COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3559, 11 July 1890, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wairarapa North County Council was bold in;the Chamber? yesterday. Ffcseiit-rCirs BeeMiaui (Chairman), Mauusell, Ddgg, Stuokey, Murray, Ton Redm,' Hundyside, Chamberlain and Meredith; .

;: The minutes of the previous meeting were read and- confirmed. ~• . . CoMIESPONDEN'OB. , Correspondence outwards was read. ; Correspondence' inwards was read as follows: \; -; 1 .From- Thomas Taylor, asking permission to construct a fence on the road near his residenco, Mangnraahoe,—lt was decided that the request be granted, subject .to the -approval of the Engineer.

Prom Messrs Murray, Roberts & Co, declining t'he offer of ilO per acre made by the Counoil for gravel pit at Te Ore Ore.—Cr Handyside was deputed ta wait. on. Messrs Murray, Roberts & Co, and endeavor to get them to modify their demands. From ratepayers in the Alfredton riding, stating that at a public rmetingheldin that' township,' it had .been resolved to ask the County to raise aloan of £2500 for tho mainten-' ance of the Alfredton-Ek9tahuna road, the interest of the loan to be met by the.erection of a toll.-The Clerk was instructed to write to the Government and ask for ■ the loan, and at the same time 'communicate with settlors in' the Alfredton district,' Stating that they would be required to give a guarantee for the cost of the application. • From Chairman of Mauriceville Road Board, asking that tho Council adjust the accounts ofthelatoEangitumau and Mauriceville Eoad Boards. It was decided to grant the request, aud that the MastertonKoad x Board's accounts be also adjusted,' From ratepayers in the Whareama district, requesting that the Whareama Eoad Board be merged into the County, anil tkt a|d in the £ rate be struck for the maintenance of roads

in the district.—After considerable discussion the prayer of the petition was granted. From Eketahuna Road Board, stating that it considered the management of the roads in the district should be iu its own bands, and forwarding resolution recently passed on the subject.-Cr Vo'u Redin stated that before the.letter could be discussed a petition from the ratepayers on the subject would have to be received. The Chairman concurred in this opinion, The Clerk said that under the Act a petition was not necessary; the Eketahuna Board was not applying for a district road, Itwasulmiatcly deoided that the County take no action until it has the petition of three fifths of the ratepayers before it. THE PHOPOSHD EKETAHUNA TOLL. A communication was read from tho Pahiatua County Council, in reply to the' letter lrom the Clerk, stating that it still adhered to its former deoision with roferenoe to the maintenance,of the road between Pahiatua and Eketahuna, The Clerk stated that by the authority of the Chairman he had written to Cr Von Redin, asking if there-were any objections to the

matter being held ovor till the present meeting. ~ The Chairman explained his reasons for having instructed the Clerk to

write to Or Von Eedin. He had wished to see the matter; if possible, amicably settled, but was sorry to' think that the Pahifttua County did not take a fair conception of the position. It was utterly unfair to expeot % small riding like Alfredton, whose ratepayers travelled very little over the road'hi question, to pay the whole oost of the maintenance of the same. He wouldratber see the road maintained out of the general rate. Or Stuckey said he had interviewed Mr Vile, Chairman of the Pfthiatua County, who had stated that the hotels in Eketahuna, wbioh were principally supported by Pahiatua, paid tho whole of their license fees to the Wairarapo North County, and these fees should be almost sufficient to support the road in question. Another Councillor had informed him that if the North County ereoteda toll the Pahiatua County would do likewise at their boundary of the road. On the motion of Or Murray, seconded by Or Von Eedin, it was decided that the Clerk be instructed to give effect to the resolution passed at last meeting as to the establishment of a toll-gate at the Alfredton riding,

STKIKINO OF KATES. Cr T)agg moved that the recommendations of tho Committee who had considered the Estimates re the striking of separate rates be adopted, Cr Handyside seconded. Cr Yon Eedin moved as an amendment,." That the separate rates be abolished, and in lieu thereof a general rate of |d in the JS and a poor rale of £d in the £ be struck over the whole County," He-cited the position taken up in the matter by other Councils, and contended that a deal of frlqtinn would bo avoided by the adoption of a general rate.

CrMaunsoll seconded, He thought tho question of rates might be uorked on a more comprehensive basis than at present, The question, however,was how they would meet the liabilities of the Wainuioru and other ridings, A petition was being laid before the Governor, paying'that various riding ba re-oredited with the separate ra t e g collected. He would like to know how the liabilities wove to be met, He had muoh pleasure in seconding Mib amendment because it would simplify matters,' Cr Handyside considered it would be unfair to the Akitio riding that a general rate should be struck. That riding was'not at alliuterested in the road going through the bush,, and had very little main roads to support,! He did not think the Akijio rifling, should he s.addlpcl with a rate to pay off the debt of the Oastlepoint riding. Cr'Meredith said this, matter hod been before the Council previously, and had been fully discussed. Tliay had found that Ibe general rate did not work satisfactorily, and that a separate rate wa,s. necessary. He could see clearly that tho' Alfredton and Oastlepoint ridings would derive tho benefit. He would therefore ask the representatives of the Mastevton Riding, wjjg WW practically uninterested, to weigh the matter in the balance'fairly. Cr Maunsell remarfed that ratepayers' ill the Akitio fling' had to use the Oastlepoint ittid Wainuioru i roads to travel their cattle. They .should therefore bo prepared to pay 1 portion- of Iho rates. He was convinced that it was necessary that a re-adjustment shonld be made.

Or Murray believejj ip. th,e principle of a separate rata for the various riding, and would therefore vote gainst, the amendment, Cr Daggsaid the separate was adopted spp time 'o,gp, to prevent log-rolling. If they passed the amendroenHhey would l?e bvought

hack to the old. staudard.; furtherha did not think 'that tlieYii ns'a dying; Couucil, were justified rifi making such i radical ohtvogeV ; ■■ ' : ~H Cty Maunsell; Wouldr support;, the amendment' only oh the understanding that'a fixed basis was. adopted, Ajh'o rate ■•rate would require to be struck. ~.''.."

Cr Von Redin replied, that at the present time; the rates were practicallylevied onagri rata scale. Cr Stuckey did not believe in the proposal of CrMaunsoll for a pro rata levying of. rites. Ho would vote against the amendment,

The Chairman said the principle! of a separate rate had not altogether worked satisfactorily in the past. He did not think it .was ■ desirable that 1 they should localise matters too much. I Tlioy should bear .one another's burdens. .He believed if tho Coun- J eil;had a general rate- they would distribute it throughout the County in a fair and just manneiy They had found it in the past impossible to expend the rates advantageously in the ridings in which they Were raised,' He considered they. might', with, advantage, adopt the system of a general- rate. In any case he would like to.see the general rate fund of the County increased,'.', : The amendment was theh ; put and lost, the ayes being Crs Ton Bedini Maunsell, and the 'Chairman, .'and the noes Crs Murray, Hanilyside, Meredith, Chamberlain, Stuokey, and Dagg. '..:,.;' :■:■'„.:..

The original motion of Cr. Dagg was then considered. -' '■' ; '->";'" ; •

The Chairman moved that a Buffioient amount be. voted out of the, subsidies to support the road between Eketahuna and Pahiatua. He was always opposed to the erection of a toll. Or Maunsell said that he would

:ather let the road go without main-

tenance,. Cr Von Redin said that if an aooident occurred,the Council would be held responsible.' "The motion of Cr Dagg was then ' put and earned. engineer's bepoki, Sir,—l have the honor herewith to lay before you the following report for the past month on tho : Public Works of the County :- Masterton Rronra.-Mastertqn to Waimataroad.-Masterton to Taoeru Section.—lmprovements on this lino will shortly be undertaken, consisting of the removal of an old and much delapidated bridge, from the vVangaehu flats for whioh a new culvert will be substituted and the road formation extended to twice' its former breadth, Men are engaged to construct tho culvert so Boon as the weather holds up, which together with the necessary embaniing, drain cuttings, &c, should bo completed in the course of the next fortnight. Communication has also been entered into with the Telegraph Department with a view to the removal of the telegraph poles on this seotion, to tho outer margin of the road reserve, so as to permit of the construction of asidewidthon the east side of the metalied roadway, Waingawa to Camp road.—The very unsettled weather of late has prevented any possibility --of ; 'the surface repairs on this line being proceeded with, Tho earliest bppor. tunity, however, will be taken to proceed with the work so as to Becure the laying down of'the loose'-stone while tho road surface is in a suitable state to receive it and allow of its

consolidating before the dry season sets in. 4 The stone breaking bodtraot ia now well advanced towards 1 completion. ■■-.•'. ';, ; Castle Point .Ridino,—Masterton to. Waimata Road,—Contract No. 89 (additions to bridges). Pressure of orders at the Tauemsaw mills has hindered the supply for tbis contract up to the present time. It is.understood, however, that active measures will be taken to push matters forward so.'as to oarry it to completion within the specified time. . • Masterton Riding.—Masterton to Waimata Road.-In connection with the proposed survey of the Oahanga ferry reserve, I prooeeded to the coast on the 17th ult., with a view to ascertaining the necessary field work, but found on arrival upon the ground that a section of the Natives had agreed among themselves to~obstruct any attempt to survey the site until some disagreement in connection with the rights of ownership had been settled. In consequence of this I was_ compelled to return with only such information as it had been possible. to collect during the short interval of their absence from the ground. Prom this meagre data a plan has been prepared and placed in the hands of the County Attorney, who will deoida whether it is sufficient for the purpose'of drawing up the new lease or whether it will be neccesary to revisit the ground to secure more exhaustive information for a more detailed plan. Amedto'n Kid'ino -Eketahuna to .Tinuiroad.-ContraotNo';2l,(2oß.so ohains road formation.)' Operations on this contract have'had to be abandoned for- tho present, the increased rains preventing any deaorip. tion of work being carried on,, The beayy land slips whiob have occurred during the presentmonthhaveclosed the line, and necessitates a temporary diversion of traffic to the old bank on the i,orth Bide of the Tiraumea river. The contractor's laboivstaff has been disbanded until an improvement in the weather will justify work being resumed, ' Contrao| No; 28, (bridge building,) Arrangements have been agreed upon by whioh the fulfilment' of this contract will be deferred until next summer. The present condition of the toads in the Alfredtou district will not permit; of the. material required to finish.the bridge being carted on to the site of the work, -

Contract No. 24, (01 chains road formation,), An extension of contract No, 21, toward Tirauinea, Has also boen left'in an uncompleted stalo owing to the impassable state of the roads,

Opaki to Manawatu Koad, contract No. 27 (28 ehaius. street formation Eketahuna road). The result of last month's work baa not tended much to the advancement of this contract, Such requirements of the conditions of maintenance as it has been found practicable to periorin liuvo been executed, but tbe main difficulty affecting the completion of the work is daiyl inoceasing, ' Tift day embankments finishing off with the ooaoh road line, owing to tutf almost _ continuous rain, become* almost impassable and threaten fe debar wheel traffic from entering the towasbip from.the south. With a view.to overcoming this diffioulty 1 have suggested to the contractor the expediency of constructing the upper layer entirely of gravel as the only method by which I Consider it will be possible to complete the. wdrkHfr a 'nannev at this-V season' olth.eyear._- If this recommendation is adopted it may be possibe to .complete the contract within' a- week or ton days, otkorwse Hear it will bo

necessary no defer it until moresettled weather in the spring; _.' No action has so far been taken in respeot, of the resolution rnado by the Oouiicilat the last meting on the question of establishing tho tolls at the North County' bouudary on this line, advice having: been given me that tho matter should be , deferred for further • consideration by this'Coancii at its present,sitting. -.. The report was.adopted.'--,/ : ./;'; ~ FINANCE COpiTTBE,' : "'.-'

Tho report of the Piriadce Gbm--initteo w»s\ read and adopted, and ■ aeeonnts amounting to 2d / passed for'payment/^, -\" ; ' .'■ '•'••'"''

. BAI/ANOE?SHBBT.'• vj:-; '•'•.!' The presentation of the balance sheet was again-'deferred until nwt-' meetiug. ', :i % ~-,- f -„ V ~ ,■/,,.;„. • '■ 'r^/il'ljl Permission, was granted the Wnirarapa'Rabbit;Board to-use the, Council Chambers- as ;a plaoe for meeting.; - •;■-,.. .... - ; - ,■■:.

' It was decided that a separate rato of seven-sixteenths of a po'nny be' struck on the Alfridton Riding, and ; that tho necessary steps be taken to strike the ratesreeommended.-; ,\ )■ ■>, . Mr .\V*. Hodges was; granted pV missionjto erect a verandah over the [footpath in front of bis pvemises'in Eketahuna, ■. ' !,,-.;-.,-';'.

SPEOUt, ITEBTIHO, : >: _ At a special meeting of the Council ;: it was deoided jhat a'special rate be. '- struck to coveifithe Tiraumea ioati bi^ 4700,., :;""!^,.;-V? ; : ; •?^ : v>-»w&