OHURA COUNTY COUNCIL

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 300, 5 October 1910, Page 3

OHURA COUNTY COUNCIL

The monthly meeting of the Ohura County Council was held on the 28th September, in the Council Chambers, Mangaroa. Present —Crs Stevenson (chairman), Sandison, Williams, O'Brien, Risk and Stuart. A special meeting was held at which a special order was made authorising the raising of a loan of £2300 to metal Waikaka and Rima road. The following were declared noxious weeds:—Ox-eyed daisy, penny-royal, ragwort, Bathurst burr, broom, burdock, fox-glove, Cape weed. ORDINARY MEETING. "Thirds."—Request from Messrs Waters, Thompson, Hanley and Gothard to have "thirds" on their sections spent on repairing Kokopuiti road.—Agreed to. Sign-boards. —Mr Beresford wrote urging the need of boards at junction of the various roads indicating the names.—Decided that, as there is no county funds available the Department of Public Works we be written to urging the necessity of the work. "Thirds."—Application was made by Messrs Hope, Christensen, McKinley, and Perfect to have available "thirds" spent on Tuioto road.— Agreed to. Ongarue Bridge.—Letter from Commissioner of Crown Lands agreeing to defer action in transferring "thirds" on account of bridge to Public Works Department until further information is available.

Government Grants.—The following letter was received from the Minister of Public Works:— "Adverting to the letter which you forwarded me from the Ohura County Council chairman, dated 25th ult.. complaining of the action of this department in its relations with the council in regard to the expenditure of Government money on road works, and to my interim reply of the 30th thereto, I have now had an opportunity of investigating the matters about which complaint is made and have to reply as follows—With regard to the complaint of delay in passing plans and specifications, I have to state that enquiry has shown that these are passed as quickly as possible and as a rule with very little delay. Delay does sometimes occur, however, on account of plans, etc., being defective. It is also caused by local bodies sending in a large number of plans and specifications at the same time instead of sending them forward as they are completed and thus avoiding an acumulation of work in the district office. With reference to the regulations requiring an inspection of the work carried out by the local bodies before progress payments are made : I have to state that with a view of facilitating payments to the Ohura Council, I have given instructions for the acceptance of a certificate as to work actually done, signed by the county chairman and the county engineer, as far as relates to progress payments up to, say, 75 per cent, of the grant, but as regards the final payment this cannot be made until after the Government Engineer has inspected the work and found that proper value has been obtained for the money as I am not prepared to allow large sums of Government money to be expended by local bodies or to be paid away without any inspection by this department's officers of the work carried out. With regard to the complaint as to delay in making paymnets to the county bank account for work which has been passed, due inquiry has been made into this matter, and I am unable to ascertain that any delay has occurred either in the head office or in the district office beoynd what is unavoidable. It must, of course, take an appreciable time for request for payment to first reach the engineer from the county authorities, to be examnied and passed by him and forwarded to this office, scrutinised and entered, and then go through the same process in the Audit and Treasury Departments, and finally for the cheque to reach the county engineer. Due precaution is necessary in making payment of public moneys, and I do not see how the lapse of a certain amount of time before the council receives payment can be avoided. With regard to the council's complaint as to the absence of acknowledgment to their letters, I can only say that I think the statements in respect to this matter are entirely unfounded. All letters addressed to me I am particularly careful to have acknowledged in every case.—R. McKenzie, Minister of Public Works. Overdue Rates and Breach of Bylaws. —Arrangements have been made to hold a Court on 17th of November at Matiere to hear cases brought by the county council. Correspondence from Messrs Broadfoot and Finlay, county solicitors, disclosed that a large amount of correspondence had taken place on the overdue rates, and explained that they were using every effort to hasten the business.

Metalling part of Mangaroa Road.— Letters were received from secretary of Ohura Medical Association and the secretary of the Farmers' Union Ohura branch, urging the necessity cf metalling the Mangaroa road as far as the medical residence. —Resolved that the council again urge the need of this particular work on the Minister. Cr Williams introduced a deputation of local billiard-table owners. Mr Klail explained that they thought the charge of £3 10s was excessive and largely in excess of the rate levied in other counties. Mr Simpson urged that as business was very slack he thought it should be substantially reduced. —The chairman replied that if the question came up again for consideration the question of reduction would be taken into consideration. At present the price was fixed and as several had paid their fee there was no possible chance of any reduction.

Roads Matiere Village.—-Notice of gazetting of Kokako and Whio and Riro terrace streets was received. Rima Road.—The Public Works Department wrote asking if widening from section 20 to section 24 was included in engineer's estimate of cost r>f repairing Rima road.—Replied that widening was required to give acess to section 24.

Timber for Bridges.—Lists were received from Mr Murray of timber procured for bridges at Mill stireatr, Kakahi-Opeatea bridges. Mangakara Road. —A vote of £350 was authorised to complete road.— Resolved that the department be asked to execute the work as the county staff has more work in hand than at present than they can carry out.

Engineer's Report.—Since iast meeting of council I have been out on the roads, with the exception of the last eight or ten days, preparing data on the Mangapapa and Waikaka roads. The following work has been sent away to the resident engineer for approval : —Stripping the earth from the top of the Harvey road tunnel and burning papa and metalling the hill near Niho Niho, re-formation and widening of Mangaparare road. Mr Denison has prepared the work in the Tatu riding as instructed by the council about £3OO, cost about 7 per cent., this work is all ready to send away for approval with the exception of duplicate plans which will be ready by next mail. I have anticipated the authority re the tunnel, and have called tenders for this work to close on the Ist October. My object in doing this was to expedite matters. In the Niho Niho contract I propose concrete pipes. I would like your instructions re this matter as it will be necessary to get in shingle and cement so that the pipes may be curved before they are needed. I propose to'put concrete pipes on the Waikaka road. To do this work a rough schedule will be wanted so as to protect the work from the sun. The lining out of the tunnel would be very suitable for such a schedule. Would like your instruction also in the matter of a tree falling across the road. One having fallen across the Waikaka road, this being a county road the county should remove it. Of "thirds" £lB5 have been scheduled by Cr Risk for expenditure. These have been forwarded to the Commissioner of Crown Lands for approval. I should like instructions as to what works are to take precedence; the work on the Waikaka road road will need to be gone on with at once if it is the intention of the council to do this works during the coming summer; other works are just as necessary. For this reason I would like you to express your wishes in this direction, also the matter of level and staff. I have been using my private instrument for. some time past as two were required, the council instrument being at Tatu.

Main Road.—The resident engineer wrote recommending that plans be submitted for deviation at the 14-mile bend.—Decided that the Minister be urged to have the work done by the department. Tokorima Road.—This road being blocked by slips application was made to have a sum allotted to make road passable. General Rate.—A general rate of gths of a ptenny in the <£ was confirmed.

A supply of poisoned wheat has been prepared and is being supplied to settlers.

Planting Willows.—The engineer was instructed, to strictly prevent any willows being planted on the banks of water-courses.

Clerk's Salary.—lt was decided to arrange for the clerk to assist the engineer, and to be paid £l5O per annum. .