WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 329, 18 January 1911, Page 2

WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

I MOXTIII.Y MEETING. The u< uui nutnlhiy :i.>. i tim* of the Wr.iiouii'i Ctv.suy I waj helci ai | the Council Chnmnors on Momiuy night. i'r A. Seholes (chairman) , I'.n.i cSmyth, O'ijuyer, iioii'msn. "'Vire aiTvi Uiv'-iic. Road I>ri' ip'■ Ai'OS:i Wu!p:i River..Messrs I!':o:uii\ioi and l ; 'inlay wrote tinil (!•;• I';:n! U- Works Department had a::kr'u>-,iv-vint of the objection of llu> Council to ij- charged with a proportion of Ir.c costs of erecting a bridge at Pironiga, and stating that the in at to" would be dealt with as required by law. —Received. Bridges on Ilangitiki-Otorohanga road. —The Minister for Public Works stated that the application for | £4OO to be placed on the supplementj ary estimates arrived too late to be considered.- —Received. : Road Giving Access. —Messrs J. N. j Boddie and George Tarrant wrote ssk- | ing the Council to apply for a Gov- ! ernor's warrant to authorise Mr Cheal i to survey a road which is now a legal road, for 40 chains from the main ! Oparure road and offering to pay the ' cost of survey.—The application was : agreed to. ! M iroanuiao-Mangaotaki Road. —Mr ;J. R. Daly wrote re thh work on this ! road and offering to do the work if no i tenders were received. "It is an ! insult to the people that £2OO should j be. all the money voted for a road ten I years in existence and Ju miles long," wrote the petit'-ener.- —The letter was received and as far as tools for loan : were concerned, the matter would be ; kept in view. Infectious Diseases. —The Department oi Public Health wrote, asking . the Council to continue acting in ' regard to infectious diseases until the Hospital Board was able to relieve it from the responsibility. —Received.

Rangitoto-Tui Road. —Mr F. 11. Moorhouse wrote asking the Council's support in his application to the Chief Surveyor. The Clerk said a Governor's warrant had been applied for, but had not been granted.—lt was decided to make a further application for a Governor's warrant in favour of Mr Jordan, of Te Kuiti. Votes for Roads, —The UnderSecretary for Public Works wrote that the Government had this year offered to local bodies the available balances on votes for road works at a much earlier date than hitherto, with a view to enabling local authorities to arrange for such work in the summer raontlH. If any plans and specifications had not been submitted he suggested they should be without further delay.—A discussion arose on the amounts available for expenditure. The following figures were furnished by the County Engineer: —Ilauturu to Otorohanga £SB, Otorohanga to llan-gatiki-Waitomo road £ll, Otorohanga to Pirongia road £SO, Kawa road £BS, Sivvindui! road £SO, Owaikura road £lon, Caves road £lol, Arapae road £B3 7, II an turn road £23 112s. It was moved by Cr Boddie and seconded by Cr Were chat the question of the deviation of the stream on the Arspae road be left in the hands of Crs Boddie and Were, with power to act.

Road Votes.—Cr Boddie referred to tlie list of road votes received from the Public Works Department, dated November 19th, nearly two months ago. —The chairman said they were not available yet, but he would hurry them up all he could. Te Kuiti 2B No. (s.—Messrs Broadfoot and Finlay on behalf of Mr R. H. Cowern wrote asking the Council to exercise its powers in taking a road to provide access to this block. Mr Cowern was prepared to indemnify the Council in connection with the matter. —lt was decided to grant Mr Cowern's request. Margamahoe Road. The Public Works Department wrote that no proposals for the expenditure of the £ll Is lOd grant having been made, instructions were being issued to the District Engineer for expenditure.— Received. Otorchanga-Hangatiki £SOO Road Loan.' —The Advances to Settlers Office notified that this loan had been finally passed.—Received. iionikiwi Road Loan. —The Advances to Office submitted that this loan would be submitted for final approval at the nest Board meeting.-- Received. Vote 10i< Item 221 Arapae Road.- - The District Engineer wrote re this vote that the work, beinc incomplete, the full amount had not been certified. Certain defects were pointed out, and pn being rernpdiec], {he balances of £24 KJS 'id and is 4 12a tid u'Oulci be passed for payment. —Received. (The mailers referred to had now been attended to.) Otorohanga Esplanade.—The Inspector of Noxious Weeds wrote reiii i tiding the Council to clear the noxious weeds.—The chairman had attended to the matter and the Council pj.-a-.') a Resolution confirming his action. Paiakika and i'aro Uoad "Thirds/' -■-The Ohura County Clerk wrote that all these had been scheduled and would Lie spent in widening and repairing the roads as soon as the Land Board's approval was received.- Received. Cattle Crazing.--Messrs James Oui'.ip;-, I). 0. McDonald, J. Smyth, ('. I''. Weji, J. Heinifien and W. 11. tlolloway petitioned tiit' Loi.ineit Jier penr.i.'fiun to allow their cattle to on tl;e To'r.ro and i'uhska roads.-- - Cr Boddie did net think tie-y i*iii 1 ■ 1 over-rid*" the- 1 poundieg Art hj; iui.. f.-eleven. - Cr L'tr.ylh said th y e..i,id hi-C enee sei tiers from irre-'poii.-.ibie pei ne::;: • '■■■ ■. ; : 'd ' Je Cr IJiili'iimn recalled an esperieiit-o V.lu-re a hull was puL out, on the aullieivity of a Councillor a;ai they eame on the Council ioi' compensation. The <'heiruu.n s:rl Uuy as a Ceue.ci 1 v.eie net in poiii.i.ding cattle at pies-: !ii. If a vindictive settler tii;! jji., that \vas their look out.- aN 1 o Kiiniat a Road e-peeiai Area. ?d r Kidd, appearing for hi hiselt and a number of others, asked that

their land be withdrawn from th-3 i special rating area. They were ■ proposing to vote a special rate next year, and they would thna have two . rates. Thvv woo id pay a higher rale under the rate they proposed but they did net mind th::t as si would give them their nature! oatlet. If they had been consulted a'; nist the trouble would not have arisen. If this area was cut off to section 1-1, Potika road, there would be no objections. —Ths chairman said the matter had not been before the Council and the matter was in their ; own hands. How many were object- : ing? Mr Kidd said four were objecting, : and others, if they were cut off, would have to coroe in. The Chairman said they had their remedy. Mr Kidd commenced to challenge Cr Smyth to retire from his seat, when Cr Were moved that the matter be discussed when L'ne deputation had retired from the room. Cr Smyth said there were only a few against the loan. The loan was car- : ried. Cr Were again moved his resolution, making it a general one to cover any future deputations. Cr Gr?gg seconded. —The motion \va3 carried. Crs Were and Gregg then moved that Mr Kidd's complaint be considered i when the complained-of rating area is before the Council. —Cr Boddie said ! the amended Counties Act provided I that where any settlers included in a , special area felt aggrieved they had a I right of appeal. The motion was , carried.

Arapae Road. —The tender of Mr 11. Rothery for £199 7a Gd was accepted. Dog Collars.- Mr vY. McNaught's tender for the supply of dog collars with plate at 7d per collar was accepted. New Vote Arapae Road.- -The District Engineer wrote that the plans and etc., for raising and widening the embankment at the Mangapu bridge had been approved and the work might be put in hand at once. Oparure Road Rates.—Messrs J. N Boddie and Geo. Tarrant wrote asking the Council to spend a portion of their rates, on the portion of the road leading to their properties, at present almost impassable. Tney were willing to do the work if of any assistance to the Council.- Deferred. Road Grants. —Cr Boddie said that, referring again to the road votes, he held in his hand a list totalling £3402 of small amounts for expenditure ali over the country. He had there 27 grants. How many of them had been attended to? Probably not more than two or three. They had complained, and rightly so, of the dilatory way in which the Public Works Department had expended the grants last year. Mow the County was at fault. Numbers of settlers were very much dissatisiied at the slow progress beingmade in the expenditure of the grants. If the County Engineer had more work than he was able to do they must give him some assistance. The Council could not hold itself free from blame. If only one or two plana and specifications had boon sent away, when wer3 they going to get the rest off?

The chairman said he had seen the circular letter from the Public Works j Department, but it had never struck him that the money was actually available. He thought a motion might be moved, empowering the engineer to employ help in preparing plans arid specifications Cr Gregg said the engineer was paid on a commission basis, and the whole system would require readjusting. The chairman suggested they appoint a committee to go into the matter. Cr Boddie seemed to think that in the light of last year's experience the engineer would have ha J his plana and specifications in a more forward state. Mr §. Williamson, of Honikiwi, who was present to explain to the Council the difficulties under which specifications were prepared in the country districts, here interposed to say that the road work now required to be done, under the control of the County, took a much longer time than under the Roads Department. He illustrated his point by saying an authorisation would perhaps come in for a road at Otorohanga and another one at Aria. The engineer hai to go out to these places and measure up the quantities, end perhaps £> week would be occupied in going to and from one small work and preparing the plans in the office, Under the Roads Department men were stationed in the different districts in close touch with the settlers, and without any delay the different particulars were ascertained-, and the job done. To-day there was times as wijcji WOfk to do, and enough work for three men. Cr Doddie admitted that the running about all over the country preparing for the expenditure of these small road grants raised a very awkward question. It was quite evident the six per cent, estimated for engineering expenses would not cover the work. After further discussion, in which various Oounciilora tpoke, ail nising the difficulties the engineer worked under, Cs Were and Gregg moved that Mr Adams get assistance in each district, if possible, and get the plans and specifications prepared at once. -Carried. Cr L'oddie asked if that meant givjr.o; the engineer indiscriminate authority lu expei-e.l money in assistance. if so, h.< doubted whether the County funds would stand it. Cr Were said the engineer would consider his own position when engaging help. J-»r Rennirs. —Air Williamson nu-:itionen se\vval bi.id£.'3 which required re-decking in the liauturuOtorohanga district.--The chairman said he did nut see how they conUl rebuild them at the piesent time. Crs Gregg and Johnston moved that Use Clerk hp instructed to write to the District Engineer and request ! ; im to strengthen the Waitomo stream bridge meanwhile. —C arri ed. Accounts to the value of £SB-1 Ss -Id were passed for payment, j