HAWKE'S BAY COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7329, 26 November 1885, Page 3

HAWKE'S BAY COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wednesday, November 25. . Present — Mr F. Sutton (chairman), Captain gussell, M.H.R., Captain A. S. Biroh, and Messrs T. Tanner, G. Bymer, and J. G. Kinross. FINANCE. Vonohera amouutiug to £507 18a 7d were passed for payment, making the Council's overdraft £3474 la Id. CORRESPONDENCE. The following correspondence was read : — ( From Messrs Murray, Roberts and Co., asking that the road from Petane via Glengarrie might he made passable for traffic. — The Chairman said the road overseer dealt with the matter in his report. From 0. Hughes, Mount Enn, applyfor a slaughtering license. — License to be issued. From the manager of the Colonial Baii, intimating that £900 had been paid to the credit of the Council under the Eoads and Bridges Construction Act-, trtHa .the Commissioner of Crown Lands, asking the Council to take the control of the Papakura cemetery reserve. — The Chairman read a letter he had written in reply, in which he expressed the,. opinion that the reserve would not "be required for cemetery purposes for twenty years to come, and recommended that the land should be sold or leased. There was about nine aorea of reserve. — Mr Bennett thonght the Council should assume control of the reserve, whether it was used for cemetery purposes or not. — The Chairman said the Oonnoil was asked to control it for cemetery purposes only. He donbted whether it could be leased, and if leaned the rent would not go to - the ConnoU's revenue. 7 - From the Colonial Treasury (in reply to several 'letters from the chairman

urging the payment of the subsidy due to the Council), stating that 75 per cent, of the subsidy due would be paid as soon as corrected data had been received by the Property Tax Commissioner. — The Chairman said the information supplied wna correct, and he had sent a letter of explanation. From the same, notifying that no further payments could be made under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, except for uncompleted bridges, and asking for an explanation of an application for £600 additional to com - pleto a bridge on the Omahu-Patea road.— The^Chairman said there wbb a misunderstanding, as the Conncil had not claimed anything beyond the threefourths of the £1200. Another bridge on the road was badly wanted, but in the face of the letter from the Government it would be naeless to apply for a grant for it. From the Wairarapa East Counfy Council, asking whether the Uawke's Bay Council had taken any further steps to test the legality of the Biibstitutod rolls under the Crown and Native Lands Rating Act. — The Chairman explained that the Council had petitioned Parliament on the Bubject, and thongh he had received no official reply he understood from telegrams in newspapers that the Public Petitions Committee had reported in favor of permitting the Council to test the disputed point in the Snpremo Court. The cost of the proceedings would not be great, as he apprehended that no evidence would have to be called, and that only a legal argument would be required. — Captain Rubsbll and Mr Tanner expressed themselves in favor of taking a test case into Court, but thought that the other Councils interested should contribute towards the legal expenses. — After some discussion Captain Russell moved that the Council proceed to test the legality of the deductions made under the Crown and Native Lands Ratiner Act as soon as four other County Councils should have signified their willingness to share in the expenses pro rata on the amount of rates levied. —Mr Bennett seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. From the Distriot Hospital Board, asking for information as to the ratable value of the county. — The Chairman said the information bad been supplied. EOAD OVERSEER'S REPORO*. The road overseer presented the following report: — Napier-Clive-Havelook-Ts Auto Eoad.— There are four horse teami daily employed ' metalling and forming this road between the soap worts, Awatoto, and Waitangi railway crosiing as authorised. The neceßsary repair* to the "Waitangi bridge are completed, and metal repairs to a part of this road between the Te Aute railway station and hotel are also completed. TaradalePukntapu-Hakawai Road. — I beg to recommend that a portion of this road be improved by cutting off sharp elbows and straightening crooked bonds between the Puketapu saddle and foot of the hill towards Puketapu ; cost £70. Wakonini-Mangawhare Hoad. — Messrs Heagan and Morgan hare completed their contract improving road near Waikomni. Omahu-Okawai-Tumei Eoad. — I beg to reoommend that the four bridgei lately erected on this line of road be screwed up and punted, and also I would recommend a bridge whare, belonging to Mr Gtlendinning, now standing near the Okawa Greek, be purehai»d for a roadmen's vhare. Kuripapinga-Tararau-Patea Hoad. —The contractor for metalling parts of this road between Kurip*panga and Tararau is making very good progreis ; both sides of the " Gentle Annie " are metalled. The con-

tractor has removed bis plant, and is cow metalling bad portions near tbo Hone Shoe bend. Thie road is in Tory good order for the wool season's traffic. Hissing ton- Patoka Eoad. — Approaches to the Ri'siaston bridge are completed, and it is now open for public traffic. I beg to recommend that this bridge be screwed up and punted. Petane-liUckie Hill Eoad. — As instructed I hare examined this road, and I find it will co«fc for putting in culverts £70. The Chairman said that hematite paint was cheaper than lead paint, and he understood it was better for bridges. — Mr Bennet said that tar was still better and cheaper if applied hot. One bridge in the Meanee district had been tarred, and it answered remarkably well. — It was decided to use tar for the bridges on the Tunanui-road, but the painting of the Rissington bridge was deferred for the present, to allow the timber to become more seasoned. Mr Kinross remarked that the shingle was being laid so thickly on the lower ' Waitangi road that no vehicles would travel over it. — The Chairman explained that the 6hingle would be blinded. The clause relating to the Luckie-hill-road was deferred pending the discussion on Mr Tanner's notice of motion referring to the road. THE PBTANE-POHOI-BOAD. Pursuant to notice Mr Tanner moved that the Qouncil take over as a county road the line known as Kennedy's-line, from Marshall's flat to Pobui. He explained that the piece of road in question was only bix miles long, and had been laid off so as to avoid the numerous crossings of the Petane river. It had been formed, though it was not very wide at the cuttings, and all that was required to make it passable was the construction of several culverts. The Council had already spent money in forming the road, bat it was uselesß without the culverts. Mr Kinross seconded the motion pro forma, but said he was opposed to I taking over any more roads as county roads — the movement should rather be in the direction of handing back some of the present oounty roads to the Road Boards. The Chairman concurred with Mr Kinroas's remarks. He remarked that daring the last twelve months the Council had taken over the old middle road in the Havelock riding, and in consequence the Havelock Road Board levied a rate of only an eighth of a penny. The Council suffered in two ways, as it not only had to maintain the road, but it got less subsidy, the subsidy being payable on the rates levied by the Road Board and not on the rates levied by the Council. It was the same at Heretaunga, when the Council had spent £350 on a bridge or a Road Board road, the result being that a rate of only an eighth of a penny was required in that riding. Mr Tanner interrupted the chairman with the remark that he believed the Heretannga rate was the third of a penny, not one eighth, and that the Road Board was disposed to strike the full three-farthing rate to enable the maximum subsidy to be claimed. I The Chairman said that at all events the system hitherto pursued had been too slipshod altogether. The Olive Road Board maintained all its roads in capital order, and never thought of flaking the Council to relieve it. The Petane Road Board was notorious for shirking its duties— it had levied a rate of an eighth of a penny, but whether the money was ever collected he did not know. That Board persistently refused to help itself and threwevery thing on the Conncil, and the Board should take the road from Marshall's Flat to Pohui in hand and do what was necessary to it. Mr Bennett thought the motion should be postponed until a decision had been arrived at on the motion of nhich he had given notice, that an independent engineer be engaged to report on (he various rontes for the main north road. Mr Tanner said he would amend his motion so as to read that £70 be expended on culverts on the road, leaving ont that part providing for it being declared a county road. It was not a Boad.Board road, and all the expenditure on it hitherto had been by the

Council. It was a sort of No-Man's-Land, ana that was why he suggested that it should ba declared a county road. Tho Chairman said it was a. Koad Board road. All roads were Koad Board roads unless specially taken over" by the Council. Mr Bennett objected to any expenditure on the road. There was an old Road Board road about two chains above tho new line, which was nothing but a deviation to gel a better grade. Tho old road was still available for traffic Ho made the road himßelf, out of his own pocket, and the Road Boan then took it over. Mr Tanner replied that In making the new line the old road had been cut away iq places, rendering it impassable. Mr Kinross moved, and Captain Birch seconded, that £35 be voted, provided the Road Board contributed the other half of the money required. The Chairman and Mr Bennett opposed the amendment. Mr Kinross snid the chairman was always telling the Council what great things the Clivo iload Board did ; but there were men not representatives of that Board on the Council who declared that the Board was most nefilectfnl of parts of the district, and accused it of spending in one corner all the rates raised. He did not know whether thnt was quite accurate The Chairman said that the other aide of the Tiiki Tuki was represented on the Board by Messrs Loughnan, Handyßides, and Hill, and every penny asked for expenditure in that district had been granted, and one of the wardens had carte blanche to incur any expenditure up to £50, Captain Russell : Perhaps the largeness of the sum paralysed him ! Mr Tanner admired the chairman for the way he held tip the Clive Road Board as a model, but it must be remembered that all the roads in that district had been made by the Provincial Council or County Council. And last winter tha road from East Clive to Havelock, by Mr Nairn's, was so bad as to be absolutely dangerous, and those who should have used It had to go round by the chairman's house. That ! was one of the roads in the care of the model Road Board. (Laughter.) The Chairman : Oh, there's an explanation of that, too. [No explanation was, however, given.l Mr Kinross's amendment was then put and carried, Mr Tanner saying he voted for it on the principle that half a loaf was better than no broad. THE MAIN NORTH BOAD. Mr Bennett then brought forward his motion that Mr Carr, C.E., be employed to report upon the various routes to the north via Petane, Glengarrie, and the Inaogatahi. Ho said he did not wish to cast any reflection upon the .Council's engineer, but Mr Kennedy had surveyed one line and naturally preferred that. Mr Bold had surveyed another, and he believed Mr Weber and Mr Hallett had had something to do with other rontea. As he wished for an independent report on the rival lines he suggested the employment of Mr Carr. Captain Russell asked whether Mr Bennett wanted a detailed or a flying Burvey ? Mr Bennett said there would be only a few miles to survey altogether, as no doubt the details of Mr Bold'a survey were on record, and Mr Kennedy's line was formed. He did not think the

whole cost would exceed £00. Mr Tanner said that Bold's line was advocated before the Spit bridge was built, to do away with the necessity of punting across the inner harbor. Since the bridge was built the necessity for adopting another line of road had passed away, and the coachmen who drove the Taupo coach said that even if Bold's line were opened up they would still use the road by the Petane valley. Mr Bennett said the coachmen spoke in an exactly opposite way to him, saying that even if the Glengarrie-road were longer they would use it hecause of the traffic to be picked up on the way. After some further discussion the motion waa carried and an expenditure of £50 authorised. TENDERS. Six tenders were received for the formation of the new road from Whareranei to Petane, ranging from £231 to £448. The lowest, that of M. SullivaD, was accepted. ANNUAL MEETING. This being the annual meeting of the Council, the election of a chairman for the ensuing year was proceeded with. Mr Tanner said that last year, when proposing Mr Sutton as ohairman he had expressed the opinion that the chairmanship should not be continually held by any one man, but that the members of the Council should take it in turn. The position of chairman of anoh a body as the Council was not only honorary but onerous. The chairman had to devote a great deal of time and special knowledge to the public service. The present chairman had filled the office most ably, but It was advisable that other Councillors should obtain an insight Into the duties of the chairmanship, so that in the event of the absence or illnesß of the chairman for the time | being his duties could be performed by another member without detriment to the interests of the public. He (Mr Tanner) last year suggested that in Mr j Bennett they had a gentleman of energy and extensive and practical experience, who wonld make an excellent chairman, and he had great pleasure in proposing Mr Bennett. He was aware that some members thought it would be advantageous to have the member of the House of Representatives for the district in the chair, but he understood that Captain Eusßell was unwilling to accept the position, He therefore moved that Mr Bennett be ohairmari for the ensuing year. Mr Sutton said it gave him muoh pleasure to eeoond Mr Tanner's proposal. He agreed that the ohairman Bhould be changed now and then, and though he bad undertaken the duties with a great deal of pleasure during the latitsix or seven years, he found the position entailed a considerable tax on his time, and as he had now less time at bis disposal than formerly he would be glad to yield the office to Mr Bennett, promising him any needed assistance until he became more intimately aoquainted with the office work. It would bave been with different feelings that he would have seen another chairman eleoted twelve months ago. Then the Council had a very large overdraft, and he would not have Hked to hear it aaid that he had led the Council into a mess and then left another man to extricate it. That oould not now be said, for though the overdraft was nominally £3000 the money which would be received shortly from the Government would more than extinguish it. Captain Russell moved that a cordial vote of thanks be accorded to Mr Sutton for his past services as ohairman, and that the vote be recorded in the books of the Council. Captain Russell referred to the politioal oontesta in whioh he had met Mr Sutton as an antagonist, and said that the fact that they had met as opponents made it more pleasurable to him to express his appreciation of the eminently Batiefaotory way in whioh Mr Sutton had performed the duties of chairman of the Council. With referenoe to Mr Tanner's remarks as to the advisability of the member for tho district being the chairman of the Counoil, he would remark that hia Parliamentary duties wonld take him away dnring a great part of the year, and it was desirable to have the chairman always on the spot. He (Captain Rua B ell) had been asked if he would accept the position, bnt he