PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 66, 27 November 1880, Page 4

PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The Council met on Wednesday the 24th at 11.20 a.m. Present — Messrs. Brewer, Gane, Homer, Hunter, Milne, "Partridge, and T>a)e (in the chair). ■The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters were read from the clerk county council, Wanganui, asking for half the cost of repair of the Waitotara bridge, and for hospital expenses of Mr. Hall, £5 odd.— From G. 8. Cooper, with copy oi amended slaugh-ter-house regulations. — From G. S. Bridge, Waverley, asking to be furnished with a detailed statement of all hospital expenditure. — From Hawera road board, stating that, previous to appointment of the present clerk, no accurate accounts were kept, and Mr. Bate would be unable to prepare the returns asked for. — From W. Dale, re levelling of section in Whenuakura, which had been broken by the excavation of gravel; requesting that the section should be levelled by the council. — From P. C. Galvin, asking for leave to remove his slaughterhouse.

Letters had been sent to various 'chairmen of road boards, asking for statements of expenditure. — To the Colonial Secretary, asking for 21 years' lease of the Waverley recreation ground. The other correspondence was of no general interest.

A discussion arose on the letter addressed by the chairman to the council re the levelling of Mr. Dale's section. The Chairman explained that all the gravel, which had been taken out of this section, had been taken by the council by day labor, the understanding being that any damage done had to be repaired.

Mr. Gfane expressed his determination to oppose the claim, as he was of opinion that certain other contractors had done a great part of the damage complained of.

Mr. P, C. Galvin was informed that be had better apply for a new license, t after advertising for a month. A telegram was received from Dr. OKKou, Weftuigton, respecting 3fr. i Hudson, to the effect that the injured eye was too irritable to render an operation possible at present. Returns of receipts and expenditure, from the Patea West and the Wairoa road boards for three years, also returns from the Patea East and Hawera road boards, and from Carlyle town J board for one year, were laid on. tae i table. . At 12 o'clock it was resolved that the council adjourn for the , annual meeting required by the Counties Act. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN. Mr. Milne proposed that Mr. W. Dale be chairman for the ensuing year. The proposer pointed out that their chairman had acted in a thoroughly impartial manner, and had proved in every way an excellent chairman. Mr. Homer seconded the resolution, and expressed his entire concurrence with the remarks of the previous speaker, and pointed ont that it was a considerable advantage to have a chairman residing in the business centre of the district. He thought it would be difficult for any one to have conducted the business better than Mr. Dale. ! The resolution was carried without i opposition. I Mr. Homer moved a vote of thanks j to the chairman for the able manner in which he had conducted the business during the past year. , Mr. Gane thought that eighteen twentieths of the chairman's decisions had been quite wrong. He gave him credit for acting according to the best of his judgment, however, but in his opinion Mr. Dale's judgment was generally at fault. He intended to have proposed another chairman, but the gentleman in question could not spare the time. '" Mr. Bridge was pleased to see the chairman re • elected. He did not agree with many of the chairman's decisions, bnt he recognised the many advantages oi having a chairman resident in the county town, which saved a great deal of time to the person holding the office. Mr. Dale thanked the councillors for the honor they had done him. He thought that if the matter were thoroughly gone into, it would be found that a large majority of his rulings had been correct. He did not profess to be infallible, but he had always endeavored to act fairly and impartially, and had certainly treated his opponents with every consideration, and had endeavored not to allow any personal opposition which he had met with influence his rulings. ,

BOBPITAZ ACCOVNT.

On resuming ordinary business, Mr. Bridge • asked the clerk whether he had been able to prepare the return of hospital expenditure, which had been asked for. He thought the council should know what proportion of the expenditure had been incurred for wine, beer, and spirits, as judging by what had occurred in Wellington lately, it was evident that great waste was sometimes permitted under this head. ,

The Clerk stated that a press of other work had hindered him from preparing the return. At present, the expenditure on liquors was much less than when Dr. Croft was in charge.

PETITION.

Mr. Partridge presented the following petition ;— " We, the undersigned, having learned, that a petition prepared by a section of the settlers' will be .presented to the council, urging

the withdrawing of the lower Ngaire district from the jurisdiction of the Hawera Road Board, and amalgamating it with the upper Te Ngaire district, beg most respectfully to ask the conned bo withheld ibeir- sanction. We believe the gentlemen composing the Hawera Road Board will faithfully and -impartially expend our money for the benefit of all, and from their experience and independent position, will hasten to give us an outlet. We therefore feel assured that the council will accede to our earnest wish to remain as we are at present. — C. H. W. McCutchan, W. White, W. Stuart, P. O'Connor, J. Pratt, Jas. McCutchan, E. Kelly, W. Broderick, D. Brown, A. Gibson, H. Gibson, J. and W. Cleaver, M. Hogan, J. Twigg." The petition was ordered to lie on the table for one month.

"WORKS BEPOBT.

The following report was handed in by the foreman of works, for month November, 1880:— "The road east side of Patea bridge is completely destitute of gravel, owing to tho heavy traffic, hauling gravel for harbor purposes, and unless re-gravelled, will be very heavy for traffic next winter. A culvert at Manutahi has collapsed, being rotten, a new one to rep2aee it being now in progress. I purpose placing heaps of gravel between Waihi creek and Waingongoro, as the cheapest means of keeping this portion of road in repair during winter months. I would suggest that tenders be called fox supply of gravel fox the following places : — Hawera junction to boundary line between Messrs. Mace and Hicks ; Tongahoe hill, both sides of river ; Whenuakura hill to Mr. Homer's gate ; and Patea bridge to top of hill, east side."

It was resolved to take action with regard to any owners of land adjoining the road who had failed to clear furze off the highway. In reply to certain questions put by Mr. Bridge, the foreman of works stated that where the gravel for the council had been excavated on Mr. Dale's section, the surface was entirely broken, and precipices hare been left. Mr. Brewer thought hhab some gravel should have been placed on the road on the southern end of the county. The foreman explained that there was no funds to do more than just the very worst places. The Chairman asked the foreman what the cost would be of removing the water from Woods' section^ and. was informed that no estimate had yet been prepared. Mr. Bridge thought that the question of ways and means necessarily cropped up in connection with the works report. He would support the adoption of the report so far as the metalling of the hill went. Mr. Homer thought it would be advisable to lower the road at the same time as the metalling was done.

It was pointed out that the cost of altering the road would be about d 8360, and there was not funds available for the purpose.

ACCOUNTS.

The monthly abstract of accounts and payments was handed in, as follows: — Receipts: Rates, .£3l 2s 8d; licenses, 10s ; dog fees, £2 19s. Expenditure: Nil. Accounts for payment : Patea Mail, .£1 9s 3d ; Wanganui County Council, £17 lls ; W. Dale, £&.

Mr. Homer proposed, and it was carried, that the accounts be passed for payment. The coudcil then adjourned till 2 o'clock.

GRANTS IN AID.

On the council resuming, the Chairman read a telegram from Major Atkinson, to the e&eet ihab he much regretted that Government would be unable to grant the assistance towards maintaining the main road wnich had been asked for.

ORDINARY BUSINESS.

Mr. Bridge proposed that the chairman call a public meeting for the purpose of petitioning Government to alter official name of town from CarJyle to Patea. The mover .pointed out the anomalous position which the town occupied. Letters addressed Carlyle were handed to tbe recipient with Patea postmark upon them.

Mr. Houghton, by permission of the council, explained that the Survey •Department thought that there would be some difficulty about altering the name upon the maps. That was the only difficulty winch had been brought before the Town Board.

After some discussion, the resolution was carried.

DOG TAX.

The Chairman explained that he had delayed submitting the right of collecting the tax to auction until □ear the time when the tax might be collected.

DRAIN AT CORNWALL STREET.

The Chairman said that he had not yet taken action about draining Woods's section at the expense of the Town Board, as that Board had not yet met since the last meeting of the council.

WAVERLEY RECREATION GROUND.

Mr. Bridge moved a resolution by which the election of trustees of the Waverley recreation ground should be regulated, but the chairman ruled the motion out of order, as contrary to the original minute.

It was proposed by Mr. Dale, and seconded by Mr. Homer, — "That a sixpeuny rate for the year ending 31st March, 1881, be struck. The rate to be due and payable on. and after the Ist December.

COUNTIES V. EOAD BOARDS.

The adjourned debate on the above question was then resumed. The chairman stated that he found by the returns laid on the table the expenditure of Patea West was about 16 per cent. ; Wairoa, three years, 7| pei cent.; Patea East, 28 per cent.; Hawera, one year, not known ; whereas the expenditure of the county council was 10 per cent, of the revenue. Mr. Homer thought the expenses of the Patea Road Board had been about 28 per cent. Mr. Milne considered that not one of the returns which had been laid on the table could be depended on. Mr. Gane proposed that this debate be further adjourned, which was then put to the meeting, and declared to be lost on the voices.

Mr. Hunter, in reply, sai<2 he ia<l but little to add to what he had previously urged in respect to this matter. He had written to Major Atkinson on the subject, but had received no reply. He had ascertained that there would be no funds available from the Public Works Department for the maintenance of the road in question, and he thought it would be hebter ior the council to "undertake it.

Mr. Bridge's amendment, proposing that the road boards should be written to, asking whether they were prepared to take over the portions of the main road within their boundaries, was then put to tfre meeting, bat was declared lost on division by 5 to 3. The original motion, requesting the Government to revoke the Gazette notice proclaiming the Mountain road a Government main road, and to allow the county to undertake it, was put and declared lost on division by 5 to 3. The Chairman explained that he would have voted in favor of the resolution if the council had voted sufficient funds to cover the proposed expenditure within the year. But as they had only carried a sixpenny rate instead of the ninepenny rate which was required, according to the estimate of the finance committee, he woal/1 not Ymdertake to increase the liabilities of the council.

The council then adjourned to inspect the road on the Patea hill, and also to examine the gravel-pit on Mr. Dale's section, where the damage complained of had been done.