COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2716, 22 January 1910, Page 7

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

t MONTHLY MEETING.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Cook County ‘Council was held yesterday afternoon. Present: Hon. Captain Tucker (chairman), Crs. Lysnar, 'White, Jex-Blake, Matthews, Holden, bher r ratt, ’ Boland, and Fraser. CORRESPONDENCE. Messrs. Kirk, Burnard, and Sievwright wrote in reference to compensation to Dr. Cole, and notified the receipt of the Council’s letter of the 6th' inst. The Gisborne Harbor Board wrote notifying that the Council were entitled to one vote for a qualification based on the payment last year of not less than £5 in harbor dues, and asked that the necessary representative should be appointed.—Tlio County Clerk was appointed to be put on the roll for voting purposes. Messrs. Nolan and Skeet notified that Messrs. Gear and Jobson, sheepfarmers, Tologa Bay, had dissolved partnership, and that Mr. Gear would carry on the business. A notice was enclosed in which Mr. Jobson notified that lie had assigned to Mr. Gear all his interest in the-sum of £l5O, being an advance payment made by them on December LG," 1908, on account of the Mangaheia Bridge, to be repaid when loan moneys came to hand. The Public Works Department, Wellington, wrote in reference to the Waimata River bridge, between McLean and Huraliura Streets, Gisbonie, and acknowledged the receipt of the Council’s letter of 22nd ult., addressed to his Excellency' the Governor, objecting to the proposed construction and apportionment of the cost of the bridge and stated that the same had been duly noted. The District Health Officer wrote in reference to a dilapidated four-roomed cottage at Te Arai, stating that in the event of Mr. Clarke's promise not being fulfilled there was no other course than to advise him that, in the event of the premises being occupied, a certificate of condemnation would be issued and steps taken to require the building to ! be pulled down. It was further added that on the next visit made to this district a special noto would he made a® to the need for inspecting these premises. Chas. Gray ;vroto pointing out the state--of the outlet! from the Pari ham a-' nia Road and'stating that the drain required to be cleaned out for sonic 12 or 15 chains £elow and 5 or 6 chains above the road. Mr. Gray stated he was willing to do the portion above the road if the Council did the part below. It was also suggested that the place should be banked up. —The engineer stated the drain had been a source of trouble for years. The offer made by Mr. Gray was just to clear what was in his property. The cost to the Council would be about £1 per chain, £ls for the fifteen chains, and lie suggested Mr. Gray should be asked to pay half the cost. Cr Holden said Mr. Gray was assisting the Council in draining the road, and he thought the offer should be accepted. The matter was referred to the Engineer to report to the Council at. the next meeting. The Patutahi Road Board wrote in reference to a meeting on January 3, when it was agreed to cancel clause three in the agreement, referring to the Patutahi quarry, between the County Council and the Patutahi Road Board. It was stated that the Board intended charging Is per yard to all local bodies on the stone taken from the quarry. The resolution erroneously taken the day before was then passed, the voting being the same, that the County Council should charge the Borough Council Is royalty on all metal taken from the quarry. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The following report was presented by Mr. De G. Fraser, County Engineer : Contract 262. —Metal depots well in hand, will probably be completed by next meeting. Contract 263, painting county bridges.—The following have been satisfactorily completed : Reay bridge, Arai, Karawa, Maraetalia, and Tologa. The work has been energetically pushed on, and advantage taken of all fine weather. , Contract 364, deepening drains .and crowning roads north of Tologa.—A start has been made with this work. Contract 265, cliff cutting, Manga--tuna. —In the hands of the same contractor, will ,be completed in a few days. Contract 266, delivering of shingle on Gray’s Hill, north side.—Some 70 yards was delivered at the time of last inspection, and as the grave] appears very sandy, the contractor has been instructed to try the right bank of the river at Waerenga-a-liika. Contract 267, collecting and breaking stones, Waimata North.—ln progress. Contract 268, delivery of river shingle on Abattoir road and Willows estate.—No start having been .made yet with this contract, I have intimated, the contractor to -put the imatter in hand. Contract 269, metal repairs, Bushmere North. —Contract in hand. Contract 271, road formation, Westmere. —Some 40 chains have been '.roughly ploughed out. No work was being done on my visit, the contractor being away on another job. The manner of carrying out the work by this contractor on both contracts that he has in hand is unsatisfacory, and unless considerable improvement is shown he should be debarred .from tendering for other works under the Council. Contract 272, metal repairs. Mangapapa- Valley.—Completed, also (some patching along main road towards Willan’s. The Matawliero pound has been ;metalled according to instructions, and on completion of the notice board of fees, the pound will be ready for use. Tenders' are called, to close at this meeting, for erecting a bridge at Ngatapa, with approaches, also erecting small bridge and forming approaches on Pouawa road. Men have been engaged and. are at Avork on Waiomoko road effecting small repairs. The Chairman said unless something was done on the road from the creamery to King’s Road it would never, go through the winter. Tho metal carts had been causing damage, and in many places tho road was full of holes. The Council had authorised tho sending of the road grader along, and as soon as it is settled lie thought metal should be put on.. The Engineer thought that four yards to the chain, over the mile of road, at £l2O, would make a good job of tlie road It was resolved to put the' grader on King’s Road, and to metal 'subsequently at 4yds to the chain, the engineer to procure 300yds of metal for the purpose, in addition to' the 100yds in hand. In regard to contract 271 the Chairman proposed that the contractor should be notified that- unless the work was done forthwith the penalty would be enforced. The clerk was instructed to Avrite that the work was not being do,no properly, and better work „ was required. The engineer was also instruct-

ed to rescind the contract if he thought necessary. Two tenders were received for tile Ngatapa. bridge and thei approach from Messrs. Church and) Foster £269 15s, and Mr. Baines £266 18s. It was decided the Engineer should make the best terms with the tenderers possible. Messrs. Church arid Foster tendered £169 10s for the Pouawa bridge contract. The engineer thought the tender was too high, and it was not accepted. Mr.. A. C. Steele. Taliora, waited upon the Council with reference to accounts due to him for stores supplied to Natives who worked on the Mangapohatau stock track. He produced orders 1 from the Natives setting out the stores supplied. The. amount came to £3O 15s 7d. The Clerk stated that over £4O was due to the Natives. Cr. Holden asked what money had been spent on the stock track. The Clerk said the amount granted was £250 by the Government and £250 by the Council, and about £BOO bad been spent. Cr. Lysnar said the Council had employed a man named Middleton to carry out the work. Middleton .had employed Natives, and •they had got stores and tools from Mr. Steele. Mr. Steele • had now produced orders from the Natives, and he moved that the Council should pass the payments.. The Clerk stated that there were claims amounting to £42 in excess of these accounts. Cr. Boland seconded the payment of the accounts, as the 1 stores had been supplied and admitted. Cr. Sherratfc said Middleton had been put on by him, and the work had greatly exceeded the amount passed. In regard to the claim of £ls made by Rua, lie objected to it: The accounts were passed for payment. the Chairman stating that he would strongly oppose any further claims.

•Cr. Lysnar objected. They would' have to pay what they were liable for. 'The; /majority of the Council- had authorised the work, and it had got them into a. muddle. A .payment of £lO was also authorised "to Mr. Steele for repairs on Murphy’s lload. Cr. Lysnar moved that the Engineer should be instructed to widen the Ahemoana Road, where it had slipped away, and to metal the road at the Gorge. He thought the cost would not exceed £lo.—Cr. Matthews seconded the motion, which was carried. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. The following finanical statement was presented: Overdraft 18th Dec., 1909, £13,584 7s 9d; special rate, £43 2s 4d; charitable aid rate, £lB3 8s 4d ; interest, £4 Is Id ; AVaikohu County Council charitable aid, £45; wages recovered, £4 16s; required to-day, £2287 9s 6d; overdraft 22nd Jan., 1910, £14,090 12s lid. Required Ist February, 1910, £1734 9s Bda overdraft Ist February,.l9lo, £15,825 2s 7d. The County Clerk reported that accounts had been sent out in the spec-* ial rating districts of Mangatu and Mangamaia, as no adjustment had been made with the Waikohu County, and the rates had to be collected to pay interest. He also stated that, rates were coming in well, over £3OO having been collected since the statement was made out, which would make the position that much hotter. Messrs deLautour, Barker, Stock and Matthews wrote in reference to the proposed pound site at Tologa Bay, and pointed out that the section proposed to be leased by Mrs. Hale was in the name of the .late Mr. AY. F. Hale, and Mrs. Hale could not give a legal lease for the period mentioned by her. It was suggested that the Council should agree with Airs. Hale for a tenancy from year to year, with the right to remove, any buildings or yards erected at- the end oi the tenancy. Cr. Boland did not think the suggestion was advisable, and objected to move the acceptance of the offer, and th e matter dropped. Accounts were passed for payment, and the meeting adjourned.