HOBSON COUNTY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9720, 16 January 1895, Page 6

HOBSON COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Hobson County Council was held in the Council Chambers, on January 9. Present: A. E. Harding (chairman), and Messrs. Slade, Spiers, and Dargaville.

Charitable Aid.The clerk reported that Gallagher had offered to pay 10s "a month towards the cost of his wife's treatment in the hospital. Decided that the clerk issue a summons for the amount due if the 10s was not forthcoming before next Court day. Watson's Deviation at Tangitiroria.— Mr. Watson wrote that the lowest sum he could accept was £40. This was only the cost of fencing on one side of the road. Decided to accept the offer if Mr. Watson will wait 12 mouths for the money, as the surveying could not be done for some time. Tropnson's Rates on Kauri Timber Company's Timber. — Decided that the Council are sorry, but Mr. Trounson must pay the rates on the timber as well as the land. Andrews' Kink. —Messrs. Hesketh and Richmond wrote on behalf of Mary Andrews, asking if the Council were going to move the fence, and if so to accept this as a protest. Road Through Omuwhao.—Waaka (a Maori) asked for £3 for wire for fencing the new road. Granted on condition that he does not interfere with the old road for 18 months. O'Carroll's Road.—O'Carroll offered to clear the trees on the new deviation for £3. if allowed to do it his own way. He would take the responsibility if any trees fell on the road. Offer accepted. Ranger for Gum Licenses. — P. Moloughney, jun., agreed to accept the post for Kopua riding. Licensing Election Expenses. — The Colonial Secretary asked for a return showing the costs of election in 1891 and 1894. 1891, £7 7s 6d ; 1894, £17 : difference nearly £10.

Alienated Crown Lands.—The Commissioner wrote that any information asked for will be given, but there is no law to direct the information to be given. Decided to write to the Minister of Lands.

Slaughterhouse Licenses.—Applications for slaughterhouse licenses were received from A E. Harding, J. Trounson, T. Nield, J. Walter, F. Langford, W. Pullen, and B. New. The last-named did not forward fees. The inspector's report was appended. All the applications were granted. Tangihua Road Deviation.—The deeds were laid on the table and ordered to be signed by Messrs. Slade and Spiers. Tikinui Wharf.—Mr. Moloughney wrote that Captain Rawson reported the wharf to be eaten away near the bottom. The Engineer was ordered to report on the subject. Stopping Old Road.— formal resolution stopping the old Tangihua road was passed. Culvert.—A. Underwood applied for a culvert. The Council agreed to find the timber and Underwood to put it in near his place. Government Grants. — The Minister wired that the agreements for the grants £700 Dargaville-Tangitiroria, £150 MititaiTokatoka, Aratapu-Tatarariki (£150) will be forwarded at once. The engineer was instructed to call for tenders for the Dar-gaville-Tangitiroria and Aratapu-Tatarariki works, returnable to next meeting, te be dealt with by the Chairman and Mr. Spiers, if the agreements from the Government have then arrived.

Weights and Measures Act.— clerk was instructed to apply for the fines in the recent prosecutions under this Act. Gate Across Road.—Mr. J. Brown, of the Omu, applied for permission to put a gate across the road opposite his house. The application will have to be advertised twice. Deferred till next meeting. Harlings' Road.—W. Harlings offered to clear and stump the road between himself and G. Rogers, half a chain wide, for £2. Deferred for Mr. Jones' opinion.' Charitable Aid.—G. Hunter and others wrote that 4s per week was not enough for the old men at the refuge. Gum Licenses.—The Gumdiggers' Union asked for the number of licenses issued to Britishers and foreigners in the county. Fourteen to the former, 130 to the latter— in all. Opanaki Bridge.—E. F. Broad wrote that the Opanaki bridge wanted raising six feet, as the first lot of timber floated under it would drive it away. The Council should enable them to carry on their business. Decided to reply that the Council do not consider it a part of their functions to make provision for the driving of timber, or auy other private enterprise. Outlet Drain- near Aratapu.— A. Walker had made proposals for the coustrtMfc tion of the outlet drain near the black bridge, in which he agreed to give £50, Mr. Bassett £50, and Mr. Woollams £10. The total cost was estimated at £160, of whfch the Council's share was fixed at £30. and the

Maoris at £20. The Maoris, however, declined to contribute. Consideration deferred

till next meeting. Subsidy.— clerk reported the receipt of subsidy, £262, being 75 per cent, of the amount due on the rates.

Survey Office Charges.—The Minister

wrote that these charges must be paid. The Hobson County was the only one that did not pay. The charges amounted to £3 12s. Passed for payment. Dog Tax.Fixed at 5s per head, and 2a 6d for sheep and cattle dogs. Tatarariki Drainage Rate.—Decided to levy a rate of 6d per acre on lands principally benefitted, and 3d per acre on lands lesser benefitted in the Tatarariki drainage district, payable in one sum, for the year ending March 31, 1895. Wharfage Does.—These were fixed at £35 for the N.R 3. Company for the year ; £7 10s for J. Harrison's fleet; £2 for the schooner Aratapu, and £1 for J. Black's steamer.

Liquor License. —Decided to write to the manager of the N.R.S.S. Company, asking them what had become of the license of the s.s. Ethel.

Surface Man.—Decided to send him to fix pipes in the culvert near Aratapu, repairing Kohekohe Road, repairing the road at Aratapu Gully, West Coast, and repairing the road near H. Webb's, Arapohue. Engineer's Report.The report was read as follows :—" To the chairman, sir,—l have the honour to submit to you the following report:—New works: As instructed at last meeting, I have put in pegs, taken levels, etc., for the formation of the TongavilleTangitiroria Road, from the Omu to Tangowahme, and for a bridge across the Omu Creek, also lor a drain and formation of the Tatarariki Road, from the Kink to the Te Makaka Creek. I have prepared plans of these works, and forwarded them to the chief surveyor for his approval. Opanaki bridge : Mr. Donaldson, the contractor for the construction of a bridge over the Kaihu Creek, on the Opanaki Road, informs me that the work is hnished. Therefore I intend to visit the work next week with a view to passing the contract Tangowahine Bridge : I expect to have the Tangowahine Bridge and approaches finished by the end of this week. Metal : There is now lying at Mangawhare about 550 tons of metal, and if it is the intention of the Council to have it broken and put upon the roads this summer, the contract for breaking the stone should be '.let at once, so that the carting can be done before the winter sets in. Repairs wanted: The culvert on Maguire's swamp are getting very rotten and require repairing. There is a culvert on the main road opposite the teacher's residence, Aratapu, that requires renewing, and conI sidering the small quantity of water it carries, I would suggest that it be replaced with pipes. The surface man will be finished at Tangowhine this week, with the exception of an embankment across two short flats, snd as that work will require a horse and dray, I thought it better to leave it, until a contract for the road formation was let, when there will be drays on the ground.—Horace Hammond, County Engineer." Ballast.—Decided to pay Is 6d per ton to the captain of -the Excelsior for ballast landed at Mangawhare. The engineer was instructed to interview Mr. E. Thompson, with a view to breaking the ballast at Mangawhare, 660 tons. Accounts Confirmed. —H. Hammond, £19 33 4d: R. Lendrum, £2 10s; F. Filby, £2 6s 8d; J. O. Anderson, £8 os 8d; Cap'am Robinson, £4 17s 6d; Post Office, £3; W. H. flaswell, £3 10s ; A. Joslin, £4 16s: W. Donaldson, £90; W. Hammond, £19 3» 4d; R. Lendrum, £2 10s; F. Filby, £2 6s 8d ;J. C. Anderson, £8: total, £170 2d. Accounts Passed.—J. Trouuson, £82s 3d; A. Underwood, £3 l£s 3d; captain of J. C. Perkins, £6; J. Virtue and G. Rowse, £1 3s; J- McAneny. ig s Q&. J. McMulken, £2 15s 3d : W. Donaldson, £16 and £39 13s 3d; F. L. Beart, £3 4s; J. B. Pulham, £2 10s ; J. Stallworthy, £10 10s 9d ; R F. Flood, 19s 9d ; miscellaneous, £1 15s 9d ; Peter Jones, £1 83 ™: Public Trustee, £1 7s; Chief Surveyor, *312s ; F. McCowan, £119s. The Council rose at four o'clock.— Correspondent.]