WAIRARAPA NORTH COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2595, 11 May 1887, Page 2

WAIRARAPA NORTH COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual meeting of tho above Couneil was held on Tuesday last, the following Councillors being preßeut Crs T, Maokay (Chairman), B. D. Pagg, Maunsell, W. W. McCardle, B. Hunt, B. S, Hawkins, Smith, K Meredith, and W, H, Beetham,

minutes: The minutes of tho previous meeting wore read and conformed. GOUGE HOAD MANAGEMENT, •Ci' McCardle reported to tboCounoil the result of tho conference re the Gorgo Hue, hold at Woodville, as to to tho passing of resolutions and tho appointing Messrs Cr. Beethain, W, C. Smith and Me Arthur, M.H.R's, as a deputation to the Minister of Public Works. Ho contended that had tho Government accepted tho recommendations of the conference it would have been a source of profit to them.

A long letter was also read from Mr Or, Beetliam, M.H.R. bearing on the same subject, in which it was stated that Mr Ricbaidson had explained to the deputation that it was absolutely' impossible for the Government to take over the bridge with its accompanying toll as the Manchester Board had raised a loaji for' tjjo PUfposa of oreotiiig the bridge, and wepo continuing the toll for the purpose of paying interest, and sinking fand to extinguish the debt. Also that the Government were themselves of all responsibility for 1 maintenance of roads and bridges within County boundaries. Mr Kichardaoi; was willing to hand over control of the bridgo to oither tho Wai- : rarapa North or Waipawa County Councils. In tho event of Wairarapa North County undertaking the duty, Waipawa' agrees to maintain the Woodville road without making any claim on the toll fund. The Manchester Road Board agrees to the proposal of Mr Richardson to maintain the road for them or to hand over. control to the Waipawa County, the alterations on their part being the erection of a fourth toll gate on their section of the road. Mr Bpetham concluded his jitter j)y suggestjpg to, the pqi)ppjl that tho local uodiog sTioutij ieguest; the Gqyernmonj) to maintain, the bridge and road, tho expenditure to cqaie out of the toll fluid,

The letter was eventually held over [or further consideration.,

OORRESPONDENOE. A oiroular from Jubilee' Committee was laid on,the table,

From Secretary of North Wairarapa Benovolest Society asking for grant in aid for current'year of J&SO, Tlxe Council were of opinion that (be request for a donation should bare been, sent to the United Board at WeJlfngtqn, and ftpp'djngly fjecjejed, that the master be referred thence,

Mr Wyeth, lessee of the Ngawapu* ma toll gate, asking for compensation for loss sustained in not having gate fixed in aooordanoe with agreement. . ; Or McCardle thought the Council should assist the applicant, In addition to losßof time be had been put to expense in'taking proceedings in the R. M. Court against a person for forcing his way through the gate without paying, The man was fined ss, and Wyeth had to pay, in addition to the loss of three days takings at the gate, £l2 odd law expenses, The case wasatestpe and?acted as awarning to thereby benefitting thV Council indirectly. • Tie matter was■left in 'the hands of the finance Committo to deal witb,

i ■••; - 'FORTY MILE BUSH : filttßlOTif ■", ■Mr G, Bostham, M,' H. R., wrote; with reference to the lessening, of the. width of the road through the Forty Mile Bush. ..' • •.;:'" The Chairman expressM his' approval of Mr Beetham's suggestion, stutiug s. that at certain seasons the grass'alonsV; the roadside became dry, and-wifi my--~ dangerousin .case', of fire.".To,'iurta'il • the present/ wjd&h he though) was , niecessary. ] ..'■'■. .. ."'■'•//.!.'.'.'.■•■ ■ Or McCaidle, : soe|ltii)|- of labiatita, saioV jeitierft there would 'if t&.road were lessened, :Jt would be ; .as well to ascertain what the Bettleis would te

prepared to pay. for the Und in front of tfieir properties before iakiffij any stej&to decrease the size of thji rf»^ ; Some would object to the proposal on the ground that.it would reduce the value.of their properties. He partly agreed with Mr Beetham, but thought they should hold d special meeting, so that the voice of those interested could be taken in the matter. He would move," That copies of Mr BeeibomV letter bo forwarded to the Eketahuna Road Board, and Puhiatua Road Board, and that-, the Boards be requested to givo the; matter immediate attention, also that Or Smith be requested to ascertain what tho feelings of tho Eketahuna settlers are, at a public meeting .to be held tbore on Saturday next,". . Cr Beetham would like to seo the matter gone into at once. There were a large number of settlers at Eketahuna who wero-particularly anxious that the sizo of the road should be lessened.. ; They were ready to pay any expense incurred,. and to purchase the land at a fair valuation. It was impossible to sell the. land along the road to othor than.those whose properties it faced, If the mutter was not taken up at onco there .would not be much chance of getting a. Bill passed through tho Houso this session, They could take tho preliminary,steps now and hear any'objections afterwards, If they then found thestep wasi not an honest, one, they, need not c°arry3tiie matter any further, •

Cr Smith said there would' be a meeting of settlers tit Eketahuna on Saturday to. discuss the advisability of establishing telephtnic communication and it.would be a very good time to bring this matter bofore them.

Cr MeCardle contended that tho steps ho proposed were mlly .preliminary, There was nothing to prevent them dealing with the whole matter uf once, He would arrange a speeial meeting with the Pahiatiia settlers at early as possible and Cr Smith.would 4 be able to hear tho opin ions of the Eketahuna residents. He did not think , they would have to call ou anyone to pay the expouso. Cr Hawkins thought that portion), of tho land along the road could be exchanged to settlers for reserves, The roads had been handed over to the Council by the Governißent in a very unsatisfactory way. The Council siroplv wanted power to deal with the toads, and the proper course would be to got statutory power. Instead of it being a privato bill it ought to be a Government one and he did not think tho Council should be,saddled with the expense He would move as an amendment "That the Council give notice of a Bill to enable the Council to deal by sale, exchange or olherwfso, with the N "~ area of the land vested in the Council and forming the Forty-Mile Bush road reserving always two chains width for the road. ■ He could see noroason why anyone should object to a Bill, of this kind. - ■■:-, /"•'-■

Cr W. H. Beetbam, seconded the amendmont,

In speaking to the amendment Cr McCardle said the settlers'.would require to know on what side, of the road the reserve would be, the expense, and how the whole thing was to'Be worked, Tho Council could not compel them to pay. It was for the settlers to.indicato to the Council what direction they should take iu tho matter,',"

The Chairman thought it was only fair that settlers who' ware interested should be consulted. It was :pot the ,/4 people of Eketahuna alone whg |iacj to "~f*- v decide the qiptipp. . •''."' •Cr Smith was of opinion the. sooner r the matter was settled the r Jbetter it would be, and that they should now hurry it on as speedily as.possible. Settlements were getting 'numerous along tho road, and whilst bush falling contracts wore going on,, they would be enabled to got somo of .the/bolts ot bush fell along tho road."";"' Cr Maunsoll was in favor pf consult, iug the feelings of the. before any direct action was taken'; by the Council. Cr Meredith agreed. with Cr McCardle. It was only rightj that those who were directly should be consulted the Council took away theirTroniageß would be' having- settlers 'sending in claims for : same as was being done in W?||ii)|t6npjfe'r \\i foreshore reciarqatiq^. ;'; ;|[e was qujte, sure the Pfppil djd/ nii|. : want that, In reply to Qr Cy McCardle said that wjj'ere ment'hadnot sold'thei'j|anit^ey'wore reducljig; : tho road tdtw'o'chflijui a , * , •: The Olialrmftn infprjnca, pafccil that the only communication tfttPhd V beonroceived on the.-sub/ect'wVs that sentthrough Mr G> Beethatn, M.H.R., i on behajf of the E|etahuna ; hettlers. It ' I would be advisable to-get the' opinion - of the setjtlers on* this matter, otherwise '* the Council jnjght have-to bear the wpense, : ■ "■" having expressed I opinions pn fa aiibjestf t|ro" amend., I] sent and. res,(ji|ution were put to' the FJ meeting,flatter being carried on the 1 voices,.';.'.;' I' 1

Cr Dagg tii«n moved and Cr Maclcay »" seconded, jfThat gottlera be invit«d to i give expr«4lou to their feelings on tho "' i question $ altering the width of the !' Forty Uih Bush road, i n order that the (tap may dual with the qu&siion -' I at a mating to be held on the 13th .''] June, aid that jf favorable replies be receive, the Olprjk take the meceaauy ■• J stops to advertising, immediately." "'J Carried. w . " -'1 -njgPOTATION., f ,'■• I Messrsß,P, Perry;au<j l Wrigley %' 'J waited on the Council a* '"'' : J atry and, get a gats erfoted.on the M tJpper Taueftt road, -^1 Mr 'VI

others were put to great inconvenience and trouble owing to a lot of native land being unfenccd, and not passed through the Court. It was impossible to keep«the stock from wandering off bis land unless a gate was erected. Ho would be quite satisfied if tliagate was only allowed to reihain'on the Vbad until . -.the native' land 'wns'l'sarWycd.' "they, .-, •"/ Would thenbeetiabled-to fence.' 'lf'tbe ;' would permit a''gate';.,to be^ erected, it would'save aiot 6*f : Urinecessary trouble. . •:'. •;' :; ••.'-' •; _ TMChairman tegretteil the'CouncilV .: '■••• iad'tio'power to sanction the erection ■;.', eiVgate,''•.;•• •• ••■•.':- " • Cr Meredith 'also 'regretted that the' | Council 1 had n'o authority-to erect'a d '' • 'gate/'' He' would like tb.see the' Coun-, V" -cifhave that power'vested in. them. knew of other settlers who. had ' D '' been put to great inconvenience and ':; loss owing to the same cause. 1 " Or Hawkins thought it was the feeling of settlers to a Mid of gates on roads. Once the the jl/lincil began to give their sanction fi. 'the erection of gates thoro was no telling wheto it would end. Settlers complain grievously when riding or driving at being hiudorcd through tho erection of gates on main roads, and he thought the feelings of settlers were ad verso to thorn. CV'Beotham thought where traffic was. not great, and when" kept clear; of mud, there would bo no serious objection to an occasional gate. He did not think it would cause any delay worth mentioning. On ut main road where traffic was brisk it was objectionable. He did not think any neighboi should object to a good gate being erected on a place like the Upper Tttuern. Cr McCardle was sure the deputation had the sympathy of the Council. He thought it very hard to be deprived of a gHte in the present instauce. The Chairman thought iho only way to get over the diiliculty would be to wove, "That Mr G. Beetliambe asked to urge the Government to place a clause in the Comities Amendment Act, giviug County Councillors power to grant permits to settlers lo erect gutes on main roads," This was seconded by Cr Meredith and carried. Ths Chairman informed Mr Perry that ii he could arrange with thesettlers to erect thegute the County would not' ; interfere, ' ( The deputation thanked the Council and withdrew. MISCELLANEOUS. i Mr Johnston wrote in reply to Council, offering a piece of land as a ' reserve on tho junction of the Timii and ' C'astlepoint roud,

It was resolved that the offer be accepted, subject to tho approval of the Engineer..

A letter was read from W. Petersen as to his dismissal as an employee of tho Council, by tho Engineer.

The Engineer informed the Council that he had given Peterson every opportunity of holding ,on to his billet, but that lie never carried out his work in a satisfactory manner, and hence his dismissal, Tho Council endorsed tho action of the Engineer. CrilcCardle called the attention of the Council to the class ot metal that . had been laid on a portion of tho road at Mangnmahoe. The stones were very largo .and unbroken, and when he came down in the couch tho other day the horses could hardly pull through. He thought the Engineer should be empowered to put on an extra man to break the metal up. . The Engineer intimated that an extra man had already been engaged to put tho road in repair. Tho fault, ha snid, lay with the Government?, • who, through laying the present metal on the road would put tho Council to an extra expense of 7 5 per cent. Crß Smith and Mackay also spoke ut to the dangerous nature of tha road, and it ivas eventually resolved,' " That the attention of the Minister for Public Works be called to the quality of metal supplied by the Public Works Department for repajrs to ,i}ie itoad, pointing !put that the stone is of such coarse quality that it would .involve heavy ; expense on the Council in breaking it to tho proper guago for road repairs." ;,! ' An application from Messrs Ewiiig- ' ion and Son applyiug for a share of County work was referred to ■ Engineer.

Messrs Fabian Bros applied for a !' Vridgo to be built over a creek runmug through their property at Kopnaiangi. Kderred to tlio Engineer to report at the next meeting of the Council. ■;-; The.clerk of the Whireama Road ' V-'fßoard wrote asking for share of tho 'County's portion of subsidy, and return • : jtrittked for liy Cr McCardle, receipts "•$$ JxpendUip on sppcial rate ';jl^(Ju v {it;AkjtiQ Kpad ])istrict, Left to s ; finance Oouimitteb,. • particulars, were furnished by Mr '•■" W. feist; collector at the Gorge toll gate; showing recoipts for tho first week' : :,. ■ ' Wrw\ 3]■ S, Handyside,, .enclosing civile fqrlfi.Blss 2d, extra toll'on sheep *?';< It was, resolved, with reference to a . .circular.received from the Wnirarapa '! South OountyrO. legalising of roads, :!'That co-operationbegiven, and that the several Boad Boards bo asked to ' ~joinin obtaining aomo settlement of the

question." Copy of resolutions was received from tho Cashpoint Board, declining to' pay the. cost of the. Whakarora branch purvey. After a slight discussion it was resolved" that another dowand be made to them for' payment ••told that ibis Council shall insist'on paymont." i ' Documents from tho Eketahunaand Alfrodton Eoad Boards re resolutions : passed at their meetings were postponed till the next ordinary meeting of the Council. The Upper Tauerußoardforwarded a oi resolution re not allowing gatds on main roads; also stating that the Board had postponed levying ,-it's jfate bill| till tho Council's proposals subsidy had matured, ; /From tho Public Works Department '"stating that'the Manawatu Eoad Board M agreed to the colleotipn of tolls jr the : (ftYernment oh the Gorge road,

and suggesting that the North Walrarapa County Council should adopt the same course. FINANOE COMMITTEE REPORT. The' Finance Committee reported with reference to the. claim. for legal expends in conhcctibiuvitli the pulling 'down' pT'.the Ngawapurua toll ih'aji s.e.' Chairman had been .requested to .make further enquiries on th'e-subJ£c.t.;::A credit balance was re"p'ortsd.by tlie Treasurer of £IO2B 15s 6d,"-the:-receipts-since last meeting mv-im/ : . i

• ; That.'.tlie Clerk be instructed to ?ri|e; to the, Government calling attention to their indebtedness in, respect of rates owing on Native Lands 'on the Forty Mile Bush road and requesting that the liability be paid off at once. The following recommendations were made—That the Clerk take proceedings against all ratepayers in arrear, also to prepare vouchors for Councillors travelling expenses, and also write to Government asking when subsidies for the Mauriceville, Eketahuna and Castle-point Boards will be available. That the Eketaluma Road Board be asked what amount of money, if any, is availablo for expenditure out of the deferred payment thirds on the Forty Mile Bush road. That tho several subsidies due to Road Boards bo paid.

The clerk presented a statement of accounts and balance sheet, together with a statement of assets aiid liabilities for the year ending 81st March 1887. The statement themselves not having been returned from the auditor no action was taken in the matter. The report was adopted. Accounts amounting to £1437 -14s 5d were passed for payment. WHEEL TIRES. The wheel tire By-laws were amended by- the addition of the EketahunaTinui. and Te Oro Ore-Bideford roads. NOTICE OF 'MOTION. Cr Maunsell gave notice of motion for next meeting of a resolution passed by the settlers -of Tinui, " That all vehicles except those carrying firewood, timber for fencing, building material, should be exempted from the operation of the Wheel Tire By-laws on the roads in the Castlepoint Riding. The meeting then adjourned.