COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2305, 25 September 1908, Page 1

COUNTY COUNCIL.

SPECIAL MEETING. A .special mooting ol tlio Cook County Council was hold yesterday to consider a quantity of special ■ business that has accumulated over from tlio last two or three mootings. Ihoio were present: The lion. Oapt. ]ucKor (chairman), Crs. IT. \Vhito, A. 1 • Matthews, AV. D. Lysnar, AV. D. >S. MacDonald, T. Holden, and ShcrratL The first business taken was to do--1 cicio what works would bo undertaken during tlio present year. Cr. Lysnar though it best that the Council should continuo as in the The Engineer said ho had the following schedule of works prepared:— Mangapnpa to AVillans ... 1711 AVillans to Nocks ... <SBB AVaimata Hoad ... 850 DoLautour ltoad, AVainui ... 855 AVairoa ltoad to McLoughlins... 82 Arai-Karawa 57 Karawa-Pakirikiri IT AVairoa Juiiction-Bilhnnis ... 180 Pntutahi Township 27 Lavenham-AVestmero ... 70 Town Boniidnry-Makaraka ... 230 Makaraka-Eig Bridge ... 140 AVaeronga-a-hika-lvaitorntahi ... 91 Kaitoratahi-AVaikohu Bridge ... 340 Scotts to AA r aikolm (ovorhill)... 20 AVaikohu Bridge.-AATiatatutu ... 198 AVhn tatutu-A rowhana ... 170 AVaikohu-Itiddell’s ... ... 210 AVaiapu Inland Stock Route ... 30 AVaiapu Inland ltoad 358 AATiangara-Tologa-Mangatuna ... 585 AATviinoko-Pamkau ICO Mangaheia-Tologa-Tauwharoparao 430 lviore ltoad 55

Riddells to Motu 220 Olliver Road (part) ... 20 AVaihuka ALilloy Road ... 320 Neills Road (part) 30 Murewai-Mahia-Morero ... 300 McLoughlin’s to AVaercnga-o-kuri 70 Pouawa Road ... ... 70 Quarry ltoad to Ratutalii ... 145 Ngatapa Falls Bridge ... 250 Falls Bridge to Mitfords ... 60 Makaraka-Waorenga-a-hika ... 150 Arai-Tokonui ... ... 418 Abbatoir Road ... ... 110 Kaiti Branch Roads ... 390 A\ T hataupoko Branch Roads ... 245 Middle, Road from Saleyards ... 100 Kings Road 07 College Road (part) ... 40 Kia Ora Factory Road (part)... 43 Darwin Road 55 Riverside Road ... ... 40 Waeronga-o-kuri to To Iteinga... 626 Hangaroa Road 225 Makarori-Tataponri ... 167 Clearing Main Outlet Drains... 250 AVorking road machines & labor 1680 Griffins cont. for stone ... 563 Contingencies, slips, etc. ... 300 Carting & spreading from depots 2SO Fords 50 ' £13,205 SUMMARY FOR EACH RIDING. £ AA T liataupo'ko ... 2063 Patutaln 1067 Waimata ... ... 2500 Aral ... ... 2277 A\ r aikolm ... ... 2620 AVaipaoa 721 Grisborno 1726 Tologa 2205 Hangaroa 1171 £16,350 The discussion of tlio items was deferred until to-day to allow councillors time to consider the items. Cr. Matthews moved that the milk thistle bo declared a noxious weed within the County. Cr. Lysnar seconded the motion and said the thistle was a great nuisance to settlers.. Tlio motion was.carried. Cr. Matthews, in. the absence ot Cr. Slierratt, moved that a further sum of £250 be expended in clearing the stock track to Rotorua. The track was necossary and it p issed through a lot of auriferous country. Tlio Chairman said £IOO had been placed on tlio estimates by the, Government for tlio work. Cr. Slierratt, who then came in, said lie felt sure tlio money would make a good track la. chain wide for travelling stock. Cr. Lysnar supported the motion. Tlio track would open up another outlet, even if only a bridle track was formed tlio money would be well spent. Cr. Slierratt said that Rua had told him there was difficulty in getting from his house to Lake House, and there wns a good track there to Rotorua. If the track was opened up as far as Rua’s settlement, it would bo very useful. The motion was carried. DEPUTATIONS. A deputation from AVhatatutu waited upon the Council to ask to reconsider the wide tyre bydaw. Tko deputation said that u meeting of settlers decided to ask that the by-law be loft as it was. It was rather hard, after springs had been placed on the waggons, that wide tyres would have to bo used also, land that would make carting on the clay works almost impossible. If the by-law was altered the settlers asked that the alteration be made in conformity with the Public AVorks Act, which allowed 30 cwt. to be carried for every pair of wheels

Cr. AVhite was of opinion that springs on waggons did not make any difference to the roads- If the Council wanted to preserve the roads all heavy. traffic should be taken off in the winter.

The Chairman said the Council had not considered the alteration of the by-law, but the Council had taken no such steps. The deinitation bad only asked that the by-law be let alone, and lie was pleased to say there was no immediate likelihood of the by-law being altered. The Chairman moved that the Council strike a general rate of one penny farthing in the £, and a Charitable Aid rate of l-9d in tlie £ on all rateable property in tlio County. The Chairman said that for some years tlie Council had tried to scrape through on a small rate. Tho demand for new works bid been increased, and if tho . people wanted improvements carried out there would hfivc to be a slight in- . croaso in tho rates.

Cr. Lysnar said that even with the increased rate ho thought it would be necessary for the Council to go in for a loan for road making purposes. Cr. Matthews thought tlie Council could carry on with a penny rate and one-ninth of a penny , for Charitable Aid. A committee might be set up to consider the amount of the rates for the year. Tho Chairman agreed that it would bo possible to scrape through on a penny rate, but tlio Council had had years of that. The Chairman’s motion was carried. Cr. Boland’s motion that tho amount of contribution from the outer ridings to tho inner ridings bo fixed, was left over for discussion for this morning. Cr. AVhito moved that heavy traffic be taken off certain rOi-ds in the win-

tor, and that thcro ho no difference in the width of . .tyres for vehicles with or without springs. Cr. Slierratt thought tlio uninotallod roads should bo closed against heavy traffic during the winter. Cr. Lysnar thought tho matter should bo referred to a small committeo to .report. Cr. MacDonald thought tho by-law should ho inopon.itivo on tho mud roads during tho -win tor. , Cr. AA'hito was asked to gi’vo notice of motion to alter the by-law.