COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 283, 6 April 1889, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL.

Ths above Council met yesterday afternoon, when there were presentCra Clark (chairma,n) Wethered, Orr, Murphy, Gray, King, Tuohy, and Coleman. C. Brown wrote declining to pay any rates on the Whangaparaoa station, as lie ceased to have any interest in it for many years. The Secretary of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board wrote applying for a contribution of £2OO, being the amount fixed by the Board to be levied under section 59 of

•' The Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act, 1885,” and requesting that the amount be paid in two instalments.

Cr Coleman proposed, and Cr Tuohy seconded, that the amount be paid.—Carried. Jones and O'Donnell wrote stating that they oould not complete their contract for delivering and breaking 800yds of stone in contract time, owing to the impossibility of getting mon to break it, and atating that they had imported a atone crusher. They also asked for permission to crush the stone at the cemetery depot and leave it there instead of delivering it along the road. Cr King thought that Jones and O'Donnell deserved great credit for having imported a crusher, but the beat place to have it would bo at the quarry. The Chairman would like to meet the contractors in every way, but the Council were not in a position to alter the present contract. Cr King proposed that the terms of the contract be adhered to. Cr Murphy seconded. Cr Tuohy moved an amendment to the effect that the contractors be allowed to leave the stone at the depot, providing they pay 4d per yard for the privilege. Cr Coleman seconded the amendment, which was carried,

P. McLoughlin applied for an extension of seven days on his contract, On the motion of Cr Coleman, the applica-

tion was granted, John Burgess wrote stating that the settlers who had lately taken up land in the further Patutahi and Hangaroa Blocks are about to petition the Government for a grant to widen the present sledge road and make it suitable for drays, apd asking that the Engineer be instructed to view the track and estimate the cost of the work.

The Chairman aaid it would be inadvisable to comply with the request. After some discussion, the matter was left in the hands of the Engineer to report on at next meeting. A. J. O’Neil wrote complaining of the stoppage of £lO 10s from nis contract for forming and metalling the Makariki Rond, and stating that ha had faithfully fulfilled the contract. The Engineer said Mr O'Neill had not completed fully 5J chains of the contract and ha (the Engineer) had therefore deducted from the final payment what he considered was reasonable, It was decided not to entertain the applies-

tion. P. E. Richardson wrote drawing attention to the state of the artesian well at Makar aka, which was running on soma occasions through the Hotel grounds, through a defective pipe. Cr King said it was disgraceful to see the water wasting away as it was at present, just for the want of a coupling, and some other little repairs, The Engineer was instructed to carry out what work was necessary to the well. The ranger made a general report. Mr Kenway waited on the Council with reference to a block of land at the back of Waimata, which he had purchased from the Government, and saying that there was no road loading to it. He strongly urged that the Council should communicate with the Government on the matter, as it would be a great help to him, He had already written to the Government, but had received no reply. The Council decided to comply with the wishes of Mr Kenway.

tenders. Metalling, Patutahi : R. Knox, per chain, £3 8s 4d. Jones and O'Donnell, per chain, (accepted) £7 12s 6d. Tiniroto Road : M. Boland, £B9 10s ; J. Mclntosh (accepted) £77 ISs ; J. Blair, £9B 7s ; G. Arundel, £96 10s.

J. Trimmer, £1 15s ; B. Knox, £lOO ; P. McLoughlan, £195 ; G. Bell, £25 ; Bidgood and Burke, £8 8s ; O’Dwyer, £lO 8s ; A. Doherty, £6 6s ; D. Quin, £l4 2s; Jones and O'Donnell, £23 2s ; W. J. Mossman, £3 16s ; J. Wall, £5 14s ; K. Knox, £3 14s 6d ; T. Brewn, £3 ; Taylor and Brownlow, £9 9s ; G. Moore, £7 4s ; J. A. Harding, £3 2s ; W. 0. Skeet, £5 18s 7d ; J. S, Lincoln, £1 10s; Salaries, £57 Is 8d; Engineer’s sundries, £7 Ils 6d ; Standard Company, £2 ; Adeane and Primrose, £3 ; Ryan, £2 5s ; G. L. •reenwood, £7 ss.

The Engineer reported that some of the maintenance contractors had had nearly all their progress payments deducted, and in other cases no payments could be made.

The Engineer asked what the Council intended to do with reference to the maintenance contracts. Some of the contractors had only done a little work, while others were carrying qut their work. What he would like toknow was whether he should employ labor to carry out the work or should he give notice to the sureties ? Cr King moved, and Cr Gray seconded, that the Engineer be instructed to give notice to the sureties that the various works should be qt qnpc parried out, and If not that the Engineer shall be empowered to employ lab.or, —parried,

On the motion of Cr King, seconded by Cr Tuohy, it was decided to inform Mr Knox thqt all burrs on his maintenance contract should at once be cut and burnt, and if he did not carry out the work the Council would do it, charging the contractor, The Waimata Road Board wrote !—»

I have the honor to inform you that in reply to yours of the 32nd inst, that at a special meeting of the Waimata Board it was unanimously decided to recommend to your Council that the sum of £46 due on account of subsidy accruing to this district be spent as follows: (1) The formation of an 8 foot track at section 3 (Partridge’s), so as to avoid the present double crossing of the Waimata, say £3O. (3) Cutting rock at the bluff on Dixon's Hill on the county road, say £l(j. Both of these works will be of great benefit to all the ratepayers in thia portion of the district,—Yours etc,, H. McKay, Secretary. Cr Gray said he did not agree with the Road Board, and he had taken trouble to oommunicate with the ratepayers. Ho had notified thirteen ratepayers, and only two were in favor of this bridle track, He was in a position to say that the majority of the settlers would rather that the moqey bp expended on other works. He then mentioned the works that were most urgently required, and read aome letters which he had received from the settlers on tha matter. He moved that part of the money ahould be spent on the rook cutting, and also on the point at Mr Kenway's ; the balance of the money should he thought be expended on the road paat Mr Dixon’s, Qr Murphy seconded tha motion, which WM alto supported by Cr Coleman. Cr King oonaidered that the deputation that waited on the Council at its last meeting ahould be perfectly well aware of what work was most necessary—thay, the deputation, represented the ratepayers in tbat district, Cr Tuohy said the Council had already pledged themselves to carry out the wishes Of the Road Board. He thought the Board oould also produce letters with reference to the expenditure of the money it they had only known that the matter was again coming up that day. He moved, as an amendment, that the application of the Road Board should be acceded to. Cr Orr seconded the amendment, which was carried,

Cr Gray ; This is informal. We have gone against the Bye Laws. Notice of motion should first have been given before passing this expenditure, The Chairman : We have, I think, often broken the Bye Laws. Cr Gray then proposed that the balance of the money should be expended further on, after the bridle track had been done. Cr Tuohy aeoonded,— Carried, Cr Gray said he had been most unfairly treated by the Couneil, He had been chided out el the money,

Cr Murphy : You ehould not have admitted the deputation. Cr Gray said the matter was never carried by the Council at the last m eting. There was no mover or seconder to the deputation’s request. The Chairmai : It was carried unanimously. The Council decided to meet next Tuesday afternoon to go through the Valuation List.