COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2431, 20 February 1909, Page 3

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY M FETING

CnVi- r‘ USU + Ir<onl 1 r< onl ll y mooting of the Co n+^ 0 ni nt ' V , Couucil was held in the Chambers yesterday. Present: lj \vv+ Pti 'r n m UckGr Grs. CORRESPONDENCE. Commissioner for East Coast Native Lands Trust,, handing a debit note for £l2O, being amount of compensation awarded by Hie Native Land Court for road through Paramata No, 4., taken by the Council.— Received.

From Dr. de Lisle, District Health . CO .G .U 1 reference to several cases of infectious diseases . Fj ' om , the Patutahi Road Board askln.kto have the .'drain cleaned out. liie engineer stated the work would cost between £6O and £7O. . Civ- Matthews thought Patutahi should set up a Drainage Board °i their own. He considered it was unfair that money which should go tom aids County roads should be spent 011 drains like the one in question. Cr Holden endorsed Cr. Matthews’ rcmai'Ks. The matter was held over m the meantime.

From the To Arai Settlers’ Association pointing out the unsatisfactory state of the road and asking that it bo metalled before the coming winter. The Association suggests that the Council should endeavor to acquire the Patutahi quarry, and asked the vouncil’s assistance in obtaining from the Government an immediate grant of £SOOO for metalling roads. Cr. White thought the road had been sorely neglected for years, and lie considered that it should be the first road to have money expended on it. The request was a reasonable one, and ho asked that it be granted. Cr. Matthews concurred. He thought the Government should have made the road properly, but at the same time ho considered the Council should do' what it could as far as its finances would allow.

Cr, Holden thought that with the present position of the Council it was wise to. curtail expenses as much as possible. He thought the duty of metalling the road lay with the Government.

The Chairman said the road was at present in fair order though in wet weather many parts of it would become practically impassible. He did not consider, however, that the responsibility of putting it in order lay with the Council.

In regard to the latter portion of tlie letter the Chairman proposed that the Council write to the Government pointing out the suitability of the metal at the Papatu quarry and asking the Government to take steps to acquire the rights thereover.—(Seconded and carried. It was resolved to write to the Te Arai Association' intimating that the Council would, as far as possible, do what it could for the road. It was decided that the Government be written to asking that no roads be handed over to them until properly formed.

From the Department of Roads intimating that the Council had been authorised to spend £4OO on the Wai-nui-Tologa Bay Road.—Received. ' From Mrs. Elizabeth Cox asking the Council to make provision for carrying off the water thrown bv • dl ’ains on a section in Haiti. The .Engineer said the complaint was groundless. It was resolved to reply to that effect. From the Auckland City Council i equesting the Council’s co-operation in an endeavor to obtain a repeal of certain provisions of “The Local Bodies’ Loans Amendment Act, 1908.”- —It was resolved to give cooperation. From 14 settlers in the Tahora and Ngatapa districts asking that their properties, totalling approximately 50,000 acres, be included within the Waikohu County boundaries. They stated that their access would be through the "Waikohu County by (1) a road newly completed between Koran ga and Rakauroa; (2) a road surveyed through run 47 to connect with the railway, and (3) a proposed road from Falls Bridge to the railway at "Waikohu. Cr. vSherratt considered that the request should he granted as the reads these settlers used would he all in the Waikohu County.—lt was agreed to defer discussion of the matter until a meeting of the two Councils.

From the Gisborne District High School Board of Governors requesting the appointment of the County representative to the Board.—Cr. A. F. Matthews was appointed. From Messrs. M. W. Douglas and Jas Andrew drawing attention to the necessity of two culverts being placed between their sections and the Waiomoko suspension bridge and also callino- attention to the manner in which the"bridge had been prepared.—lt was resolved that the Council were not disposed to do anything to the bridge in view of the treatment tho structure had received from the settlers themselves. • ' ... From the Wairoa Conned agreeing to the Cook Council’s propositions to amend the southern county boundaries.—lt was resolved that the amendments be confirmed. 'From the Department of Labor notifying that it was impossible to allow two half-holidays (i.e., Thursday and Saturday) in the week—lt was resolved to allow the Government to fix the half-holiday. . Cr Matthews moved that the Darwin Road -(Haiti) contract be extended to another £2OO, and the engineer be instructed accordingly. Seconded by Cr. Holden,and car"ln answer to Cr. Matthews inquiry regarding tho Borough Council’s Straker waggon being refused metal at the Patutaln quarry a day or two ago, the Engineer stated that the road was too bad for carting, and the tallyman would consequently not allow the Straker waggon to load. Tho" metal which was being taken out ■at the time was being used for repairing damage done by the Strakoi S ROTORUA STOCK -TRACK.

The amount of Mr. Steele s account, £B2 Ids 9d, in connection with the formation of the.Rotorua stock Lack came up for discussion. • Civ Sherratt said he considered the account, of which Packing principal item, a fair and rcawmaoie OU rpi 0 items of the account were diseased and Mr. -Steele,.who was present, explained tfiat owing to the de-

ploiable. state, of-the track the work r J ,ac '!sj. n £>' ' v<ls long and arduous. +i AinUhews said it was evident, tlie Council would have to pay the account -It was a pity,that the overseer had been allowed to-overrun the amount originally voted for the stock tiack work, but it was gratifying that S°od work had been done and that a satisfactory track had been made. Cr. Holden asked for a valuation of the implements, etc., remaining in Mr. Steele’s hands. He thought the sum for . packing was too much. Mr. _ Steele handed in a list of the Council’s property he held, and lie intimated that he would accept £7O in full (settlement of his account, he taking over all goods and chattels. Cr. Matthews moved to this effect. Cr. Slierratt seconded the motion, which was carried. REPORTS.

The report of the Sanitary Inspector (Mr. ul. Thelwall) was read and adopted. The report of the Engineer (Mr. de G. Fraser) was read as follows: Contract 257, formation and metalling, Darwin Road. —The, work is well in- hand, but lias been somewhat delayed through wet weather.

Contract 250, metalling GisborneWairoa Road.—All stone broken and, between 600 and 700 yards carted on to road.

Contract 249, metal repairs, Waimata Road.—All stone collected and broken, and about 400 yards carted. Contract 248, metal repairs, Middlo Road.—Satisfactorily completed. Contract 247, depot metal.—Nearly all comulete.

Contract 241, road machines. —The Tologa machine, with the Council's horses, has completed the work laid off at Takapau, Mangaheia, and Mangatuna, and I have at present this ing out shingle for Makarori and Taing out shingle for Makaroi and Tatapouri. The Tiniroto machine has ■also been recalled, and the machine at Wharerata, when the road to south boundary is ocmpleted, will also finish a short length on the Maliia road. Contract 240, metalling Arai-To-konui. —About 1200 yards have been broken and handed over to the Board to cart. Contract 230, _ Mangaheia bridge The contrator visited the district Last month, and has, I understand, made ■arrangements for timber, etc., required. . , Contract 198, erection of bridge. Pakarac. —One beam span erected. One 100 ft span assembled, rivetted. and erected. Lower chord of second main span assembled and rivetted. All piers in position. Work progressing "satisfactorily. Tenders will be before you to-day for contract 259, quarrying and knapping metal for repairs at Gentle Annie T contract 258, formation and metalling, "Waiuui sandhills (Government grant); and contract 256, metalling and renairs, Whataupoko. TENDERS. The following tenders were accepted:— ' Freezing works road.—G. Broexlobank (formation £6 10s. gravel 8/. Wainui road. —Hay and Moore (formation 19s 9d, clay Is lid, metal 7s 7d, culverts 30s per 100). Wairoa road.—O’Connor and Co. f metal 7s 6d). GENERAL.

A deputation of three ivaited on the Council and asked that repairs lie effected to the Willow Bank road.— The Engineer Avas instructed to A'isix and report on the road. It was resolved to place £4O to the credit of the Patutahi Road Board in connection with the formation and upkeep of a road in that district. The Council then adjourned until Friday, 26th inst., when it will inett the new Waikohu Council. STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS.

The statement of accounts for February 19 avrs as folloAvs :—Overdraft, January 23, £18,229 14s Id; collected since, general rate £1409, special rate £127 16s 7d, charitable aid rate £123 14s, Native rate £7 0s 10d, Gisborne Borough Council license £33 4s 7d, hotel license £4, subsidies £1034 3s. 3d, sundries 18s od, total £2739 17s Bd. Interest paid, February 16, £1620 12s lid; overdraft February 20, £19,612 16s 4d.