COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1089, 8 May 1880, Page 2

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

A special meeting of the above waa held last night, the sitting occupying from 7.30 till past midnight. Present : A. Graham (chairman), Councillors Johnson, Chambers, Scott Sunderland, and McKay. After the minutes of the previous meeting were road and confirmed, correspondence waa read — the outgoing correspondence, chiefly having reference to business transacted at the previous Council meeting. Landing Places— ln reply to a communication from the Council, the District Engineer informed them that the landing places would be marked oft' on the navigable rivers in the County. Waikohu Bridge. — In reply to the Council, aaking that a sum of £100, be paid to the credit of the County fund for the half-cost of its construction, the Chairman of the Waikohu Board replied that the Council had granted, absolutely £100 for the work, and only stipulated that the Board were to pay half the sum in excess of that amount which the bridge might cost. Cr. Chambers, as Chairman of the Waikohu Board, said he kuew that those were the terms on which the grant was obtained. Cr. Johnson said he would like to refer to the correspondence on the subject. He knew he did what he could at the time to get the bridge erected, and that it was estimated to cost £150, of which sum he thought the Board had to pay one-half. Cr. Sunderland said his recollection of the matter was that the £100 had been granted, nnd he was of opinion that the Board should pay £25 as their contribution. Cr. Chambers said on behalf of the Waikohu Board he would agree to pay that amount. It was then proposed by Cr. Johnson and seconded by Cr. Sunderland that the Board pay half of the amount in excess of £100. Carried. Highway Board Rkturns —Cr. Johnson suggested that in future the various Boards be notified in sufficient time in order that they might furnish the returns required. Agreed to. Local Industry — A letter, by direction of the Council, waa sent to the Chairman of the Local Industry Commissioners with reference to the application of Mr. A. Y. Ross for a jjrant of £700 in aid of the manufacture of Portland cement, of which there are reported to be deposits in the district. Ferry Services — The Government informed the Council of the discontinuance of subsidies to the Waiapu, Pakara, and Awatere Ferry services, and asked the Council to make provision for them if necessary. After discussion, it was agreed that for the present — the subsidies only amounting to £25 per annum collectively — the services at the two former be continued and that the latter (Awatere) be dispensed with. The Engineer was also instructed to ascertain the lowest amount for which the Natives would conduct the ferrieß, before final arrangements were made. Waiafu, Hicks Bay Roadr — A l«tter was received from Captain Gudgeon, Btating that Native labor to the amount of £40 would be employed on the road as soon as the line was laid out by the County Engineer. Maunoapoiki Bridge ( Wairoa County) — A letter was received from the Clr.k of the Wairoa County Council, urging that they be supported in their application to the Government to consider money spent on this work equivalent to that expended on ordinary road format-

ion, in order that they may bo entitled to the promised grant of £1000 for the construction of the Wairoa-Gisborne Road. Councillors all viewed the work as a necessary one to complete the road, and agreed to support the application in a letter directed to the Minister of Public Works. Applications — One from Mr. Kempthoine, asking that the occupier of land should be rated, and one from Mr. C. A. Brown, requesting a reduction of the valuation, were not entertained. Stoppage of Road— A letter from Mr. J. R. Hurrey, complaining of the traffic on Roseland-Waerenga-a-hika Road iv defiance of the public notice, and notwithstanding that gates had been erected to keep out traffic. It was resolved that a letter be written, replying that if after this, Mr. Hurry would lay an information against any party, that the Council would prosecute. Ormond District— On an application of the Ormond Road Board, it was agreed that the side ditches on the main road be cleared ; but as to the dam, the Council thought that after it had been built by them the least that could be done by the Ormond Board would be to repair it themselves. Charitable Aid. — A circular from a committee, in reference to the amendment of the Charitable Institutions Bill proposed for this session, was ordered, at the request of Cr. Johnson, to be tabled in order that it might come on for discussion next night of meeting. Drains. — To an application from Mr. McKenzie, for the Council to clear out drain abutting the Quarry tramway, he was referred to the Ormond Highway Board. County Auditor. — A letter was received from the Under Secretary, stating that Mr. J. D. Johnston, Collector of Customs, had been appointed County Auditor. Report op Committee, — Cr. Johnson brought up a report of the committee appointed to consider the revising of Bye-laws in connection with slaughtering licenses. It was proposed and carried that the revisions and additions be considered at next meetina. Rates. — Cr. Johnson proposed, and Or. McKay seconded, that the rate for the ensuing year, be Is. in the £. Cr. Scott proposed as an amendment that it be 2£ per cent. There being no seconder . to the amendment, the original motion was carried. The Council also approved of the estimate of expenditure based upon the 5 per cent rate on the valuation of £42,945 11s 6d. It was resolved that the rates be due and payable on the Ist day of August, 1880. Unpaid Rates — It was resolved to recover by process in the R.M. Court, all unpaid rates. Ormond-Opotiki Road — On the motion of Cr. McKay, seconded by Cr. Johnson, it was agreed that the sum of I £50 be expended in-making three or four s*acre clearings in the Motu Bush on that line of road, and that that sum bo considered as part of the £500 voted for the road. It was decided to ask the Whakatano County to co-operate in the work. Gisborne-Wairoa Road— A sum of £1000 having been granted by the Government conditionally on the County expending £500 on the construction of this road, it was agreed that the County Engineer prepare a plan of the work, to be submitted to the Government Engineer for his approval, after winch the work would be prosecuted.