WAIKOHU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3124, 21 January 1911, Page 5

WAIKOHU COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Waikohu County Council was held at the Chambers, Te Karaka, yesterday. There were present Mr. W. D. S. Macdonald, M.P. (chairman), and Councillors E. M. Hutchinson, M. Campbell, A. M. Lewis, H. Telford, and E. V. ..Palmer. ■ CORRESPONDENCE. Mr. James Poyntcr, secretary of the Te Karaka Library, wrote asking that the Council make a small, grant to the library’s funds. The Council decided that it could not see its way to subsidise the funds- .of the library. Mr. John Pigott, noting secretary of the.Motu Valley Settlors’ Association, wrote asking that the £6OO voted for widening the Motu Valley Road be expended. The settlers in the hack district were undergoing great hardships through the want of good roads. The Clerk was instructed to write to Mr. Pigott, telling him that the work would soon l)e under way. Mr. L. A. Finlnyson wrote asking for a transfer of a billiard-room license from Otoko to Matawai. It was decided to accedo to tin's request on the payment of arrears in license fees due. The Valuer-General wrote regarding rates paid hv Messrs. J. and E. Haisman, P. E. Johnstone, R. Baird, and Chas. Morice on properties taken Lip by them in April, and on which they had paid rates for the year 1909-10, and suggesting that the Council refund the overpaid rates.—lt was decided to do this.

The Chief Health Officer, Dr. Valintine, wrote saving that under section 5 of the Hospitals Amendment Act, 1910, the responsibility of controlling infectious diseases now devolves on Hospital Boards, which for such purposes become local authorities within the meaning of the “Public Health Act.” He would suggest that, until the Hospital Boards had provided the necessary machinery to give effect to the amendment of the law, the Council continue to act as at present with regard to the infectious diseases that might occur in their district.

The Council appointed Mr J. Mount temporary sanitary inspector until such a time when the Board would appoint an inspector.

The Resident Engineer. Mr. C. E. Armstrong, wrote approving of the plans and specifications for the Mutuera Road, and giving permission for the work to he proceeded with.

Mr. Armstrong also wrote stating that, where the Government finds money to assist local bodies in carrying out their functions in regard to road works, ii is not asking too much to lie furnished with a return showing the number of men employed on such work, and asking that such return he prepared. The Engineer read a reply which he had forwarded to the Resident Engineer, and this was endorsed by the Council. The Resident Engineer wrote with regard to the Kanakamia Settlement Road, and. said that he had been advised that the amount offered to the County, £750, was correct, and would ho subsidised on the £ for £ basisi

Messrs. Blair and Sninsburv wrote, on behalf of Messrs P. O’Sullivan and Beale, asking if the Council intended to pay for the 156 yards of .metal now lying in the Rnnginri depot. The Council decided, to reply that the matter had-already been fully dealt with, and that they did not propose to take any further action. Mr. 11. Green, the Council’s bridge foreman, asked for an increase in salary.—lt was decided to increase his salary by 8s per,day. Messrs. Chrixp and Coleman asked the Council to pass a resolution to the effect—“ That section No. 116 of the Public "Works Act. 190 S, shall not apply to the Ahirau No. 2 F Block, provided that the said land shall not he used for the erection of a dwelling-house.” The Council passed the resolution as requested. i,

It was decided to ask the Cook County Council’s Engineer to appoint a day on which to meet the-Waikohu County Council’s Engineer and inspect the Kaitaratahi and Taurika bridges, with a view to apportioning the cost of necessary repairs, and in the event of tlie engineers heimr unable to agree regarding the apportionment, tho Council is prepared to refer the matter to a commission.

ENGINEER'S RETORT

The Engineer, Mr. Mount, presented the following report:— .

Maintenance. —Kanakanaia Hoad: A party of two, with one plough ana scoop, are still making many small alteration;, to this road. Culverts are still to go in. It will be necessary to increase' the strength of this party, so as to have the grades of road made uniform for metalling. Motu Hoad: The first section of this road! lias been reformed, by the plough and scoop g,uig; and the gang have been shifted on to the second section. The gang on the section at the Motu end of this road have been reorganised 1 , the old gang being dismissed and a new gang formed. Waikohu Valley Hoad : A gang of two are still effecting repairs to this road, and will continue to do so for a further fortnight. Wliarekopae-Tahora road : The grader and gang have reformed that- portion of this road;.through the Ngatapa block. The end of this month should finish that section. The gradter will return afterwards to Te Karaka. A gang on the Tahora end are still engaged in cutting of points, etc. Government- grants.—Armstrong road (£200): Survey complete. Plans and specifications have been forwarded for aproval. Mangamaia road (£500), metalling; The work has been staked out. Specifications have been forwarded for approval. Mr. Armstrong’s approval for £250 for this grant has been verbally given. Motu Valley (£SOO, £l5O, and £00): Two miles of survey has been competed. Plans are not yet completed'.— 'Che following have still to be -laid out: Waiapu Inland , .(£400), Oliver Hoad (£200), Fraser Road (£116), Rakauroa-Tah-ora (£320). Contracts. —Contract 49j formation at the Hihiroa. stream The contractors are making progress. Contract 50, repairs to Mangamahaumai road (Carmody’s section): The contractors are making ' progress. . Contract 44, 44a, and 44b, Armstrong Hoad: The contractor has completed his first contract; a final payment is approved. The contractor has done excellent work. . Contract 51, Whatatutu deviation : The contractor commenced l on the first- of January, and has made good progress, and is doing r gOod work. Contract 46. formation at Hutchinson's crossing: The contractor has almost finished this work; a progress payment is asked for. Contract 47, Matawai—Moanui road, 30 chains of formation : The contractor has completed his contract. A final payment is approved. Contract, 44c, Armstrong Hoad : A further 100 chains of formation has been let at a satisfactory price, and the contractor .has made good progress. y • All the contractors complain of the difficulty of obtaining good navvies. Bridges: The bridge opposite Little’s, on the Motu road, has been renewed

during the month' the bridge at Hutch in sop's, crossing,, ..has been replaced. The Mangatu stedT bridge is now being raised 4' feet. The bridge is now being complete the, work in three to four weeks.

Kaitaratahi Bridge: As instructed by tlie Council, I made a close investigation into tlie condition of this bridge, and h ive the honor to report that the bridge, as a whole, is in a very fair condition, considering the life of the bridge. Superstructure: The whole of the timber in the superstructure consists of kauri. The majority of the vertical reds aro'slack, and the whole of the superstructure requires screwing up. One truss on the Ormond side lias warped, and will require tracing. The whole superstructure requires two coats of paint. The piers are built upon driven piles, tlie piles being of totara, the piers being of kauri. The piers require screwing up, most of the rods being slack. The whole of tlie piers require two coats of tar. The driven piles are all rotten in their centres, but are probably safe for a further period of five to ten years. Three corbels require renewing, and minor repairs to the extent of £5 require attention to now. A notice to the effect that not more than five tons should bo carted across the bridge should be put up ‘*t both ends. Waihora Valley Deviation: On January 18, at 3 p.m., the chairman (Mr. MacDonald), Crs Lewis and Telford, and the County Engineer, met by appointment the ratepayers of Kanakunaia at, Mr. Hinton’s woolslicd. After a general discussion on the above subject, it was resolved that the Council be asked to take the necessary steps to raise a loan for the purpose of constructing a road round the valley, connecting with tlie present road in the vicinity of J. Morris’s, and also to provide £IOOO for metalling the okl road. The engineer’s estimate for the deviation was £SOOO, mot ailing £IOOO ; total, £6OOO. Matawai-Moanui Road : As instructed |)v you, I have made an inspection of the Mn’tawai-Moanui road for the purpose of forming am estimate of the probable cost of construction, and I have tlie honor to report. The portions to be constructed' commence at Korte’s creek. The construction commences will terminate on the Moanui road, at a point 20 chains inside of Mr. Evans’ property. On the Tahora road the construction will terminate at the property of Mr. Simson, sen. The total length to be constructed is 10V miles. The first and second miles wilt be constructed out of the Government grant of £SOO, leaving B.V miles to he constructed bv tlie settlers. One mile at £ISOO per mile; 3 miles at £4OO per mile. £1200; 4V miles at £2OO p°r mile. £900; 4 bridges at £l2O each, £480; total required, £4OBO. TENDERS. Tenders for metalling the Mangatu Road were opened, and, being too high, the matter was left in the hands of the Engineer. There was only one tender for metalling the Mangahaumia Road. That was sent in by Mr If. Lord. £l<9 was the figure submitted, and the tender was accepted. The tender of Messrs. Fahey and Murphy for widening the Mutuera Road was accepted. There was only one other tender. . BY-LAWS. Tyre by-laws, which had been drawn up "by the Engineer, were submitted, and the Council decided to hand them over to their solicitors to be put in legal form, each member to be supplied with a copy of tlie by-laws before the next meeting of the Council. Pedlars’ and hawkers’ license foes were lixed at £29 a year. In this'bylaw it was stated that a pedlar or hawker shall mean and include any trader who travels on foot from place to place with a pack, or with a horse, mule, or wheeled vehicle drawn or propelled by any animal or artificial power whatever, for the purpose of selling goods, merchandise, or wares, excepting bread, meat, limit, vegetables. dairy produce, or temperance drinks. GENERAL BUSINESS. Accounts aggregating £862 16s 4d were passed for payment. Cr. Lewis moved that the Council should, improve some of the points oil the main Karaka Road at Scott s cutting and Povntor’s cutting. Tlie Engineer was instructed to report on tlie matter at the next meeting. The Engineer was also instructed to make arrangements for a water supply for stock and horses travelling along the Whatatulu Road. Cr. E. V- Palmer gave notice that lie would move at the next meeting of the Council —“That £SO be spent in metalling and re-metalling the Puha-Whata-tutu Road.” It was decided that the Valuer-Gene-ral be asked to sanction a revaluation of the Mangatu, Kanakanaia, Waipaoa, and Karaka ridings. The registration fees oi sheep and cattle dogs were fixed at 2s 6d and of all other clogs ss, and the Clerk was instructed. to call for tenders for the right to collect the fees. Mr. \Y. Morris waited on the Council with a request that they would put a road through the property of Mrs. Ngakcte. Tho Council decided to leave the matter in abeyance until more information uas forthcoming. The next meeting of the Council was fixed for Tuesday, February 28th.