COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2246, 18 July 1908, Page 2

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

.MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Cook Comity Council was held at the Council Chambers yesterday. Present: The Hon. Capt. Tucker (chairman.), Or». A. F. Matthews, H. White, W. Slierratt, T. Holden, W. I). Lysnar, Poland, and F. 'Lysnar. CORRESPONDENCE.

Messrs Richmond and Fraser, Motu, asked that the “thirds” accruing from blocks 3 and 4, sections 15 and 1, Motu, bo applied for the widening of a track leaning to tho sections. — Request complied with. An invitation wus received from tho secretary of the Y.M.C.A. for tlie Council to meet Mr. 11. A. Holmes on July 29th. —Accepted. Tho Gisborne Borough Council asked that the County Engineer he allowed to suggest a suitable site for a bridge across tbo Waimata river near Whittaker street and Riverside road. Or. Lysnar said tho bridge would serve the County as well as the Borough, and the advice of the Engineer would bo valuable. Cr. Matthews said there were other engineers competent to do tho work, and an outside engineer should be ongaged by tho Borough Council. Mr. Fraser's time was fully taken up, and lie should not be asked to' do the work.

Cr. Boland said tho matter should be left to Mr. Fraser’s discretion. Cr. Matthews said it was unfair to ask Mr. Fraser to compete with other engineers. The Council should decide the question. Cr. Lysnar said the cost of tho bridge would be partly borne by the County. The County should set up a committee to confer with the Engineer as to the best site. Or. Matthews moved that the request bo not granted, because there were men outside able to do the work, and Mr. Eraser had all his time occupied with the County work. Mr. Fraser said he was very busy. It was decided that the Borough Council bo informed that Mr.' Fraser’s time was fully taken up, and the request could not be complied with. ■ The Town Clerk asked for the sum of £77 3s as the County portion, of the maintenance of the Turuhoru and Turaaiganui bridges.—The account was passed lor payment.

The South British Insurance Comnany asked the Council to re-consider ts decision not to insure the employees against accident.—Received. Tho District Health Officer (Dr. De Lisle) forwarded instructions ill the method of disinfecting premises with formalin.—Received. The Minister for Native Affaire (tlie Hon. Jas. Carroll) informed the Council that he had' placed tho applications for grants before the Minister for Public Works.—Received.

Mr. C. A. Foot applied for a license for his slaughtering house at Te ICaraka.- Granted. Constable Kirby reported that William J. Ross, who applied for a license for a billiard-room at Tologa Bay was unknown to 'him, and that there was no evidence of any gambling in the billiard-room conducted there by Hataraka- Tenepara. It was decided to inform Hataraka Tenepara that ho was conducting a billiard-i oom without a license, as tins license had not been renewed; and to refuse to grant a ‘license to William J. Rose until a satisfactory report was received. Mr. W. L. Rees asked the Council to grant the. license for a tramway •at Kakauroa so that the work could bo commenced. He had been informed that Mr. Wilkinson had arranged to put down a tramline on private property. The Chairman said the Council had decided to grant the license and only waited to hear from Mr. Wilkinson before the license should be issued.

It was decided that the license should he issued in fourteen days’ time, unless any objection, was received from Mr. Wilkinson.

"The Wairoa County Council wrote inquiring if tho Cook Comity Council would contribute to the cost of maintaining the Ruakitiri Valley road.— It was decided to decline to contribute towards the cost of maintenance.

The Pest and Telegraph Department applied for £3 2s "6d loss on the Kaitettitahi telephone service, guaranteed,by th c Council.—The account was passed for payment. Lieut. C. Hellier Evans wrote asking the Council to appoint a representative on the Executive Committee of Control of the new Garrison Hall.—Or. White was appointed the Council’s'representative on the.committee.

The Town Clerk inquired if the Council would join the Gisborne Borough Council in voting £SO to acquire a scenic reserve at Waihirere. Cr. Lysnar said the site was.in the County, and would be used by County residents. The Chairman said the County people did not want a scenic reserve. The amount was granted. Mr. Claude Williams drew the attention of the Council t Q the condition of th e roads at Muriwai, and the fact that cattle and horses were allowed to stray indiscriminately. The matter was referred to the Engineer for report. The Chief Engineer for Roads forwarded ..authority, for the Council to spend £65 on the Gisborne-Rotorua stock route. —Received. The agent for the Australian Alliance Assurance Company( Mr. W. Lifisant Clayton) forwarded a quotation for insuring tli e Council’s new premises on Childers road.—Received- 1 The General Manager for Railways informed the Council that the Department had from six to eight miles' of light rails'to sell at. a price ranging from £6 10s to £7 10s per ton. — The offer was not accepted. The following statement of accounts was submitted by the Clerk: Overdraft on June 20th, £14,389 18s 3d; general rate £337 13s Id; special £53 4s 2d; charitable £ll 3s' 9d; interest £2 23 sd; insurance £3 15s; registrations £l6 12s 6d; licenses £43 2s 6d; rent £l4 10s. grants £991 18s 7d; required £3723 7s 2d; overdraft July 18th, £16.639 3s sd. Mr. W. Branson asked the Council to deviate the Upper Waimata road and place it in a state of repair. Cr. Holden said the deviation could be made' on sound ground. There would be no expense for the purchase of land for tlie deviation. The matter was referred to the Engineer to report. ENGINEER’S REPORT.

Tlie Engineer reported a 6 follows: “Contract 197, erection of bridges, Waimata.—Bridges Nos. 1 and 2 practically completed, and I am urging tbc contractor to expedite the completion of approaches. No. 3 bridge, of which tlie piers have been constructed, will bo pushed on at once. Contract 198, erection of bridge, Pakarae.—Work on this contract having been suspended until further pumping appliances had been obtained, will be resumed in a few days, and I hope to report satisfactory progress next month. “Contract 212, erection of bridge, Mangapapa.—Steel work on the ground and part of timber. Ironbark for piers not yet arrived. I liavo had the by-road near Mangapapa school formed, so as to enable traffic to pass during construction of bridge. “Contract. 226, breaking metal, Motu road.—Between 500 and 600 yards have been knapped. “Contract 232, Wainuka Valley.— A start has been made with this contract at the southern end. “Contract 233, footpath, Tologa Bay.—Tenders were called for tins work, and one offer received, which, being much above the estimate, I' should recommend fresh tenders being called. “I have prepared plans and specifications for a traffic bridge over the Mangalieia stream, Tologa, and also over the Pouawa river, and should be glad of instruction relative to calling tenders for erection. - “The proposed tram-line to Patutahi has been pegged off, and I have

started taking levels over the route, which work will be continued as I have time to spare. • “A request lias been made to have portions of road fenced at dangerous points, namely, Puatae deviation, bridge near Field’s, Whataupoko Road, and a had point on the Wainiattt Read. These places I propose, with tho Council’s consent, to get tendered more secure by erecting short lengths of post and rail fencing. “I should recommend a- roadman being stationed on the Panikau load, and hut erected for his use.—l regret to say that one of tho County horses died at Makaror.i last week, and ono, which is being treated for a had log, is under care at Makaraka.” The report was adopted. The Chairman of the To Arai School Committee asked that tho road near the school bp repaired as children often got hogged in tlie mud. Cr. White said he had seen the road, and’ thought that a footpath should bo formed. The Engineer was instructed to have tho road repaired. As Or. W. D. S.’ MacDonlad Was not present, the motion standing in his name to declare certain roads in the County to bo main roads was allowed to lapse, but Cr. W. D. Lysnar thought tlie motion should he proceeded with, as it was desirable that some finality should be reached. The Council should either declare a road to eacli locality to ho a main road or recognise no main roads at all. The Chairman said it would lie unfair to expect that the inner ridings should maintain tho roads to tho outer ridings. To get over the difficulty, Cr. Whit e moved—“ That all roads he main rouls.” The Chairman suggested that Cr. MacDonald's motion should be held over until tho next meeting. Cr. Holden seconded Cr. White’s motion.

In reply to Cr. Matthews, the Chairman said that if Cr. White’s motion was carried •no alteration would be made from the present position except in name. Tina Council would then have power to spond surplus money on any road they thought fit. The law said main roads should have first consideration over side roads, and he d : d not think that should be done. He hoped the motion would bo withdrawn. Cr. W. D. Lysnar: Tlie Council cm only continue to spend the revenue as in the past by declaring all roads to be main roads. Cr. Matthews thought the discussion should be adjourned. Cr. 'Lysnar : The question has been hanging fire for about five months. The Chairman: That is true, but not unusual.

The discussion was adjourned until the next meeting of the Council. Cr. Holden moved that a sum of about £6OO be spent, in metalling the road between Makarori and Okitu. He did not think the work would cost quite £6OO. Cr ,W. D. Lysnar supported the motion.

Cr. Holden said that the road was in bad condition. It was a main coach road, and very little money had been spent upon it. Cr. Matthews thought that as large a grant as possible should be voted. The amount could he placed on the estimates for tho coming year. The Engineer said that about 50 chains of the road would need to be laid down in metal and clay, and the work would cost about £7OO. The Engineer was instructed to call for tenders for a portion of the work not to exceed £4OO, and the Council mean,wlrilo to ask the Government for a grant towards the work. Cr. Matthews moved that £l5O be voted for the road from Buchanan’s corner to Nelson Bros.’ freezing works. Ho hoped such a small sum would be granted. Messrs Nelson Bros, were heavy ratepayers, and were entitled to some consideration. Cr. F. Lysnar. said tlie road was not a County road. , , Cr. W. D. Lysnar seconded tho motion.

Cr. F. Lysnar: Can’t we cut the amount down as in tho last case? The Chairman (assuming tlie style of an auctioneer): One .hundred pounds; going at £IOO. ' Cr. Matthews: Let it go at the £l5O. I don’t often ask for money for "my riding. The Chairman: I oiler you twothirds of the amount.

Cr. Matthews’ motion was carried. Cr. Matthews, pursuant to notice, moved that the bye-laws be amended to read that no member, be allowed to speak for a longer time than twenty minutes. He asked that the motion bo allowed to stand over till the next meeting. Cr. F. Lysnar objected to that course.

Cr. Matthews then allowed tho motion. which was seconded by the Chairman, to be put. Cr. F. Lysnar said lie favored free discussion, and "would vote against the motion. f Cr. W. D. Lysnar said tho motion was intended to ridicule the jiroceedings of the Council. If a member could not find time to listen to what Councillors had to say lie should resign his seat. Tho Chairman (to Cr. W. D. Lysnar) : You attempt to bribe us at one meeting and threaten us at the next meeting.

Cr. Lysnar; It is my opinion that a member who votes for the motion should resign. It is not a threat. The Chairman: Well, why did you throw it out?

Cr. Matthews: As far as these threats are concerned, they are going on constantly. Or. Lysnar is continually bringing up his loan proposals. I hope the motion will bo carried. . Cr. F. Lysnar: Who will act as timekeeper ? Tlie motion was then put and lost. The Council then proceeded to discuss Cr. Lysnar’s loan proposals.. A report of the discussion appears in another!part of this issue.