COOK COUNTVY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3711, 21 December 1912, Page 8

COOK COUNTVY COUNCIL.

ORDINARY MEETING. Tlie C'ook County Council met yesterday. Present: Crs. H. Kenway, R. Sherratt-, T. Jex-Blake, J. BarnesGraham, G. E. Jones, D. J. Parker, G. Reynolds, E. Boland, and G. Witters.

Messrs Kirk, Barnard and Sievwright, on behalf of the trustee of the estate of the late Wm. Sievwright, wrote, asking the Council to pass a resolution so that the provisions of Section 17 of the Public Works Act shall not apply to Hill Road.—The request was granted. Messrs Nolan and Skeet wrote, asking the Council if they proposed to make an offer for land taken from Mahaki Paraone under the Public Works Act. Messrs Nolan and Skeet informed the Council that Mr. R. C. -Miller objected to his land being taken for the purpose of deviating the Ngakaroa Road. The Council decided that they would adhere to their previous decision, and acquire the land.

Messrs Kirk, Bernard and Hievwright wrote re Mr. G. Carrington’s claim for the loss of two brood mares, asking if the Council was agreeable to the matter being settled by arbitration.

The Council decided to refer the matter to their solicitors. Mr. E. P. Schroder notified the Council that he intended to claim compensation for an accident which he sustained while working in the Patutahi Quarry on November 6th, by which he sustained a broken leg, two broken ribs, broken shoulder blade, and other injuries. He was sent up ,tlie face to cut rock when a slip occurred, and he was carried to the bottom of the Quarry. The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation wrote, asking the Council to supply them with the necessary particulars of the accident. It was decided to supply the particulars. Mr. M. Angland wrote, stating he was prepared to clean out a drain at Patutabi if the Council would pay half the cost. The Council agreed that he should do the work on the terms stated.

Air. Y. S. Bolton asked the Council to appoint him as dog ranger. It was decided to reply that at present the Council could not see their way to accede to his request. ■A similar letter was received from Mr. R. Anna kin, and dealt with in the same way. Air. D. Rutledge asked the Council to consider the question of having all bridges and culverts in the County protected by substantial guard rails and winged approaches were necessary It was decided to reply that the Engineer. where he thought it necessary would take steps to comply with the suggestion, but the Council could not equip all tlie bridges in the manner stated. Air. H. AI. AlcLaren wrote, stating re the opening up and forming of about 40 chains of road, from Morere Gisborne main road, connecting Sections 6,1, 8,9, Maraetata, that he was prepared to bear a £ for £ proportion of the cost. The matter was left- to Cr. Williams and the Engineer to arrange.

Mr. P. Horsfall wrote, asking the Council to give him assistance to drain his property at Whenuanui. It was decided to reply that the Council could not see their way to drain the property. Air. J. King, Whatatutu, wrote, stating that on Alay 31st a horse belonging to him was impounded at the Matawhero pound, and when sold it brought £4 10s above expenses, which he thought he was entitled to. The Council agreed that as soon as Air. King proved his ownership to the poundkeeper’s satisfaction, they would hand over, the amount. The Commissioner of Crown Lands (Air. R. Sadd), wrote, stating that the Council’s explanation re the locking of the Ngatapa stock paddock was satisfactory—Received. The Under-Secretary for Public Works stated that inquiries were now being made regarding the formation of the east end of the Alangapoike Valiev Road. —Received.

Mr. H. Ingram <lrew the Council’s attention to the fact that Winter Road, Mangapaap, had not yet been finished. The Engineer stated that the road had had more than its due share, but if there was any of the loan money over after the other roads were done. Winter Road would be again considered. It was decided to reply to that effect.

Messrs Nolan and Sheet, on behalf of Mr. F. Hall, wrote, asking the Council to allow his Hokoroa property to go into the Waikohu County. The Chairman thought the application was a very fair one, as there was no access to the station througlrthe Cook County, and therefore Mr. Hall got no benefit from the rates. The matter, however, after discussion, was held over till Mr. J. Warren’s return.

Several Kaiti ratepayers wrote asking that Darwin Road bo widened, and that a light traffice swing bridge he put over the Waimata. The matter was left to the Engineer to report. The secretary i of-.the Cook Hospital ; and Charitable Aid Beard forwarded for signature a form delegating the Council's sanitary and health powers to the Hospital Board. The Chairman'said that lie had seen Dr. Chesson on the matter, and he thought the whole of this work should lie concentrated under one body. It seemed to him that where they could delegate their powers such as in this case they should do so as it would relieve them of a g-rat amount of work. It was a wise step and he asked .authority to sign: the document, which was granted. The Superintendent of the. State Guaranteed Advances Board, in reply to an inquiry as to whether the Department would now entertain applications for. loans, informed them that as tlio limit of £SOOO was still in frtree he regretted that the Council application could not be granted at the present juncture.—Received.

The Health Inspector (Mr F. York), reported that during the present month of December he had visited Muriwai on several occasions for the purpose of bringing to the notice of the District Health Officer certain houses, wliares and delapidated buildings which he considered should be condemned. He had also got out a sketch of the pa showing the position of eacli building, and each well which he was- forwarding to Wellington this week for Dr. Chesson to deal with. During his visits to Muriwai he again visited the house owned by Mr Faulkner and occupied by Mr Whar-e Baker. A requisition was served by the Council on the owner to. do certain repairs to this house, and it was his duty to inform'the Council that the requisj-

tion had not been complied with. lie awaited the Council’s instructions in the matter. He also pointed out the necessity of tlie regulations controlling the erection of new buildings in the County. He had had under his notice lately some work in connection with a new house that, if left, woxild prove positively dangerous to the inhabitants. He served a notice on the man who was doing the work to abate the nuisance within seven days. It. appeared to Jiiin that when builders got out in the country to build they did not give the same care to the finishing of a job as they would if building in the borough. Ho asked the Council to draw up some by-law or regulation to prevent this and that no building should be erected, in the county for human habitation until the plans had been passed l>v the Council and any plans passed for a building to be erected the sanitary work to he carried out to the satisfaction of their sanitary Inspector.