PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 34, 7 August 1880, Page 3

PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wednesday, August 4.

The usual monthly meeting was held on Wednesday. Present — M ssrs. Dale (chairman), Milne, Homer, Partridge, Hunter, Gane, Brewer, and Bridge.

The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed.

CORRESPONDENCE,

Letters were read from several of the county councils, in reference to the resolution passed in favor of constituting the councils land boards. Some were in favor of the proposal ; other bodies thought it unnecessary to move in the matter, as there was no land to be disposed of in their counties ; whilst others considered it undesirable to alter the constitution of the land boards.

From G. S. Cooper, Colonial Undersecretary, stating that the subsidy account of the hospital had been paid to the credit of that fund.

From J. Knowles, Under- Secretary Public Works, stating that the Minister ot Public Works deciined to interfere in McLean's claim against the council in connection with the Mountain road.

From J. McLean's solicitors, Wellington, in reference to his claim for compensation in connection with the Mountain road contract, and asking the council to name an arbitrator, failing which law proceedings would be taken. From W. Duirs, Whakamara, objecting to the appropriations of the Hawera Road Board.

From Berry and Newman, contractors, drawing attention to the impassable condition of the Mountain road, and stating that they would be willing to bear a portion of the cost of corduroying some of it near the Mangawhero.

From Dr. Keating, in reference to a blind man named Hudson, who was in the hospital, and recommending that he should be sent to the Wellington hospital, as the case would require to be dealt with by an occulist. — The Chairman said that the charge at the Wellington hospital would be 21s. per week, and Dr. Diver had offered to take the case in hand. — It .was agreed that Dr. Keating's suggestion should be complied with.

SLAUGHTERING FEES.

A letter was read from S. T. Fitzherbert, solicitor, Wanganui, stating that he considered the engineer was entitled to slaughtering fees. Mr. Gane drew attention to a portion of the Act, which stated that all fees should become the property of the council.

The Chairman said he would allow no further discussion, as he had taken a legal opinion on the subject, in accordance with the resolution passed at previous meeting.

Mr. Gane wished to know the chairman's authority for his ruling. The Chairman declined to go any further into the matter.

Councillor Homer supported the ruling of the chairman, and the subject then di-opi>ed.

THE MOUNTAIN ROAD CONTRACT.

The Chairman said he had an interview with the Hon. Mr. Oliver, during his visit to Wellington, in reference to McLean's contract on the Mountain road. The Minister of Public Works was of opinion that the council should settle it, and if it went into court and a verdict was obtained against the council, the Government would take the matter into consideration; but if the council were proved to be wrong, he (Mr. Oliver) considered that they should have to suffer. On one contract, he (the chairman) recommended that they should tender i'lG2 to McLean's solicitors, or if they decided to go to law, then that the amount should be paid into court.

Councillor Bridge said that during the time he was chairman, lie never made a promise to give McLean He never wrote a letter, except those that were on the council's books. He proposed that iJI62 be tendered to Mr. McLean's solicitors, withont prejudice, in payment of No. 15 contract, Mountain road. — Carried.

Councillor Bridge further proposed — "That a statement be sent to Mr. McLean's solicitors of the accounts ou No. 22, 13, and 14 contacts, Mountain road, with a demand for the penalty for overtime up to the date that the council commenced to complete these contracts." Carried.

THE MOUNTAIN ROAD.

The Chairman stated that he had replied to the letter sent from Messrs. Berry and Newman, to the effect that no funds were available. There appeared to be some misconception on the matter. He (the chairman) had noticed several paragraphs in the papers, finding fault with him because he had not put the road from Hawera to Normanby into repair. The road was a Government road, but if they would not take charge of it, then the Hawera Road Board should do so. The county council had nothing whatever to do with it.

Councillor Hunter said the road was really a continuation of the Patea road to New Plymouth. A. large number of the settlers had to come by this road to Carlyle, and they felt ' that they were not getting any benefits from what they contributed to the county rates.

Councillor Partridge said that the sooner the road was made a county road the better. It was absurd that a few pounds should not have been spent upon it. The road was not altogether impassable, but it was veiy dangerous to travel over.

Councillor Milne urg. d that the proper course would have been for the representatives of the district to take steps towards constituting the road a county one. He quite agreed with Councillors Hunter and Partridge that some of the rates should have been expended upon it, but they ought to have taken proper steps to get it done.

Councillor Gane thought it would be a suicidal course for the county council to take the Mountain road over.

The Chairman said he had only done his duty in endeavoring to prevent an illegal expenditure. The main line was from Waitotara to Tongatara.

Councillor Brewer pointed out that the Mountain road was the main road to New Plymouth. Therefore, he thought that something should be done with the portion from Hawera to Normanby.-

Councillor Homer asked whether any steps had been taken to get the Government to do something towards repairing the road?

The Chairman replied in the negative. Councillor Homer thought they ought to proclaim the road from Hawera to Normanby a county road, and then endeavor to get the Government to give them a fair start with it.

The matter dropped, and nothing resulted from the discussion that took pLce.

ROAD BOARD FOR NGAIRE DISTRICT.

The following letter was read from the Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands, New Plymouth :—": — " I have the honor to bring under your notice the desirability of constituting a road district in that portion of the Patea county, situate between the Patea river, at Stratford, and Ketemarae. Great complaints have been made by purchasers of the land in this <Hsh2ict (the Ngah-e) relative to the state of the roads. The remedy seems easy. All the roads throughout the surveyed portions of the district have been, or are, in course of being felled for the full width of one chain, and cleared in the centre to the width of 15 feet. The greater part of the land in this large district has been taken up on terms of deferred payments, and a considerable sum of money therefore lies in the Treasury ready to be handed over to the road commissioners so soon as a road district shall have been constituted, and a plan of proposed expenditure on road works approved by the Land Board. The Land Board, under these circumstances, directs me to write and call your attention to the desirability of taking steps to render the funds now lying idle in the Treasury available for improving the roads between Stratford and Ketemarae, and trusts that the Patea County Council will adopt such measures as may be necessary for constituting the Ngaire a road district. " C. D. Whitcombe, " Commissioner Crown Lands."

Councillor Hunter proposed, — " That a meeting be called of those interested in forming a road board in the Ngaire district, to be held at Brett and Johnston's hotel, Normanby, for the purpose of settlers apportioning out their number of members to constitute the new board." — Carried.

COUNCIL CHAMBERS.

A letter was read from the Good Templars, Carlyle, asking the use of the council chamber to hold their meetings once a week.

Councillor Gane proposed, and Councillor Hunter seconded, that the request be complied with. The Chairman said he was against granting the use of the room to anybody. It was only last night that he had received an application for the use of the building for a private night school. There would be no end of such applications.

Councillor Gave thought they would be only doing their duty in acceding to the request. The request was refused. INSPECTOR OF SLAUGHTERHOUSES.

A letter was read from George Harden, tendering his resignation as Inspector of Slaughterhouses, as he believed it to be the wish of the council that he should do so.

The Chairman explained that Mr. Harden had been induced to tender his resignation so as to relieve the Council from the conditions under which he had been appointed, and which entitled him to the fees.

The resignation was accepted, on the motion of Councillor Milne, seconded by Councillor Partridge.

SLAUGHTERING FEES.

Pursuant to notice of motion, Councillor Bridge moved, — " Ist. That, for the future, the Inspector of Slaughterhouses be directed not to demand from the owners or lessees of boiling-down establishments for stock slaughtered for the purpose of being boiled down the fee provided in by-law 7. 2nd. That the Inspector of Slaughterhouses be directed to pay over all inspection fees received by him to the county treasurer."

The Chairman ruled the motion out of order, in consequence of the inspector having resigned, and the legal opinion having upset the second clause of the resolution.

engineer's report.

The report stated that the road between Hawera and Waitotara was in very failorder, but no thward of Hawera, it was in a very bad condition. Contracts 58a and 50 (supplying broken metal on Mohoia &&t) was completed ,' hut the contract for depositing gravel in Waverley was still unfinished. The men employed in spreading metal at Manawapou had been engaged about half the month in repairing the road between that place and Burkes hill.

POOL OF WATER.

A letter was read from Mr. J. Gibson, Carlyle, in reference to a pool of water between his property and Mr. McCarthy's, and stating that he was suffering considerable damage through the water being dammed back on his property.

The Engineer submitted a plan for taking the water away, which would cost about i>2 10s., but the cost of a culvert, which would be required, was not included in that amount.

The Chairman remarked that there was a culvert where the water lay, but it had got blocked up. Councillor Homer moved that the water be taken away, on the plan proposed by the engineer. Seconded by the chairman, and earned.

EXCESS OF METAL.

It was decided that the excess of metal supplied by the contractors at Mokoia should be taken over, on the motion of Councillor Homer, seconded by Councillor Partridge.

surgeon's report.

The hospital surgeon (Dr. Keating) stated that he had been requested to submit a report concerning the hospital building. It would be necessary to have the upstairs portion of the building lined, more especially the south side, from which direction the most severe, storms appeared to come. There were great leaks in every room on the south side of the building during the stdrrn of the 31st July. It seemed inevitable that a large building, in a very exposed situation, could not remain water-tight when the upper story was nothing but a shell of bare boards, surmounted with some sheets of zinc or iron. It was desirable that increased accommodation should be provided as soon as practicable. The kitchen also required lining, and some additions made to it. Five patients had been admitted since 7th July, and three had been discharged. The patients in the hospital were : — Wm. Brown, ulcer ; John Boyle, phthisis ; George Barron, rheumatism and ulcer; Patrick Grace, debility and dyspepsia ; Arthur Broadribb, fever ; Samuel Lloyd, bronchitis and asthma ; and Wm. Hudson (non-resident), blindness.

The Chairman, in answer to Councillor Ganei as to who had requested the surgeon to report on the state of the build-

ing, stated that he had asked Dr. Keating to do so — not that he intended to ask the council at present to comply with the suggestions made, as the Hospital and Charitable Aid Bill was before the Legislative Council, and at next meeting they would be better able to know what position the county councils would be in with reference to these institutions.

The subject then dropped, after some jocular remarks in reference to a statement concerning the road leading to the building — one councillor remarking that "no notice must be taken of the newspapers."

HOSPITAL STEWARD.

Before the consideration of the tenders, ten of which were received, ranging from £50 to £84, the Chairman said there had been a saving of £5 in the way of rations, as compared with what the cost had been at any previous time. The application of David Donnelly, for himself and wife, at £84, was accepted, after a long, and at times rather warm discussion.

WAVERLEY RECREATION GROUND.

The sub -committee recommended that £30 should be voted to the Waverley Jockey Club for works done by that body ; that £25 be spent on the butts and rifle range ; and . that £25 be spent in tree planting. The money had been derived from the rents of the reserves.

Councillor Bridge proposed the adoption of the report, and Councillor Gane seconded it.

After some discussion, the resolution was carried.

Pursuant to notice of motion, Councillor Bridge moved — " That the management of the Waverley recreation ground be handed over to a committee of five, to be elected annually by the electors in the Waverley riding, on the first Monday in September, at a meeting to be called by the chairman of the county council, of which not less than fourteen days' notice shall be given. The committee shall receive all rents derived from the reserve (less any charges), and may expend the same in improving the ground in such manner as they think fit. The committee shall forward an audited balance-sheet to the council on or before the last Monday in August in each year."

The consideration of the matter was held over till next meeting.

ACCOWNTS.

Accounts, amounting to £173 16s. 3d., were passed for payment.

FINANCIAL PROSPECTS.

The Chairman said he had made an estimate of the position the Council would be in next year, provided that the proposals embodied in the Financial Statement were adopted, and the Hon. the Colonial Treasurer had informed him there was every probability that such would be the case. The rateable value of lands sold in the county, amounting to £58,614, a'u Gd. in the £, would be .£1465 75. ; land revenue, probable sales, 50,000 acres, at £10 per acre, £250,000 ; less 25 per cent, for Taranaki Harbor Fund, i' 62,500—.£187,50 0; 15 per cent, on J187,000 for Opunake branch railway, .£28,125 ; 6 per cent, for county land revenue, ;£9875. Native and Crown lands. — There would be, say, 150,000 acres, at 20s. per acre, .£150,000; 050,000 ab 6s. Bd., £216,666 13s. 4d. ; total, £366,666 13s. 4d. A rate of 6d. in the £ would give £9166 135. ; miscellaneous receipts, £1000 ; total rates, about £21,007. The estimated area of the county was 960,000 acres ; lands sold, 160,000 acres. The Financial Statement fixed the value of Crown and Native lands at 20s. and 6s. Bd. respectively. If the financial proposals were carried, and they could tax the Crown and Native lands at the rate of 6d. in the £, the Patea County would be in as good a position as any in New Zealand. They would not alone be able to maintain the county roads, but those in the road districts as well.

A long discussion ensued, and most of the councillors expressed opinions at variance with those of the chairman in reference to taxing Crown and Native lands. It appeared to be the general opinion that the annual rateable value, and not the selling value, would have to be taxed.

MEMBERS' HOSOUARTOM.

In pursuance of notice of motion, Councillor Homer proposed, and Councillor Partridge seconded — " That the resolution passed at the meeting of the council in May, re members' travelling expenses, be rescinded."

The motion was lost on the casting vote of the chairman. Ayes : Councillors Gane, Brewer, Partridge, and Homer. Noes: Councillors Milne, Dale, Bridge, and Hunter.

After a prolonged sitting, the Council adjourned.

For remainder of Reading Matter,

see Fourth Page.