Kiwitea County Council

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 127, 27 November 1895, Page 2

Kiwitea County Council

The Kiwitea County Council held their usual monthly meeting at Feilding to day. Present — Crs J. Reid (chairman), W. Morton, VJ. F. Jacob, F. Homer, and J. J. Williamson. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. On the motion of Cr Reid, Mr T. R. Taylor was re-elected to represent this Council on bhe PalmerstoD N. Hospital and Charitable Aid Boasd. A deputation consisting of Messrs Atk inson, Fitzherbert, and six others, waited on the Council with a request that the Pakihikura and Mangapapa roads be constructed. Mr Atkinson acted as spokesman, and asked what amount was available to make the roads in their block. They assumed there was an amount available for the expenditure, as the Vinegar Hill bridge road was being made. They had £200 of thirds, but they did not want this to be expended on roads in the Sandon Block. He asked if the Council would apply to the Government at once for what thirds were available and call for tenders for the work, and whether they would arrange to have the 80 chains of road constructed to connect the Hautapu with the Ongo Block. This work they considered would cost about £60, and was very necessary. If they hadn't loan money to expend on it, he asked if it couldn't be done by subscription or otherwise. Cr Reid replied that the work was scheduled by the Engineer, who made an estimate of the work, but it did not follow that the money would be sufficient, and in this case he believed all the lower Pakihikura loan money had been expended. The £770 odd of thirds had been applied for, and they had just received them at this meeting. He considered the Pakihikura loan had been fairly dealt with. At Cr Jacob's suggestion it was held over until after next March, when it would take precedence of other loaus. His riding had a loan of £2750 for Vinegar Hill bridge and £625 for Otara bridge, which was over half the borrowing power of the Council for one year, and he thought he had his share cf their borrowing power. They couldn't let these bridges stand over as they were under obligations to the Rangitikei County Council with reference to the former, and had to secure the Government subsidy for the latter. He understood the road connecting the Hautapu ridings down the .cliff was in the former, but found the boundary was at the foot of the cliff and this piece of •road was omitted from the Pakihikura loan in this way. There were only rates and thirds available for expenditure. The extra £100 for the Pakihikura village reserve road was not to hand yet. Cr Jacob suggested that an additional farthing rate should be collected to cover cost, and Mr Atkinson said he believed the settlers would agree to that, but thought the Ongo settlers might contribute. In reply to Mr Atkinson, Cr Reid said he voted for the removal of the County offices to Birmingham because he thought it the most advanced locality in the County. On referring to the Engineer, Cr Reid said that £412 12s 6d, with about £10 additional, of the £470 lower Pakihikura road loan, had been spent, leaving about £48. There were about £1200 of thirds in his riding available for expenditure, and he would have tenders called at once for the thirty chains of road. If it did not cost more than £60 he did not think it would be necessary to collect an extra rate. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Council was held at noon for the purpose of electing a chairman, the clerk Mr E. Goodbehere presiding. Cr Jacob was nominated by Cr Williamson and seconded by Cr Homer. This being the only nomination, Mr Goodbehere declared Cr Jacob duly elected as Chairman for the ensuing year. On taking his seat Cr Jacob thanked the meeting for the honor done him and said he would always try to do his duty faithfully and impartially. He proposed that a vote of thanks be accorded to Cr Reid for his services as chairman during the past two years. In doing so he said Cr Reid had always acted very courteously in dealing with matters before the Council. Cr Morton seconded the motion which was carried. Cr Reid thanked the Council for the_ vote and in doing so he had tried to do what he could. He thought some good had resulted during his office. He had no bad feeling against anyone although ■fhey had crossed swords sometimes. JETe would clo what he ooa!4 to assisb Ur Jacob in his position as Chairman? (Left sitting.)