming road at Redhill between Copedro’s and Henry’s properties to Peter Copedro at £6. Copedro binding himself to leave a roadway for the public through his property until he has completed the work. J ohnson’s.—As directed by the Council I let the formation of road adj aining Lewis’s at the Redhill to H. Johnson, and laid out the work for

him which he has reported to be finished but I have not yet been out to pass it. Andrew’s.—l have inspected the places mentioned in Mr Andrew’s letter of the 13th ult,, which was referred to me to report upon, and beg to state that.-—lst, The Kopuru wharf cutting does require repairing, having a deep rut down the centre of the road. About three days’ work will do all that is required. 2nd, The culvert across the road in front of Mr Andrew’s orchard is blocked up by the road drain being choked, Mr Andrews made an offer to cut a new drain along the road in front of his fence to the creek and construct crossing into his gates, all at his own expense if the Council would give him permission to do tho work. As the drain would do away with the necessity for the culvert before referred to I gave him authority to do the work. 3rd. The complaint that sand from the Tatarariki cutting washes into his farm is quite correct, hut I am of opinion that had Mr Andrews not cut a drain along his fence on the road and connected it with a drain cut into his farm that the sand would not have washed on to his land. In this instance no natural watercourse has been diverted by the Council’s authority, and if the end of Mr Andrew’s through drain is closed up I think the trouble will be stopped. Gorze.—The gorze od the Tatarariki road fronting the Kauri Timber Co’s, land and the native land, is spreading into the centre of the road and should be cleared back to the fences so as to give sufficient room for traffic. Dreadon’s deviation.—l have inspected the work being done by the settlers on Dreadon’s deviation and have to report that the work is so far in hand as to induce me to recommend the Council to call for tenders for the balance of the formation, the same to be returnable at next meeting, as otherwise the work will be done too late in the summer to consolidate before the next winter sets in. Simpkin’s deviation, —While at Arapohue Mr Simpkin took me over the road traversing his land and informed me that he is willing to give land for deviations of the road anywhere through his property free of compensation whatever, on the conditions that the Council have the necessary surveys made within twelve or eighteen months so that when fencing he can erect it on what will be the permanent road line, also to stop the portions of old road not required and give him a title to them. If such is done he is willing to allow the public to use the present tracK until such times as the Council will form the new road, on the condition that he is allowed to maintain the gates that are now on the road at each end of his property until the new road is formed. I might mention that part of the present track in use and the small bridge is not on the road and if Mr Simpkin has to fence the present road the traffic will he stopped, until a new bridge is constructed. Okahu Main Road.—The plan of the road through Messrs Montgomery’s and Schwarbe’s lands will be ready in a day or two to sand to the Survey office and it might now be decided whether the Council will take it through Schwarbe’s land under the Public Works Act or by conveyance. If there should be any funds available this summer I would suggest that the worst parts of the road through Mr Dodd’s land and Mr Schwarbe’s land might be metalled. The road was almost impassable during the winter and metal can be got all along this road and put on at a very cheap rate. Whakahara Road.—The road from Whakahara wharf to Mr Roskill’s farm requires attention. The culverts in many places are choked ; the water tables worn out into deep ruts, in some places large enough to bury a hores. Some of the bridge culverts are broken and dangerous which I believe was caused by the timber traffic last summer I wrote to Mr Slater asking him to have the damage repaired and he informed me that although the timber is his property he has nothing to do with the hauling, which is under’contract to Mr Stoakes. Chadwick’s Road.—Mr Chadwick has informed me that he is willing to hand the road through his property over to the Council, on the condition that the Council will form the road half way by digging a drain half the length of the road and that Mr Simpson and himself will do the other half between them. Metal—ln company with you, Sir, I visited and inspected the country at the Omu. I found a very small portion of stone that would be suitable for road metal, the majority of stone being a soft brown sandstone, therefore I cannot recommend that any attempt be made to take stone from this part of the County except for works in its own locality. In company with Cr. Cobbald I visited the country below Tokatoka and we inspected the metal there. On Mr Melville’s property we found—lst, a good hard flinty blue stone that should quarry and break well ; 2nd, a white stone, hard and flinty, which broke well and ought to quarry easily. Both these stones we found in boulders and also outcropping from the bill. 3rd, At the back of the hill there is a bod of conglomerate which when picked comes out as line gravel and would make lirstclass footpaths. 4th. At another hill a tough rubble stone which would be easily quarried but is too soft for road metal. Samples of all the stones referred to are on the table, but the

ones I would draw your attention to are the blue and the white stones which are in the same hill; the foot of which is only two chains from the river bank, so that no particular cost would be incurred in conveying metal from the quarry to the vessels. I believe Mr Melville is willing to either sell the right to take the metal or else tender to supply it at certain wharves on the river. I believe the best method to adopt would be to buy the right to take the stone ; buy a small stene crusher about 3 h.p. anl engine. Then let separate contracts, one for quarrying and breaking (with use of engine), and another'for shipping to certain wharves. I have gone into the cost of crushing by 3 h.p. machine and allowing for interest on cost, wear and tear and labour, the cost will not exceed 1/6 per cubic yard against 4/- by hand so that a machine would give us metal 2/6 a yard less than labor. If the Council decide to buy a machine, I would suggest that advertisements be inserted in several N. Z. papers enquiring for a small second-hand stone breaker. In conjunction with the foregoing I would still recommend that the suggestions in my last report be acted upon.—l have the honour to be Sir, your obedient servant Horace Hammond, County Engineer. Resolved that the Engineer’s action in letting contract to Copedo for £6 be approved. Resolved that the Surface man go to Kopuru wharf cutting after Oruariki, then Tatarariki, then to take two punt loads of metal to Dargaville and repair road. It was resolved that Kauri Company and Mrs Wynyard be requested to clear the gorz® off the roads in front of their land. It was resolved that tenders be called, returnable at next meeting, for formatian of road on Dreadon’s deviation ; and that the settlers be informed that no tender will ba accepted until their portion of the work is completed. Resolved that Mr Simpson be asked to put his offer in writing. Resolved that the Clerk write to Mr Schwarbe asking him whether he will sign a transfer of the land required for road on payment of the amount agreed upon, and informing him that as the land is open land there is no necessity to fence it. Resolved that Clerk write to Mr Stoakes requesting him to repair culverts damaged by timber on 'Whakahara road. Gift not appreciated.-—Resolved that Mr Chadwick he thanked for his offer of road, but at present the Council has no funds for work asked. Metal for roads.—Mr A. Melville wrote offering to deliver 40 tons of 2Jin. metal at Manga whare for 6s per ton as a trial lot. Messrs Masefield and Co wrote offering 8 h.p. stone crusher for £4OO. Messrs Youngbusband and Co. wrote enquiring what offers Council would make for metal. Resolved that Mr Melville’s offer he accepted for metal delivered at Mangawhare, Resolved that the Clerk write asking Mr Melville what amount per annum he will accept to give the Council the right to quarry and take any quantity of metal. Resolved that Messrs Younghusband & Co and the Kauri Timber Co be informed that the Council will give the following prices for metal delivered at Mangawhare and Dargaville:—Unbroken Is 6d, Broken to 2 k inch guage 6s, Shingle or gravel 4s, Scoria 4s, and take delivery. W. Chadwick applied for vehicle license for spring trap.—Granted. New "Works. —Resolved that the Engineer make a flying survey of the road at Tangitiroria to Quirk’s including the crossing over river. Resolved that tenders, returnable at next meeting, be called for the formation of Hokianga road aud Victoria-street, Dargaville. Resolved that the Police be instructed to take proceedings against persons riding or drawing handcarts on footpath near Railway station, Dargaville. ACCOUNTS. The following accounts were confirmed:— 11. Hammond, £l9 3s 4d; R. Lendrum, £2 Is 8d ; R. Filby, £3 5s , C. Cody, £2 2s 4d ; Johh Day, £7 7s; W. Ringrose, £9 12s; J. McMulkin, £5 13s. Total £49 4s 4d. The following accounts were passed for payment:—J. Harrison £5 19s ; E. Johnson £1 ss; H. Johnston £3 (conditionally); E. Griffin £5; R. Vincent Junr. £1 4s 6d ; A. Underwood £1 15s ; J. Stallworthy £6 17s lid ; N. A. McLeod £lB 8s 7d (conditionally) ;E. Mitchelson Bros, £2 7s 6d; Nicholas Henry £2 12s; Vousden & Wilson £5 8s ; Auckland Hospital £l4. Total £67 17s 6d. The Council rose at 5.30 jr.in.