COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2624, 15 June 1887, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the North Wairarapa Oounty Council was held yesterday afternoon (Tuesday) at the Council Chambers, Masterton. Present Councillors T. Mackay (chairman) W, H. Beetham, R, D. Dagg. E. Maunsell. J. Smith, 11, S. Hawkins, E. Meredith and W. W. McCardle. The minutes of the last ordinary and subsequent special meetings were read and conGtmed, after Cr Hawkins bud\s entered a protest against' gates being jp allowed to be placed on the roads' con« ''•' trary to the wishes of the settlers. Ha said that at present there were five gates across the road iu his district within a distance of three miles, and there was every prospect of others being erected unless tho Cdunoil put a check to it. The members present were of opinion that the interest of the settlers should be considered in the matter. COItnESPONDENCE. From Pabiatua Pioad Board asking Council to erect a pound at. Pahiatua, Chief Surveyor re disposal of Islands in river beds for the extermination of rabbits. Treasury Office advising receipt of £IBO from Manawatu Eoad Board. Colonial Secretary's Office calling attention to the increase of rabbits on the islands in the river beds in the North Wairarapa, and inform* j ing them that they were held liable : j for the destruction of the pests, and.] expressing a hope that the Council , would assist- in destroying them. Native Office reOahquga Ferry reserve stating that the Council might effect '■ j an extension of the lease under the Act, Mr A. Taplin, elaiming the cottage he lived, in on tho Taueru road,>*. Masterton Hospital Trustees applying for a grant of £SO towards the funds of the institution. Public Works. : Offico informing the Council that the Government had decided to take over the GorgeJtolls, and. requesting them ' to cease collecting tolls on the Gorge road;' v Mauricevillo Eoad tequesting a pound at MauricevjJle." ; "Mr. J.G, Cox asking that ■ place be established at Matajkuna, Treasury advising payment of-£l4B 13s 5d from Native; Lands;- CwtW ~

pflint Road Board asking if tho license fees were payable to the County or tho Road Board. Mr C. E. Bremner re a report of a meeting at Eketnhu'irj in which Cr Smith had made oertain charges against him for neglect and asking the Council to ascertain if the report was correct, and to get an explanation from Cr Smith.- •••• ' • '•■ ••'..•. ■": AfteriMoH discussion, it' was re' solved that-firileCardle be .requested to made iWlier inquiries as tfj.theproposedpound for Pahiatua-, ■:.' •..*' :.:. The-letterrecabbltgfrora the- Colt' ■" nial Sectary's office) caused'consideriii which.i't was. shown icfq'sively that, the -Islands. and aste Lands were vested in. the Land Board. It was resolved that tbe f'oun-. cil withdraws all objections for the disposal of the islands and waste lands in the riverbeds. Thequestion of lessening the width of the Forty-Mile Bush roads was hel<t.Qver until next meeting. The -application from the Hospital Trustees was postponed until the necessity arose for tho raising of th 6 money. It was resolved that the. Akitio Bbad Board he-requested to do somo necessary road work or the Aohangn Hill cutting. With reference to Mr Cox's application, it was resolved that- the Clerk writetoMessrsJolinston.it Co., and ascertain what land he was prepared to leaae, and on what-terms, for the proposed landing placo atMataikuna. Tho Cletk was requested to write to Bfte Secretary of tho Jubilee Committee thanking them for their cmutesy, in offering the Council a place in the prowith- reference to an application from the Pahiatua Road Board, it was decided that the Cleik be requested to obtain all possiblo information re slaughter housn licenses HAUIUCBVILI.E rouso. Mr W, Jcsson waited on the Council with referenco to a pound for the district, as there were none nearer than Masterton, and settlers were often placed at n disadvantage in liming their stock impounded so far away. Tho settlers were willing to give tho land and look after the pound if it was erected. It was resolved that the Engineer be instructed to ascertain the co.it and the best place for the proposed pound. - L'CENSING FEF.B. Ad application from tho Pahiatua Roa'd Board was .received, for a share of the license fees of the Piiliiatna hotel,, since its erection. KCr McCardle was o( opinion that kaigh the Act did not provide that ?tond Board wiihin a County should get their license fees, still ho was of opinion that the money should bo spent in the district whence it was raised'. The Chairman pointed out that tho. Council had from time to lime granted bums to the Hospitals and Charitable institutions of the district, and be thought it was a good fund to ehnrgc it against, The. Glerk was' instructed lo reply that the County could not accqdo to the request as they had no funds at their disposal, having spent them tor general purposes. KEW RIDING. Mr W, Jessen waited on the Board, and presented a petition signed by thirty four tettlois of tho district, praying that a new riding be created in thejianricevilie road district. Lie that Mustcrtou had four representatives, and if Miumcovillo wis cut tiff from it they ought to have one of pi- members. Ho presented a petition, not because it was required, but to Bhow the feeling of the settlers. He considered that tlio object of division was for hir representation, which Mnuricevillo had not received in the past. He stated that no county rates had been spent in Mauricoville, and thought that the district required some consideration from the hands of the Council. The Chairman pointed out the danger of every district wishing to be constituted a separate riding, and iuformed Mr Jcsson that the county hud just apportioned about £-10 to the • Mauricevillo Road Board from the County funds. Ciß Beutlmm and McCardle favored - • the application and after a short discussion the matter was postponed till next meeting. AS LNGiyEERIXG DIFFICULT?. Willi reference to Mr Biemner's «r, Cr Smitli said bo had stated t appeared in the papers, at n io meeting at Eketahuua. He stated that work on the Alfredton road had been neglected by the Engineer, which had led to much iurthei outlay than was really necessary, had proper steps been taken. He instanced a culvert that had washed awaj and had cost £'!o to replace, whereas R few dayß work of ono man mighl have provenicd it. He also referrec to work that was authorised about si> or seven tuonihs ago and was notyel done, and considered that when tin Kogineor received instructions lit fcliould carry them out. Cr Beothatu said it was impossibh for the Engineer to be in all parts of the district at onco, and wbcre c staff was limited wotks had to hi carried out accordingly. Ho thoughl the wardens were- quito right in bringing these matters bofoie the Council. ' Wit Bremner, in reference to tin Tlvert that was washed away, sait that nothing could have prcvonlod i 1 as it occuriwl during a heavy flood, and was caused through a land slip "',which' blocked up the mouth of it ll'half a dozen men were there the\ ■ could not have done any good uudei ' tho*circumislancefi. He had carried out all works ordered by .the Council with the exception of putting in i . culvert on that road, which ho did nol , think fiecenßary at present. 'He dit not think Cr Smith should have com Elained about the work neglected in is riding, as there had been mor done there than in any other part o j thecotinty, and that instead of invent ing '''calumny have devote! praise to the county staff, Cr Smith said that he was of opinio; titt" 'one • man could have provente

tlio culvert washing away, by keeping the channel cleared out,' Mr Brainier said Or Smitli knew nothing at all about it, because half a dozen hands could not have saved it, and the damage was canstd by the ilood and the slips, Cr 'Smith, said the- culvert had sunk .down /some..distance since'it-was last put in, • :■■ •■'" .-.'.Mr Bremner replied that it was only 'natural that-it-would, settle'down tit n goud foundation, and he hod esp'ec'ted it to do so." Be explained" his actions in connection.with the, works on the road and -s>.id •he had always reported; on worksin progress to the Council, Cr B.awkins said'it wa3 evident Or Smith:, was under' a misapprehension, and thought that the Engineer had done his duty In'the-matter. 'The Chairman said Councillors should be very careful of what they'said about their officials" and colleagues nt public meetings, and them that the Council meetings were the proper places to make- complaints. ■ Cr Meredith thought that Cr Smith by his own admission had cleared the Council of all blame, and ho considered the Engineer had exonerated himself from the charges made Ho was sorry that Cr Smith hud brought the charges forward and hoped he would have the good sense to withdraw them, It was eventually resolved, on tlio motion of Cr Beetham bccondod by Cr Maunsell, That the Council considered the explanation of tlio Engineer satisfactory, and exonerates him from all blame in the nutter.

GENKKAL BUSINESS. Permission was given toMrTaplin to let his cottage remain on the reserve during tho pleasure of the Council, but without any right of occupying any land, except to gain access to tlio cottage. The clerk was instructed to take- steps te strike the rates as recommended by tho committee. It was decided that instructions bo !ftven to tho roadmen to exercise discretion in ruforenco to vehicles running empty, also light brakes carrying mails and parcelsonly, that were not injuring the road. " The following proposition was lost on the easting vote of the chairman:—That the area of land compiisod'iu the application rondo by the Upper Taueru and Mastertoi.. Road Boards known as Kai ate-Atua be now annexed to the Masterton Road District and that the boundaries of tho road district be altered according . 'IX.N Wilis'. The fullowing tenders were received for quarrying metal-John Mulligan, 2s 4d per yard, accepted'; I>. Cullotz 2s !)d, J. Anderson ,'is, P, Doyle Hs 3Jd, 11. Stevens 3s'ls. J. Harley lis ltd, Tho Council then adjourned.