HOKIANGA COUNTY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8475, 28 January 1891, Page 3

HOKIANGA COUNTY COUNCIL.

An ordinary meeting of the Council was held at Rawene, on Saturday, January 17. Present: Messrs. G. Webster (chairman), Blundell, Holt, Lawrence, Page, and Yarborough, and the County clerk, Mr. R. Cochrane. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. Copies of the outward correspondence were read and approved. CORRESPONDENCE Received.—From Mr. Seon, asking that any money available after providing for works already laid out on Rangiora-Kohukohu Road, be used to place culverts at certain places specified. Consideration deferred until tenders had been opened. From Mr. Seon enclosing £3 lis (id collected from the Kohukohu residents on account of Otane Road. From Mr. Archibald, requesting six weeks extension of time, for completion of contract. Mr. Yarborough moved, " That the time be allowed, and contractor informed that no further extension would be given." He stated that the reason for making the application was that the contractor had been obliged to leave the work to attend to his crops. Seconded by Mr. Page, and carried. From the proprietor of the Northern Luminary acknowledging cheque, and " humbling submitting" to a reduction of his account made at last meeting. From Mr. McKechnie, re damage to bridges by floating timber. From Wilson and Co., estimate of cost of tank. Accounts for goods supplied (charitable aid) were ordered to be passed to N.A.C.A.B. as follows Flood (supplied to C ashman), £4 17s 7d and £2 18s Id; (supplied to Moore) 15s. Mr. Yarborough said that the information received by him and imparted to the Council, that Mr. Cashman had died in Hospital, was incorrect. He had been discharged as incurable, and returned to Hokianga. Mr. Blundell pointed out that one account was not certified by the recipientof the goods, and moved, " That it be returned to Mr. Seon for completion." Seconded by Mr. liolt, and carried. Letter from Marine Board re foreshore, and asking if a building on the same had been removed. The Council thought it better to leave the building as it would yield revenue for ground rent. Letter ordered to be acknowledged. Schedule of deferred payment thirds duo from Crown Land's Department received, and consideration deferred. The Inspector's report was read, and on the motion of Mr. Yarborough, seconded by Mr. Holt, was approved. it stated, inter alia, that in consequence of necessary repairs not being effected the VVaihou Bridge is getting in a worse condition. The contract for placing culverts on the Rawene-Omania Road is completed. The claim for compensation made by natives for Otane-Kohukohu Road had been settled for £13 ss.

Payments.—The following payments were ordered, and Messrs. Yarborough and Page authorised to sign cheques for same :— County works, £91 6s Gd; compensation for land taken, £13 ss; ferry subsidy, £6; inspection of works, £11 is 2d; salaries and commissions, £9 16s; councillors' expenses, £0 Is; total, £137 9s Bd. Tkndkrs. —The following tenders were opened and dealt with : —Contract No. 63, Horeke-Okaihau road, engineer's estimate £3.'!s -Is 4d : D. McKenzie, £459 10s; Mackeretli and Co., £394 14s 9d; G. T. Clendon, £387 lis (3d; Hapeta Henere, £357 19s Id (accepted). No. 67, Oinapere Road, repairs to bridge, estimate £16 9s : G. T. Clendon, £21 16s, accepted, as any possible advantage gained by calling fresh tenders would be swamped by expenses. No. 68. WaihouMaratahi Road, estimate £35 4s : 1). McKenzie, £41 10s; G. Marriner and Co., £58 4s; James White, £30 10s (accepted), No. 69, Kohu-Rangiora Road, estimate £15 : Anonymous, £20; Win. Gray, £15; Ferguson, £15; •J. McLcod, 14 ISs (informal); Hapeta Henere, £14 0s Gd'; Murray, £13 (informal); Wm. Archibald, £12 3s 9d ; W. Gordon, £12 (accepted); A. Forbes, £11 4s (informal). Ordinary Business.—Mr. Seon's letter re Rangiora Road being considered, Mr. Yarborough moved, " That the available surplus, i'S, be expended in construction of a bridge across the Tautehcihei Creek." Seconded by Mr. Lawrence, and carried. Mr. Holt moved, " That the inspector of works be instructed to prepare specifications for cranes, to be erected on Rawene and Kohukohu wharves, awl call tenders, returnable at next meeting." Seconded by Mr. Lawrence, and carried. The Chairman stated that Messrs. Mears and King had asked that deferred payment thirds available might be spent on the road skirting their boundary, and he moved, " That their request be acceded to." .Seconded- by Mr. Holt, and carried, the inspector being instructed to have the work done. With reference to work authorised at la/.fc meeting to be done at Tapuwahi Creek, Motukaraka, Mr. Blundell moved, "That tenders be called for it, and that the clerk be authorised to deal with them." Seconded by -Mr. Holt, and carried. At Mr. Blundell s request the treasurer gave an approximate statement of assets and liabilities of the county, which showed : —Cash in hand and bank, £411: monies due from all sources, £828 : total assets, £1239. Cheques drawn, £137 9s 8d ; works in hand, including tenders accepted at this meeting, £645 3s Gd : total liabilities, £782 13s 2d. Tank.—The estimate for a tank was considered. Messrs. Wilson and Co. stated that cost of construction, not including excavation or covering, would be about £90. The total cost would therefore be probably not less than £180. Mr. Yarborough moved, "That the question of providing a tank be, deferred nine. die.'' The motion was carried. Mr. Blundell's motion, *' That a tank of half the capacity be made, and a rate levied for the purpose be levied on Rawene," being lost. There are many difficulties in the way of carrying out the scheme. It is questionable if sufficient support could be obtained in Rawene to guarantee the necessary loan for the purpose, and of course ratepayers outside the township could not be taxed for a purely local benefit. Again, the only good site available is the allotment on which the County Hall is built; and, as that is only held on lease, the Council would hardly be justified in sinking much money there. The Chairman said lie would ascertain the feeling of those interested; and, if necessary, would bring the matter forward again. Noxious ok Motion. —Motions of which notice had been given were then taken : — By Mr. Blundell : " That this Council cease for the future to recommend the distribution of charitable aid, and that applicants apply direct to the Charitable Aid Board." Seconded by Mr. Yarborough, and carried. By Mr. Blundell: " That money be set aside to construct a road from Waihou Bridge to Harris 1 Creek." Seconded by Mr. Page, and carried. A motion by Mr. Blundell, to supplement deferred payment thirds, to connect Wluirewharekauri with the Great North Road at Haratau was withdrawn, as the work'which the settlers wished done would cost more than the Council could afford, and a petition from the settlers on the subject was ordered to be replied to accordingly. By Mr. Yarborough: That a committee, consisting of Messrs. Webster, Blundell, Holt, and the mover, be appointed to draw up a report particularising the receipts and expenditure of moneys in the various ridings of the county during the year commencing March, 1890, the present assets and liabilities, and the estimated income and expenditure of the Council for I lie year ending March 30th, 1892, the committee to report at the next meeting of the Council." Seconded by Mr. Webster. With permission of the mover, an addition was made instructing the committee to consider arrears of rates, and report. Tliu3|amended the motion was passed. By Mr. Yarborough, "That no money exceeding £5 in amount in each case 'be voted for expenditure except upon notice of motion previously given, or subject to the unanimous consent of members present at a meeting of the Council,and that the by-laws of the Council shall in no case be suspended except with unanimous concurrence of members." Seconded by Mr. Blundell. The matter was discussed at some length, and Mr. Yarborough, in reply, said he had not wished to draw a hard and fast line, but to urge the necessity of adhering strictly to the by-laws regulating proceedings at meetings. Having brought the matter forward, he was willing to withdraw the motion. This was agreed to. Mr. Hall moved, " That Mr. Blundell's resolution re charitable aid take effect from 31st March next, and that the Board and all presant recipients be advised accordingly." Seconded by Mr. Lawrence, and carried. Mr. Blundell moved, "That tenders be called for the work authorised at Waihou Bridge, returnable at Kohukohu." Seconded by Mr. Laurence and carried. Mr. Webster moved, "That Messrs. Blundell and Yarborough deal with these tenders." Seconded by Mr. Holt and carried.

Next Meeting.—lt was-resolved to hold tlx; next meeting on Saturday, March 14, and that the committee already appointed to deal with finances be authorised to make progress payments in the interim. Mr. Holt requested there would be no earlier meeting, as repairs, &c., were urgently needed on the Tahekc-Kaikohe Road, but owing to the inspector not having reported on them, he had not been able to move in the matter. Committee Meeting.—The committee met, and after appointing a chairman and decided on a quorum',' adjourned to Saturday, February 14, at two p.m. Omitted Items.—The following items were omitted from my report of Council meeting of December 20, IS9O:—Mr. Lawrence applied for £5 to be spent in completion of work at Herekinp, and Mr. Blundell for 30s for a direction post to be placed at the junction of Rakau-xapu Road. Both requests were granted. Mr. Holt moved that cranes be erected on the Rawcue and Kohukohu wharves for loading and discharging punts 'and small craft. He pointed out that at present the work was done at great risk to those engaged in it, aud that considerable loss of

time was involved. The motion was seconded by Mr. Yarborough, and carried. Amotion by Mr. Lawrence to the effect that the amount now contributed by the county to the Charitable Aid Board should be withheld, and be distributed by the Council, was withdrawn on it being shown that the contribution to the Board was regulated by statute. Mr. Yarborough moved that deferred payment thirds due for expenditure in the neighbourhood of Hallowell's and Archibald's sections be subsidised by £25, and a track cleared from these sections to Kohukohu. Mr. Blundell seconded. It was explained that the road originally used by these and neighbouring settlers had now been merged into private properties, and fenced across, so that there is no open communication with the township. Mr. Page objected to the grant being made until the state of the funds had been gone into. The treasurer, in reply to the chairman, stated that funds in hand were sufficient to meet the demand. Mr. Holt agreed that it was necessary to be careful, and suggested that the motion might be held over. The mover consented, but Mr. Blundell declined to agree. He would, however, accept a smaller sum in order that the work might be commenced at once. Finally an amendment to substitute £8 for £25, moved by Mr. Holt and seconded by Mr. Lawrence, was carried, the chairman and Mr. Page dissenting. I.own Correspondent.]