COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 4463, 4 October 1883, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The County Council met on Wednesday. Present: Messrs. J. Elliot (chairman), Brown, Henderson, Honeyfield, Irvine, Price, Syme, and Col. Trimble.

Commissioners of Omata District. — The appointment of C. Evans, H. George, W. Griffiths, and W. Kyngdon as Commissioners of the Omata District was confirmed.

Engineer's Report. — The Engineer's report was read as follows :— The WaitaraUrenui Road continct No. 1 is nearly completed, and should be ready to take over in a few days. The contractor, T. Longstaff, is entitled o a third progress payment, and I have certified to an advance of £50. The contractor for contract No. 2 is doing his best to push on this work, and there is no doubt of its being completed in time for the gravelling contract to be proceeded with. I have, in my former reports, brought to your notice the difficulty the contractor has had in securing labourers for this work. In accordance with your instructions I have prepared for contract (now advertised) one mile of the Mountain Road, to be known as contract No. 4, and in continuation of the work already done. Clifton Road Board. — A letter was read from the Secretary of the Clifton Road district notifying that Mr. Wise had been elected member of the Board in the place of Mr. G. B. Kyngdon resigned, and that Mr. P. Bell has been appointed Chairman o£ the Board. — The appointments were confirmed. Closed Road. — A letter was read from the Waitara West Road Board asking that the road through section 84, on the plan of the Huirangi district, be closed as requested by Mr. J. Purdie. — The Chaiuman said it would be necessary to first ascertain whether the Road Board had complied with the provisions of the Act as to advertising, &c, before the Council could take action. Dangerous Road. — The Secretary of the Egmont ltoad District wrote calling the attention of the Board to the dangerous state of tho Devon Road at the junction with the Smart Road, caused by the removal of the toll-gate fence, thus exposing the open drain. The Road Board desired the Council to have the culvert lengthened the full width of the road. A temporary fence had been erected by one of the Road Commissioners at a cost of 10s., and he wished that sum refunded. — The Chairman said that it was the duty of the Road Board to attend to this matter and not the Council. It was true the culvert had been laid by the Road Board at the edge of the County road to suit the convenience of the Board, hot that did not make the Council liable. — Mr. Price thought that the Council should take the necessary stops to have the repairs asked for executed. — The Chairman said it was a question that involved a large responsibility on the part of the Council, for if the Council acknowledged the liability in this case, it would also have to carry out the same I principle in all cases in the County where Road Board culverts adjoined County roads. He contended that in this case as the Road Board had made the drain it should keep it secure. — Colonel Trimble said that when the Road Board chose to make a drain close to the toll-gate fence it did not follow that j the Council could not remove the fence. — On the suggestion of Mr. Brown it was agreed that the Chairman should enquire into the matter as to whether the Road Board or tho Council had caused the danger to exist, and that the Chairman report to the next meeting. County Roll. — A letter was received from the Colonial Secretary re extension of time for the preparation of the County roll, and asking the Council to name dates for the various steps required to be taken. — The Secretary said he was in a great difficulty on account of the rolls this year. He hadnotyetgottherollsfor the Waitara West or Waitara East Districts, as there was a difficulty with regard to the boundaries of those ridings and the Moa Riding. A mistake had been made in gazetting the Manganui District and the Town of Stratford in the Waitara District, thereby cutting off that area from the Moa District. Until this was rectified he did not know how the rolls could be prepared. — Colonel Trimblb said it was the duty of the Council, at the proper time, to have made the proper alterations required by the Act. The Act required that the boundaries of ridings should be coterminous with the boundaries of Road Boards ; but this was not the case in several of the ridings, and the Government had taken upon .themselves to make the alteration, as the Council had neglected to do it. While in Wellington he went to the Survey Office and asked why the mistake had been made in j altering the boundaries, but the Chief Surveyor said he had asked Major Atkinson about it, and it was done on Major Atkinson's reuommendation. Major Atkinson, however, denied this. There appeared to have been some mistake made in Wellington, and the only way now to remedy it was to get the ratepayers in the districts interested to sign a petition to the Council, praying that the boundaries be altered. — It was agreed that tho Secretary write to the ratepayers of Manganui and Stratford asking them to sign a petition to be placed in the Moa Riding instead of the Waitaro Riding. Opuanice-Manaia Grant. — A telegram from the Public Works Ollice was read, stating that out of the original vote for the Opunakc-Manaia Road there still remained the sum of over £200, and that a voucher was being prepared in order to hand over the money to the Council. Analysis. — A letter was read from the Omata Licensing District, asking the Council to vole the sum of £5, to be placed at the disposal of Mr. Pardy to defray the expenses of forwarding samples of liquor from hotels in the County for analysis. — Agreed to. Furze. — A notice was received from tho Secretary of the 23rd Road Board calling upon the Council to prevent the furze spreading on the pound reserve at Tikorangi. — It was resolved, " That tho Chairman be instructed to have the furze cleared." Leave of Absence. — Mr. T. Walsh, foreman, wrote to the Board asking three months' leave of absence on account of ill health, as it was imperative that he should take a long sea trip. — The Chairman said that the foreman had been knocked up with the hard work he had performed for tho Council during the winter, and he was so ill that the doctor had ordered him away as liis only chance of regaining health. He (the Chairman) had taken upon himself to give the foreman permission to go, and he left the place about a fortnight. — The whole of the Councillors sympathised with Mr. Walsh, and were unanimous in their opinions that he had worked faithfully tor the Council without sparing himself. — It was resolved on tho motion of Mr. Symb, "That Mr. Walsh be allowed three months' leave of absence on half,-pay." Mr. Symb also moved, " That Mr. T. Penwarden bo appointed to act as foreman temporarily during the absence of Mr. Walsh." — The Chairman said he would prefer that no appointment should be made until the expiration of the three months, when, if Mr. Walsh was not in a position to resume work, applications for the appointment could be advertised for. In tho meantime he (the Chuirman) could arrange to have Mr. Walsh's duties performed. — The Chairman's wishes were acceded to. Gravelling. — Colonel Trimble moved, "That for the portion of tho road not under contract for gravelling — the road between Inglowood and Waiongona (about 50 chains) — the Chairman be authorised to contract at a rate not exceeding £5 per chain net, giving the use of the. stone•rusher at the Inglewood quarry. — The motion was carried, — Tho Chairman said that the cost of the two formation contracts

finished on the Urenui-Mimi |[Road was about £525, and that would leave a balance of £1,475. That balance was now available for gravelling, and he would ask the authority of the Council to call for tenders for gravelling the road. A good gravel pit had been found near the road. — On the motion of Colonel Trimble, seconded by Mr. Irvine, it was resolved " That the Chairman be authorised to call for tenders for gravelling that portion of the road between Urenui and Mimi." Formation Contract. — It was agreed " That the Chairman be authorised to call for tenders for the formation of about two miles on the Mountain Road between In- , glewood and Sentry Hill." — Mr. Brown said this would form the road to near the Manutahi crossing. Stone.— Colonel Trimble moved, and Mr. Honeyfield seconded, " That the Chairman be authorised to call for tenders for the delivery of stone at convenient places for the formation of three miles of road, tenders for which are now being called for." — Carried. Engine for Stone Crusher. — Four tenders were received for hire of engine for stone crusher. — On the motion of Mr. Syme, seconded by Mr. Irvine, it was resolved "That Mr. T. Bayly's tender for hire of engine, at the rate of £1 7s. per diem (including fireman and all necessaries) be accepted." Engineer to Council. — The Chairman said he had made satisfactory arrangements with Mr. 0. Carrington to carry out the work of the Council. Law Costs. — The sum of £50 for law costs appeared among the accounts. — The Secretary explained that the expense was incurred in taking out summonses against defaulting ratepayers. — The Chairman said that it was very disagreeable for the Secretary to be compelled to sue the ratepayers, and it also entailed upon them considerable cost. All the summonses that had been taken out had been settled out of Court, but of course the defaulting ratepayers had to pay the costs. People grumbled about having to pay rates, but by neglecting to pay them those ratepayers that had been summoned had to pay £50 among them for costs in addition to the rates. Stone Crusher. — Mr. Brown moved, and Mr. Price seconded, " That the action of the Chairman in agreeing with Messrs. Mulree and Capper for the hire of the stone crusher, to be employed on contracts No. 1 and 2, Mountain Road, be confirmed." — Carried. Accounts. — The accounts passed for payment amounted, to £300. The Council then adjourned.