COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1642, 8 January 1906, Page 1

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

SPECIAL MEETING. A special meeting of the Council was held cn Siturday morning, when there woro present Captain Tucker (chairman), Crs. Matthews, H. Runway, MacDonald, Well and Carmichael. Special orders, relating to To Aroha No 1 an 2 loans, and Mangamaia No. 3 loan, wero confirmed. On the motion of Cr Matthows,seconded by Cr Wall, Wednesday was appointed as the weekly half holiday fjr shops in the County. Mr Cyril Whito waited on the Council on behalf of Tahora settlers. H 9 understood that tho Council had ,£2OO to spend on tho Rotorua stock track, and asked to have ,650 expended on clearing the track from Steele’s turn off to tho Tahunga river. They could not get their stock through without encroaching (on Messrs Steele and SherroH’s properties. Tho Eag’neorinformed tho Council that a contract for 1-500, less 180 already spent, Lad been let for a mile uni a half formation 15 chains from Williamson’s gate. Thoy might arrange with tho contractor for a lessening of the contract by J 650, the aum required for (bp work. TLoeDgncer was nuthorisrd to have contract diminished by the sum of £SO, which wes to bo banded over to Mr White for cxpi nditure. Me A FaulknT, contractor for the Poutulu bridge, wrote explaining tfce delay in tho completion of his ccnbraot was caused tbiough delay in ge'.t'rg tho ironbatk timber from Sydnoy. A loiter from the Alpha Sawmilling Co., oinfirmiDg this, was reeeved. Cr Wall moved that tho fiao bo remilteo

Ci s Konwny and MacDonald thought , that thoy should euppoit their engineer, ‘ In answer to the former Mr Fraser said he considered that a small penalty should bo ir iliclcd, and after discussion the Council decided to impose a penalty of £2 as a warning. In reference to the proposed deviation to the l.' ast read, Mr Warren stated that no rep.its had been received from Loisel, Barker and Cooper. The matter was deferred to the monthly meet'ng of the Council on the 19,h inst. Int.mation was received that the Government would give one-third of £SOOO, j cost of the new Matawhero bridge. The Chairman s,aid Mr Hursthouse’s letter and Mr Carroll’s statement led them to understand that they would get £ for £. It was decided to write to Mr Carroll, asking him to get the amount of grant increased lo cue-half. The engineer reported on the best means to bo adopted for the better super vision of the oounty works, and the most efficient and economical plan of assisting tho engineer in his duties. Taking the expenditure of the county funds on works at per annum, £9000 ; moneys from Government giants, £3000; moneys from loans tolocalbodies, £sooo ; total, £17,000; ho suggested that (1) in the latter expenditure the engineer should, when necessary, | be authorised to employ ou'slde assistance for laying off the works, and preparing i plens and traoings and executing surveys of land plans; that all such engineering £ expenses and supervision, whether exe- < cuted by Ibe engineer or others, bo charged J to each particuhr loan accoun*, the engineer haviogthe general supervision of the whole work. An account would be kept by him of whatever work he or othors were executing under loans, and the bcturl cost eba-ged to that account, thus effecting a savmg in his salary as regards tho general fund. It was a fair charge on 1 the special district raising the loan, more particulaily as many of tho loans were frr works executed for different road boards, and outside tho Engineer’s ordinary duties. (2) As regards an assistant, be suggested that a good pn ntioal working foreman be appointed whose duties would be to supervise the roadmen, assist in road Bnd bridge repairp, or do eny other work within the oounty. Thb man would have to be carefully chosen, and in fixing h’s salary it would have tr be considered that he had to provide and keep two cr thne horses, end would have eems crneiderable expense oa regards travelling. This appoiotm c nt would be the only extra expense incurred by the C.unci', and should meet with satisfactory results. Mr Jackeon would still aot He estimated that the total engineering oast for laying oS works, preparing diawiDg3 and specifications, supervision and general control would not exceed 4 to per cn.t. The report was adopted, end the engineer was authorised to select a suitable ' man as overseer, at a max’mum ealary of £2OO, and report to next mooting. . Cr Wa'l drew attention to the dangerous state of the Karawa and Pipiwhaka ' bridges. ’ It was decided (o have sheathing put in ' tho bridges. On the motion of the Chairmen, a resolution was prssed that the road through Puhatikotiko No. 1 be closed, and that the " new line of road be opened.