Kiwitea County Council.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 146, 17 December 1894, Page 2

Kiwitea County Council.

The regular monthly meeting of the i above body was held at the office, Feilding, on Saturday last. Presenters J. Reid (chairman), W. F. Jacob, W. Jones, W. Morton, F. Homer, G. Shan* non. J. J. Williamson. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Correspondence was received and dealt with as follows : — From H. H. Richardson, clerk Rangitikei County Council, stating that his Council would meet on the 20th instant, at 2 p.m., to open tenders for the Vinegar Hill bridge, and inviting the Chairman of this Council to attend. From J. D. McGregor, enclosing resolution passed at meeting of ratepayers, held at Pemberton on November 24th, to the effect, That a special rating district be formed for the purpose of raising a loan of £625, to assist in building a bridge over the Rangitikei river at Otara. From J. N. Welford, account for bushfelling — Referred to Engineer. From T. A. Bryce, offering £2 for right to cut cocksfoot grass seed on Bryce's road. — Offer accepted. From C. F. Cook, offering £2 10s for right to cut cocksfoot grass seed on Bryce's road. From Controller and Auditor-General, audited balance-sheet. From Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, asking for statement of cost of licensing polls in 1891 and 1894. From Lowes and Jarvis, A. H. Tompkins, and seven others, asking the Council to assist by paying £1 towards the cost of making a ford across the Oroua river leading to Apiti; £2 had been subscribed by settlers. The Engineer, Mr C. Bray, junr., and Cr Jones reported that they had visited the cutting known as Davis', on Mackay'a line, and tried what grade could be got by diverting the road and going in Mr Davis' property. They found a grade of 1 in 13 can be got by going up the valley about six chains from the present road, which would make the deviation about fifteen chains long. The estimated cost will be about £300 — made up as follows : land for road £20, fencing 30 chains £30, forming, culverting, and metalling diversion, and lowering present cuttings, £250. Accounts were passed for payment. The following statement was read, showing how the present overdraft had been incurred in the Apiti riding;— Oroua Valley road, £86; or Middle, road, £47; Kimboitoß road, southern end, £488 7s 7d ; Whare road, £160 9s lOd ; Ruae road, £22 185 ; Kimbolton road, north of Kiwitea Cross road, £253 ; total, £1057 15s sd; The amount of the present overdraft which would have to be taken over by the proposed new Road Board would be £436 7s lOd, made up from the three latter amounts in the above statement. The Council went into Committee to discuss the result of the Chairman and Cr Jacob's visit to the Treasury Department, re the refusal to grant the loans applied for, and on resuming it was Proposed by Cr Jacob, seconded by Cr Reid, That the Chairman inform the Minister of Lands that this Council is willing to contribute the Kiwitea Road Board's share of the Cheltenham and Vinegar Hill bridges, as set forth in proclamations gazetted June 21st and 28th, but that the Treasury is unable to advance the loans required unless proceedings are commenced de novo. This Council therefore respectfully asks the Minister of Lands to issue fresh proclamations for the building of said bridges, substituting the name of the Kiwitea County Council for that of the Kiwitea Road Board. Mr Fraser waited on the Council to ask what they intended to do with reference to his claim for £8 2s, for removing and re-erecting fence fronting his property, which he alleged was done for the benefit of the Kiwitea Road Board. He also claimed for damage done to his property by slips from the road. He admitted that he bad not been asked to remove the fence, which had been done on account of negotiations for the purchase of land for road purposes, pending at that time, but which since fell through. Proposed by Cr Reid, seconded by Cr Homer, That Mr Fraser's claim against the Council be entertained.— Carried. Resolved, That the Chairman and Cr Jones be present at the opening of tenders for Vinegar Hill bridge. Special orders were made for the payment of interest at 5 per cent for 26 years on a loan of £1000 for the con* struction of Perry's road extension to Heayn's road and Heayn's road, a special rate of one farthing in the £ to be levied over the Oroua special rating district; also, a loan of £800 for the construction of a portion of Heayn's road, a special rate of one-eighth of a penny in the £ to be levied over Makino special rating district. [The prrticulars of sections in the special rating districts have alieady been pubtished.] Proposed by Cr Homer, seconded by Cr Reid, That all the loans carried for various works in the Kiwitea County be again advertised excepting the Ongo loan of LI 1,560, and that the cost of such be added to the amount of each loan^ The advertising to be given to the Bam,» papers as before.— Carried. Proposed by Cr Earner, seconded by Cr Morton, That thirty pounds of thirds be expended in forming a bridle traokon the continuation of the Kiwitea-Tapuae road. — Carried. Proposed by Cr Homer, seconded by Cr Reid, That the services of the ranger be dispensed with on all roads within the Apiti riding, including Edwards, street, Birmingham township, until \h% end of March. — Carried. Proposed by Cr Homer, seoonded by Cr Reid, That the metalling of the Kirn* bolton road in the Birmingham Block be commenced as soon as the funds (thirds and grant) arc it hand, and that application be made for the money at onoe. — Carried. Proposed by Cr Homer, seconded by Cr Reid, That the claim of 21s sent in by Mr C. London, senr., be paid. — No* gatived. Proposed by Cr Jacob, seconded by Or Williamson, That Mr McGregor and the other ratepayers interested be in. formed that owing to the present unsatisfactory position of the finances of the county, and to the amount of loans for other works now being applied for, this Council does not think it advisable i# form the suggested special rating difi. tvict re Otara bridge at present.— Car* ried. For the motion — Crs] Jacob, Shan* non, Jones, Morton, Williamson ; against — Crs Homer and Reid. Proposed by Cr Shaunon, seconded by Cr Morton, That Mr Parke's offer of land for road making purposes on the Mangatutu road be accepted.— Carried. Proposed by Cr Homer, seconded t^y Cr Reid, That the clerk give at tho, n.ext meeting a statement showing : (1) The number of ratepayers within the poposed Ruahine Road Board j (2) The uqmber of signatures attached to the petition \yho are ratepayers within the said district.— Carried. Proposed by Cr Homer, seconded by Cr Reid, That the Juno meeting of 1805, and all subsequent meetings of the Kiwitea County Council, be held in Birmingham, and that necessary arraugemeuts be made to have this resolution carried out. lii proposing the resolution Cr Homer pointed out that the last time h^h,a4 proposed tbo rcgolutlpu, theirs was no bftpli ur'tplephone at Birmingham, but now those requirements wero thore, and he saw no reasan why they should not efcift into ttois wra distort, fig fai

beon offered a meeting room (the bank room) by Mr Lowes for one year free of rent. It was unfair to force ratepayers to come out of the district, and the time had arrived for the removal of the Council's offices. Cr Jones opposed the removal of the offices to Birmingham, and thought Cheltenham would be more convenient. He moved, as an amendment, that the word Cheltenham be substituted for the word Birmingham. Cr Morton supported tho removal to Birmingham, and offered to give a site. Cr Reid thought they should have offices of their own when they shifted, and he was in favor of borrowing for that purpose. He was in favor of removing to Birmingham. The amendment was negatived. Cr Jacob moved, as a further amendment, That the word Waituna be substituted for that of Birmingham, and that the date be June, 1896. In speaking to the amendment he contended that Waituna, being more central, would eventually be the capital of the Kiwitea County. He was suro it would suit the ratepayers in the wards represented by Crs Reid, Williamson, Shannon, Jones, and his wouldn't care a brass button. £ By June, 1896, there would be a bank, telegraph office, and daily mail there and it would be a prosperous place. He was sure the majority of the ratepayers in the County would prefer Waituna. Crs Williamson and Shannon supported the removal to Waituna, but desired that the date be 1895, in place . of 1896 as proposed by Cr Jacob. Cr Homer seconded the motion pro forma, and on being put it was negatived. Cr Shannon proposed a further amendment that the word " Waituna " be substituted for that of " Birmingham," the date of removal being June, 1895. Cr Williamson seconded the amendment, which was negatived. The voting was:— For the amendment- Crs Shannon, Williamson, Jacob ; against— Crs Reid, Homer, Morton, and Jones. The original motion was then put and carried; the voting being:— For— Crs Homer, Morton, Reid, and Shannon; against- Crs Jacob and Jones. Cr Williamson did not vote. The Board then adjourned.