COUNTY COUNCIL.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume VIII, Issue 687, 4 February 1879, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL.

SATURDAY, FEB. Ist, 1879. A meeting of the County Council was -held at their offices, Government Buildings, on Saturday last, present— The Chairman (G. V. Stewart, Esq.), Crs. Thomas Wrigley. J. T. Gellibrand, S. L, Clarke, H. F. Way, and Hans Tapaell. j MINUTES. j The minutes of the previous meeting | were read. Cr. Gellibrand observed that an application of Cr. Way's, about the Maketu road was omitted from the minutes, as also something that occurred relative to MrR. C. Jordan's account. He thought it.desirable that everything should be mentioned. The minutes were confirmed, and the correspondence read and approved. THE KOAD TO THE LAKES. The following letter from the Under Secretary of Public Works was read :— "Public Works Office, Wellington, ....•■: ■ . ■ . „!'B th Jan. .1879. '. '■■ '/-Sir,— - With, a view to the probability ■• of preventing >n expenditure by ithe county in • the improvement of the bush portion of the- . Tauranga and phiuetnutn road, in ignorance, of thesteps being taken by the Government to secure a better line, I am directed by the Hon. the Minister for Public Works to forward you a copy of a memorandum received , from the Engineer in charge for the North Island, : . '■ "The Minister has approved the recommendation as to the exploration and survey of a new lino of road, and will, pending the receipt of the report as to the result, postpone the expenditure of the public vote. — I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient, servant, "John Knowxes. "Under Secretary for Public Works. '• To the Chairman, •'Tauranga County Council, "Tauranga." [Cory. ] i " Wellington, "Jan. 2nd, 1879. "To the Hon. the Minister of Public Works. . "RE MAIK ROAP— TAURANGA — TATJPO. • "The Overseer on this line of road, as you will see by reference to his report (78-3414), recommends that, as metal is difficult and costly to procure, the worst places in the bush (which is 18 miles long) should be corderroyed at a coßt of £2,000. I have lately passed over this road, and find the grades and curves auch that the road can never be made a permanently good one in any way whatever — even if it were metalled from end to end. I have been informed that the bush can be avoided altogether by a detour of a few miles, and that the detour would be through an open and comparatively level land, on which a road could be formed and maintained at a moderate cost. : 1 " Before sanctioning any large expenditure on the old road, I beg, therefore, ■ to recommend that an exploration and survey be made of the new line of road above indicated, with a view to its adoption, should it be. found as reported. Should it be even some miles longer than the old ono, it will be infinitely preferable to adopt it and so avoid the heavy maintenance which mutst be incurred on the present. one. , . ; • . " Probably tlio County .Council of Tauranga • would co-operate in this matter, and their Engineer, Mr A. C. Tumor, is one who could j be trusted in every way to explore and survey the new line. " " John Blackktt." ! Cr. Way : The route referred to is ' through te Puke. It would make the land very valuable. The Chairman observed that the Government said nothing as to time. Winter was coming on, and if the road was to be made it ought to be started at once. Cr. Way : I may mention that Mr Macandrew told, me that he thought the Government would give £2,500, or perhaps £3,000, towards a road to the Lakes. . He also aaked me why we did not try and start a railway under the Railways Act. Cr. Clarke : The Government will help railways when they won't help roads. The Chairman asked the Engineer (Captain Turner), who was pvesent, whether the route suggested by Mr Blackett would do for a railway. ; Captain' Turner : A road would be shorter and easier to make than a railway. Cr. Wrigley : When a road ia made there is no more expense, but a railway is very costly. Cr. Way said the Oropi road was terribly extravagant. The Chairman : What answer shall we send to this proposition ? Cr. Wrigloy thought they ought certainly to give it encouragement. Captain Turner said he know a great part of the way and fancied the route would be a good ono. Cr. Gellibrand : I think we should thank the Government for suggesting the undertaking, and at the same time point out that fts tho traffic ia daily rhereaHing, and winter approaching, something ought to done at one©. Captain Turner pointed out that a« tho proponed road runs through native land it would take some time fco make. Or. Gellibrand : Has any reply been received to our letter requesting assistance from tho Government? The Chairman : Not yet. Cr. Wrigley : We ought to put the road between. Cnadwick's cutting and Oropi in repair at once. The Chairman : I think we should reply in such a way as to show that we throw the responsibility of making the road on to tho Government. Cr; Wrigley : Of course ; take that for granted. We might say that wo aro willing to assist as far as our limited means will allow, and that we shall be happy to place our engineer at the Government's sen-ice.

Or. Clarke : They should bo asked to commence the exploration at once. The Chairman : Perhaps the best way will bo to send a telegram asking the Government to make a grant to pay the expenses of survey and exploration. This suggestion was agreed to, and j Or. Gellibrand moved, Or. Way | seconded, and it was carried— "That the Chairman bo requested to answer the letter from the Government by j wire, asking them to grant a certain amount for exploration and survey, and offering to place the services of the County Engineer at their disposal.". TELEGRAM. The following is a copj' of the message sent: — "Tauranga, Fob. Ist, 1879. | " To the Hon. the Minister of Public Works, "Wellington. i " Referring to your letter, dated January Bth, I I am directed by the County Council to I request you to state what amount you are | willing to place at their disposal towards the expenses of exploration and snrvey of the j proposed new road between Tauranga and Taupo. It is of enormous advantage to this district that the work should be commenced forthwith. Our Engineer (Captain Turner) will be at your disposal." SCHEME OF WORKS. Cr. Gellibrand moved, "That it is expedient for the Council to adopt a definite scheme of. works for the county, and, to further this end, it is desirable to appoint a Committee, for the consideration of public works, to whom all applications for roads, &c, may, in the first instance, be submitted by the Council, and from whose Report (to b© fully considered by the Council) a fail* and efficient plan of operation could be adopted." The Chairman could not seethe forco of Cr. Gellibrand'a resolution. He thought a notice of motion given at a previous meeting would answer all practical purposes. A committee of the kind proposed would not v/ork. Cr. Clarke thought the Council ought to make some bye-laws for themselves. The Napier County Council had some very good ones. Cr. Way seconded Or. Gellibrand's motion, which was however lost on being put to the vote. BYE-LAWS. Cr. Clarke moved, Cr. Wrigley seconded, and it was carried, " That the j Clerk be instructed to collect what byelaws he can belonging to other County Councils, and to submit them for selection and adoption." MAIN ROAD TO THE THAMES. The following letter was read from the Chairman of the Thames County Council : — '• County Council Chambers, "Thames, Jan. 20th, 1879. "Dear Sir, — In reply to your favour of the 7th ult, I have despatched a letter to the Hon. the Post Master General strongly urging upon the Government the advantages the settlers of Katikati and Tauranga would derive from the establishment of a through mail service from the Thames,; " Your proposal is a very good one, and I hope the Government will comply with your request.— l am, dear Sir, yours very faith"Alexander Brolie, "County Chairman. " The Chairman, "Taurauga County Council, "Tauranga." OROPI ROAD. The Engineer's Report, relative to the desirability and cost of repairing the Oropi Road between Ohanwick's Cutting and Oropi, (as requested by tho District Board), was read, and after some discussion, It was resolved, on the motion of Cr. Gellibrand, seconded by Cr. Clarke, " That the Chairman of the District Board be requested to attend the next meeting of the Council, and to consider with them aa regards the expenditure on the Oropi Road. THE THAMES ROAD. The Engineer's Report on the Thames Road, between the Wainui and Waipipi rivers, -was read. It stated that the road certainly required . widening, and recommended that, if, the Council took over the work from the Te Puna Board, Martin's contract should be continued. The Report also pointed out the necessity of making a bridge over the Ongatete river at once, as the present road goes through private property, which it is understood the owner intends to fence in immediately. Two hundred pounds would build the bridge. The Chairman thought the Te Puna and Katikati Boards ought to assist in making the bridge, and, On the motion of Cr. Gellibrand, it was resolved, "That the Clerk be instructed to write to the Chairmen of tho To Puna and Katikati Boards, calling their attention to the necessity of constructing a bridge over the Aongateto river, and asking them what proportion they would give towards this work, also requesting them to" reply boforo next meeting. " The discussion on tho Thames Road was resumed. The Chairman said it was a matter of great importance that the country should be opened between Tauranga and the Thames. Cr. Gellibrand thought the Te Puna Board ought to merge into the Council before anything was done. Mr Jordan (who was present) pointed out that if Martin's contract was broken the Council would never get such a good ono again. The Chairman said the Te Puna Board had done their work very well, and it reflected credit both on themselves and j their Engineer. Cr Clarke moved "That the works be j completed according to Captain Turner's estimate, and under his supervision, and that Martin's contract with the Te Puna j Board be taken over. " • j This was seconded by Cr. Gellibrand, and carried. MAKETU ROAD. j Cr. Way presented tho following peti- ' tion, which he had received from tho inhabitants of Rotorua. " Ohiuemutu, " January 27th, 1879. "To the Member for tho Kotorua Ixiding. " Sikj — We have the honour to request that you will be good enough to bring vmilev the notico of the Chairman and members, of the Tauranga County Council tho. urgent necessity of getting the Maketti Road repaired with aa little delay aB possible. " We wish to draw your attention to tho fact, that by repairing this road fit for traffic it will open up a vast extent of country, and also act as a turn table for buggies, carrying tourists from Trturanga back again, via Maketu. "If this road was opimetl up, merchants and others -would be enabled to bring fchoir goods via Maketu to Ohmemuiu and Taupo at a less cost than by the present route." Afier this was road, Cr. Way informed the Council that he hadaeon Fox and all the principal natives, and that no opposition would be offered to the making of tho road. Under these circumstances ho mOVeCI, '"That £000 be granted for tke Maketu Road, and that the Engineer be instructed to lay it off." The Chairman iaid no answer had been

received from the Government relative to the £400 promised by the late Sir Donald McLean for this route. After some discussion, Cr. Way reduced his demand to £200, and the following motion was passod :—" That the sum of £200 be appropriated by the Council for the formation of the road from Rotoruato Maltetu, subject to the Distributor for Maketu giving the sum of £278 in his hands for the same puvposo. The work to be performed under the superintendence of the Council's Engineer." It was also resolved, " That a telegram be.sent to the Native Minister reminding him of the application made on December 21st for £4.00 for the Maketu Bead." SLAUGHTER-HOUSE LICENSES. The Slaughter-House, licence of Messrs Harvey and Kirk was renewed, and it was determined to grant one, at the expiration of the proper notice, to Messrs Shepherd and Wylio. COLLECTION OF BATES. On the motion of Cr. Gellibrand, seconded by Cr. Wrigley, it was resolved, " That the Secretary be orderedto enforce the payment of rates." ACCOUNTS. Several accounts were passod for payment, and the Council adjourned until Saturday, 22nd of February, at 2 p.m.