COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2668, 25 November 1909, Page 2

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of tha Cook County Council was held at noon yesterday in the Council Chambers in Childers Road. There were . present: Councillors The Hon. Captain Tucker, A. F Matthews. E. B. Boland, R. Sherratc, F. J. Lysnar, T. Holden. T. Jex Blake, and T. Fraser. ihe firsu husiness was the formal se.ection o. a chairman. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN. Cr. Matthews said he had great pleasure in nominating the Hon. Copt. Tucker as Chairman for the. ensuing period. ' Though the speaker had, not always agreed with the vhairman the latter had always extended every courtesy to those who came to the meeting. The presidency of the Council had become an onerous position of Into years, and Captain- Tucker had filled the position admirably in the past. Another important point to bei considered was that Captain Tucker occupied a seat in the Upper House. This, coupled with the Hon. Mr. J. Carroll's ministerial position gave the district a unique position as regarded Parliamentary influence. _ , Cr Slierratt seconded the motion that Capt. Tucker should again lm asked to lill the seat of chairman. I his was carried unanimously. After taking the ohair Capt. lucker thanked his colleagues for the mark ot confidence they had accorded him. He con'd say that- although he did not pi any ivay seek the position he might, in some respects, be said to have- fought for it. A .year ago lie had to contest an election,” much to his astonishment, and he had. just- now passed through vue same ordeal again. Had he not bo-->u actuated by a desire to servo the County he 'certainly would not lmvc submitted to the second ordeal within twelve months. He feared, however, that Cr. Matthews had somewhat •overrated the value to the Council of his seat in the House. There were so many claims to bo considered that with the very bes+ wishes one could not do very much. The Minister for Public Works had said that it would take about twelve millions to satisfy all the claims in Now Zealand. Capt. Tucker thanked the members for the orderly manner in , which they had conducted debates during the past year. . Referring to the subdivision ot the County the Chairman remarked that he would'have rather the division had extended from Gisborne to Aiotn, so that there would have been a northern and southern county. To some extent the division had dislocated the County’s fin:Uices, because certain steps had been taken on the basis of a revenue which uniorseen circumstances would cause to be decreased. However, lie could tell his hearers that on account of tne increase in the land values they could always get back the amount they had paid for the Council Offices and the section on which they stood. AV ith regard to the overdraft, although it was v-erv much greater than for years past, thev had something substantial to show for "it. They had landed property worth £5,000 and had. subsidised a number; of good and substantial bridges. He mentioned this to re-assure the minds •V* ‘ of County ratepayers. Capt. Tucker >;?• said, in conclusion, that he hoped h:s relations with the Council would l>e as pleasant in future as they had been during the past. '' ' After the confirmation of the minutes of the last meeting, the Chairman congratulated Crs. Sherratt and Boland on their re-election, and also the new members Crs. Fraser and Jex Blake. The gentlemen referred to suitably acknowledged Capt. Tucker’s remarks. THE YEAR’S FINANCES. The financial statement for the year was taken as read and adopted on the motion of the Chairman. The expenditure totalled £42,049 8s 7d and there was a debit balance of £20,105 2s lid. The total liabilities are £23,340 6s 10(1, and the assets £13,678 Is 3d. OFFICERS’ SALARIES. The salaries of the County’s officers were considered, and the present amounts confirmed with the exception of the caretaker’s which was increased from. 30s with residence to 355. ORDINARY MEETING. After luncheon the ordinary monthly meeting -was proceeded with. A letter was received from the secretary of the Gisborne High School Board of Governors, inviting members of the Council to the foundation stone laying ceremony next Saturday.—lt was arranged that those Councillors desiring to go to the function should • assemble at the. office at .3.20 on Satur-, day afternoon/ ' ’ ’]" '•; .-A number of; ratepayers, wrote protesting against the proposed idea of al-' ' lowing the Borough- Council- to assume possession and control of part, of-a road assumed- to he .the, property qf the Council on the banks of the AVaimata -River -on. the following grounds: .1, -That it is contrary to’ law and principle that the Council should in any way part * with the possession of its streets to another local authority; 2, that there is no authority in law to permit of the making of a picnic ground of a street ; 3. that . there. would Lea risk of fire to . 'property if the. public were allowed the use of such place in dry weather. The Chairman suggested that in view of this remonstrance the Borough Council be' written to, and the permission that had been given them in the matter bo withdrawn. He gave notice of motion to that effect. LOCAL BODIES AND LOANS. A circular was read from the New Zealand Counties Association, stating that the President, Mr. A. E. Jull, had waited on the Prime Minister on the 11th instant with reference to the Government State Guaranteed Advances Bill now before Parliament. Mr. Jull pointed out that under the provisions of part 2 of the Local Bodies Loans Act, 1908, County Councils, Road Boards, and Town Boards may borrow in any one "ear the sums of £6OOO, £3OOO, and £3OO respectively, repayable in 26 years at 4£ per cent, in 32 years at 4 per cent, and 41 years at per cent interest without any further charge for sinking fund, and urged the Premier to retain these provisions. The present Bill seeks to repeal these provisions, and also those of the Amending Act of 1908, whioh empowered the Government to guarantee loans to anv local authority, and to provide onehalf of th'e sinking funds, and it would seem that boroughs and' local bodies that were not entitled to Government assistance under the old Act had, under the Amending Act ? taken every advantage of the facilities offered, as the total of the Local Bodies Loans Account increased from about £1,650,000 in 1908 to £2,500,000 in 1909, and it is probable that the Government realised ' that this system could not continue to supply the large sums required by boroughs and other local bodies for such works as tramways, ' lighting, town halls, water supply, and other revenue producing works, hence the proposed repeal. Under part 2 of the Act of 1908 the country local bodies were re-

spective’y restricted to amounts and purposes for ..which money could bo borrowed, and the class oLwoi'k being of a more developmental character than the works in borouglis, it was suggested that these country bodies were entitled to prior consideration. It was pointed out that they fully appreciated the value of these loan provisions, which had almost become an integral part of their administration, and it was also, urged that these powers should be retained up to the amounts fixed, so far as regards those local bodies which have always enjoyed these advantages, and if further borrowing powers are wanted that they be provided through the State Guaranteed Advances Bill, under .which it is proposed that no sinking fund will be provided by the Government, and which means the local body will have to pay -at least one per cent more, besides a commission fee not exceeding \ per 'cent, and further the rate of interest will not be fixed but varied according to what the Government has to pay.. The Prime Minister said he regretted he could not give effect to tha proposa's, but the Government would not a o-roe to bo+h systems' being m lorcc, and local bcklios and the House would have to decide the matter. He also pointed out that the present system was restricted in amounts and not capable cf fully meeting the requirements of the local bodies, and he also intimated the unwillingness of the Government to discriminate between local bodies and desired to give them all everv facility to borrow money tor their requirements. He thought this could only he done under the new Bill, which also provided that the Government would not he called upon to contribute towards the payment cf sinking funds. The circular suggested that each affiliated local body should seriously consider the matter” and if of the opinion that the present borrowing powers should be continued, telegraph to> the Prime Minister and to its representative in Parliament on the subject. Captain Tucker said hp thought the Council ought to take a line deprecating the limitation of the power to borrow in any way, or further to express a desire to see” borrowing powers widened. He proposed that a wire should be sent to the Primier and Mr. Carrol, on these linos, and the Clerk was instructed accordingly. WAIMOKO SUSPENSION BRIDGE. The state of the Waimoko suspension bridge was the subject of a letter oi complaint from Mr. H. M. Douglas, who added that two culverts were also required opposite Mr. J. Andrew’s section. _ It was decided to ask Mr. Fraser to make the host arrangements possible for building the culverts, the Council to defray the cost. . The Engineer said that the bridge had been damaged by improper u?e, chiefly by Maoris. SITE FOR A POUND. The Under-Secretary for Lands wrote in reply to the Council’s letter .of September 21st, stating that it would bo advisable to vest Block VI., township of Buckley, in the Cook County Council as a site for a pound and resting place for travelling stock. It was GUgesfred that a place should 1)3 selected in° a more out-of-the-way part of the township. , , Airs. Hide, Tologa Bay, offered to lease section 1, Block V., Buckley township, for the purposes of a public pound, at an annual rental of a ten years’ lease. N" Cr. Boland was deputed to purchase the land, if possible, and if not to- lease it on certain terms, notifying the Engineer on a satisfactory agreement being arrived at. so that the latter couki proceed with the erection of the pounu. A STREET LIGHT. The agents for the Lux Light Co. wrote asking if the Council could see its way to subscribing a quarter of the cost of erecting a Lux street lamp on the boundary of the West- End ; viz., £6 10s. The Borough Council had agreed to pay half the cost of installation and snpnly kerosene, and the ratepayers were prepared to maintain the light and pay a quarter of the initial cost-. It was agreed to vote the amount, provided the light were maintained by the borough and situated on the main road. - • CLAIM FOR DAMAGES. Messrs Kirk, Burnard and Sievwright. solicitors, wrote claiming £22 Is, on behalf of Mr. J. L. Perry for the loss of his horsef and damage to trap and harness occasioned by the dangerous state of the open culvert on the Gisborne side of Air. Partridge’s, on tlie Waimata Itoad. -The Engineer. Air. Fraser, said the culvert had been open for a number of years. The Clerk was instructed fo ; write regretting the. accident, but disclaiming liability. ’REMOVAL OF TIMBER. ./ AA ? itli -regard to Mr. J. Jenkins’ right io take timber from; the county road at jWhpbgara, an extension of time was granted to the end of April. SUB-DIVISION OF LAND. The Southland County Council wrote enclosing a copy of a letter sent to the Minister of Works with a view of having the law amended regarding the forming and metalling of roads and streets in subdivisions, .of land outside of borouglis and town districts. Southland sought the Council’s co-operation in bringing pressure to boar on tho Government to have the provisions of the Act s< > amended as to give County Councils a discretion as to requiring owners of land subdividing same for the purpose of sale, to gravel or metal tho roads or streets. y Captain Tucker said ho understood the matter was within the discretion of the Council. So far as he knew tip to tho present, tho law had acted satisfactorily enough. Cr. Lysnar said ho thought it quite enough to ask anyone cutting up a run to form u road, let alono to metal one. Cr. Jex-Blake said he thought it referred to small building sites, in wliiclj case he was in favor of tho law ro tho metalling of roads. Cr. Boland remarked that when people cut up land they did it for their own profit.

Cr„ Matthews- agreed with Cr. Lysha r, ■ pointing out that it was the.- purchaser'of the land who was penalised. //Tlie Chairman proposed that tho Council should intimate that it was satisfied with the existing law.,, and this was carried. A CONTRACT TRANSFER. Permission was granted to Timothy Murphy to transfer the remainder of his contract lor drain cutting at Pututalii to B. Ilarford. IMPOUNDING^. The County Ranger reported that during the past six weeks lie lmd impounded 83 head of horses and. eabtle. SPECIAL ORDER CONFIRMED. The Council confirmed a special order making the Bathurst' uurr a noxious weed. AN INSANITARY PIGGERY. The Sanitary Inspector, Mr. R. Thdwall, reported that complaints had again reached the office of the insanitary condition .of Mr. J. Siuhefland’s piggery on the Awapuni. Equestrians using ihe beach were continually complaining of tlie offensive odour arising therefrom. On the District Health Officers last visit he saw tire premises, and utiihateiv instrueu'd the Council to prosecute under the Public Health Act. . The Inspector -added that, he presumed the Council delayed prosecution on Mr. Sutherland promising to inako the necessary improvements. This, however, had not boon done, and the place was still in an extremely filthy state. The excuse for not complying with the Health Officer’s instructions was that Air. Sutherland’s tenure of the land was not complete, but that be expected to get matters uxed up at tlie end of the month, and would then remove the -resent plant, and agree to build in accordance with instructions on a new cite. Air. tueiwall asked for instructions in the matter, stating that on his last visit, in conjunction with Inspector Ross of the Stock Department, he found the pigs being fed with raw offal. The head of the office. Air. Miller, sent for Air. Thelwall, and after discussing the matter decided to forward particulars to the Minister responsible for permission to prosecute, thus taking the responsibility out of the Council's hands. This was four months -ago, and Air. Miller had had no answer to his letter. The report mentioned that other butchers 7n tho district had been prosecuted for the same offence and a penalty inflicted. The Chairman proposed that Air.' Thehvall be instraeted to act in this - case as he had done in the- cases of the ether butchers referred to.—This was agreed to. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The Engineer reported as follows: “Advantage lias been taken of the fine weather to get all the. hack roads in order for wheel traffic, and a considerable amount of plough and scoop work lias been done on those roads that had suffered from the heavy winter rains and from flood damages. Road machines are also being employed on the Arai and Hangaroa sections.” • With regard to tlie contracts in hand for widening, etc., of the Patutalii drains, very fair progress has been made, but at present there is too much water to enable, contractors to excavate the full depths required. A pound has been erected with the necessary sheds at ATatawhero, and water laid on frqmtho borough pipe line. I should be,glad to be informed if the Council intend to -m2 y ar d an <l approach metalled. The contracts have been prepared and tenders called to close at this meeting : —Contract 253, quarrying and breaking metal, Waimata; 263, painting county bridges; 261, cutting drains and rounding roads, Tologa ; 26-5, cliff cutting, Tologa; 266, metal repairs AVaimata road (north); 267, collecting and breaking creek boulders ditto; 268, metal repairs, Abattoir road and Willows estate; 269, metal repairs, Middle read. I have also laid off and prepared .plans for 145 chains of road formation, -AA 7 estmere, and bridge and approaches, Ngatapa (loan). A short deviation of the Pouawa road and a new bridge is required near Fitzgerald’s; the diversion (to 13 chains) will go through Mr. H. Cole’s section, and I would recommend that the necessary land, some two acres, be taken under the Public Works Act. A bridge at the Tapuwai creek, Alangahaia. also requires attention and considerable repairs ; at present it is unsafe for wheel traffic; AVith reference to an application from Messrs AVilson, Egleston, and Martin lor road access to their sections via Para one road, Alildura : Having visited the locality with one of the applicants, I ascertained that Air. AVilson was grazing some 32 cows on his property on the north side of Paraone road, that •Mr. Egleston perhaps once a week grazed 18 cows on section 35, and that Mr. Alartin lived on the main road, had no stock, and ,w.as not interested in tlie proposed work. At present Messrs: AVilsqn a n d Egl estoii take t hei r stock, from, the homesteads via Russell street, ; Steel o street, and Matthew rba.d, thus: having, to travel an extra distanch of ' 37 chains. These roads .(Matthew and) Steele).though formed,-have;-been.;,hy •'/ traffic 1 sb .work ed tip in' places as to bVa perfect bog. Paraone road not formed, is at present impassable from the same cause. The work asked for is formation of Paraone road 20 chains, and metalling near corner of Russell road ,4 chains, the cost of which, together with clearing-drains, would amount to £45. This would certainly greatly improve the line of access, but I think a further expenditure of £2O would be required to render the road fit for traffic, as a portion of Paraone road would soon cut up by tin's stock traffic unles metalled also north of section 35. Tlie applicants are dairymen, supplying milk to the borough, and are not resident on the sections to which they seek access; they, however, as before stated, pasture their stock adjacent to Paraone road, and any improvements to that road would materially assist them in their living. They argue that being considerable ratepayers they aro entitled to consideration. It must, however, be also remembered that they also use the main road to and from their domiciles probably ten times more than other ratepayers, and I consider should either subsidise the work or raise a small loan. AVith reference to the application from Messrs Norris and others to have

drains-denned,-etc., on the -Alangapcpa road, as far as 1 could judge on visiting the locality, some five chains of drain requires opening up on the branch road leaning towards Von Pein’.s, and some .10 chains Of drain cleaned out along Robb’s frontage. On the rest of the road a water-table only exists, and so there is no necessity for side drains. Tlie cost would, I should say, he about £6, including the- fixing of a culvert and filling in at junction of by-road near Scott's house.

AA 7 itli regard to a complaint made as to- the condition of Huxley road, Kaiti, I . liavo on several occasions reported to the Council the cause of tho rapid destruction of this road, namely, the cartage of bricks, etc., from the new brick works. During the present season 1800 tons of bricks will ho carted into the borough for building purposes. The carters travel on Huxley road until it is completely cut up, and then they turn their attention to the main AVninui road; which will also be rabidly destroyed unless some steps are taken by the Council to control the traffic. As there is prevision, made in the Act to meet cases of this sort, it would not Iks difficult to find a remedy, and I would urgently request the Council to consider the hardships inflicted on a large number'of settlers who suffer the in convenience of had roads, not from t%ir .own or other ordinary carting, but from extraordinary traffic in bricks, etc., for borough works. I am quite unable with tlie limited material available to satisfactorily keep these roads in fair order under the present circumstances.”

Authority was given to the Engineer to have the ATatawhero pound and its approach metalled. Failing any mutual arrangement being arrived at, it was resolved that steps be taken to acquire a. deviation of a new road in block 13, AVaimata Survey District, under the Public AVorks Act. 1 Air. Fraser was authorised to expend £6 on the cleaning oi drains on the Mangapaipa road. A portion of the report dealt jvith tlie condition of Huxley road, Kaiti, which was rapidly destroyed by the cartage of bricks from the new brickworks. On tho proposition of Cr. Alatthews, it was decided that the Chairman and Engineer should interview the management of the brick company, with a view to ascertaining if the latter would contribute something towards the upkeep of the road. TENDERS ACCEPTED. The following tenders were accepted : Road metal: J. Brosnahan, AVahnata, Grey’s Hill 9s 6d, Grey’s gate 8s 6d, cabstand 9s. Painting bridges: Aston Bros., Reay bridge*£26 15s, lvarawa £4 12s, AVaioinoko £8 19s, Waimangu £5 11s, Oldfields £6 14s, and Mangapoike £6 15s. Brosnahan, Branson’s creek boulders 9s, Martin’s fence 9s, and Perry’s fence 9s. Broclclebank, Kaitaratahi gravel, AA’aimata Hill, 9s. Do”- collars: Dunbar and Aston, 1600 at £35. A SUGGESTION. The Chairman put forward a suggestion with regard to road repairing, to the effect that money should be granted to the districts instead of the Council undertaking the worlc in cases-of outlying places. This would be the most economical course, and the money could be spent and the work clone under - the supervision of the Councillors for the districts involved. It would be an experiment, but it ought to be a profitable one. Cr. Lysnar: It has been the Council’s custom to do this in small cases. Tlie matter was discussed for a short time without any definite proposition being formulated. COUNCILLORS’ EXPENSES. Cr. Boland moved that all Councillors coming from a distonce exceeding three miles he paid their actual travelling expenses. Cr. Matthews seconded tliic, pointing out. the, expense and inconvenience incurred fiv members for outlying' ridings. Cr. Slierratt said he thought the radius was too small. Cr. Jex Blake thought it would be a dangerous precedent. He thought the radius in any case should he at least 20 miles. Cr; Lysnar' opposed the-motion. The motion was amended with a radius of 20 miles instead of three, and carried by five votes to three. EXPENDITURE REFUSED. Cr. Matthews moved that the sum of £IOO be spent in metalling that portion of formed road from Air. Lewis’ corner to Air. Barker’s corner, Alangapapa Valley road. Cr. Lysnar opposed the motion on the ground that the revenue should g 0 for general maintenance and not for new works. Cr. Jex Blake voted against the motion on similar grounds, as did Cr. Sherratt and the chairman. " The was lost. „ a Hangaroa <-jr4nt. ; At Hie - request of Cr. Sherratt the Council -granted £lO towards the repairing of. a : road -near the' Tahora, \tra.ck. ,He said :,that the .settlers."were doing a- .deal to open the couritl}‘ SPECIAL RATES. Cr. Lysnar suggested that a committee should be formed to go into finances and strike special rates for various works required-in the different ridings. He hoped that, some' schbiiie would be carried out in this: direction. The Chairman said he was in favor of the idea, not because it would make any difference in the rate, but because it would remove cause of complaint. On the motion of Cr. Fraser, the Engineer was instructed to report on the requirements of the AVaikohu road. SANITATION. Alessrs Rees Bros, and Bright, on behalf of a number of ratepayers, forwarded a petition asking that the Council should undertake the collection, removal, and disposel of the nightsoil in the closer-settled portions of the Alangapapa and Kaiti districts. The petition was read by Or. Akitthews, who spoke in support, remarking that the present state of things was a special menace to school children. He would ask that the Council give effect to the by-law making'the removal of nightsoil compulsory. . It .was decided :tliat the question be referred to the Council next AVeclnesday, throe to be a quorum, with power to act. ' RIVERSIDE ROAD. A petition was receiver! from a number of, section holders consenting to a rate of £d in the £ for payment of interest and other charges on a loan of ■ £I6OO for. the purpose of widening the Riverside Roaa to. 26ft—20ft to be for-, xned and metalled.-—This matter was also adjourned for a keek. - The Clerk was instructed to take all necessary steps in furtherance of the proposition. ACCOUNTS.

The statement of accounts for the past month showed an overdraft to date of £16,298 9s Bd, as compared with £16,332 16s 4d on October 16th. Advances totalled £1204 10s, and the receipts had been £ll2B 12s Bd. Tlie amoun,t required at present to wipe off the deficit was £1094 os 6d. Accounts were passed for payment.