COUNTY COUNCIL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 452, 10 May 1890, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The Council met yesterday afternoon. Present: Crs. Clark (Chairman), Tuohy, Morphy, Coleman, and King. It was agreed to acknowledge a claim from Mr J. M. Bidgood—£3 for damage caused by the capsizing of a trap on a County road. Sir George Whitmore wrote from Waiapu, upraidirg the Council for the very bad state of the roads m his locality. MrP. Barker wrote, under date April 22:— I regret to have to inform you that owing to the very bad state of the Ormond-Waimata Real at the junction with the road to the freezing works, a serious accident occurred on Sunday, the 20 h April. My waggonette was upset and, with the harness, smashed to atoms, and my family placed in the greatest peril—in fact it is a miracle that some of them were not killed. As this was caused by the negligence of the Council in permitting the road to r main so long in ru h a state, I hold ycu responsible. Another buggy was smashed at the very same spot not a week ago, and this is the fourth time my buggy has sustained damage at this identical place. I may also mention that a buggy of mine was so badly injured just below Captain Tucker’s iron gate that I had to get rid of it, and buy a new one. The unfinished portions of the road are in such a disgraceful state that it is surprising a fatal accident has not occurred. My waggonette, for the damage to which I lav claim, is now in Humphreys’ yard, and I shall be glad if you will send some one to inspect it. A trap is necessary for my family, and yon will oblige by sending an early reply - 'to this letter, that I may make arrangements for hiring one. With much regret at having to make such a report, I am, yours, &c., P. . Babkxb.” The Chairman did not think the matter required any consideration. The Engineer said the accident had occurred on a portion of the road ihat was not formed. They apparently had taken the upper portion of the road between the fence and drop, and capsized over the bank. The Chairman said the road was a very fair [ I one, and perfectly good to drive on. j Cr Coleman proposed, and Cr Tuohy J seconded, that the Council acknowledge no j . liability. The Chairman said on going over the road, . he bad been surprised to find it was so good. Or Ccleman said there were some nasty places on it. I Or Murphy said there were some bad places on Whitmore’s road, and a -buggy would be likely to go over in many places there. (Laughter.) Messrs DeLautour and Sievwright wrote—- •• On’ behalf of Mr P. Kane, draymen, we have to claim from you the value of a bullock which was killed on the Waimata Hoad on 28 h ult. In consequence of the defective state of a culvert on the road near Mr Richardson’s land. The road had been washed away, and a gap at the culvert was the result. The bul lock fell through and broke his neck, the weigh: of the dray coming down on him. The dtay was laden with timber, The value of the animal W*a $ 15, and but for the defective state of the road Mr Kane would not have sustained such • loss,’' Crs King and Tuohy (laughing) said at that rate they would be able to claim for bullocks they had lost through bad roads. The Engineer was certain the Council had ■no responsibility in the matter. The bend was a bad one, but there was a 22ft culvert there, and if a man took tbe risk of taking sis bullocks where he ought only to take two, that was his fault. It was decided to decline any liability in the metier.

The report of a meeting was received from Tiniroto in reference to the proposed loan, there appearing to be some misappre. hension. It was considered tbe best way Would be to allow the poll to betaken, and that would decide the matter. In.. reference to a communication as to whether a certain area of land at Patutahi could be obtained for grazing purposes, it was decided to reply that if the land were - not vested in the Council they would have no objection, so long as the Council had permission to take metal and timber from the land, The Colonial Secretary's action in nullifying the poll taken for the Kaiteratshi loan was introduced by a formal letter from the Department. The Clerk said he supposed it meant the loss of the cost of all the advertisements,

the Act being imperative as to the way in which it was advertised. The expenses would be £8 15s 6d. If they wished to take another poll the preliminaries should at once be gone on with, and a poll taken about the 7rh of July. Cr King was strongly in favor of a poll being taken. It was the fault of the Government that the roll bad not been revised. The Chairman eaid their hands had been Strengthened by the majority having declared in favor of the loan, and he expressed himself adverse to this change of the recognised principle that the minority ehould give way to tbe majority, but this minority, of which Mr t Chambers was the most active, did not keep to the old rule. Cr Murphy said they ehould take the poll again for no other reason than they had done previously, ' It was unanimously decided that another poll be taken. Mr J. W. Johnson wrote that the natives had agreed to remove tbe fence op part of the Pakirikirj road, and tbe Arai Board would give f 5 towards it, and he urged that the road be one as soon as possible before the weather got too bad.—The Engineer said it would be too late now to form the road—draining was what was required.—lt was resolved to carry out the promise of drainage directly the fences were put right The Clepk mentioned that the Council would hot get any more rates from native land, and on consultation with the Chairman it had been .decided to draft a circular to the other local bodies interested, so as to get joint action in the matter. Last year the revenue from the source mentioned was £494 and this year it would have been about £420 ■He-then read the circular draf ei—The Chairman said it was uery unfair that the ■ Council should construct roads and increase the value of the native lands, and yet get no re’urn from them.—ln reply to Cr King he said he believed that in the case of land going back from Europeans to natives tfle local fcody ufould lose, the rates. •The plerk said the reason why Government had adopted this plan was that Government had already become a creditor for about £BO,OOO, which they saw no pruspret of getting back, If permission was given to let the land ft would save having to take the land from the natives in case they allowed the rates to accumulate. '' " ■ r "'.THe Chairman Could not see why any distinction could be made between European and Maori—the latter enjoyed all the benefits tbe same as the European. The Clerk said the native Was supposed to knew less.- (Laughter.) The Chairman said the only question was whether they should not communicate direct With Government, but he thought it would be better to have the views of the other bodies. - It was resolved to get the circular printed aud send Copies to the other Councils and to the members of Parliament. The Ranger’s report was read. The Clerk mentioned that a source of revenue had been cut efl in the Haiti being included in the Borough district, but it saved the necessity of fte Council keeping ths road there clear. ' The Engineer, in his report, advised the Council to maintain the drain at Tologa Bay, which Mr Hale complained of at the last Bleating. The following tenders were received for works on ths Toioga-Waipiro Road t - T, Corcoran £l4O, W. Mill £BB, and P, McLoughlin (accepted) £B7. He suggested that ISO chains of drains be cut at Wharekaka, and asked for permission to employ labor in clearing slips and other necessary repairs that were required on tbe coast roads. The Engineer was instructed to have 00 Chains of drains ■■ at at a cost o£ about £5O, and he .-as algo authorised to have other drains It wss agreed to spend the deferred payment thirds (£33) on the road between Arikihi and Pahikau, In regard to an application made under th* lame system by Mr Fitzgerald, the property being a small grazing one-the-principle could not be applied. The following accounts were passed ■ — , Wise and Co, £1 12s, A. Weston £8 Iss, G. and J, Smith £l2, Haroera £lB, Mokina £3 10c, H. Glover £4 10s, J. Blain £6 10s, J. Graham £2B, M. Boland £l5, Moore and Kiely £l7, O. Tonne £l4s, J. Gibson £9 111, TamararoaflO, W. Morris £l5, Taylor and Brownlow £lO, P. McLoughlin £l5 14s, J.

Burns £lO ss, A. M. Brown £24s, Engineer’s men £8 ss, D. Quin 18s 6d, F. Goldsmith £1 12s,Makaraka Cemetery £25, Arai Road Board £B2, Waikohu Road Board £B5 17s 6d, Patutahi Road Board £69 Ils, Waimata Road Board £75, G. Deßlaquiere £5 15s, H. Hamblelt £1 16s, Deposit Account £lO, J. Bidgood £3.