COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3735, 13 February 1891, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Wairarapa North County Council was held yesterday, there being present Crs W. H. Beetham (Chairman), Cockburn-Hood, Stuckey, Groves, Guild, Smith and Bayliss. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Correspondence. From J. 0. Sutherland, threatento close the Manawa road unless the Council contributed towards its repair.—Cr Smith thought that in the interests of the travelling public the road should be kept open. The County road was not fit for use.— Cr Groves suggested taking the opinion of the Engineer on the subject.—The Engineer stated that the road was a private one, but was used by the public a 9 there was no County road. The Council repair the road, but it was only a question of illegal expenditure.—lt was decided that Mr Sutherland be asked to furnish the Council with a statement of the cost of putting the road in repair.

From Mr W. Brannigan, enclosing £1 for slaughtering licerse, and asking if Mr S. M. George was in possession of a license.—The Clerk was instructed to inform Mr Brannigan that Mr George has not ' a license.

From Messrs E. Meyer and Co., offering to erect a bridge across the Kopuaranga at Mangaraahoe on conditions that permission be granted to take their tramway across the gravel reserve leased to Mr Janett.—The communication was referred to Mr Janett, with a request for a a explanation. From Mr John Butherford, of the Upper Taueru, requesting that a road be made to his homestead for wheel traffic, as during the past quarter of century he had contributed largely to the County revenue, and had now only an antideluvian means of transport.—The Chairman did not think the Council had jjany precedent for making such a road, The rates derived from the property had been expended on the County road.—The Chairman suggested that Mr Butherford raise a loan under the Loans to Local Bodies Act to do the work.— After some discussion it was resolved that Mr Rutherfurd be informed that the Council had no funds for the undertaking of the work required by him.

From Mrs Ewingfcon, requesting that her name be inserted on the rate roll.—Request granted.

From the Taratahi-Carterton Ro*d Board, asking the Engineer for an estimate for the construction of a bridge oveip the Buamahunga.—lt was resolved that if the Engineer can spare '.he time his services be granted. From Mr W J Burling, requesting that the road near his hotel be formed as he contributed £3O a year towards the rates of the Council.—The Clerk stated that Mr Burling paid only L2 10s a year in rates, but he had written statin" that l)e considered the L 25 paid by him for a license went towards the revenue of the Council. —lt was resolved to inform Mr Burling that his application would be discussed when the estimates are made out for next year.

From J Hodges requesting that his name be inserted on the electoral roll, —Bequest granted. From M.cssrs Travers and Izard, asking what amounts had been fixed as the share of the costs for the Mas* terton 'and Greytown Borough Councils in the recent Hospital and Charitable Aid suit, There was now LSQ 8s Qd owing by these Boroughs, —:The Qierk stated that the Borough Couucils had objected to the division of the costs. —A second letter w«s read from Messrs Travers and Izard, stating that unless the Masterton, and Greytown Borough Councils eoutri-

buted the amounts owing writs would be straightway issued for the recovery of the same.—Cr Bayliss thought this was a matter for the consideration of the Borough Councils.—The Cbairmau explained that if the costs were distributed on a pro rata scale this Council would be responsible for a little more than had already been paid —Cr Groves considered the amount owing should have been paid long since.—ln reply to Cr Smith the Chairman stated that the South County had preferred paying the costs as suggested by Mr Travers rather than on a pro rata Bcale.—The Clerk read a scale of costs as prepared at the time of the suit, which showed that in the distribution the Masterton and Greytown Borough Councils would effect a considerable saving by adopting a pro rata scale. On the motion of Cr Guild it was decided that the resolution passed by delegates from the various local bodies be sent to Mr Travers and that the other local bodies be informed of the action taken.

From the Masterton Borough Council, requesting the signature of the Council to the petition for the severance of the Wairarapa from the Wellington Charitable Aid District. —The Chairman thought the Council should have no hesitation in signing the petition.- Smith moved that this Council authorises its Chairman to sign the petition and that the Council enters into hearty cooperation with the Masterton Borough Council in the stepß taken.—Cr Guild seconded.—Carried. From the Eketahuna Road Board, requesting the permission of the Council foi the stopping of a road in that district to permit of a deviation. —On the motion of Cr Smith the request was granted.

From J. Davis, lequesting that his name be placed on the roll, —Granted.

From P. Anderson, offering his services as poundkeeper in Mauriceville.—The matter was referred to the Hauriceville Road Board. The Mungapu Road.

Mr Geo. Moore, Eparaima, wrote, requesting the Council to give eflect to an agreement made with the Masterton Road Board in 1885, and that steps be taken to convey to liirn the road at Mangapu. He was fencing in his property with wiro netting and he required a defined boundary. Cr Hood asked if this road would effect the property of Air Meredith. Mr Moore, who was present, replied that it would not. The Chairman asked if a road could be closed without a proclamation. Mr Moore stated that he only wished the, road under the forms of the statute.

Cr Guild ; Have you the title of the road?

Mr Moore: I have not, but lam advised, that the title is absolutely certain.

Cr Hood asked if Mr Moore had any further application to make which would aflect Mr Meredith.

Mr Moore replied that he had, but it did not affect the present application; He would ask in the second place that the Council decide which was the legal road, the one through Mr Meredith's property or the one used by the public. He desired to erest an expensive fence, and he did not wish to do so on an undefined road. On the motion of the Chairman it waß decided that immediate steps be taken to abandon the old road as applied for in the first place by Mr Moore. The Chairman further moved that the road abandoned be conveyed to Mr Moore. Mr Stuckey seconded.

Cr Guild moved as an amendment that the conveyancing oi the road be held over till after the closing.

Gr Smith seconded. Cr Stuckey asked if, in patting the amendment, the Council was treating Mr Moore fairly. There had been an agreement entered into by the Mas» terton Road Board on the subject, and he did not think they were doing right to Mr Moore in putting the amendment.

Or Guild did not think it right that they should undertake the work in a hurry. Gr Smith, as seconder of the amendment, thought it would, be better to carry out the requirements of the Public Works Act before conveying the road. ; The Chairman stated that he intended by his resolution that the road should not be conveyed until it was stopped. ■ Cr Bayliss thought the wording of the resolution met the case, Cr Hood was inclined to vote for the amendment. There had been a lot of legal technicalities in the past over this road, and he did not think any damage would be done by waiting till after the closing of the road, • The amendment was then put and declared carried,' the ayes being Ors Hood, Guild, Smith and Bayliss, and the noes, the Chairman, and Cr s Stuckey and Groves. On the motion of Cr Hood the question of defining the road was left over to permit the attendance of Mr .j Meredith. I It was also decided , that the Council take steps to decide in the meantime which is the legal road. Finance. ; The report of the meeting of the Finance Committee was read and adopted, The credit in the Bank was stated to be L 1093 4s sd, and the receipts for the past month L7lO 17s 4d. Accounts, as per time sheet, amounting t> L9Bl 18s sd, were passed for payment. Engineer's Beport, The report of the Engineer was read and adopted. The meeting then adjourned.