COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 945, 8 November 1879, Page 2

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

A Meeting of the Cook County Council was held at 3 p.m. yesterday, the session, owing to the important nature of the business transacted, extending from 3 to 6, and 7 to 10.45 p.m. There were present Councillors J. W. Johnson (chairman), Graham, McKay, Villers, and Reeves. After the minutes had been confirmed, the correspondence was entered into. Councillor Villers' resignation was received, and ordered to be forwarded to the Returning Officer for the County, who will within the specified time of the Act cause a fresh election of a Councillor to fill the vacancy. The application of Mr. C. D. Berry for the use of seventy-five rails was granted, subject to the Engineer fixing the rental value for the same. The Cleric was instructed to write to Mr. King to pay his County rate, as he conld recover the same as against Mr. GL. Sunderland. Instructions were also given to write to the Native Minister, asking leave to survey a road through Paokahu ; and to the Colonial Secretary and Mr. McDonald with reference to the fixing of a quarantine ground for scabby sheej.. The following reports were furnished and read by the Engineer : — No. 1 Report. I have the honor to inform you that plans and specifications have been prepared and tenders called for the undermentioned works, viz. : (1.) Formation of road from Waipaoa Bridge to Biggs ' corner. (3. ) Formation of road to Pipiwhakau Bush. (3.) Deepening outlet from Biggs corner to Taruhau River. (4.) Erecting Bridge and clearing road up the Waihakarki Valley. The works m hand are progressing satisfactorily. A cutting requires to be made at the Te Aroha Creek at the junction of the Waihakariki and Patutahi Roads. I would not call for tenders for this work until 1 received the advice of the Council. The creek has very high banks, and there is not sufficient road reserve laid off to make a cutting of a less grade than 1 m 7, I would recommend that a bridge be constructed of 3 spans of 25ft. each, and that block cuttings be made to form the approaches. It will be an expensive work, but a permanent one when completed. My reason for recommending a work of this description at this point is owing to the likolihood of there being considerable traffic there, at no distant date, owing to the valuable deposit of limestone rock withing JL£ miles of the crossing, and which is well adapted for the purposes of road making (and is m my opinion the best m the district) and can be procured at a reasonable cost ; before metal could be carted to form any roads on the eastern side the creek, a work of this nature would have to be undertaken. The derrick of the Government pile driver — the use of which the Council have always- had when required — is m a very dilapidated stale, and quite unfit for use. I would recommend that application be made (through Mr. Johnson of the Customs) to the Government, asking them to hand the same over to the Council, and that a new derrick be made. I beg to lay before the 'Council a plan of proposed deviations of roads m the Patutahi Block, and if they be approved of that the same be forwarded to the Deputy Inspector of Surveys for his sanction. Mr. King having erected a strong bush culvert over a creek on the Waihakariki Road, and which would have had to have been included m the present works, I recommend that he be paid the sum of £6 for same. I would ask the Council to inform me which worVs they deem most necessary to be proceeded with during the ensuing month. I would beg to draw the attention of the Council to the amount of our available assets. No. 2 Report. I have the honor to lay before you a report re application of settlers to clear and deepen Te Kolii Creek. This creek takes its rise m the hills, to the east of the Muhunga Block, thence runs m a southerly direction past the Waihirere Quarry Reserve ; thence forms the eastern boundary of sections 34 and 33, through section 107 and eastern boundary of 32 of said block, from thence it forms the boundary between the Wairenga-a--hika Mission station, Makauri and Whataupoko Blocks, to the Tawheru River. I have inspected the creek from its junction with said river, to the northern boundary of section 34, and find that the course is m many places choaked up with trees, roots, vines, and drift wood. This creek is the natural outlet for all waters on the eastern side of main road, from Wairenga-a-hika to Ormond, and owing to the adjoining country being cleared and cultivated ; outlet and other drains, being cut and leading into it, the water accumulates much more rapidly than heretofore, and is unable to get away as quickly as it should, owing to the causes above stated, hence the overflow on to the adjoining lands, and destruction of stock and property of settlers m the locality. The settlers inform me that with only a few hours steady rain, it overflows its banks, doing very considerable damage. Some three years ago W. Hales, a settler on Native land, adjoining the Muhunga Block, diverted the course of this creek from its original channel into the present one. lam not aware if the Council have the power to return it again into its former course or not. If they have, I should recommend that it were done, as the present creek from section 34 to the N.E. boundary of the Mission station is quite inadequate to carry off the water during a wet season. At the N.E. course. of the Mission Estate, a dam has been constructed across the creek for the purposes of wool scouring, which m my opinion is an impediment to the flow of the water, and the wool scouring, more especially during the summer months, destroys the water for the use of stock, and I deem it advisable that it should be removed. I would recommend that the creek be thoroughly cleared of all debris, from its junction with the Tawheru River to the Quarry Tramway, a distance of about 3j miles. i No. 3 Report. I have the honor to lay before you the following report on roads leading through Mr. Gray's property, Whataupoko Block, referred to by him m letter of date as per margin — February 28th, 1879. I have inspected the lines of road referred to above and am of opinion that they are necessary, and will be required eventually, if not at the present time, and that the Government Road Surveyor, m laying off these roads, has studied the convenience of the pro-

prietor of the block by running the roads J where practicable, along the lines of fences and drains. The line over the spur to Waimata certainly winds about as stated m letter, but not more bo than is necessary, to keep the grade prescribed by Government, and if formed, would render a small portion of Mr. Gray's property practically useless. The line would be very expensive to make and keep m repair, as it crosses several small gullies or creeks necessitating bridges, and runs along a steep sideling of rotten ground and land slips. I would recommend that a deviation be made* in this portion of the road, and that it be taken up a spur about 20 chains to the south of the presenc line (see sketch map), the grade would be steeper, varying from 1 m 9 to 15, but the advantages gained would be, that it is more solid ground ; could be made at a much less cost ; would be more likely to stand when made, and would be considerably shorter. As the country through which this road extends is very rough and broken, and no portion (m my opinion) adapted for agricultural purposes, the dray traffic, m consequence, would be comparatively small, and the steeper gradient should not be an obstacle m the way of the other advantages as stated above. After discussing the reports the following recommendations and instructions were made by Councillors : — That a temporary cutting be made to Clark and Dobbies ; that application be made to the Government through the Collector of Customs for the pile-driving machine referred to by the Engineer ; that Mr. King be paid the sum of £6 as recompense for the bridge at the Waikakariki stream ; that a map of the deviation of the road on Patutahi Block be forwarded to Mr. H. Baker, Duputy Inspector of Surveyors ; that a letter be written to the Government recommending a slight deviation m Mr. Gray's road, and a lettter to Mr. Gray to the same effect, and that the settlers be asked to contribute m clearing the Kohi Creek as the Council were willing to assist with a certain amount. A schedule of the proposed works were laid before the Council, and some of the works were approved of for which tenders will shortly be called. x Messrs Chambers and Sunderland waited on the Council, to ask that the Engineer call for tenders for a bridge at the Whakaahu Creek on conditions that the Waikohu Board refunded half the cost of the same at the end of March next when rates were collected — Granted. Tenders. A 24— C. D. Berry £3 6s. per chain, R. Joyce, £3 7d ;J. Williams £3 19s 6d; Gilmour & Co., £2 13s 6d ; (accepted) D. A. McLeod, £3 19a. A 25. — H. Hyde for £1 5s per chain chain, being the lowest tender was accepted. A 26.— A. Boyd & Co., 4s 5d per chain, was accepted. A 27.— O'Gallaher £39 10s; D. A. McLeod, £75 ; Gilmour and Sargent, £20 (accepted). None of the tenders for the road up the Waikakariki Valley were accepted, and it was decided that fresh tenders for the same be called, and that any two Councillors be empowered to open and accept them. Business of a general nature was then discussed. Councillor Beeves referred to a number of scabby sheep still running up the Coast, aud advised that steps be taken to destroy them at once. Mr. Weston,"who applied that a line of road be laid off to his holding at Matawhero B, was referred to the Poverty Bay Highway Board. It was decided that the first man on the list who does not pay his country rates on demand be sued, and so on right through. The Engineer was instructed to make a rough estimate of the cost of metalling as between the Quarry and river metal. The next meeting was decided to be held on the fourth Wednesday m this month, at noon.