WHAKATANE COUNTY COUNCIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9164, 20 September 1888, Page 6

WHAKATANE COUNTY COUNCIL

The general monthly meeting was held on Monday, September 10, at Opotiki. Present : Messrs. J. B. Gow (chairman), E. P. Dumergue, Arthur Parkinson. Isaac Walker, R. Wright, and Dr. Reid. Replies to last month's correspondence were read, discussed, and approved. Correspondence.—Letter received from Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, Tauranga, stating objections to delegating to the Council the power to administer its own charities, or to expend money for charitable purposes without the consent of the District Board. Letter received from Mr. S. Crapp reporting upon the work required by Mr. A. M. Ross on the Waiotahi Road; also, reporting upon the general bad state of that road. Letter received from Tauranga Countv Council re alteration and re-erection of guide-posts at Otamarakau River, stating that the matter will be attended to immediately by their engineer. Letter received from Mr. S. Wilson, Whakatane, explaining the reason of the employment of Mr. F. N. Carnachan to nominate a native assessor at Maketu for the Whakatane Licensing Bench. Letter from the Property Tax Commissioner re rates upon native lands for 1886-7, stating that the same will be paid on receipt of a certificate from the chairman that none have been paid by the natives themselves. Letter '■ received from the chairman Hospital and : Charitable Aid Board, Tauranga. enclosing cheque for £11 14s in repayment of the amount expended by the Council in the case of Patrick Mouaghan, deceased. Letter received from the Opotiki Road Board asking the County Council to grant a eum out of the allocation fund to erect a bridge over the i Tarawerawa Creek, Waiotahi River. Resolved, " That the application bo granted.' , Opotiki-Ohiwa Main Road. —Re Mr. Crapp's report upon the bad state of the I Opotiki-Ohiwa. section of the main road, Mr. I Dumergue proposed, Dr. Reid seconded, i " That Mr. Crapp be asked to call for tenders ! for putting the road into necessary order and repair." Carried. Licensing Act.—Resolved, "That the olerk obtain a copy of the Licensing Act and amendment." Balance-sheet. — The annual balancesheet of the Whakatane Road Board was received and examined. Mr. Dumereue, treasurer, explained what steps had been taken with respect to the auditing of the balance-sheets, stating that everything was now completed, but that the balance-sheet was not yet back from the auditor. Mr. Dumergue also explained that a number of rates were owing by absentees, and suggested that these should be sued for at once, and the land sold in due course under the provisions of the Rating Act. Reliek from Rates.—An application was received from Mrs. Croon to be relieved from paying her rates, on the ground of inability to do so, in consequence of distressed circumstances. Held over until next monthly meeting for further consideration. Arrears OF Rates.—Mr. Gow proposed, Mr. Dumergue seconded, " That all persons owing rates for two years be sued at once." Carried.

Whakataxk Roads.—Mr. Dumergue called the attention of the Council to the necessity for repairing certain portions of road at Whakataue, being portion of the main road leading to the river, and consisting of oO chaius of formation and 00 chains of metalling, and proposed, " That Mr. Crapp be asked to inspect and report upon this work." Dr. Reid moved as an amendment, Mr. A. Parkinson seconded, "That, as there are no available funds in hand, this work stand over for the present." The amendment was carried. Mr. Dumergue applied tor a grant of £5 to protect the main road at \Vhakatane where a creek is cutting into it. The motion fell through for want of a seconder. Mr. Kelly, M.H.R.—In response to Mr. Arthur Parkinson's notice of motion at last meeting, the clerk produced copies of the correspondence with Mr. William Kelly, M.H.R., which was discussed at some length, when Mr. Parkinson proposed, Mr. Gow seconded, and it was carried, "That a letter be written to Mr. Kelly calling his attention to the fact that on three occasions letters upon important local subjects have been forwarded to him, to none of which he deigned to reply, and asking for an explanation.' . Wharf at Ohiwa.—The question of erecting a wharf and store at Ohiwa was discussed, and it was resolved, " That a further letter be written to the Minister of Marine asking for an Order-in-Couucil to empower the Council to proceed with the proposed work at once."

Telephone Extension.—Mr. Dumergue proposed, Mr. Gow seconded, " That an application be made to Dr. Lemon, Inspector of Telegraphs, to have a, telephone line led to Ohiwa and a telephone station established there." Carried.

The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman. —[Own Correspondent.]