HAWKE'S BAY-COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 8652, 22 April 1890, Page 3

HAWKE'S BAY-COUNTY COUNCIL.

Monday, April 21. . ■Present— Messrs J. Bennett (chairman) X Tanner, \\. J. Couper, F. Sutton, G. Hesiop, and J, N. illiams. CORRESPONDENCE. The following correspondence was dealt \nth : — From Mr J. P. Smit'i, Farndon, asking forapoundboard,costing£7.— The Chairman said the Couucil did not receive any Wvenue from pounds, and the poundkeepers, who received all the fees, provided all that was necessary.— Mr Sutton Urged that there were very' few impoundSngs at Taradale. —Mr Williams said that « the fees were not suHieieut to pay for a board a pound was not required.— Request refused. From Mr A. Hnyo, Taradale, asking the Council to take steps to prevent the inflow of the tide o„ tohU section through a culvert.— Referred to overseer. From the Clive Road Board, calling attention to the fact that a countv drain Sear Mr R. P. Williams' emptied if-:elf into a Road Board drain, and to tlnr.w expense on the Board. It was also pointed out that at certain times of the year when wool was being v.-Hieu, the Mrainage from Mr Williams' place was offensive, but that it could ea.-ilv be diverted to the river at slight expense. —Mr Sutton suggested tbat the Council should give drain pipes to Mr Williams if he would divert his drainage to the river. The cost would be about £15. He moved that it be done subject to the approval of Tiverseer. It now cost the Council from £4 to £5 a year to clean out this drain.— The Chairman maintained that the Council had to see only to the draining of its own roads.— Mr Williams urged that it anyone created a nuisance he should be Balled upon to abate it. The Council should not bear that expense. — Mr Tanner moved that the Council give half the pipes, the Road Board to find the other naif, the cost not to exceed £7 10s Mr Sutton accepted this and abandoned hig original motion.— The Council adopted Mr Tannei's motion. From Mr Pointon, asking remuneration for impounding stock on county roads at Taradale.— Referred to the Road Board. From the High School Governors, asking the Council to appoint a member of the Board.— Mr Bennett objected to be *e-appointed, as he had not been able to find time to attend to the duties of the office — Mr J. N. Williams was appointed. From the Mayor of Akaroa, askiog for subscriptions towards the erection of a jubilee monument near Akaroa. — Received. From the Taradale Town Board, objecting that owing to the obstruction of a drain by Mr Laird the county loads were drained through Town Bon id drains, Which were unable to carry the water, Bnd neighboring settlers had their lands flooded. — The Chairman said tbe diversion xvas made with the Town Board's consent, and i t was for the Board to remove any obstruction which was within the town district. — Mr Hcslop thought the Council should do something to relieve the settlers who wore injured. He moved that Mr Xaird be called upon to remove the obstiuction. — The motion was not seconded. ■ — It was agreed to call upon the Town Board to remedy the evil. ESTIMATES FOR THE YEAH. The estimates of receipts and expenditure for the current year were laid on the table. The receipts were put down at 4'9187 6s 6d, the principal items being Jicenses, £560 10s ; rate at _i in the £1, JES9G6 ; overdue rates, £ISO ; native rates for 1889-90, £734 Ss 3d, aud the same amount for 1890-91 ; subsidy under Local .Finance and Powers Act, £SOO ; and dog registration, £200. The chief items in the estimated expenditure were : Clerk, overseer of roads, &c.,£610; slaughterhouses, £150; maintenance of roads aud bridges, £73'21 17s lOd ; hospital and Charitable aid, £727 13s lOd ; and overfiraft at and of last March, £97 14s lOd. Tho Chairman said the Council commenced the year with an overdraft of £2248, and finished with one of only £97. The fact that there was any overdraft at sill was entirely due to the rates on native .ands for last year being unpaid. Last yoar £5700 was spent on the maintenance and construction of roads and bridges, yet, if the Council had received what was due from the Government there would Lave been a credit balance. He thought both the Council and ratepayers uric lo be congratulated on that result. He intended to give notice of motion that the rate this year be only a halfpenny iustead Of five-eighths of a penny in the pound. Mr Tanner agreed with the Chairman, but asked why, if £5700 was found sufficient for roads and bridges, this year $7300 was asked for. Tbe Chairman replied that it was nice to uuard against contingencies, such as damage from floods, and so on. Besides, there was the road to Taupo. The Council had agreed to spend £2500 on that it the Government gave a similar amount, and there was little doubt of that. The only question was the route on whioh the money was to be expended. The estimates were then adopted. THE NGARURORO MOUTH. Mr Tanner said the mouth of the Nga-j-uroro had moved northwards until it was Bow opposite the road crossing; over the railway at the wool scouring works, on the Napier side of Farndon. There was only a narrow spit of gravel between the mouth and the railway protection works. He had been strongly advised by those who knew tbe river that now was tbe proper time to scoop a channel, ready for the next Hood, and he moved that £10 be granted as a subsidy for tbe work. No doubt the Road Board would assist. Mr Sutton said he had intended to inove that the Council assist the Road Hoard by au annual grant of £25 to keep the inqutli of the river open. It was necessary that someone resident near the spot should be empowered to act when necessary, and the Road Board's overseer was a very suitable man. The Chairman said it was nouse trying to open a mouth unless the river were in flood. He thought the railway was more likely to suffer than the road, and that the attention oi the Public Works Department should be called to the matter. Mr Sutton said that had been done by the Road Board, and the inspector ol railways visited the place periodically. He Understood that the inspector had reported that the Tailway was at present in no danger. Mr Tanner withdrew his motion in favor of one by Mr Sutton granting an annual subsidy to the Clive Road Board, 'which was adopted. COLLECTING THK HABBOR I! \TE. Mr Sutton said the Harbor Board was about to promote a bill enabling it to make a levy on the local bodies for any inoney required, instead of the Board Striking and collecting a rate. It would mean large expenditure on clerical assistance if the Board collected a rate, while tbe existing rating bodies could doit with little or no trouble, as it would be ea=y to add a sixteenth or an eighth of a peuny to the ordinary rate. It would, in fact, be doing the -.me for tbe Harbor Board as for the Chn '.table Aid Board. He moved that the Council consent to the proposal of the Harbor Board. A similar arrangement was being made at Timaru. It was hecessary to move ia the matter now, aa, Unless the Government took up the matter and passed a general measure, the Harbor Board would have to give notice of its intention to introduce into Parliament a private bill. The motion was carried. THE TAUPO HOAD. Tho County engineer, Mr C. D. Kenhedy, reported a.s follows on the Petane and Waipuna routes to Taupo :— "In accordance with instructions, I have the honor to report on the best line of road to avoid the Petane river crossings and the steep gradients of the present road ; also to give estimates of the cost of making and maintaining such toad to Te Haroto station. '•I have been furnished with Messrs Carr's, Hallett's, Laiug's, and other report- sent into your Council during the last nine years. Several lines of road have been suggested and reported on at different times, but the routes possessing most advantages are those known as the Jfo. 3 via Waipuna and No. 1 via Petane. Both of these routes are formed for the greater part of their lengths, aud the unformed portions have heen surveyed and traded, and a tolerably accurate estimate of tho cost of construction has been arrived at. The Lucky Hill and Eskdale Hues, lately reported on by Messrs Hallett and Lamg, are deviations of a few miles of No. 1 route, and were carefully explored before locating the road at present surveyed ; via Lucky Hi 'l »" approximately 1. mileß lo «Sor, and Would to»t «200 lees that the line laid oR ;

and the Eskdale route is 1_ mile longer, costing £300 more. These estimates include bridging all creek crossings on the No. 1 route now surveyed. I would respectfully suggest that the consideration n f the ;e deviations be deferred until the main point is decided, as their respective merits could only be correctly ascertained after actual survey. No. 3 route commences at the Napier Post-office, and follows the Taradale road for three miles, then branches off to the light, skirting the inner harbor to the Gieenmeadows hills, total 4J miles ; then a use of 220 feet, portion of the ascent being made at a gradient of 1 in I2_ ; from here a descent is made by easy grades to the Whareranga flat, eight miles; the valley is followed for three miles, and than Glengarry range is crossed, the ascent of 580 feet being accomplished in 2J miles, aud the descent, 490 feet, in 3 miles. The Rissington bridge, over the Mangaone river reached, distance from Napier 16 miles, the road being in good order and metalled the whole distance. Leaving Rissington the road rises 200 feet to Grey's Hat, thence to Camp Flat, which is left at 19 miles, and an ascent of 700 feet is made to Taylor's hill, 23J miles, thence a descent of 308 feet in 1J mile to the loadman's whare ; from here to the junction of roads near Patoka, 2£ miles, the road is good and the grades are easy. Tbe section between Rissington aud ' Patoka would be the worst piece of road along this route. Between Patoka and Waipuna an entirety new road has lately been constructed on good gradients The highest point, 207S feet, along this route is reached at a saddle 30. miles from Napier, the Waipuna saddle, wheie the road descends by easy gradients to the Mangatahi stream, and cuts ohliquelv the western slopes of the Waka range. The streams are numerous, all running direct to the Mangatahi, and have to be encountered in detail. For the next three . miles the valley is followed, light sidings aud formation being required s thence for ! two miles the difficulties are of a formidable nature, a change of character in the bed rock producing very rugged features. From this point to the terrace on the western side of the Mohaka river there are alternative routes; the adopted one by bridging the Mangatahi at the Chinch bush, and rising by a sleep siding 40 chains in length te the terrace, which, exceptii g one transverse gully, is con tinnotls to the Mohaka river, a distance of a mile. The Mohaka river requires a bridge. The road men rises to the terrace at a -r.icle of one in thirteen for half a mile : thence to the present Taupo road at Te Haroto station, about 1J mile, the road skirts the foot of the hills to avoid the ravines that intersect the flat. Total distance of No. 3 route, 43} miles. " No. 1 route commences at the Napier post-office, and follows tbe present rond to Taupo ior 12£ miles to Marshall's II it ; the road thus far is in good order, metalled, and practically level with the exception of the Shakespeare and Petane hills, which are crossed at gradients of about 1 in 14. From Marshall's Hat to the foot of Lucky Hill, nearly two mile", the road has been partially formed, but the surveyed line has not been .strictly adhered to, and improvements and alterations are necessary to complete. From here to the junction with the Taupo road, near Pohui, 12$ milts, nothing in the way of construction has been dono. After leaving the fonued ro:ul the line follows the Slimg.ikopiko stream for two miles, crossing ii in all seven times. The shingle at the=e crossings is -loose and heavy for traffic, and in my estimate of the cost of this line 1 have allowed for bridges in place of the pitched causeways originally intendi ,1 Leaving the creek the line inns by a st- ep siding -G5 feet in half a mile, the gradients being 1 in 10 and 1 in 11 ; tbe top of a spur is then readied, aud for the next four miles the work is generally of a light character, the line gradually ascending to the foot of Marshall hill, 1 in 10 for 44 chains, the rest of the rise being by easier grades ; tbe total height risen by the lino round "Marshall ' is 411 feet in one mile. The main range is then followed for 2J miles, the grades being tolerably good, and Black hill is reached at 24A miles from Napier. This is the highest point between Mupier and the jnnction with the prcsentTaupo road(l4Soft above sea level) ; the range is now left on the rigbt, ond a descent made to the valley, which is followed to the present coach rood at 27, miles from Napier. The grades on the last 2_ miles are easy, excepting a dip of SO feet at 25:^ miles, where the gradients are 1 iu 91, 1 in 10, 1 in 11, and 1 in 14*7. With respect to Ihe remaining portion of the route, which traverses the present road, I quote the following from Mr Carr's report dated March, ISSG : — " The height of Ibis point above sea level is 1350 feet. The co.-.ch road there rises over a spur at an elevation of 1540 feet ; then descends to 1470 f,--t oppo-ite the Pohu lake, where the road Irom Marshall's crossing conies out ; it then ascends u> 1530 feet at King's hnu.-e ; then ascends a little over a spur at tbe Pohui stables; then deseends and then rises continually from IGSO feet in the Pohui bush to the top of Titiokurn, 2550 feet above sea level. This incline is a very steep one ; the road is badly niade, and where metalled badly metalled, and it is very badly looked after. From the top there is a very steep incline down the other .side to Catou's bridge, 1600 feel. It ffieu deseends more gradually; in fact, comparatively easily, to the top of the Mohaka cutting at a level of 1380 feet ; it then descends the steep incline cut in the face of the cliff, to the Mohaka bridge, 1089 feet above sea level. Distance from Napier post office, 36.J miles. From the Mohaka bridge an ascent of 200 feet is made to the terraces at gradients of 1 iu 1 1 In Tin 14, and the terrace is then followed to opposite the Te Haroto station, total distance 37^ miles. The mountainous nature of the country between Pohui and Mohaka will not admit of any great improvements in the steep gradients without much expense, and materially increasing tbe length. Substantial improvements can, however, be effected at a moderate cost, and for these I have allowed £400 in my estimate. The following is an e-limate of the respective costs :-— No. 3 route : Improvements Rissington-Patoka, t2OO ; formation, culverts, and small bridges, \\ aipuna -Te Haroto, 10? miles, £2200 ; bridge, Mohaka river, £1500 ; supervision and contingencies, £390 ; total, £4290. No. 1 route : Improvements, Marshall's flat to foot of Lucky Hill, £150 ; formation, culverts, and small bridges. Lucky Hill to Pohui, 12} miles, £1850 : bridging eight creek crossings, £1000; improvements, Pohui to Mohaka, £100 ; supervision and contingencies, £400 ; total, £4400. "In this estimate no provision has been made for metalling, for the reason that neither road has, in my opinion, any advantage over the other in this respect. Metal can be obtainod along the creator part ot each route, and the unmetalled distance of each (approximately 24t miles) could be metalled as funds permitted. The metalling that would be necessary on either road to make it fit for winter traffic I estimate to cost £400. " On the question of maintenance I do not think either road possesses any advantage over the other, the cost of maintaining the extra length of No. 3 route being balanced by the nature of the csuntry between Napier and Patoka, over which the road will always be maintained very cheaply. I estimate the cost of maintenance of either road at £GOO per annum, including repairs to metalling, culverts, and small bridges." " One question which must not be overlooked is the condition of tbo Mohaka river. The bridge has been erected 15 years, and at the lime of its construction difliculty was experienced in getting the piers to the proper depth, and I hear that a Government officer has lately reported unfavorably on the bridge. I have not inspected the bridge since receipt of your instructions, as to enable me to report satisfactorily it is necessary to he iu possession of certain data re depth of piles, etc. I am in communication with the Public Woiks Department, but tbe required information has not yet been received. "Plans and longitudinal sections of the two routes are forwarded herewith, and an inspection of them will give your Council a much better idea of the respective gradients than any description." The Chairman seid that it had been his intention to move that the Council definitely adopt one lino of road, but as sjveral members were absent he would defer it, and in the meantime councillors could carefully study the report. Mr Tanner said he understood that the Council instructed Mr Kennedy to go over all the alternative routes and report on theni, but he seemed to have written the report without personal inspection ; and he quite omitted to report on the suggested deviations at Lucky Hill. The Chairman said Mr Kennedy ban previously surveyed both lines, and he had all the necessary information iu his office. It would have been needless expense for him to have gone over the roads again. As to tbe deviation at Lucky Hill, when he laid out No. 1 roule bo had adopted the best line he could find. OVERSEERS REI'OUT, The overseer leported as follows : — I have the honor to roport that patching arrt repairing tke follnwinw ronds with moliu where required at long distances from tho quar y has been commenced during tbo month as authorised :_No. 1 contract, now Taradalo KcdolifF roa<i ; N O . 2, Green-meadows-Tlisainalou raid: No. 4. Tnreha bridK'-Mi-nnee-Pukotnpu road; No. 9, IHave-lo-'k-flaatiugs road ; No. 11, Havelock middle road. Heads at short distances from quarries are belter repaired whon the ro.ids are s ftd"n. Wood l^nri'c • - Kurirapanga-Paic-road.— As tin 1 winter is no-v approaching. 1 have kuw-kod off metal repairs to a i» nion of ths ri ad r^tiwon Rarricade creek and Kurinapnnga, which has been cairiffl on dm-in- 1 tno summer and J, ii' ii u i ii months, t b"g to recommend that t'v-> miles of ih's road mi itimsell's flat, and also 20 chains opoositn the Konini Hotel, bo foi mod and metalled, coot £W. When your ("imicil has money available to expend on tbia mad, I beg to recommend for vour consideration tho idvlsabilily nf expending it on __oro\H>g Ihe Konlnl cutting, the grade, of v.nicn are e_Utely 100 .tteo fot vrueel traffic

—1 in 7 and lin 8. This short portion ol road is th , worst between Napier and Patea. Paintino: tho Oinaliu, Ngaruroro, and Riaslngton bridges are c unpleted ns auihorisod. RiS9ing!on-Patoka-ri.a:l.— As instructed. I have lately examined this road, and I find no briars except some Bwcet briars at Kissington, which I hive instructed tho surfacemen (o eradicate The report was adopted. Accounts were passed for payment, aud the Couneil adjourned.