Pohangina County Council.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 167, 16 January 1897, Page 2

Poh angina County Council.

o The ordinary monthly meeting of the Pohangina County Council was held at their office, Pohangina, yesterday. Present—Crs H. Dicken (chairman), R. W. Brown, H. Fraser, W. Cornfoot, W. Ashworth, D. D. Currie. Correspondence was received and dealt with as follows : — From Receiver of Land Revenue, yon- ' cber for £51 6s Bd, hypothecated thirds accrued to November 30th. From Clerk Kiwitea County Council applying for payment of this Council's share cf cost of repairs to the Onepuhi bridge and stating a farther sum of £50 was required. From Cr Vicary, an apology for nonattendance owing to the illness of his wife. From Lands and Survey Department, re Apiti bridge grant. Also, stating the interest of Emma Bacon in section 14, Block XII Apiti, had been cancelled. — Name to be taken off roll. From Captain Turner, re Bluff protection works, stating plans ahould be approved before work waa started. From J. Jeffries, account for bushfelling on road line. From F. W. Noffki, stating his section was in the Kiwitea County and asking to have his rates refunded. From Land and Income Tax Depart- ! ment. re levying rates within the county and stating; as the special orders were informal the 75 per cent of subsidy on rates could not be made excepting on the amount actually collected. From W. S. Barber, reporting having registered 421 dogs last year. From A. Hoplurk, offering to extend No 4 line 3i chains for 80s a chain to enable him to get access to his flection from the road.— Offer accepted. From T. Etherington, applying for payment of £2 16s for bushfelling on road line. From Thomas Sinclair, asking the Council to make an outlet for water along Pohangina road, and claiming £30 compensation for the Council having failed to provide such outlet after having been asked to do so and threatening legal proceedings if tbe amount claimed was not paid by Feb. Ist. From F. M. Haselden, M. McLeod, J. Mortensen and C. C Green, requesting Council to raise a loan of £1000 for construction of Gorge road. From W. L. Grice requesting that his name be placed on rate roll for section 5, block V, Pohangina, in place of Grice Bros. — Agreed to. From Treasnry r« £929 Upper Cross road loan and stating tbe special rate was only sufficient for loan of £871 ;also re Mangapikopiko riding loan of £1500 and stating special rate only sufficient for loan of £1826 ; also, stating the £152 loan for repairs to Onepuhi bridge would be remitted in the course of a few days ; also re special rate in connection with £3971 loan in the Pohangina and Mangaone riding, stating a differential special rate was invalid and that a special rate of one amount must be collected over all the lands in the special rating district, and, therefore, this loan could not be granted ; also, that loans of £324 and £871 were available, the latter being for construction of Upper Cross road ; also, that £245 on account of Pohangina township loau was available ; The chairman reported, with respect to T Hirst's application for a refund of £5 10s stated to have been retained as a deposit on a contract and which the Council could not at the time trace, that Mr Hayn had gone to the office and pointed out in the cash book where credit had beon given for the amonnt which was duly placed to the Council's credit in the bank. Councillors expressed satisfaction that the amount had been credited and that no reflection was intended to be cast on Mr Hayn. Cr Dicken reported having attended the conference of local bodies at Feilding to prepare bye-laws regulating traffic on the roads. Tbe Engineer, Mr D. Sinclair, reported that during the month 20 contracts were being carried on by the Council, a few of which had been delayed by the holidays, others were progressing in a satisfactory manner. The metalling contracts were now well in hand and would be finished during the month. The larger portion of the formed roads in the country were in fairly good order, although many slips and watertables would require attention before the weather broke in the autumn. A contract for metalling 80 chains had been let by tender since last meeting. New work had been pegged out and tenders called for it. The plan as submitted for the bluff not having been approved by the Government a reqnes had been forwarded for them to sugeest a simpler and less expensive scheme. The extension on Main Ridge road south could not be pegged ont until after the bush was fired. Coal Creek pack track had not been done, settlers preferring an alteration. If possible, the bush should be felled on the road lines from the township to the Association roads to have them bnrned with the settlers 1 bash this season. Bushfelling on main road throngh Messrs Roe Bros, was being done to have it bnrned this season. Mr B. J. Port waited on the Council to request tha,t the Ranger be reinstated. He was advised that he could himself impound any cattle found on his property without the reappointment of the Ranger. Mr A. A. Wagstaff waited on the Council with respect to the Association loan, which he understood tho Treasury refused to advance owing to an informality with respect te a differential rate, and he desired to know what steps were now to be taken. The Chairman stated the Treasury refused to grant the loan on account of the differential rate which bad been struck, that the Council bad replied that there was nothing in tbe Act against a differential rate being struck but had received no reply to this yet. However, they anticipated the Treasury would still refuse to grant that loan unless the proceedings were gone through again. A motion would be brought forward at this meeting dealing with the matter. Mr T. Curran waited on the Council to enquire whether Mr Carrie had permission to cut grass seed on road. Cr Brown explained that many of the setters claimed the right to cut grass seed opposite their properties, they having sown the seed when the bush was burned. He had not let the right or given permission to anyone to cnt grass on any of the roads on account of this. Resolved, That Mr H. J. Hayn be paid the sum of 7s Id slaughter fees due him as inspector, but that the Council cannot admit his claim for £1 11s 6d for information supplied as to things done while he was employed by them. Resolved, That the Engineer be instructed to hare the bush felled on road line from the township to the Association. Resolved , That the clerk be instructed to write to the Treasury accepting tho reduced amounts of £1326 and £871 for fcho loans of £1500 and £929 resiicciively. Resolved, That the clerk be instructed to apply to the secretary to the Treasury for the sum of £189 being' part of tha loan of £871. ' • Resolved, That the consideration of Thomas Sinclair's clajm for d^njages by water 'from Jgobangina road,, be deferred tjll next meeting to enable, {tie engineer to report on same. Resolved, That the action of Cr Fraser in opening tenders and' accepting that of I, Xoupjjf for. WBtartNo ity,

'(Pohangina Main Road north) total £130 6b 8d be confirmed. Resolved, That the Councillor for the riding be authorised to go to Wellington and interview the Minister of Lands on the matter of Bluff protection in tbe forest reserve. Resolved, That Mr T. Etheringfcon be paid for felling bush on road line fronting section 4, block XI, P. S. D., amounting to £2 16s. Proposed by Cr Cornfoot, seconded by Cr Currie, That the clerk write to the chairman of tbe Pohangina Small Farm Association stating that their loan was invalid and asking them to guarantee tbe necessary expenses for a fresh poll. Clerk to advertise same as soon as he gets the reply from the chairman. It being understood that only half of sections 61. 62, 65, 66 and 68, block IX, be included in the rating area. Resolved. That the clerk write to the District Survey office, Wellington, for a tracing of the township of Apiti. Proposed by Cr Cornfoot, seconded by Cr Brown, That the clerk apply to the Treasnry for tbe sum of £1148, being loan rmney available for loan of £2959 for Pohangina and Mangaone rid* ings— Carried. Proposed by Cr Dicken, seconded by Cr Brown, That this Council hereby agrees to appropriate a double portion of the loan money available for next year to the Association loan of L 4668 in consideration of tbis year's portion (LI 143) being appropriated to loan of L29s9.— Carried. " A special meeting was held for the purpose of making a special order levying a special rate of 4£d in tbe £ to cover interest on a loan of £1000 for tbe construction of Gorge road. • Cr Fraser desired that it should be pointed out to holders of slaughter licanses that such licenses expired' on the 31st of December in each year. Accounts amounting to £W6 7s 3d were passed for payment. The following tenders were received : For lease of 3 acres, 1 rood and 20 perches ; gravel reserve, section 48, block XI, Apiti.— Walter Watson, 25s an acre per year (accepted) ; J, Rankin 20s 6d an acre ; C. Asberg 6s an acre'; F. S. Guy, £4 3s 7d per year ; A. Dick, £1 15s per year. Collecting dog tax.— W. 8. Barber, Is 4d per dog (accepted) to be paid by Council ; A. Richards, Is 7Jd. Contract No 126, 80 chains Apiti' Norse wood road.-G. H. Pnrnell, £84 14s 4d (accepted); H. Wolland and Logan £110 4s ; Rankin and Shannon, L 690 id ; W. Bacon, L9B 16s : S. Mo. Millen, Lll9 18s 6d. Contract No 127, 98 chains ApitiNorsewood road.— J. Rankin and Shan-' non, L.127 (accepted); 8. McMillan, Ll7B 19s 6d ; ;Wofland and Logan, Llßl 3s; W Bacon, Ll7O 12s. Contract No 123, 52 chains Pohangina township.— W. Bacon, Ll7l 12s (accepted) ; T. Young, L 21 9; C. Thompson, L 18 9; R. Lyon and Son, 5209 6a ; W. H. Little and Nicholson, L 192 14s 9d; J. O'Connor, L 172165; E.Standon, and Co. L2lB 12s lOd; J. Bixrk, L 195 4s. . y. Contract No 139, two bridges Awahou riding.— Dickson and HorsneU, L 284 9s ; (accepted) ; R. Lyon and Son, L 384 8s ; J. O'Connor, L 424 12s 8d ; £. Standon and Co. L 494 8s lid.