WAITMMATA COUNTY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7270, 7 March 1885, Page 3

WAITMMATA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The annual monthly meeting of the' Walt*mata County Council was held yesterday at the offices, Palmerston Buildings. Present: Mr. 0. Mays, Chairman; Messrs. Smyth, Sinclair, Laing, Allison, Lloyd, Monk, and MoLeod. The mi nates of the last meeting were read and confirmed, Dokn's Contract, Wadk. —This wu a> matter which had been previously before the Council, and in consequence of the contractor having failed to carry out hia contract » resolution was passed that the work be com. pleted at the risk of the bondsmen. Tender* were accordingly called, but the oaly one received, that of Messrs. Field and Graham, was nearly three times the amount of the Engineer's estimate. It was therefore de. dined, and it waa agreed to advertise for fresh tenders.

Riv&bhead and Kumeu Road Iα reply to a letter trom the Council, Mr. John Lamb wrote offering to give the land required through his property, to connect Cobbler's Hill lioad with the railway station.—The letter was received, and a resolution passed thanking Mr. Lamb for his generons gift. Waitakebbi Vaxlkt New Road.—The Engineer forwarded pfana of survey of the road. It was proposed to take from DiU worth's property about 152 chains or 12 acres. This it was proposed to take nnder the Public Works Act. Messrs. J. Smyth, through whose land the road went for about a mile and a-half, involving 12 acres, and Messrs. John S. Kelly, W. 8. Bradley, and Allan O'Neil contributed alone 200 chains or 20 acres free of cost, , and the thanks of the Council were accorded to them for their liberality. Portagk-road, Waimauxu.—The Hon. P. Dignan wrote in reply to the Council, refusing to give land for the road to connect the Portage-road with Waimauku station. It was resolved to make a similar request to Mr. A. K. Taylor, the owner of the adjoining block.

Henderson Pound.—lt was resolved that the request of the poundkeeper, to hate a portion of the pound roofed in compliance with the new Act, be complied with. Shoal Bay Reclamation—A letter was received from the Harbour Board, promising to contribute £250 towards the cost, pro* vided the work be completed to the Board's satisfaction.—The letter was received. Map of Ridings. — The Assistant Sur« veyor-Generalj in reply to an application from the Council, wrote offering to supervise the preparation of a map of eaoh riding of the county on a scale of 20 chains to the inch, provided the Council appointed a surveyor. Mr. J. W. Harrison was appointed at a fee of £25.

Clerk of Works, Shoal Bay.— Messrs. Boylan and Lundon, engineers, wrote asking the Council to appoint a clerk of works for the Shoal Bay works.—-It waa resolved to authorise the appointment of » clerk of works at a salary of £3 per week/ Mb. McElwain's APPLIOATiON.i-In regard to Mr. McElwain'a application, on behalf of himself and Dr. Stockwell, to contribute £50, provided the Connoil expended £20 on the West Coast-road, a report was received from the Engineer, to the effect that the proposed expenditure would not be of much public utility, and would only benefit Messrs. McElwain and Stockwell, and he estimated that the repairs and deviations would cost £300. It was resolved, "That, provided Mr. McElwain, Dr. Stockwell, and the other owners of property paid half, the Council would contribute the other half." Waitakerei Old Road.—A letter waa received from Mr. N. G. Lennox, but as it was couched in language held to be disrespectful and dictatorial, the question of whether it should be received at all wae raised. It was finally agreed to overlook the tone of the letter, and consider its purport, which was asking for repairs to the Henderson and Waitakerei Road. The application was referred to the Local Board to report on. ~ Waitakekei Bridoe.— The looal Board, in reply to the Council, offered to pay half the cost of a new footbridge over the Waitakerei River near Mr. Lennox's .property. The offer was accepted, and it was agreed to call for tenders.

Kara Kara, Manukau Heads.—The offer of Mr. Murdoch to repair a boggy place in the road for £10, and to keep the water} tables, &c, in order for twelve months for £12 was accepted.

Mairetahi Board.—The Secretary applied for an increase of £23 on account o! the Wharepapa road contract. —Granted. Makkrau Bridge.—Thie. being a bonti: dairy bridge between the Waitemata and Rodney counties the Rodney County Council had applied for its sole control, but the , application was opposed by the Waitemata County, and was referred to the Hon. the Minister of Public Works, who now wrote continuing the control of the bridge in the Waitemata County Connoil.

. Coijnty. R ads.—The Chairman, in par* suance of notice, mo*ed, V That the intend road from Helens villa to Kaukapakapa, and the road from Swing Bridge, Helensville, to Woodville railway station, be added to the list of county roads."—The motion traa agreed to.

Waipeirira Road applioa. tion for repairs to the road from Bruce'* Point to the Great North Road, was referred to Mr. Smyth to report, Mandkati Riding.—Mγ. John Porter, Chairman of the local Board, wrote aiking the Council to increase the grant to that riding, pointing out that the present grant was out of all proportion to the area of the riding and its many wants.—lt was agreed that the resolution could not be entertained ; and Mr. Laing gave notice that at next meeting he would move that the grant be increased.

CoMrKNSATiON Clause.—The WhangareJ County Council forwarded a circular, asking the co-operation of the Council in a petition to Parliament for a grant to enable counties to meet compensation claims, and to legalise certain roads. A report on the subject was received from the Engineer, and the consideration of the matter waa deferred until next meeting.

Waitakerei Riding.—Mγ. Smyth moved that £50 be expended in fascining and metalling the road to the east side of Taupaki station, and £50 in similar work on the west side, and that the road near Johnston's property be repaired.—The motion was agreed to.

Count* Rate.—A good deal of discussion took place in regard to levying a county rate, and it was finally agreed " That a rate of |d |n the pound be levied in the Ridings of Waitakerei, Warkworth, Titirangi, and •Manukau, and in regard to the Ridings of Ararimu and Takapuna, that provided the looal bodies do repay one-fourth of the loans expended in their districts on or before the 21st instant, no rate be levied on them."— The resolution proposed 'by the Chairman, and seconded by Mr. Sinclair, was strongly Opposed by Mr. Laing, who protested against the portion referring to Takapuna and An* rimu, as being unfair to the rest of the county. Waitakehei West . Coast Road.—Mr. Smyth gave notice that he would more at next meeting, "That as soon as the Waitakerei Valley Road is formed it be declared a county road in lieu of the present road, and that no further county expenditure be autho* rised for the old road." This concluded the bueineee.