WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 441, 21 February 1912, Page 5

WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

A meeting of the Waitomo County Council was held at Te Kuiti on Monday evening. There were present Crs Scholes (chairman), Hoffman, O'Dwyer. Smyth, Berry, Were, Johnston and Gregg.

Waipa River Bridge.—The Minister for Public Works wrote stating that plans for' the bridge had been forwarded to the Council. The vote provided by Parliament was £ for £ subsidy, consequently the Council would require to contribute one half the cost. The chairman said there wa3 evidently an error as the amount voted £3500 was the estimated cost of the whole work. On the motion of Cr3 Hoffman and Gregg it was resolved that the clerk be instructed to write to the department and explain. Hangatiki-Waitomo Road. —• The Under - Secretary for Public Works wrote asking what steps the Council was taking with reference to the expenditure of the £250 offered on account of the subsidy on £4OOO on the road. Received.

Okupata-Pekanui Road.—The Cicrk of the Kawhia County Cuuncil wrote stating the Kawhia Council had requested the Government to vote sufficient money to open the above road for traffic. As portion of the road was within the Waitomo County the Kawhia Council requested the cooperation of the Waitomo Councii In the endeavour to obtain the grant. — Resolved to accede to the request. Potaka Road Drain. Mr R. Kidd wrote with respect to a drain across the above road which was becoming choked and allowing storm water to overflow. —■ The engineer explained that a new outlet had been formed in a new formation. —The clerk wag instructed to reply to this effect. Mr W. Hudson, secretary of the Kio Kio branch of the Farmers' Union, wrote requesting the Council to grant sudfficient money to repair the road. It was estimated the work could be done for £50.--Proposed by Crs Gregg and the chairman that the engineer be instructed to spend all available money on the road. —Carried. Te Kuiti Cemetery.—Mr J. Nicholla, chairman of Te Kuiti Cemetery Trustees, wrote requesting the Council to form the approach from the main road to the cemetery gates. Request granted. Advances Office.—A telegram from the Advances Department intimated that £1250 for Tawanui and £2OOO for Caves road loans had been finally approved and debentures posted.—Received.

Legal Roads. —The Chief Surveyor, Auckland, wrote In reply to a letter from the Council seeking information regarding the position of roads which had not been legalised or dedicated. The Chief Surveyor stated that no rule could be laid down; each case must be dealt with separately. If an owner blocked such a road before registration against the titles affected the Council would have to be guided by its solicitor. In the case of roads surveyed, but not formed, the Council would require to effect legalisation if the survey had been done by the Council, but if the survey had been done by the Department it was probable the department would take the necessary steps to legalise the road. —Received.

Waitomo Valley Road. —J. D. Stevenson wrote asking that the road should be repaired as it was almost impassable for wheel traffic. It was estimated that an amount of £3O would be necessary for the work. Mr St2venson said he could have his own men put on the work with a plough team. —Resolved that the engineer be instructed to spend all available money on the road.

Waihohonui Road. —R. Fraser wrote asking if the Council had any money available for the above road. He would do the work himself a3 he wished to get building material on to his section. Resolved that the engineer be instructed to attend to the matter. The chairman said there was a grant for the road which had to be expended. T. Arndt, Aria, wrote requesting to havti his road widened for a distance of about 20 chains in order to get timber on to his section. —Cr Smyth said the road had never been dedicated. It was running through a school reserve to native land. It had been surveyed but no work had been done on it. The clprk said Mr Arndt was on the roll, but no rales had yet been collected from the property.— The Councillors were of opinion that the matter was one for the Public Works Department or the Maori Land Board.—The clerk was instructed to reply stating there was no money available for the work.

Waiteti Road.—On the motion of Crs Berry and Were it was resolved that the Council apply to the Government for a grant of £IOOO to open up the Te Kniti-Poro-o-tarao road to connect Auckland with Wellington, this being a main road. Ovvaikura Road. —R. M. Carlisle wrote with respect to the grading of the road.— Cr Gregg urged that the grader should be sent out as soon as possible. It had already been decided by the Council that the work should be done and it was expected to be done some time ago.—The engineer said the grader was to be sent to thi3 road as soon as the work it was at present engaged on had been accomplished. This should be within a month. Hangatiki - Waitomo Telephone. — Cr Johnston said the settlers wished to erect a telephone line from Hangatiki to connect the private line at Waitomo. Granted subject to the usual conditions. Crushing Plant.' —On the motion of the chairman and Cr Gregg it was resolved that the Council purchase crushing plants and that a committee consisting of Crs Berry, Johnston, Hoffman and the chairman, be empowered to deal with the matter. The chairman and treasurer were empowered to sign debentures and affix the seal of the Council thereto for the Aria, Caves and Tawanui loans. Engineer's Report. Since last meeting of the Council the following contracts have been let: Widening

Pukearuhe, Pungarahu, Waitomo and Te Kuiti-Te Kumi mads. Plana and specifications have been sent to the Public Works Department for approval for formation on the Tapuae, Tumutumu, Puketarata and OtorohangaOuruwhero roads and for a bridge on the Otorohanga-Pirongia road. Specifications have been returned approved for the works on the Tapuae, Tumutumu and the bridge on the Otorohanga Pirongia road, and tenders will be called for at once for the work on the Tumuturr.u and the bridge. Tenders closa to-day (l!)th inst). for thirteen contracts, viz: Metalling Arapae, I Mairca, Ngapaenga and Pungarehu, Te Kuiti-Te Kumi, Otorohanga-Pirun-gia, Waitomo, Totoro and Potaka roads; carting metal Te Kuiti-Mokau, and crushing metal Te Kuiti-Mokau road; breaking metal Te Kaumauku road and formation Maire, Caves, Arapae and Tapuae roads. Mr Rothery has made good progress with his contract on the Hauturu-Otorobanga road and as the lead is becoming shorter he will get on more rapidly. Mr Cameron has also made good progress with his contract on the same road. He ;,has lately increased the number of his teams so that with fine weather he should not be long in finishing. Mr Innes has made a start with the metalling on the Arapae road and has about 25 chains nearly finished. Good progress has been made with all the other contracts in hand. I have ordered timber to replace a cuvlert which has given way on the Oamaru road and arranged for the timber to be carted and built. When at Kio Kio I went over part of the Kihikihi-Otorohanga road with Mr Hudson and about a mils of the road which has had very little done to it since it was first formed, requires reforming and a few more culverts. I also met Mr Hudson, secretary of the Kio Kio branch of the Farmers' Union, at the Kio Kio railway station to decide on the most suitable place for the proposed crossing of the railway line, and we are both of the opinion that th" southern end of the station is the only suitable place. The crossing will bs very expensive to make owing to there being a high bank on the railway line. This will become a very important crossing and should be gone on with as soon as possible as the crossing now used, which is acros3 the centre of the station, is liable to be closed at any time. To make the approaches and take the necessary land will, I estimate, cost £2OO. The cost of the formation of a footpath six feet wide, metalled and fenced from the Hangatiki railway station to the Hangatiki township, estimate to cost about £6O.

I have seen Mr Cheal with reference to the survey of the proposed road under the viaduct and he will proceed with the work as soon as he gets the necessary information from Auckland. Tenders. —Pirongia road metalling: Cameron and Brooking, 3s lid per yard (accepted); H. Rothery, £534 18s 4d; Pulford, 5s 6d per yard. Te Kuiti-Mokau carting: Corlett and Irwin (Morrinsville), 9s, 4s 6d, 2s 3d per yard (accepted); Cameron and Brooking, £1760, Caves Road widennig: J. Swanton, £377 (accepted). Te Raumauku (breaking metal) : A. J. Phillips and Co., £4OB 7s 6d (accepted). Waitomo Valley road (metalling)): Cameron and Brooking, 5s per yard, £825 (accepted). Maire road (widening) : Lowrie, £SS (accepted); Andreson. £100; Wells and Co., £125. Arapae (widening) : C. Hornhlow, £900; J. Smith, .£855 (accepted); McKean and Ireand, £992; H. Rothery, £978; Wells and Co., £875. Te Kuiti-Awakino (crushing and stacking at 12-mile): H. Rothery 4s 6d per yard, £342 (accepted). ___________„_____