COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9642, 17 January 1903, Page 4

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

♦ At the meeting of the Cook County | Council yesterday afternoon the following further business was transacted: — PATUTAHI QUARHV. Cr Matthews' notice of motion re a light railway line to Patutahi for the carriage of metal was brought up. The Engineer read a report on the quantity of stone m the quarry made by the previous engineer to the Council some years ago a.nd published m the P. B. Herald. The results showed that there were estimated to be 88,000 yards m the quarry , then, and 16,000 had since been taken out, which left tliem about 70,000 yards. Cr Matthews : Isn't there more on the. other side of the creek ? The Engineer : There is more, but that is reckoned an upheaval, and we cannot cut away more on the other side of the creek, as we interfere with the road leading to Mr Bobbie's. Cr Matthews said an extension of time to get further information as to the I amount of stone and cost of a light line was needed before his motion could be discussed. Cr Gray was against any expense being undertaken for boring. Cr Matthews replied that the only expense would be the Engineer's time. He understood there was to be no boring. The Engineer stated he could not obtain an estimate of .the stone unless he took borings. He would be inclined to accept the estimate quoted, and there would be no difficulty as to the cost of the railway. Cr Gray asked whether the County, Government, or private company were to construct the line. Cr Matthews said his intention was to obtain all the information possible, but whether the Council approved of the scheme or no was another matter. Cr Harding said the idea was a good one. It was resolved to defer the subject for a month, to allow information to be collected. VARIOUS REQUIREMENTS. Cr Matthews drew the attention of the Council to the junction of Fox street, Whataupoko, with the County road, where m wet weather private property was flooded by water from the County road. The place referred to was near Mr Winter Hamon's. A culvert was necessary, and the Road Board would no doubt pass a vote towards the cost of its erection.— The Chairman and Engineer to inspect the locality and attend to the matter. Cr Clayton pointed out that the subsidy of £3 passed at last meeting to Mr St. Leger really belonged to him, as there was £2 18s of his land fund owing, which the Council had appropriated.— The Clerk siiid the Council would owe Mr St. Leger £10 when his land fund accumulated. The position was that the settlers oblected to take £3 from Mr St. Leger's land fund unless the Council gave them £3. There was £3 12s at present accrued to Mr St. Leger's land fund.— Ao action was taken by the Council. On the motion of Cr Dobbie, it was decided to have the stock yards at Gentle Annie, on the Tiniroto road, repaired, the Engineer putting the cost at £2. Cr Richardson mentioned that there was a dangerous hole m the approach to il , Waikohu bridge, near Mr. McLean's old .homestead, which needed attention. Ihe resolution striking the rate on the special loan district for the Tolaga Bay bridge was confirmed. MAINTENANCE MEN. U- Clayton's notice of motion that the maintenance men be reinstated was discussed. Speaking to his motion, Cr Clayton said it was a mistake to take the men off m the summer time, when they could get the roads jn repair for the winter A man was wanted on the Mdrere road, and it was a mistake to take the men off at all times if funds permitted. The Chairman : We have £1000 m the 'indispensable" column of the Estimates for tliese meit The Council are as badly pinohed as at the first meeting, but experience has shown us that we want the men on. Cr Richardson seconded the motion. The Engineer stated that all the men were off except one. Cr Harding understood that at the time they were put off the men were not necessary for a few weeks, and that the Engiiifier could put them oil th© Government loan money. Tihe Ghairmain: That is the position. We have not discharged the men, but have simply put, them on the works, the money for which has been provided by the Government. Cr Matthews moved tlmt the- matter be left to the discretion! of the Engineer. The men would not be wanted for another month, and their funds were so low they would be on the horns of a dilemma. Cr Clayton said that on. some roads the men were not necessary at present, instancing the upper end of his riding, where a man could be dispensed with while the machine was there. The Engineer stated he would rathei have the men on, but the position was that the Council had an opportunity of making a few hundreds of pounds. A man had been kept on the Nuhaka road, one on the Motu, and two taken off. The man was taken off the Tiniroto road, but the machine was put on. The Waikohu could do without immediate attention, the man on the Tolaga Bay road was on Government grant money, and the Waimata road man was off. He thought the men mentioned could be on for a short while provided they did not havie bad weather. Mr Clayton agreed to modify his resolution to read that the maintenance men be left on the roads where the Engineer thought them necessary. Or Matthews was m favor of the resolution if they instructed the Engineer to put the men. on only where absolutely necessary, his view being that the Council could not afford it. The Engineer said this was putting him m an invidious position. He held that tJie men should be put on the roads, but they were taken off for the purpose of economising. If the Council thought thery could put them on he would do so at once. The Chairman : We dorft. If we car get along with them off we will keep them off. We have not the funds without running further into debt. The Engineer said his idea was to keen the men off till April. Cr Clayton's amended resolution was adopted.