COUNTY COUNCIL

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXI, Issue 2726, 2 December 1910, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING

At the usual monthly meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council yesterday

afternoon the members present were Messrs Grace (chairman), Corbett, Franklin, Lloyd, Laughlin, Nathan, Marrinan, and Strange. An apology for absence (owing to illness) was received from Mr G. Crosby. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, and the outward correspondence was read and approved. TENDERS. Tenders were opened as follows :— Contract No, 63 —Raising formation, trimming, and metalling about 21 chains of the Paeroa-Waitoa Road. P. Treanor ... ... ... ... 273 8 6 Contract No. 65—'For the supply and delivery' of lOs worth of metal on the PaeroaTeAroha Road. P. Treanor, 284 yards ... 133 10 o Brenan and Co., 277 yards 133 10 o Contract No. 66—For getting and delivering I6s 8d worth of clay jon , the Paeroa-Te Arohaßoad.

M. Goonan, 4s 5d per yard ; Gordon Bros., 4s 6d per yard ; P. Treanor. 411 yards for 16s Bd. Contract No. 68—For the supply and delivery of worth of broken metal from Talisman Coal Hopper to Hill Road. B. McGeehan,niyds(accpt) 50 o o Brenan and Co, 105 yards ... 50 o o Contract No. 69-—For general repairs to the WaihiWhangamata Road. W. C. Kennedy (accepted) 108 o o P. Sheehan^ 115 00 T. Lupes 148 o o G. bmallman ... 188 o o Contract No. 70—For forming, culvertiug, and general repairs Maratoto-Golden Cross Road. * B. Mcivor ..'. it»B o o M. Gojack ... 115 o o P. McConnell ... 117 10 o Contract No. 72 — For forming and sanding footpath, Puke Road. P. Treanor 130 d o M. Goonan ... 135 o o Contract No. 73—For erecting footbridge over the Ohinemuri River near Doherty's Creek. W. C. Kennedy 137 o o T. Lupes ... ... ... ... 140 o o Mr Corbett said that one of the contractors (P. Tfeanor) who was the lowest for some of the contracts, already had two contracts that were overdue. Some of the other tenders were too high. Mr Strange agreed that some of the tenders were far too high, being in some cases about double the engineer's estimate. Mr Marrinan said if the tenders were 50 per cent below the engineer's estimate they would let them, so why not let them when they are higher. Mr Lloyd : Would you do the same with your own money? Mr Marrinan: I am talking about the Council's money. It was a funny doctrine to cut only one way. Mr Strange said it a contractor tendered too low it was his look out; if it was too high that was the Council's ,

look out

Mr. Corbett said they should be more careful with the Council's money than they would be with their own. If they were simply to accept the lowest tender they might save the trouble ot having a meeting. Mr Nathan said they must go by their engineer, whose estimates were pretty nearly correct. The Chairman said that the advertisement stated that " the lowest or any tender not necessarily accepted." Mr Lloyd said he would not mind when the tenders were- only a little too high, but in this cas« the tenders were a long way 100 high. Mr Strange moved that the lowest tender for Nos. 68 and 69 only be accepted. This was seconded by Mr Corbett. Mr Marrinan moved, as an amendment, that the lowest tender in each case. . . This was seconded by Mr Laughlin. On being put to the meeting, the amendment was lost, only the mover and seconder voting for it. The motion was then put and carried, and it was decided to invite fresh tenders for the other contracts. COUNTY RESERVES. P. Treanpr applied for a lease of Orangipirau No. 1 block at one shilling per acre per annum, and it was decided to lease the block to Mr Treanor at t hat rate.

ENGINEER'S REPORT,

The report of the engineer was read as follows :■— '

" Re Traction Engine Traffic—Copies oi by-laws regulating this class of traffic will be laid before you. The by-laws referred to and " The Police Offences Act" would appear to provide every safeguard for the travelling public. The main question for the Council would be the strength of the bridges on the roads on which the engine would be used, and I think the Council should, if the permit is granted, make the owner of the engine responsible for any damage done by such traffic to, bridges or culverts. "Re Bowler's Road. — This road Vants rounding up and a sufficient amount.of sand put on to put the road in repair. The cost of rounding up with road machine would be about and the sand would cost about ,£lB. I would suggest that should the Council decide to round up Bowler's Road that arrangements be made to use the machine for a few extra days on the other roads in the district." TRACTION ENGINE. With regard to the proposed traction engine to be on the road at Paeroa, the engineer said the weight of the engine would be about nine tons, and the bridges on the Junction Road were sufficiently strong to stand the traffic.

Mr Nathan moved that permission to use the traction engine be granted for twelve months, on condition that the owner ot the engine is responsible for any damage to the roads, and subject to a tee of £2s. This was seconded by Mr Franklin. Mr Lloyd said they wanted to be sure that the roads were not destroyed. He thought the people were going to use the traction engine on the Puke' Road. He would like to see a by-law passed dealing with the matter. Mr Nathan said he intended to move next year that new by-laws be made dealing with certain matters, and they could deal with all the alterations to the by-laws at one time. The motion was put to the meeting and was carried. bowler's road. Mr Strange moved that if the road making machine can be obtained from the Piako County that the abtfve road be repaired. This was seconded by Mr Laughlin. Mr Lloyd said these people should come with some suggestion tor paying tor these roads. Mr Nathan said they should have special rating districts at Waitoa as well as in other places. Mr Strange said that in the last three years the rateable value of Waitoa had increased threefold, while the rates had been increased from five-eights to a penny in the pound. The road in question was a main road. ] Mi Lloyd moved, as an amendment, that consideration of the matter be postponed for a month. This was seconded by Mr Marrinan. The Chairman said that this was a main arterial road, and he was in favour of spending a few pounds on the road. The amendment was lost, and the motion to carry out the recommendation of the engineer was adopted. ■:>

RANGIORA FERRY. For the position of ferryman at Rangiora no applications were received. Mr W. J. McKee, the former ferryman, who was in attendance, said he would do the work of ferryman for £i per week and the ferry fees, the Council to keep the gear in repair. Mr Nathan suggested that McKee be offered £$ per year in addition to the fees ; and if he would not accept that amount that the ferry be closed. Mr McKee said be thought it would be a fair thing if the Council gave him ios per week. He was not prepared to accept per year. On the motion of Mr Corbett, it was decided that the engineer make arrangements for carrying on the ferry for a month ; and failing a reasonable tender being received at the end of that time that steps be taken to have the ferry closed. «■ RETURNING OFFICER. For the position of returning officer applications were received from J. G. Harp, J. Black, and G. Dean. An application from W. McWatters was received through the post at halfpast two o'clock. Mr Nathan moved, and Mr Laughlin seconded, that this application be considered along with the others. At this stage Mr McWatters arrived, and explained that the letter was posted at eight o'clock on Wednesday night. Mr Nathan said it was not Mr Mc-

Watters' fault that the application was

not received in time,

The Chairman said they all believed that the letter had been posted on Wednesday night, but that did not alter the fact that the letter was not received un-

til after two o'clock,

Mr Nathan's motion was then put to the meeting and was lost, only the mover and seconder voting for it. Mr Nathan moved that the applications be considered in committee, but this failed to find a seconder. A ballot was taken, and Mr J. Black was appointed to the position. BRIDGES. Word was received that the Public Works Department had approved of the plans and specifications for the footbridge at Mackaytown and a bridge at WVikino. NOXIOUS WEEDS. A letter was received from the inspector of noxious weeds, making suggestions for the best means of eradicating blackberries. The letter was " received." FATAL ACCIDENT. P. Sheehan (contractor) notified that a fatal accident had occurred to G. Bolton, one of his employees, at Waikino. Letters in connection with this matter were received from the Royal Insurance Co. (with which company the Council's employees are insured), and from Henry Bolton, father of the deceased. The letters were " received." ROAD AT VfAIKINO. Mr Franklin moved that a road be formed oft Owen's Road, Waikino, at a cost of £26. This was seconded by Mr Marrinan and was carried. WAITEKAURI ROAD. Mr Corbett spoke of the bad state of the Waitekaiiri Road, and said it badly neeeded repairing. The Chairman endorsed these remarks, and the matter was left to the engineer to attend to.

FINANCE COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The report of the finance committee was read aud adopted. The report ■ stated that the overdraft amounted to £7476 5s 1 id; total indebtedness, 14s 5d ; receipts last month, ,£lßl6 2s 2d ; contract liabilities outstanding amounted to ,£2564 5s 6d, of whichamount 6s 6d was included in the accounts for payment; and accounts totalling ,£1513 H3 Sd were passed for payment, ot which amount 5s would be recoverable from Government. The Paeroa Water Supply Account showed a credit balance of ,£SOB 3s; receipts last month amounted to ,£2l 7s 6d ,■ and accounts amounting to ,£8 is 6d were passed for payment. The credit balance to the Ohinemuri Cemetery Account was £4 is 8d ; last month's receipts amounted to 13s 6d; and accounts for payment amounted to £1 19s. OTHER MATTERS. W. Maidens, Waikino, wrote asking that the matter of putting a drain pipe through his section at Waikino be again considered, but no action in the matter was taken by the Council. Applications by G. Dickson and W. Read for water to be laid on to their residences at Karangahake were received, the matter having been attended to. E. Clendon, solicitor," claimed £7 damages for an accident to C. F. Gibbons by his horse and trap capsizing at Komata.. The Council declined to accept any liability in the matter. H. D. Mclvor offered £1 for an old footbridge at Komata, and the matter was lett in the hands of the engineer to deal with. It was decided to offer E. Jones 6d each for the supply of dog collars for next year.

R. Whitten applied for a renewal of his second-hand dealers license at Paerda. It was decided to grant the license subject to the approval of the police. Application was received from E. E. Gillman, architect, for permission to put a pipe from a septic tank across King Street, Paeroa. The application was granted subject to the approval of the engineer and sanitary inspector. The next meeting of the Council was fixed for Wednesday, December 2island a special meeting for Thursday, 12th January. The Council office holidays were fixed at from 23rd December to 10th January. The usual monthly reports were read and adopted. The engineer was instructed to make arrangements tor the water supply to be laid on to the school and several residences at Waikino.