WHANGAREI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Northern Advocate, 20 April 1915, Page 3

WHANGAREI COUNTY COUNCIL.

A PROTRACTED MEETING

The ordinary meeting of the Whangarei County Council for April necessiated a long sitting, though there were no exceptionally outstanding matters discussed.

The members present were the Chairman (Mr J. E. Mclnnes) Crs. H. A. Morey,. E. W. Tattley, McLennan, A. E. Phillips,' R, Y. 'Kernohan, J. Keay and W. Hay; with the County Clerk (Mr H. C. Hemphill) 'and- the County Engineer (Mr W. M. Fraser).

BURNETT'S HILL. , The Borough Council, writing with • respect to Burnett's Hill pointed out ' that at a commission, appointed at the express wish of the County Council, on ' August 11, 1913, it was agreed between the representatives of the County Council, Borough Council and Kamo Town Board that the Whangarei Borough Council "was the proper, body to control the portion of the main road from Kamo •to Whangarei lying within the Borough boundary as well as the portion, 24 chains in length, known as Burnett's Hill, whick formed the boundary between the Borough and the County. A recommendation that the County pay half of the cost of maintenance and reconstruction of the Burnett's Hill portion, and that footpaths, kerbing and channelling be done by each local body independently was adopted. A warrant 'issued in the Gazette of October 19, 1911, definitely fixed the matter. The County Council again brought up the question in May 1913, and were then reminded of the Warrant. The Borough Council, therefore could not see its way to .take ariy action. COST OF LIVING. The Prime Minister wrote that the resolution of the Council respecting the cost of living would receive careful consideration. MANGAPAI-WAIKIEKIE ROAD; The Public Works Department wrote that as the County Council had commenced the .work on the MangapaiWaikiekie road in pursurance of the authority for £200, £1 for £1, the cancellation of the authority on February 25 could be ignored. x ELECTRICITY LICENSE. The Borough Council requested permission to erect the necessary lines to supply electricity to the Whangarei Hospital and probably other parts of the County in the immediate neighbourhood of the Borough. By agreement with the Dominion Cement Co., Ltd., the Borough had the right to supply the inhabitants of Blocks 5 and 9 Whangarei and 8 and 12 Purua Survey Districts. "'V Cr. Tattley said the matter should be carefully investigated, with particular reference to the charges at which elec-. trieity was to be supplied. - The letter was held over for -con. sideration. THE LINDAUER COLLECTION. A similiar communication, to that received by tho Whangarei Borough Council was put before the County Council respecting the Partridge Collection of Lindauer portraits. The County Council contribution on a valuation basis would bo £251. The clerk pointed out that the sum 0f;£251 had been excessively calculated. . ' ■ _' , : It was decided to refer the matter to the r.ext meeting so that the Council could point out the error. FENCING APPLICATION. Mr J. V. Wallace asked permission to erect about 20 chains of fencing on the reserve adjoining his property in. Wheki Valley. The fence would be on waste land and would not interfere, with the road. He had lost cattle through insufficient fencing.

The Engineer was instructed to 'in speet the place. ;

BOULDER'S BRIDGE. Mr D. J. O'Carroll, Maungakaramea, wrote suggesting that hand rails be placed on Boulder's Bridge on the Maungakaramea P.O. and Kauri Hill. Traffic was increasing and a guard was required. ' • It was agreed to do the work. \ APPRECIATED SUGGESTION. Mr J. O. Ewing forwarded a suggestion that the Council should make application to the Harbour Board for the sole right to remove shingle from Manganese Point for the use of the pipe yard on Pakatoa Island etc. It was the best concrete shingle available for the work. There was only a limited amount of shingle and it would probably accumulate just quick enough to keep the pipe yard going, and his suggestion would probably suit thp Harbour Board better than having the beach opened publicly. The suggestion was adopt cd. RUAKAKA COMPLAINT. Mr Duncan A. McKay,' Ruakaka, complained that the water table overflowed in wet weather, preventing the successful cultivation of his land. He would be pleased to have assistance in having it drained. He was prepared to make the drain 'at half the Engineer's estimate. The drain would be a great benefit to the road. It would be '30 chains long, 3 feet wide, and 21/2 feet deep.

Cr. McLennan said it was the first he had heard of the matter.

The. letter was left in, the hands of the Riding member and the Engineer.

COMPENSATION CLAIM,

Mr Henry Wilson, Otaika, drew attention to a hitch which had arisen over a road to be given to him as compensation for the deviation which was taken through Section 90 about eight years ago. If he was not to have the road he wanted £f> as compensation. The Council decided to pay the compensation. A FALLEN TREE. Mr G. A. Hawkes asked permission to remove a fallen Pohutukawa tree from the roadside at Parua Bay. He offered 5s for the value of the timber in it. Permission was accorded. PROPOSED MORGUE. »The report of a deputation to the Borough Council on the matter of the proposed morgue recommended that the Borough Council provide, free of cost, a suitable site and undertake the erection of the building as per sketch plan submitted by tho Borough Council, the County Council to contribute to the cost. Cr. Morey proposed that the County Council agree to sharo the expenditure up to £150. Cr. Hay seconded. Cr. McLennan proposed and Cr. Finlayson seconded that the matter be deferred until plans were approved by the Borough Council and the Health Department. The amendment was lost, the resolution being carried by six votes to three.

For Influenza take Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. Never fails, 1/6, 2/6

WAIOTU WILLOWS. The Marine Department again referred to the willows in the Waiotu stream. It had been reported to the Department that the , stream was blocked up and that the Council only intended to ring the willows, which it was stated would not clear the stream. The Council was asked-to state exactly what was intended to be done. It was pointed out, however, that it had been also reported to the Department that the stream was in the Bay of Islands County in which case it would probably be. advisable that tho Council of that County do the work.

. Cr. Keay said that most of the stream was in the Bay of Islands County.

It was decided that a deputation visit the stream and inspect the boundary.

AN OFFER WITHDRAWN,

A letter was received on behalf of Mr William Dent, Kara, stating that he was not no,w prepared to agree to a road being taken through his place. Part of the small piece of land in question was subject to flood, and on another look at the ground, the takingof a road would encroach too much on the comparatively small area of land which was above flood level.

At the last meeting of Council Mr M. McKinley attended as a deputation respecting this outlet' through. Mr Dent's property. On March 22, he wrote that as Mr Dent had promised to give the Council a roadway a chain wide through his land free of charge, he (Mr McKinley) would do likewise, if. necessary free of charge, provided the road ran along and adjoined the boundary between Mr Nobe's and his property continuously during its whole length, and that Mr Dent fulfilled his promise.

Cr. Phillips said he inspected Mr Dent's property by request and in consequence Mr Dent made his offer. Now that Mr McKinley had agreed to fall in with the idea, Mr Dent had changed- his mind. It was enough to make a councillor sick and sdrry of being in his position.

It was resolved that the Council abandon the matter.

Later in the.afternoon Mr McKinley again attended. He offered to pay all costs of legalising the road, but the Council held to their resolution.

. KEAY'S DEVIATION. The Clerk to the Otamatea County telegraphed that the Public Works, Aucicland, required the Council's consent to expending the Mareretu-Waikie-kie grant of £400 in the Otamatea County. That was in connection with Keay's deviation.

It..was agreed to acquiesce in the spending of the money on the Otamatea end of the road.

•'.• Mr J. A. Bisset wrote that he had been informed that he would be charged a royalty of one farthing per 100" feet on all; timber" he had hauled along the road from Kaikanui to Whauanaki this season. He had understood that he would not have to make any such payment if he had kept the road in fair order, which he had done from his skids to the landing Pt Whauanaki for the last two years. That he would continue to do so while he used it, if he ~ were let alone and treated properly. It was not fair to make him pay as well, simply because he owned a traction engine. He had intended to send men to fix up the road for the winter as soon as possible and he had also determined to make the Council a present of a road running' iii a straight line from the Kaikanui bridge to the Opuawhanga school. That was provided he got t'air play, of which lie intended to be judge. Received, x ROADING REQUEST.

Mr William Holland applied for a road to his place from the main road on the Kiatia. There were 50 chains to make worth about £1 2s 6d per chain. He was prepared to do the work at a price amounting to a £ for £ grant. • ' ■ The Council decided to apply for a grant of £25, Mr Holland to supply £ tor £ subsidy. FRONTAGE QUESTION. Mr E. A. Cunningham, Hikurangi, asked if the new road being formed opposite his property was to be legalised and what arrangements the Council making for giving him a frontage to the whole property.

■ The Council decided that nothing could be done until the Committee for Crown Lands had decided the position. "*' A RUARANGI SURVEY. Mr J. 11. Bell, Ruarangi, asked that the survey through his property be completed as the Mareretu side had been surveyed. He wished to put up his fences. • The Council resolved that the work be done when funds permitted. ROAD EXTENSION SALE. Personal representation was made by Mr A. Bray of Maunu for the purchase of the road extension fronting his property.:

The Council decided to close the extension and sell the .land. KAURI MOUNTAIN, ROAD. Mr N. McLeod, contractor for the Kauri Mountain road applied personally xor the payment or* £20, which sum'had been deducted from the amount of tho contract and extras.

The County Engineer opposed, the payment. He said the road was not finished to specification, and the deduction was made by'the Public Works Inspector. The contractor had met with unforeseen difficulties and tho amount of work had been done. He told tho contractor that he was satisfied if the Public Works Inspector passed it. It was decided to defer "the applicaand in th& meantime to obtain from the Public Works Inspector details of the items deducted. A KIRIPAKA OUTLET., Another personal application was made-in which Mr Wedge asked for an outlet to his Kiripaka property. He said Colonel Holgate had closed a road which formerly gave outlet. The road had been in use 42 year 3.

The Engineer said the road had never bean legalised and was now Col. Holgate's property. Mr Wedge pointed out that he. could not enter or leave his property without trespassing. , It was decided that . the Chairman, Cr. Tattley, and the Engineer inspect tho property. INCOMMODIOUS OFFICES.

Cr. Kernohan rlointod out that the business.of the Council was increasing, and he considered that the time had now arrived for the chief officers to have private offices. The Clerk said he had already a reorganisation scheme in course of consideration, which he would submit to the Council. There was no ether •■ business.