COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 31, 6 February 1900, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The County Council met on Monday. Present: Messrs. Okey (Chairman), Horrocks, Price, McDonald, Adlam, Phillips, McOullum, Lepper, and Tate. The Chairman's action in accepting Messrs. Bailey and Sole's tender of 2s lid for carting stone at Tapuae was confirmed. The Chairman presented a report of the recent visit of inspection made by the Council through the various ridings, i Several members expressed their concurrence in the report. The reports of the Foreman of the various ridings were read. Instructions were given to serve notices on the occupiers of land men- { tioned in the Omata Foreman's report, requiring furze, etc., to be cleared off the road. | It was decided to instruct the Parihaka Foreman to send in an estimate for a stone culvert in lieu of proposed pipes for work near Rahotu, asked for in his report.

The Bridge Carpenter's report on works in hand and to be commenced was read. The consent of Mrs. Trimble is to bo asked to a slight deviation of a creek. The Treasury notified that there was no necessity for gazetting the special order of the Council to readjust the loans for Tariki and Eltham Roads. A petition from Meaprs. T. P. Hughson, Robt. Kibby, R. F. Roebuck, and John R. West, coich proprietors, was j read, asking the Council, in the event, of the toll-gates not being abolished, to consider the injustice of the tolls as at present levied on passenger coaches, which are all charged at the same rate (2s), whether drawn by two or four horses, and whether empty or full. They pointed out that at most the weight would not exceed one ton, while waggons carrying two or three tons, and drawn by four horses, were only charged la 6d.—Consideration of tbe matter was postponed. A slaughter licecs3 was granted to the Inglewood 00-aperative Bacon During Company on (section part 104, block IV., Egmonl-.

The Chief Commissioner of Irind.* wrote, stating that th-3 Department proposed to take Bjrtrand II ad ant! close part of Black Rod, and ask : iu' for the conspm of the Council. The Chairman stated that it was the road to Tikorangi bridge. The application was acceded to. The Farihaka Road Boird wrote requesting that the appraai:h to the Kiim Road be metalled, they to supply the metal. This was agreed to. An application by J. Phillips for an approach to his section at Rahotu was complied with. The Opunake Town Board wrote offering to pay one-third of cost of lengthening to the full width of the South Road one or two of the culvert*, at the Council's option; also to pay two-thirds of cost of. metalling two blocks, viz., from Havelook-street to Layard-street the fall width between kerbs, This was agreed, to. The following tenders for carting stone were accepted:—Moa Riding: (1) 300 yards, Mountain Boad, Gartright 3s 9d; , (2) 500 yuids boulder stone, between Inglewo'od and Norfolk Road, J. Tarry 4s lid for crushed metal; (3) 400 yds, between Norfolk Road and Waipufcu, ML J. Jones 2s 3d; (4) 200 yds, Tariki Road, M. J. Jones 2s 6d; (5-6) 150 yds, Henui to Mangorei, G. Jordan 2s lOd and 2s lid respectively; (7) no 1 ! tender, H. Olson to supply gravel at ;2s 9d and Is 3d, carting by James; (8) 350 yds boulder stone, Upland Road [to Inglewood (left to Chairman to arrange). Waitara Riding: (1) 500 yds boulders, Waiwakaiho, Simpson 2s 7|d ; (2) 500 yds gravel, between H\sluck'rf gate and Waiongona River, Kuuckoy 4s 41; (3]i 600 yds, Waiongona River to Clifton County boundary, O. J. Knuckey 4s lid; (4) 400 yds, Oarrritfht 4s 9J. Parihika Riding:— (1) 1000 yds gravel, T. and J. IVomey's sv;<B the lowest tender at 3s 10d, but it was decided to call for tenders for broken metal, several of the councillors advocating that the stone - crusher should be taken to the district; (2) 1200 yds, held over; (3) 800 yds, no tender; (4) 600 yds, stood over; (5) 1000 yds broken stone, Oolesby 4s 6d.

It was decided to call for tenders for firewood for the crusher, Mr. Tate undertaking to obtain a quotation for Mokau coal.

I After some discussion as to whether ] bridge work or road work should have ■ first c'aim to consideration, it was decided that the Waitara Foreman should at oooe take in hand and carry out the re grading of " Big Jim's" bill. I 31r. Horrocks moved that the stone- j •crusher be sold as 3oon as convenient j and a horse roller purchased. ! A general discussion ensued, resulting in the withdrawal of the mation, and at the suggestion of Mr. Tate a oomrniiteo was appointed, consisting of Messrs. Okey, Horrocks, and Tate, to j inquire and report as to the desitability I of puvch tsing a roller similar to that in j ! us« ar, Kiiwera. | Mr P.icfi moved, pursuant to notice,! that t > : l-gat >a bo abolished and a wheel tax substituted, During the discussion it was pointed our, that the tolls raised .£2OOO, while tiaa wlw<4 ta* w iwa instituted only

roalised about o£7oo, and that it was unwise to risk a certainty for an uncertainty. Eventually the motion was rejected by 3 to 6. Mr. Price gave notice of motion that the Waiwakaiho gate be moved to the boundary of the Bgmont Road Board. It was decided that the privilege of collecting tolls be put up to auction on the last Saturday in February; and that the Chairman with Messrs. Tate and Adlam be a committee to consider details of letting. Accounts amounting to ,£367 12s 9d were passed and the Counpil adjourned.