COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8408, 6 January 1899, Page 3

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

An ordinary meeting of the County Council was held this morning, Messrs Macfarlane (Chairman), Graham, Jex-Blake, Cooper, Tombleson, and Hutchinson being present. EXPLANATION WANTED. The Chief wrote applying for £24 10s subsidy for the Wainiatu Valley telephone wire, and £21 subsidy for the Whatatutu wire during the year ended December 31st. These accounts were referred buck to the authorities for an explanation, as it was thought by the Council that the subsidies had been paid last year up to September, 1899. 7,AND FOR SETTLEMENT. Replying to a request of the Council to be furnished with a copy of Mr Ruddick's report on the several sub-divisions of the Tahora No. 2 block, with a view to the Council recommending the Government to open it for settlement, the SurveyorGeneral wrote : — "ln reply I have to say that that officer's report is no doubt with the Commissioner of Crown Lands at Napier, with whom, and the Land Board, rests the administration of Crown lands in the Hawke's Bay and Poverty Bay districts. I have no doubt he would give you some general information on the subject if you asked him, but I think he would hardly be justified in furnishing you with a copy of a departmental report such I as this is. If, however, you have any recommendations to make on the subject, I beg to suggest that they should be placed before the Land Board at its first meeting ' in Gisborne." Cr Graham thought the Council should ask the Government to make this land available for settlement. The Chairman suggested that a committee of the Council should be appointed to wait on the Land Board in reference to this matter. The Council had been accused of standing in the way of settling the land, but that was not so. There was much better laud available for settlement than the Tahora block. It would be mischievous to bring outsiders to see such land as this when there was so much good land available for settlement. Cr Jex-Blake thought the land that should be opened up for selection wa» behind Te Reinga. It was decided to deputationise the Land Board with reference to the matter on its next sitting at Gisborne ROADS AND BRIDGES. The Assistant Surveyor-General wrote notifying the Council that a grant of £100 for the Waimata bridge (Akroyd's) was available. The Chairman stated that Mr Carroll had informed him that the grant for the Waimoko bridge was available! also for the Turebau bridge, and he therefore moved that the preparation of plans for these works be proceeded with. In reference to the Mahia-Murewai grant, Cr Jex-Blake proposed that the authorities be written to asking them to allow the Council to expend the money on the Gisborne end of the road instead of beyond Trafford's, and to make the proposed deviation to the west side of the hill between ' Bartlett's and Trafford's. — Carried. CHARITABLE AID. A circular was received from the Rodney County Council enclosing the following resolutions, and asking the Council's w-operation : — " The present charitable lid system shows that it is sapping the independence of the people, and, in consequence, charitable aid is increasing to an ilarming degree; that this Council is of jpinion that the charitable aid and hospital institutions should not be worked conjointly, as at present ; and that each :ounty should constitute a charitable aid listriet, with special conditions entered .nto with the Central Hospital Board to receive hospital patients from charitable lid districts." Councillors were generally of opinion ihat the question of charitable aid was jecoming a momentous one, and some iteps should be taken to, if possible, lessen :he heavy tax on ratepayers, but as the Council would not benefit by adopting the luggestion mentioned in the circular, it vas decided not to alter the arrangements ixisting here at present, which were iractically the same as those mentioned in ;he circular. engineer's report. The Engineer made a verbal report, le said he did not think there was any lecessity for putting in a breastwork at Jentle Annie. Hyde, the contractor for netal at the Gorge, had thrown up his loutraet, he having made a miscalculation n the metal broken, being 25 yards short. It was decided to compel the contractor o complete the work. MEETING! DAI'. Cr Tombleson moved that the Council neetings in future be held on the last Triday in each month. — Carried. Cr Tombleson moved that the Charitable Lid Board be written to asking them to lefer their meetings to the last Friday in uch month, so that County Councillors night be able to attend their meetings.— Carried. OTHER BUSINESS. The Chairman moved that an addition if 10 per cent, be added to all overdue ates.— Carried. The Chairman inovod that Mr E. Jurphy's claim on behalf of the estate of he late Mr Geo. Scott be paid. — Carried. It was decided to accept Mr Zachariah's iffer of £ 1 towards repairing his footpath it Tolago Bay. ROAD MAINTENANCE. A statement showing the comparative :ost of maintenance of roads by day labor md by contract showed that in some ■idings the former system was less expensive, whilst in others it had resulted in in increase in the expenditure. It was lecided to let the roads in Gisborno riding jy contract as heretofore ; Arai riding to ]c left as at present (day labor), one road mt to be provided by the Council for the ise of the men ; Waikohu riding to be left as at present; and as to Waimata riding, it was decided to call for tenders lor any casual labor required from the jther side of Gray's Hill, and that part of theridingonthetownsidebekeptinorderby maintenance. In reference to apetition from several settlers io the Waimata to have Mr A. T. Ritchie appointed a maintenance contractor, the Council decided not to entertain the application. With regard to the Tolago riding, it was decided to carry on the work by casual labor as at present. As the representative of the Whatttupoko riding was. not present, it was decided to leave over till next meeting decision a3 to how the roads in this riding should be maintained. On resuming after lunch Crs Cooper and King were in attendance, mid being asked whether he would prefer day labor or contract for maintenance of Whataupoko riding roads Cr Cooper said he would prefer day labor, whicli had been much more satisfactory — The Chairman said that that the position was that the County was that day overdrawn £4000, of which the Whataupoko riding was in debt for a large Bhnve of it, and they must adopt the cheapest method. — It was decided to call for tenders for the drains, and to employ casual labor for other "work as required. DOX TAX COLLECTION. Offers for the right of dog tax collection were received from the following persons : W. Warren : £ISO for the county and £25 for the boiough ; Edward Currie, £233 5s for the county and £25 for the borough ; M. McLeod, £200 for the county and £25 for the borough.— Mr E. Curric's offer beiug the highest was acoepted. JUNIOR CLERK. Two applications for the position of junior clerk were received, and Miss Harriet Warren was appointed to the office.