COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2740, 19 February 1910, Page 7

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The usual monthly meeting of the Cook County Council was held yesterday. Present: Hon, Capt. Tucker (Chairman), F. J. Lvsnar, T. JexBlake, T. Holden, A. 11.I 1 . Matthews, E. B. Boland)

Mr Cox, senr.j waited upon the Coun. eil with reference to the drain on Mrs Cox’s Ivaiti property, which he claimed was not the truer watercourse, and was damaging the fence line and,plantation of trees along the line. The matter lias been repeatedly before the Council, and it was- decided that- the Chairman, Crs. Matthews, Holden and the Engineer should visit the. site and r.eport to next- meeting of 'die Council.

CORE ESPCNDEN CE. The Secretary of the Patutahi Road Board wrote asking the Council to have the outlet drain through the Swa-rth-moor paddocks cleaned out. As in its present state it was detrimental to the drainage of the -district. The Chairman questioned the liability of the Council to have to bear the entire cost. Cr. Lysnar claimed that the drain was purely and simply a Road Board drain.

It was finally decided to hold the matter over until the proportion whion the Council should pay towards the cost of the work was ascertained. A communication was received from the Public AYorks Department enclosing a schedule showing the balances available for expenditure on roads and bridges in the country during the current financial year. It was also stated that it is the intention of the Government to entrust, to a large extent, the expenditure of the grants to local authorities. The amounts were as follows :—AATiarcrata to Ma.henga road £SO, Hangaroa to AYaikaremoana road £ll, Patutahi to Gentle Annie _£2so, Mangatokerau £IOO, Pouawa bridge (£ for £) £3OO, Gisborne to Hangaroa (£6OO contributed by County Council) £l7B 7s 7d, Gisborne to Rotorua (stoex) £SO, Muriwai to Mo re re £2OO, AYhareongaonga block £IOO, AYainpu inland (access to section 1, block 1, A\ ainga-r-smu) £2B 16s, AYaimata to AYaiapu inland (Todd’s) £l9l 15s 2d. Almr.anu £IOO, Bushy Knoll road £52 17s Id, Gisborne to AYnlroa (Arai deviation) £216 12s sd, Hangaroa to Tahora (Steele’s) £325 12s 7d, Mutuera £265 11s 7d, Tokaonui £272 12?. Authority was also forwarded to expend the available amounts in connection with the Muriwai-Morore road and the AATiar-eongaonga block. The Engineer explained that he had interviewed Mr. C. E. Armstrong on the matter of the grants, and outlined to- the Council the detailed work to be undertaken with the money. On behalf of a number of settlers in the locality, Mr. J. O’Grady wrote asking that the Council do something to fit the Matokitoki road for traffic during tho winter months. The Chairman said the letter was somewhat misleading. The road was in the wrong place, having been made

right down the bed of a swamp. It would take thousands of pounds to maintain the road. The Taniheru Road Board consequently did not feel inclined to expend any money on the road.

Cr. Lysnnr urged that it was the duty of a Council to try and assist the settlers in some way, as in wintertime the road was so bad that the children could not be sent to school, and not oven a vehicle or horse could he got up.

Cr. Alatthews contended that it would be sheer madness to expend any money on the road, which he said was more like a canal. He suggested that the road should be deviated to its proper course, as an excellent supply or good igravel could be obtained in the locality. Cr. Jex-Blake also urged that the Council should heilp “the unfortunate settlers” who were in a particularly bad way 7. Cr. Holden emphasised the terribly had state of the road, hut agreed that several thousands would have to be spent to put it in anything like order. He also thought that a deviation would be the proper course. It was ultimately decided, after further discussion, to reply to the letter suggesting the deviation of the road, as the Council deemed it unwise to spend any money .upon it. The (Secretary of the Te Aral Settlers’ Association wtote asking the Council to effect some improvements to the Te Arai bridge in order to prevent stock from wandering down on to the river bank from the approaches. The Engineer s-tated that the matter was already receiving attention.

ENGINEER’S REPORT. The Engineer (Mr De G. Fraser) reported as follows: — Contract 275, metalling Arai Valley: Proceeding satisfactorily. Ngatapa: The contractor is making good progress on the works, having driven all piles and fixed in position caps and stringers. All the material is on the. ground with- the exception o'f about- 2000 feet of totara.

Contract 271, road formation, AA’cstmerc: Better work is being done on this contract. Alost of the- flat formation completed in the rough, and the s.ide cuttings in hand. Contract 270, quarrying and knapping stone for repairs. Gentle- Annie: Some very -good stone is being put on this ihill, and with a small amount of labor at the lower quarry. I think a fresh face can be obtained for future use.

Contract- 269, metal repairs, Alid-dle Road: Completed, 370 yards having been put on tho road between the saleyards’ corner and AVaerenga-a-hika. Contract 268, metal repairs abattoirs and AVillows estate: This contract is being executed from shingle from Kaitaratalii,- brought up to Alakaraka and carted from thence.

Contract 268, delivery of shingle, Grey’s Hill north : Between 300 and 400 yards have been spread. Contract 267, collecting and knapping creek boulders, AVnimat-a: 160 yards of broken stone has been stacked and some_lso yards of boulders carted out- .

Contract 265, deepening drains, etc., Tologa-Mangatuna-: Good progress is being made, and given line weather, the work should .'be completed by -next meeting. Contract- 263, painting county bridges: Completed. Contract 260, Patutahi drains: The upper contracts are well advanced, but the lower end of the -drain has still too much, water to enable bottom to bp satisfactorily cleared. , Contract 257, metalling Danvin ro.ad, is progressing slowly, owing to difficulty in getting in sufficient gravel by

tile railway; some 20 odd chains still require metalling. Contract 253, spawling and knapping stone from Gray’s: Completed, 385 yards. The Public AYorks Department having notified the Council that in future most of the Government grants will be handed to the local bodies for expenditure, and having also forwarded a list of works that can be at once proceeded with, I have made a start to layout and prepare plans and specifications for duplicates being required) The laying off and supervising this work will necessarily entail a considerable amount- of extra work to the Council, and also extra cost, as no deduction from the granted amounts is allowed) for. engineering, advertising, or supervising. A few weeks ago I reported to the Council necessary works required on the AA 7 aiomoko Road, which included the- construction of a small bridge anil cutting .near Seymour’s old dip. I was instructed to- effect the most urgent repairs up the valley, hut would point out that unless something is) done at the eastern end' the road will be impassable for wheel traffic during the wet weather. Tho approximate, cost of the work required is between £7O and £80; alternately the Council might effect some draining and fascining along the present tract, but which is off the road line. A Government surveyor has been instructed to survey a portion of Papatu for a metal reserve, I propose immediately after the meeting to point out to him tho locality which the Council wishes to have defined, together with the necessary road access. The report was adopted and the suggestions and recommendations contained in it were agreed to.

ACCOUNTS. The following statement of accounts was laid on the table : Overdraft, Ist February, £15,825 2s 7d; collected: general rate, £1428 13s 9d; special rate £490 11s 9d; Charitable Aid, £175 7s 6d; interest 17s, dog registration £4 2s’ 6d, AVttikohu Council interest £3BO 10s lid, hotel license £2. £2482 3s sd; required to day, £2039 4s. Overdraft, February 19th., £15,384 3s 2d. Advances, £1574 10s. A number of accounts were passed for payment and, after a quantity of routine business had been transacted the meeting adjourned until Friday, March 4th at 10.30 a.m.