Kiwitea County Council.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 95, 19 October 1896, Page 2

Kiwitea County Council.

w The ordinary monthly meeting of the above was held at their offices, Feilding, on Saturday last. Present— Messrs W. F. Jacob (chairman), J. J. Williamson, W. Morton, G Shannon, W. Jones, Jas. Reid and A. H. Tompkins. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Correspondence was received and dealt with as follows : — From Treasury, voucher for payment of L 450 on account of the £3000 loan for the construction of roads in Ongo riding. From G. 0. Hare, re his charge for hire of lifting-jack and objecting to accept less than 2s per day for its hire. —To be paid 18s in place of 7s 6d as passed at last meeting. From Pohangina County Conncil, asking for payment on account of this Council's share of cost of erecting Apiti bridge. — Cheque for £'80 passed for payment, balance to be paid when statement of expenditure supplied. From the following, accounts for felling bush on road lines : — Prichard Bros, F. B. French.— The latter to be paid at next meeting and no funds available for the former. From Apiti bridge demonstration committee, inviting the members of this Council to the opening ceremony and banquet to be held on the 21st inst. From C. Johnston, attachment order for £5 5s against monies due to Mr Hnnt, bridge contractor. From the following, applications for change of names on rate roll : — W. A. Prichard in place of F. H. Prichard, section 3, Block VIII, Ongo ; W. F. Stanley in place of A. D. Stanley for sections 40 and 41, Block XIV, Apiti ; E. G. Humphrey in place of Ranson and Son for half acre of section 16, Waituna. — Alterations agreed to. From E. G. Humphrey, offering ss for pieces of two piles lying in Waituna stream. — Offer declined. From F. E. Pickering and three others requesting that Cheltenham Cross road between Mackay's line and Bracelins' corner be opened for wheel traffic. From Clerk Manchester Road Board, re conference to formulate bye-laws to regulate traffic on roads. From J. Prew, stating he was holder of section 4, Pakihikura village, since June, 1896, and asking if he would have to pay from April Ist as charged. From Land and Survey Office, stating the work of vesting the varions reserves within the county in the Council was being attended to ; also, that T. E. Bennett had forfeited section 6, Block XV, Hautapu ; also, that H. King had forfeited section 22, Block I, Umntoi ; also, that the application for subsidy towards repairing Kimbolton road wonld be considered ; also, re alterations to Otara bridge plans. From chairman of Rangitikei County Council, re this Council's objection to pay half cost of erecting fence on road connecting with Vinegar Hill bridge, and stating that the agreement with the Eiwitea Road Board was that thia worK should be included in the cost. From Engineer of Rangitikei County Council, stating the decking on the old eighty feet spans of the Onepuhi bridge was rotten and required replacing. From clerk of Rangitikei County Council enclosing detailed statement of expenditure at Onepuhi bridge from September sth to Oct 10th, and asking for payment of LB4 10s 4d, this Council's share. From A. J. Abbiss re west end of Mangapipi road stating it required attention as it would be impassable in winter. From W. Baker and E. Short, re thirds on Pararorangi road, and requesting that all available be spent in improving this road as it was impassable. From Birmingham School Committee guaranteeing half cost of making approach to school. — Council required to have money in hand before commencing the work. From A. Laing, offering to accept the position of poundkeeper at Birmingham at half fees. The Engineer reported that Mr Franklin wonld not take a less sum for compensation than that set out in his letter for land required for deviation on Pakihikura road ; also, re Otara Suspension bridge and enclosing letter (with comments on same) from Government engineer on the same matter. The Government engineer (Mr G. T. Murray) stated that this bridge coo Id not be erected for less than £6000, bat that a bridge with four 80 feet spans on two abutments, one concrete pier and two cylinder piers would not cost more than £4800, and would be more suitable for the site. Plans for a truss bridge could be prepared and passed within a month. Mr Bray considered there would be no reduction of the £5110 estimate for a suspension bridge. The chairman reported that he and Cr Morton had completed the agreement with the Messrs Mcßeth for the purchase by the Council of the land necessary for the deviation of Mcßeth's line, the Council to pay £10 an acre for the land and 12s a chain for fencing the deviation. Resolved, That Mr Laing be appointed ponndkeeper for Birmingham pound ; subject to one month's notice, in the terms of his letter of application, dated October 16th. Resolved, That the chairman and Cr Williamson be appointed delegates to the local bodies conference to consider the question of excessive loading on county roads. Resolved, That the agreement entered into with Messrs R. and D. Mcßeth by Crs Jacob and Morton on behalf of this Council be confirmed. Resolved, That Messrs Baker and Short be informed tenders will be called for the expenditure of " thirds" on Parorangi road. Messrs Johnston and Taylor waited on the Council to request that the balance of the Ongo loan for making a bridle track on the Mangapipi road be spent to give them an .outlet to their sections. Mr Taylor offered to advance the balance of money required if that in hand was insufficient. It was pointed oat that the balance of the money available was about £110 and there were about 100 chains of bridle track yet to make, about half of which was standing bash. The man promised that the Engineer would lay off and call tenders, to be in by next meeting, for making track to Mr Johnston's boundary, tenders to be accepted for the whole work proyiding Mr Taylor lodged a cheque for amount, above that in hand, required to complete the work, in the event of the amonnt of money available not being sufficient. Mr Taylor to be repaid when loan money for this road is to hand. Resolved, That steps be taken to raise a farther loan of £400 for providing this Council's share of additional cost of erecting Vinegar Hill bridge. Resolved, That Mr Abbiss be informed this Council cannot see its way to do more than make the bridle track on the Mangapipi road. Resolved, on the motion of Cr Reid, and seconded by Cr Morton, That the agreement with Cr Reid and the Rangitikei County Council re road to Vinegar Hill bridge was that the Kiwitea County Conncil could take the road through Simpson Bros.' property under the Native Land Act and no mention was made of taking it under the Public Works Act ; that the agreement was to pay one-half cost of making bridge and one half cost of making road to same. Copy of this resolution to be forwarded to Rangitikei County Council. Resolved, That the Engineer be instructed to have a- drain made through

Mr Cox's property to relieve the road from flood water, subject to the Engineer getting a satisfactory agreement from Mr Cox. Kesolved, That the Engineer be instructed to call tenders for making a bridle track on the Mangapipi road from the end of the present contract to Mr Johnston's section. Resolved, That Cr Tompkins be authorised to interview the Commissioner of Crown Lands re vesting reserves in Council. Accounts were passed for payment and the Council adjourned.