AKITIO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1149, 9 June 1911, Page 3

AKITIO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Akitio County Council was held last Saturday. There were present, the county chairman (Jlr. J. W. Murray), and Councillors Herbert, Robertson, Smith, and Jl'lntyre. The following correspondence was considered From the district engineer, Wellington, notifying that Crown tenants havo no power t'o make a charge for loyalty, and the only charge that can be made is for surface damage.—lfeceived. From the Under-Secretary, Public Works Department, stating that the site for the Aohanga ltiver Bridge-Pongaroa-Akitio Eoatl is eminently suitable for a truss span structure and that the engin-eer-in-chief has prepared a plan for such a bridge. The truss to estimated to cost ,£Boo.—lt was decided that lenders (for labour only and for labour and material) be called and that; tenders close at noon on July 1. It was also decided to call for alternate tenders for another bridge proposed t'o be erected over the King Creek. The returning officer (Mr. H. K. Robinson) gave notice that at a poll to borrow the sum of J28.000 by special loan for bridging, metalling, formation, and protection work, the number of votes recorded for the proposal was 183, the number of voles recorded against was 50, and tho proposal was therefore carried. The chairman and councillors said that the ratepayers had every reason to be proud of their decision to shoulder thb burden of opening up the country. Tho Government had already promised a sum of .£SOOO, which would be in addition to the =£28,000. The secretary to the Treasury notified that' the first progress payment of the .£IOOO vote bad'been placed to the council's credit, viz., ,£402 13s. 3d. The council anticipate a refund of approximately .£I2OO in connection with moneys lately spent on various Government grants. The council decided to apply for all the old grants that were not' expended on March 31 last and to ask that the full amount this year be voted by Parliament for the Waiowaka Bridge. The following are tho new proposals:—PongaroaWeber County, metsilling ,£ISOO, the coun-

cil to find £2 for every .£1 the Government offer; metalling the main MakuriPongaroa' Road, .jC for £; various bridges (as mentioned in tho .£28,000 loan proposal), JE5500; the road leading to the public recreation ground, i£so. The council decided to call for tenders for metalling the Rimu Koad and Ma-kuri-PonguToa Koad. A letter was received from a ratepayer at Waione in reference to tho maintenance metal recently deposited on the Alfredtoii-Wcber Koad. It was decided that tho county clerk expl./in why a larger amount of metal was not deposited at t his> timo of the season.

A demand was received from the Wairavapa Hospital and Charitable Aid Board for .8180 19s 4(1. for the current financial year. The county clerk stated that this was the amount paid by the council to the old Wellington and Wairarapa Charitable Aid Board. The council's representative on . the W airarapa Beard (Councillor J. W. Murray) explained that this year the board would be put to a considerable expenditure, and that no doubt the contribution may be reduced in time to come. • On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Councillor Jl'lntyre, it was resolved that the estimated charitable aid within the county of Akitio for tho current year be reduced from .£SO to £2o per annum. Tho Dannevirke County Council forwarded a letter in reference to contributing towards the maintenance of the Dan-ncvirkc-Weber Road within the Dannevirke County The expenditure for tho period Aprii 1, 1008, to April 30, 1911, was .£5172 Is. Id., and tho summary of the traffic on'the road for the months of November, December, and January was: Weber Couutv, 125 tons of goods; I'atangat'a County, 13 tons; Akitio County. 121 tons. The county clerk was directed to write and ask the Dannevirke County for their suggested proposal. On the motion of the chairman, seconded bv Councillor Smith, it was decided to fall in with the Stratford County Council's suggestion to urge upon the Minister for Railways to repeal tho charge of "rato and « half" on imported hardwood timber where used bv county councils for bridges and-culverts, ns such charge is vc-rv onerous on local bodies which have to''use durable, timber for such'public works, and to forward such resolution to the Minister. The council resolved to strike the annual recurring rate of Id. in the X on the unimproved rateable value in connection with Hie ,£28,000 loan. The council also psssed the usual resolution to borrow JJnOCfl from its bankers— the Bank of New Zealand.

It was resolved to summon persons leaving implements and timber on the country roads.

The treasurer submitted the monthly balance-sheet, which showed that after the payment of .£507 12s. lid., the Akitio comity' fund would bo in Jebit -10:11; 17.-.. and the Akitio interest account is in credit .£l3l 12sl fd.