HOBSON COUNTY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8881, 18 May 1892, Page 6

HOBSON COUNTY COUNCIL.

A special meeting of the Hobson County Council was held in the Council Chambers, Wednesday, May 11th, to confirm the bylaws. Considerable discussion took place on the width of tires, which was considered too great in the by-laws submitted. The maximum width, eight inches and six inches for timber waggons, was retained, but others were reduced, and all the clauses relating to width of tires 011 metalled roads were struck out, as also the clause relating to vehicles carrying logs across bridges, as they were considered" unnecessary. Clause 92 of the Public Works Act was read, allowing that people were liable for damage done to the I roads by excessive traffic, unless they had previously entered into an agreement with the Council. June 15 was fixed as the time for confirming the by-laws. The general meeting was held immediately afterwards. Present: Messrs. A. E. Harding (chairman), Cobbald, Dargaville, and Spiers. Mr. Basse tt attended in the afternoon. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. Dam auk to Wharf.—Mr. Spiers reported that the s.s. Osnrey had broken a fender pile at the Dargaville wharf. Gratuity".—lt was decided to vote the clerk IDs for attending the Court at Dargaville, as lie had not been allowed expenses. Dog Registration.—The dog registrar reported that it was necessary to summon some people for tho dog tax, and asking whether the Council would pay the costs of unsuccessful cases. Decided that the Council will pay the costs of oases lost, if previously approved by the County solicitor. Nairn's Application : Deferred from Last Meeting — Decided that the Council will give £5 towards the work, and that as soon as Mr. Nairn deposits i's the work will be done. Buiniu:.—The clerk was instructed to write to the Government urging on them the necessity of building the Tangawahine bridge. Name Struck off tub Roll.—Niel MeLeoit wrote re his name being struck off the roll, and desired to have it placed on again. Decided to forward to Mr. McLeod a copy of Mr. Norton's letter, and inform him that the alteration had been made in good faith, and that he must apply to the Revision Court. The Gorse Nuisance. —F. W. Matthews drew attention to the gorse on the road by Mr. Andrew's place, Tatarariki. He had lost cattle through it. Mr. Cobbald thought the man who brought the gorse into the district ought to clear the road. Decided that the road be cleared the full width, and the gorse be placed in tho gaps 011 the side. Slaughtering.—R. Powell asked to be allowed to kill an odd beast now and then, as there was no slaughterhouse at Aratapu. Decided to refuse permission, as it is contrary to the provisions of the Slaughterhouse Act. Decided that the by-laws shall come into force 011 Julv -4th next. Licenses for Vehicles.—G. Miles and A. Coppedo applied for licenses for vehicles. Slaughterhouse License.—J. Ross applied for a slaughterhouse license for Whakaiiara.

Maintenance.—' chairman reported that the costs for maintenance of R. Jenkins in the Costlev Home, £(j Ids, had not yet been paid. Decided to write to Mr, S. Powell, and ask him for the money forthwith. Decided to write to the North Auckland Charitable Aid Hoard for £53 15 7d owing to this county, and inform them that in future the Council cannot allow more than £10 to lie outstanding, otherwise the charitable aid will be stopped. Assistance to Make Road. — James Vaughan on behalf of Kaiiwi, Waipoua, and Ivaihu, No. 'J Block settlers, wrote asking for assistance for a road to the Maropiu Station. Decided, " That the chairman and engineer go up 011 Saturday, and report on the work required." Fish Hawkers.—The County solicitor reported that smoked fish hawkers would require to take out licenses. A rata r l School Committer's Application.—Mr. Bassett said that last winter the road to the school was frightful. The attendance had fallen oil greatly. This winter the committee would not be able co enforce attendance. The road was 15 chains long. Decided, " That the engineer prepare plans a:ut specifications of a drain alum; Churchstreet, at a cost not exceeding £12, and to have tenders in for next meeting." Road Deviations Along Kaihu Valley Railway.—A committee consisting of the chairman, Mr. Bassett, and the clerk, was appointed to draw tip a memorial to the Government oil the subject.

Economical Changes. — The chairman submitted a table showing the results of the changes made in the administration of the Council, and the amalgamation of offices. There had been a saving of £3(5 2s (id commission on rate collecting, £20 lis 3d slaughter-house fees £9 Ss, ehainman's wages, besides which wharfage dues to the amount of £47 5s Id had been collected Deduct from this the cadet's salary of £25, which leaves a net saving of £jW 7s Sd. This, however, had entailed extra travelling expenses on the clerk, who he thought was entitled to consideration. Decided to vote the clerk £5 for travelling expenses for tile year.

E.vginkkr's Report.—The engineer's report was then read as follows To the chairman. —Sir,l have the Junior to submit to you the following report : —Mititai wharf steps repair : I have had the damage done to the Mititai wharf step*.(by the s.s. Durham) repaired by Mr, Haswell, and in such a manner as to he in exactly the same state and place as previously. The cost, of the work, without allowing for my own time, is £"> 1 ;>h lUd, anil my service I estimate at 10s (Jd. Webb's drain : 1 have had the drain along the Koptiru road, in front of Mr. Thomas Wrl.li's, cleaned out by the surfaceman. Dreadon's deviation: I have arranged to meet the settlers, who have agreed to do one-fifth of the formation of Dreadon's deviation, on the ground on Monday next, and to mark oil' their portion of the work, and show them how it is to be executed. Onanake : The chief surveyor had agreed to allow the repairs of the Opanake-Mauuguiui Bluff Road to be done by day labour ; therefore I have sent the surface man with two others to do the work, and I shall visit them on Saturday, when I shall be pleased if any councillor would accompany me and see the state of the roads. Aratapu :I am having the metal on the Aratapu Road near the wharf blinded with ballast that is being discharged from the Waiteniata. Mangawhare: The road from Mangawhare to the Wesley an Church is beginning to cat up with the heavy traffic and wet weather, and needs to be metalled, if possible, at once. I have about 1 (JO cubic yards of metal broken at Aratapu which could be used, ;uid would do eight chains S feet wide and inches deep. Mr. McLeod, of Helensville, called upon me yesterday, to see if 1 would contract with him for a supply of metal, and had agreed to wire me to-day how much a yard ho can deliver it for at Mangawhare wharf, so that you wili he able to decide whether it is worth while to obtain metal from him. If the road is not metalled then it will be necessary to at lease have it repaired by filling up the holes and rounding it up in the centre before any more wet sets in ; or else stop all vehicular traflic on this portion of the road for the winter. Awakino : The road along the flat on the Dargaville side of the. Awakino Bridge is sadly in need of repair, and if funds will permit should be attended to. Encroaching upon roads without consent : i would like to draw your attention to the necessity for the Council to take stringent measures to stop the practice that has become quite common of persons (without the consent of the Council) encroaching upon the roads by dinging drains, removing soil, and doing whatever in their sweet will they may fee! inclined to do. It is quite a common practice, where there is a drain along a- road, for persons to connect their land drain with it, thereby bringing a larger body of water down in a less time during rains, and then the property owners on the lower lands complain that the drains overflow, and are not large enough to carry the water that is led into them. I can only remember two or three instances where permission has been asked, and ill very few instances lias any contribution been given for enlarging or cleaning out the main drains, thus throwing the cost of draining the flat lands upon the general ratepayers. _ The Public Works Act provides a penalty in the before-mentioned cases, but only by order of the Council. Careless driving : 1 would also like to point out the excessive wear and tear upon the roads generally caused by careless driving. It is a custom for most persons driving a vehicle to follow exactly in the. line of every other one that has gone before him, as if he were confined to a tram line. This practice causes a dee]) rut to be formed on each side of the road where the wheels travel. The water lies in the ruts, and every vehicle travelling into it deeper, instead of the driver keeping out of the ruts, and so help to preserve the road. Ido know a few present who study the roads when driving, but they are very few."Horace Hammond, engineer. Claim for Repairs.—lt was decided to inform the Northern River Steam Navigation Company that the Mititai wharf steps have been repaired at a cost of £0 43 4d, and ask for the money. Mascawuare Church Road.—Mr. Spiers said that Messrs. Raynes, Matthews, and himself were willing to provide a man and dray each for a week to spread the metal. Decided to order 150 yards of metal from Mr. McLeod, of Helensville, to use 100 yards of metal now lying at Aratapu, and that the work be done at once. Estimated to cost £70, without reckoning the cost of metal at Aratapu. Road to Awakino.— engineer was instructed to have the worst places on the road r epaired at once. Cost not to exceed £10,

Injury to Roads.—Decided that in future the Council will take action under section 100 of the Public Works Act against any person removing soil, altering, or in any way obstructing the roads without permission of the Council. Bank Overdraft. — Decided that the chairman make arrangement with the banker, under seal, for an overdraft to the extent of £900. Drains.—The chairman requested permission to clean two outlet drains across the road. Granted. Aratapu Lamp.—Mr. Bassett reported that he had made arrangements with H. F. Rowlands to light the Aratapu lamp for £5 a year, £2 l()s to be paid in cash, and the remainder to be deducted from his charitable aid account. ' Payments.—The following payments were confirmed : —H. Hammond, £19 3s 4d; R. Lendrum, £2 Is 8d; R. Vincent, £10 ; P. Pi 1 by, £3 ss; C. Codey, £5 4s ; R. \V. Ringrose, £8 : total, £47 14s. The following accounts wore passed: Burn and Co., £2 lis; F. McGowan, £4 8s Gd ; miscellaneous, £2 15s 3d ; Champtaloup and Cooper, £1 83 • W. Dreadon, £(35 17s ; R. P. Flood, £8 13s fid; Morton Charitable Aid account, £,'? 3s 4d ; 11. llfiswell, £5 13s 10d ; N. A. McLeod, £15 3s lOd ; ,J. B. Pulham, £2 15s ; Mitchclson Bros„£l 7s Sd ; total overdraft, £792 5s 3d. The next meeting was fixed for June 15.[Own Correspondent.]