County Council.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7063, 24 August 1894, Page 3

County Council.

The monthly meeting of the County Council was held this morning. Present: Crs Gray (chairman) Hutchinson, Macfarlaue, Tuohy, Irvine and Suuderland. The minutes of the previous meetiug were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was read from Mr O'Connor, claiming £2 (>s for work done on the Mahm read. The work was done under the direction of Mr Griffin — Resolved that Mr Grith'n be requested to pay the amount, as the matter was one between Mr O'Connor and Mr Griffin. From the Department of Agriculture acknowledging the suggestions made by the Council re Noxious Weeds' Bill. From M r Allan Campbell applying for a refund of rates paid by him. He had paid £$ 5s Sd each year for two years on 3500 acres of land, which he did not own. It was decided that the Clerk should make enquiries re the property, and report at next meeting. From the Poverty Bay Road Board stating that a culvert near Mr Cuff's had collapsed, and requesting that it be attended to — Resolved that the matter be attended to. From the manager of the Bank of New Zealand, asking for a signed authority for amount required as overdraft, and also for a copy of last-year's balance-sheet. — Resolved that the request be complied with. It was mentioned that the Council was paying 7£ per cent, interest on its overdraft. — Resolved that the Chairman and councillors McFarlane and Harris wait upon the manager of the Bank of New Zealand with a view of obtaining a reduction m the rate of interest. From the Ormoud Road Board re enlarging culvert from outlet drain. The Engineer considered the culvert was large enough to carry off ordinary water, but no single culvert would carry off flood water. Cr. Irvine moved that the Eugineer report at next meeting. Carried. Mr Jones, on behalf of Mr. Griffen, wrote stating that his client was prepared to meet the Council, but could not consent to the Council flooding his property uutil he obtained some guarantee that a satisfactory outlet would be found. The Chairman said Mr Griffen had been requested to remove his dam, but he apparently declined to do so.— lt was resolved I that the letter should be hauded to the [ County solicitor (Mr DeLautour) for his opinion. From the Borough Council declining to contribute to the cost of the proposed ISiu pipe drain across Gladstone road. Cr Macfarlane said the Borough Council considered they had done quite sufficient m attending to the culvert already. — Resolved that the Engineer examine the culvert, and if it requires it, shall put it m proper repair. Mr Trimmer wrote stating that the bridge at his place was washed away by the last flood. He asked that it be re-erected at a cost of £10. Cr Macfarlane said a mistake had been made m connection with this matter. The Overseer had been instructed to repair the bridge, but had by mistake repaired the wrong one. He did not think that £10 would cover the cost of repairs. The Engineer said a bridge would cost £.~>o or £60. The matter was left m the hands of the Engineer. Mr Bidgood's application for money due to him by Devery and Moouey was referred to Mr DeLautour for his advice. HOSPITAL TRUSTEES. The Clerk said that at the meeting of the Hospital Trustees, held on Wednesday eveuing, Mr Finn was reported as having said that the County Council had not paid up their contribution. Some time ago it had been arranged that a quarter of the amount due should be paid from time to time, as he did not consider it was right for the Council to increase its overdraft merely for the purpose of increasing the credit balance of the Charitable Aid Board. He had made out a voucher for the amount, so as to obviate further unpleasant remarks being made. Cr Tuohy said he considered, it any one was to blame, it was the Clerk of the Charitable Aid Board. He had only to ask for the money, and it could have been had at once. Cr Macfarlane said he was glad the clerk had made an explanation, as the report m list night's Herald did not look well. ENGINEERS REPORT. The Engineer reported as follows : — Gisborne-Ormond road : I have been instructed to report on a drainage scheme for the protection of this road during wet seasons, and I am of opinion that nothing could be devised to prevent the silt being deposited on the road and m the side drains durinc a flood such as that experienced j lately! but m order to keep the road fairly dry iv an ordinary season, I would recommend that the following works be undertaken : (1). Widening, deepening, ami straightening drain about 30 chaiua— this should be cut oft at bottom, 3ft deep, and 10ft on top ; ('2 and 3). Outlet drains widened, and the latter thoroughly cleaned out m addition ; (4). A new drain cut so as to straighten water-course and give a better fall ; (o). Outlet widened ; (0). Side drain deepened and widened ; (7). The road formed from the junction of the Waimata road to the Waihinere stream. The cost ot proposed works I estimate at £ISO. — i Lavenham Bridge : I have inspected this bridge, and fiud that the bank of the creek on the south Bide has slipped bodily for some chains boih above and below the bridge and for about one chain back. A j considerable scour has taken place at the j South approach under the bridge, but no protective work is necessary.— Overflow of drains, Patutahi Township : I find upon enquiry that during the late heavy rains, the side drains were unable to carry off the Hood water which overflowed the adjoining properties. Since these drains were cut the Patutahi Board have drained several of their bye-roads, and I think a better fall could now be obtained for the water m county drains. I propose taking levels at no distant date. Waiapu Inland Road Deviation. —I inspected the line of country on the right bank of the Waihoa river as to the feasibility of taking a road through it, and find that it is comparatively level, heavily timbered, good standing ground with the exception of a few chains here and there, and only necessary to cross the river twice, one crossing would require to be bridged 9wing to the height of the banks, and the other has low banks and stony river bed. I did not grade any portion, but am of opinion that the gradients would be easy. The length of road would be about 3h miles, which would cost about £1500. The deviation would commence at Thomson's paddock "Te Rimu," and join the present road at or near the deviation made some two years since. The present road between the above-mentioned points is m a. terrible state owing to the innumerable slips, many portions ot the formation having disappeared, and the slope on the hill for over a mile being mostly on the move. One bridge has disappeared, and two others will require to be taken to pieces, additions made and reconstructed, and several culverts require to bo renewed. In several places the ground has slipped for ovtr a chain, and there will be considerable .'j'i'culty m forming a road over these puiVvuis owing to the rottenness of the 2rmm..' Js niaiuikr being very scarce for making \fys. ;{!•. : \ '! d when the road is formed thi> proi -.b\ ity ia that it will not last. I estinV, ..tc Ue cost of making the present road .iv\ ilaMe for dray traffic from the junction cA f.hc. road to Kanakanae, a distance .-> f !<{■ miles, at £500. Although this fiad foai: been formed lift on the solid, and is supposed to be a dray road, very few drays havo ever gone along it owing to its iiujvissiablo nature, although over £100 is si <mi< '^ Rn .intaining it. Before spending more money m opening this road fyr dray traffic, I woiLO ask your Council to consider the advisability or otherwise of making the proposed (deviation. I might mention that it is withjthe greatest difficulty this road is kept open for horse trafiic m the winter months— Rive:/ Crossing, Rangatira and Puhatikotiko— l / have inspected this work and find tlmtj i..,i cutting on the light bank cannot !-o approached nearer than ten chains, ovjviug to the softness of the shingle bed* I have therefore instructed the contraptjor nob to make a cutting on the left banlj;. I have arranged with Mr Tiffen to alloiv the traffic to pass through his property ks at present for the next two months, ami have contracted for three small cuttings oh line of road at present iv uee, Cost, jm,~ Cutting Karaka

Road near Scott's : This contract will bo completed by Saturday night. I would ask authority to expend £8 m gravelling four chains of road where cutting has been made. River encroachment Kaiteratahi : Tho bank has been thickly planted with willows, ;iud several large limbs anchored at foot of slope. — Outlet Karuka Road: Although I have not taken uny levels, from inspection I am of opinion that it will be necessary to reconstruct the shoot at the old site, it beiug impracticable to convey the water from the low?r to the upper side of the road, but I would recommend that the drain on the upper side be deepeued so as to convey- all tho water on that side to the shoot at the foot of the hill, thus lessening the quantity of water to be discharged at the old site, and partly removing the cause of damage. — Panikau road : Ten* derß have been called for removing slips and general repairs on this road. Although Mr Murphy only asked for £8 to be spent it was found that this sum would be quite inadequate for the work, so I considered it advisable calliug for tenders which your Council can either accept or reject, the estimate beinc; £30. — Waikohu road : Three men have been employed on this road during the past three weeks, but are now discontinued, the road being m good repair. — Tolago-Tokomaru road and Tauwhareparae : The two men that have been employed on this road having finished the repairs, I would ask that they be employed m making repairs, etc , on the Tolago-Tauwhareparae road as far as the Maranga stream. — Wairoa road : I hear vf several large slips on the Wairoa road which have not been removed since the flood, and which prevents the road being used for dray traffic. I would ask your Council whether day labor shall be employed to remove them or an allowauce be made to the niaintenauce man. — Pile Driver. — I would auk your Council to havo a derrick made or purchase one for pile driving, as I consider it essential that we should possess one of our own for use at short notice, we have a winch and monkey on hand. The gear could be either lent or hired to contractors as your Couucil may decide. Mr Skeet, who has just completed the Maraetaha bridge, has a convenient sized one for disposal. It is nearly new, having been built expressly for use on this contract. Several works it was impossible to attend to, iv consequence of my being engaged at the Supreme Court for S days. — Talapouri Hill. — This road has been opened for horse traffic by going up through the bush from the beach. There arc sevcrul chains of the road which require repairing and slips removed before it will be passable for dray traffic. I would ask authority to have this done. The Chairmau moved that a committee should be appointed, consisting of (Jrs. Tuohey, Suuderland and Macfarlane to see the drains reported on by the Engineer. — Carried. Regarding the Waiapu inland road, the Chairman said the Council had no funds to make the deviation. All that could be done was to keep the track open for horse traffic until they had the necessary money. — Resolved that a copy of this portion of the report be sent to the member for the district as showing the condition of one of the roads m the County. Resolved that the road near Scott's be gravelled at a cost of £S. This wos moved by Cr. Mucfarlane, seconded by Cr. Hutchinson. Resolved that the shoot at Ruangarehu be renewed, on the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Cr. Hutchiuson. The Chairmau said the Council should have a guarantee that Mr Murphy's road should not be closed m case the Council accepted a tender for tho repairs. — Agreed that two men be employed on Tologa-Tauwhareparae road as advised. Cr Tuohy moved that tho Council remove the two slips on the Wairoa road, and that the maintenance men be notified that they would have to keep the road open after that was done.— Agreed to. Proposed by the Chairman and seconded by Cr Macfarlane that a pile driver be bought.— Carried. Captain Winter was authorised to have tenders m for the Waimata road as Boon as possible, this having been delayed through the Engineer having to attend the recent sitting of the Supreme Court. The repairs to the Tatapouri hill as suggested m the report wero authorised to be undertaken. kangeb's report. The Ranger reported 36 animals seized and 31s iv fees received. TENDERS. Tho following tenders for the Waipaoa bridge protective work were received :— W. McLeod £'28, M. Boland £'22, Hart aud Co. £23. Lo land's being the lowest tender it was accepted. For the Panikau road work tenders were received. The Chairman, m reference to these tenders, said IVlr Murphy had undertaken to do the work for £8, and the Overseer had estimated the work would cost £30. — It was decided that Mr Murphy be authorised to spend £S on Kuox's cutting. The tenders received were not considered. Referring to the question of the Waipaoa bridge report, Cr Tuohy thought Captain Winter, the Engineer, should thoroughly iuspect the bridge during the summer and report ou its condition to the Council. — Agreed to. The Engineer was instructed to inspect McLoughlin's contract on the Waerenga-o-kuri road before the final payment could be passed. Cr Macfarlane moved the motion standing m his name that Government be asked to grant the 10 per cent (£B9) on the original Panikau loan, for the further expenditure on this road. Cr Tuohy seconded — Carried. — Iv reference to his notice of motion re the Tohigo £300 loan Cr Macfarlane said that those interested at Tolago understood that their rate was not to exceed Jd, and he would move that it Bhould be altered to read. "That the rate be for the general rate for Toldgo. The Chairmau said he did not see how the Tolago ratepayers could expect the Council to keep their roads open and the bridges m repair out of that rate. He had no recollection of the Council stipulating that the rate at Tolago would not exceed a $d m the £. The Council had last year spent £<">0 m excess of the amount received from that district. Cr Macfarlane's motion lapsed, there being no seconder. The Overseer was at next meeting instructed to report on the condition of slaughterhouses. Cr Macfarlane thought the damage at the Tapawai cutting should be made good out of the flood grant from Government. The Chairman proposes that m the event of any money being received from Government on account of the flood grant, the Eugineer be instructed to proceed with the most urgent works. It was decided to communicate with Mr Carroll and urge the necessity for the grunt being made available as soon as possible. Cr Macfarlane drew the Engineer's attention to a bad piece of road near the Wainui bridge. IWVMESTS. The accounts were passed for payment.