COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 336, 10 August 1889, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL.

A Special meeting of the above was held yesterday afternoon. Present: Councillors Clark iChairman), Tuohy, King, Murphy, Coleman, Gray, and Orr, CORRESFONDSNCS. The Walroa County Council wrote stating that they were prepared to survey the Mahia Road. The Surveyor-General wrote: 11 1 am requested by the Minister of lands to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 12th ultimo urging the Government to survey and construct a certain road between Gisborne and Mahia. In reply lam to state that Govern ment is advised that there is no immediate prospect of any traffic along the road that would warrant the expenditure of a large sum of money thereon, and that eventually a different line of road altogether to the one in use will have to be adopted, but as the present road will always be useful as a stock driving road, the road will be legalised as soon as a surveyor is at liberty to make the necessary survey. The Government does not, however, see its way to construct the road." The Engineer said It would take £2OO to survey a proper road, and £l5O to open up a track.

Decided to inform the Wairoa Council that they were urging on Government the necessity of making road ; also to communicate with Government, pointing out the large number of stock that would shortly be driven through to the Freezing Works. Owen Dwyer wrote: In consequence of the great increase of traffic thrown upon the Waerenga-a-hika-Mekaraka road by the bad condition of the Ormond and Wbataupoko road, the portion of the former road for the maintenance of which I am contractor, required an extra amount of labor bestowed npon it, and the Engineer employed D, Malone’s teams to assist, These teams were engaged in this work on the gth July, two teams one full day and two more from 2 p.m, the same day. The four teams were similarly engaged on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, on which day they finished work at 12.30 p.m.. their time amounting to £ll 17s by my calculation, The men so employed gave no assistance and wasted metal by throwing it down, before the mud and water could be removed from the road. My object In writing ie more particularly to bring to your notice the injury done to the roads by the driving of heavy loads of metal over them with narrow tires to the drays, and that I am a personal loser to the extent of the extra work per. formed as in this instance. I would ask your ccasldßration of thißi—Received.

The District Survey Office wrote stating that there was no use in making a road up Willianme’ Spur, as the ground was too steep.—Decided to apply for the old track to be legalized as a road, and to state the advantages in case the bridge was broken or any block occurred on the main Wairoa Road. Mr F. R. Arthur, Whatatutu, wrote complaining that the dog tax was not enforced against the Maoris. He had counted twentyfive unregistered dig, amongst his sheep in one day, and asked that the Act should be enforced. Agreed that a copy of the letter be sent to the sureties of Hill’s and Nelson the dog tax collectors. Mr R. Bobertaon, Clerk of the Ormond Road Board, wrote: " I am directed to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 23rd May, suggesting to the Board the advisableness of their not levying a general rate for the year, and allow your Council to levy a rale of Jd in the £1 and collect a subsidy of 10s in the £1 thereon. In reply I am instructed to say the Board are willing to pay fd in the £1 rate to the Council on condition that a sum not less than £lOO is paid over to the Board as the proceeds of the arrangement.” The Secretary of the Waikohu Road Board wrote with reference to the same matter, and saying that the Board will consider ths suggestion when the rate is struck. The Chairman of the Te Arai Board wrote stating that it was their intention to strike a rate of |d in the £1 on £177,459, and that if the Council would meet the Board on the same terms as last year, no rate would bo. collected. The Council decided not to entertain the question. Messrs 0. J. Shaw, Tipira Korehe, Daniel Courtney, and R. Williams petitioned the Council with reference to the almost impassable state of the Quarry Road, also stating that there was considerable traffic on the road and the school children were unable to walk along it. Decided to reply stating that the Council would not lose sight of tha work when the dry weather set in.

John Mclntosh wrote asking that all moneys becoming due on his stone contract should be paid to Mr W. Adair. It was carried that the Council would adhere to their former resolution and not accept orders. Mr Skillioorn asked the Council to consider tha formation of a road from the Wairoa road to the Hangaroa Section, as the land was now all taken up.—Decided to expand £l5 on the work. Claims were made by D. Brett and Jas. Comi’skey for wages due on O’Dwyer’s maintenance contract. — Agreed that orders for the amount would have to bo obtained from ths R.M. before the Council could deduct the money.

Ths Colonial Secretary wrote stating that the old rolls would have to ba used if required. J. Mclntosh, tha stone contractor, stated that ha had been directed to cease moving the loose stona from the Patutahi Quarry, as it belonged to Malone, and he could not work any longer owing to the obstruction caused by this stone. The Engineer said the stone claimed by Malone prevented the use of tha beat part of the quarry.—lt waa agreed to communicate with the Patutahi Road Board on the matter, and ask that it be cleared without delay. The following applications were received for the appointment of Ranger :— D, O’Grady, £4 19s per month; L. Mclntosh, £2 per week; J. Barrington, £8 per month; E. Harper, £5 per month; G. Coppin, £6 per month ; E. Devery, £1 per week ; H. E. Forrester, £6 per month ; John Parsons, £6 per month ; W. Brown, £7 per month; N, Nicholson, £8 per month; W. Tarr, £5 per month; J. Halloa, £6 10s per month; R. Cook, £1 9s 61 per week; T. Curtis, £7 per month ; B. Brooking (accepted), £1 per week; J. Biown, £6 per mouth; G. Carrington, £5 18s per month : Anderson, £6 pir month, R. Shaw,£3sfor term ; Pritchard £6 0s per month. The following accounts were passed:— R. Knox, £9 4s 61; J. S. Lincoln £8 10s; W. A. Friar, £4 4s ; Taylor and 'Brownlow, £l2 12s; Burton and Walsh, £5; A. J. O’Neil. £46 15s; Engineer’s sundries, £4 16s; J. Townley, £3 10s 6d; A. Muir, £l2 2s; A. Parnell, 19s 3d ; Gisborne Standard Company, £3 12s 6d; J. Bidgood, 17s 6d; Salaries. £49 Ils Bd. A Committee consisting of Councillors Coleman, Gray and the Chairman, were appointed to call a meeting at noon on Saturday week, to ascertain whether or not the publi o were favorable to the district being represented at the forthcoming exhibition at D In t re'pl'y to Murphy the Engineer said he intended surveying the Tologa road on Tuesday next, - , It was decided to orufi’ thd maintenance contractor to put stone on the Makaraka road at oRC®* The Mayor (Captain Tucker) waited on the Council with reference to the alteration which was required to the Taruheru footbridge, so as to allow the steam launch to pass under.— Council decided to pay one third of the cost. Or Gray thought the contractor for the Makaraka Road should be compelled to keep the road in repair, as it now caused a great portion of the traffic to go along the OrmondWaimata Road.—The Engineer explained that there was no gravel obtainable except from the Kaiti, and that an error had been made in the specifications making it not compulsory to cart more than 100 yards during the summer. . . . The Engineer reported having entered into a contract with O'Neil for a supply of gravel from the beach at Pakarae at Is a yard.—Or Murphy said there was 90 per cent of sand in the heaps, and it was not necessary to get that “stuff" when plenty oLstone was available. —The Engineer considered the gravel was of good quality, and that It would save the Council all the cost of collecting when a contract was let.—Or Murphy objected to contracts being let without the Council s permission.—Decided to discontinue the contract, , Or King brought forward the necessity or having a bridge erected at Faitoratebi. F considered that a saving would be effected if a bridge were built, as the money which was spent a short while back in making the crossing was absolutely thrown away, owing to the current changing and destroying the crossing. If a bridge were erected at a cost of soy £4,600. a special rate of J of a penny in the £ would be required, and if it were decided to expend £2,500 on the work £ of a penny would provide for that amount.—lt was resolved that the settlers send up a petition requesting that a poll be taken on the question.