WAIPAWA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3023, 4 March 1881, Page 2

WAIPAWA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Thursday, March 3,

The Council met at 11.30 a.m

Present—Messrs Mackersey (chairman), Levy, Dillon, Rathbone, Gaisford, Smith, and Herrick. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, and the inward correspondence having been dealt with, the road overseer's report as follows was read: — Patangata Riding.—The work of forming and metalling 15 chains of road has been completed in the Oero bush. A quantity of stone has been quarried in this district ancl will be put on the road at once. Waipawa Riding. —The bridge at Aveson's, Waipawa-Tamumu road is completed, and the approaches filled. Other improvements have been clone during the month. The road is now good for dray traffic. A tracing of Hampden-road, above Waldron's, accompanies this report. Tamumu Riding. —A bridge at Pourerere has been repaired, and men are now imployed tightening the Tamumu bridge. I would respectfully ask permission to put a coat of coal tar on this bridge, it being cheaper than paint, ancl will preserve the timber equally as well. Waipukurau Riding.—Fourteen chains of metalling, some formation, and side cuttings have been done on the Mataweka reserve. 540 cubic yards of gravel delivered on Newman's flat, Wallingford-road. A contract is in hand for reducing the hill Arlington. Ebbett has commenced his metalling contract. Other improvements have been done near Brooklyn. I have examined all the culverts on the main road between Tuki Tuki river and Waipawa river, and I find several of them in a bad state of decay, and when wet weather sets in they will in all probability break down. I would respectfully ask permission to call for tenders for the delivery of 3000 ft of planking, to be delivered on the road, so as to be in readiness for any contingency. Those culverts are very old. Ruataniwha Riding. — I have let thirteen small contracts in the Makaretu for road clearing and other improvements, the prices ranging from £1 to £7. This I considered the best way to distribute among the settlers the money voted. There has been no other work in this riding. Eparaima Riding.—Only tho usual surface works on the main road havo been gone on with. Men will start this month to rebreak the metal.

Porangahiu Riding. — Tenders will be laid before you to-day for cutting 1000 fascines for the road on Porangahau flat. Norsewood Riding.—The usual surface work on the main road has been the only work in the riding during the month. The contract for metalling 60 chains on the Mastcrton-road has been satisfactorily completed. Woodville Riding.—The several contracts let last month for metalling are making good progress. The bush clearing contracts, Victoria-road, are still in a backward state. The contractors havo permission to complete their contracts by the end of March. Some time back the Council voted £70 for the Manga-Atua-road in this riding. About £10 of the amount has been expended ; the balance is nob required, as the road is naturally good. I would recommend tho balance to be spent on the Victoria-road, from the bridge to the upper or west end of the settlement. This is the worst road in the riding, and will require a great deal of labor to make it fairly passable for pack horsos. The extension of the Pinfold-

road through the Bush Mills Settlement is completed, and drays can now travel for three miles along this road from the junction with the main road. Main Road, Seventy-mile Bush. —A new bridge 30 feet long has been erected on the Masterton end of the road and several smaller ones repaired. The item for labor % on the road is higher this month than usual,T as extra hands had to be employed to keep the road clear of logs falling from bush fires. The natives living in Piripiri have stopped the contractors from taking metal out of the quaries. I would ask for authority how to proceed in the matter. I would suggest that a small sum be paid to them for the use of the quarries, as being the least troublesome course to deal with them. They will not recognise any legal means of taking the gravel. I have completed the agreement with Peebles to keep th«? Gorge-road in repair for 12 months for /E25.

Hamilton Road, Seventy-Mile Bush.— SThe natives will not allow the timber to be felled on the side of the road, as suggested by me in my last report. I communicated with the settlers using the road and they strongly urge that the balance of the vote," some £40, which the Road Board will supplement with £60, be expended in re-forming and metalling the worst portions. WAIPAWA RIDING. Mr Rathbone moved that a surveyor be employed to make a re- survey, for the best line of road on the main road from Hampden, from Waldron's. The motion was seconded by Mr Dillon and carried. Mr Rathbone moved, and Mr Smith *■ seconded, that a subsidy of £15 be given to the Waipawa Road Board for expenditure en the road from the junction of the Hampden-road, above Waldron's, to Kaikora.—Carried.

The road overseer "was directed to serve Mr Harding with 14 dayV notice requesting him to remove the fence he had erected on the Waipukurau-road, approaching the Waipawa river. He was also instructed to report upon the state of the main road on the boundary line near Te Aute.

WOODVILLE HIDING. Mr Gaisford moved that the unexpended balance of the £70 voted for the Manga-Atua-road be expended on the Victoria-road. The motion was seconded by Mr Smith and carried. HAMILTON-BOAD. Mr Gaisford moved, and Mr Smith seconded, that the unexpended balance of the £40 voted tor the Hamilton-ropd -* be now expended, the amount to be subsidised with £60 from the Hamilton-road Board.—Carried. PATANGATA RIDING. Mr Dillon moved, and Mr Levy seconded, that the clerk be instructed to apply to the Chief Surveyor for tracings of blocks Nos. 26 and 34, Patangata.— Carried. TAMUMU HIDING. Proposed by Mr Gaisford, and by Mr Rathbone, that the road overseer be authorised to call for tenders for metalling a portion of the Tamumu-road. —Carried. PAY-SHEET. The pay-sheet as presented was passed for payment. TENDERS. A tender for 5000 fascines was opened, but the price asked was considered too high, and fresh tenders were ordered to be called for next meeting. NOTICE OF MOTION. Mr Smith, to move at a special meeting to be held on the first Thursday next month, tbat the boundaries of the Waipukurau Riding be altered. The Council then adjourned.