KAWHIA COUNTY COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 503, 25 September 1912, Page 7

KAWHIA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Kawhia County Council was held on 14th inst. There were present — Crs Shaw, (chairman), Noonan, Kearns, Davies, Perham and Babbage. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr J. A. Young, M.P. replied to the council's letter re improvements to Pirongia-Kawhia road, stating that he had forwarded the letter to the Minister for his favourable consideration. Public Works Department. The district engineer has estimated the cost of two bridges over the Mangatangi stream at £125, and authority has been issued to the council for this

amount.—Authority for an additional £IOO has been issued to the council for the Kinohaku-Waiharakeke road to complete the rnetalilng to the Kinohaku wharf.

Mr C. Bell wrote regarding the encroachment of the formation on the Okupata road on his property. The engineer was instucted to report on this matter.

The chief surveyor forwarded a plan of the road proposed to be taken along the foreshore at Kawhia, below high water mark, for the council's approval.—Plan approved. Messrs Hunt Bros, asked for the sanction of the council to the transfer of section 2, Kawhia harbour endowment, from Mr G. Hunt.—lt was decided to approve of the transfer provided all back rent and rates are paid forthwith.

! The chairman of the Waitomo County Council wired that a meeting of delegates to consider the formation of a back blocks local bodies' association would be held at Te Kuiti on 25th inst.—lt was decided that the chairman and Cr Noonan attend this meeting. A circular was received from the National Peace Council re proposed Defence Act amendment,, setting forth their objections to the Defence Act. —lt was resolved that the council cannot support the Peace Council in this matter, as the Kawbia County Council is strongly in favour of universal training. Accounts. The treasurer's statement of balances, etc., was received and adopted. Accounts totalling £729 16s 8d were passed for payment. Engineer's Report.—Since making my last report I have prepared plans for widening one mile of the Kawhia to Marokupa river road, and one mile of Kauri road, the work being prepared in readiness for expenditure of grants for year 1912-13. Tenders have been invited for Contract No. 56, metalling 78.35 chains of KawhiaMarokopa river road from the Oteke stream bridge; and Contract No. SS, widenng and metalilng 20.75 chains of Kinohaku-Waiharakeke road from the above bridge to the landing shed. An additional £IOO has been authorised for this work. Contract No. 47 on the Kaimango road has been completed, and also No. 51, Okupata road, and No. 45, Kihi road. The roads improved considerably during the fine weather experienced at the latter end of last month, and good progress was made on all works. Messrs Davies and Schreiber Bros, were successful in laying an additional five or six chains of metal on tbe Ukupate road, and have commenced the opening ud of new pits, and quarrying, in readiness for the summer's work. Mr F. G. Stokes proposes to undertake similar work on his contract previous to the end of the present month. Good progress is being made with the widening of the Okupata road, and there is now only about one and a half miles of the work to be completed. The widening in connection with the metalling of the Kawhia-Marokopa river road has been completed, and several of the old timber culverts that have been washed out have been replaced with pipe culverts, and other repairs to this road have also been effected. Messrs Scott and Forsyth have completed the erection of the Oparau launch landing and and are now engaged on the Lemon Point wharf and cattle race and will afterwards erect the shed to Wnibarakeke. I have let the work of forming the approach to the Oparau landing shed, the work being now well in hand. The lavatory on the Kawhia wharf has also been completed. I have inspected the Pakoka stream crossing on the Kawhia to Aotea road, and I found the state of the ford to be good, although a little below its former level. Effective improvements could only be carried out at considerable cost. The driving of new piles and the erection of a retaining wall would be . necessary and I am of opinion that the advantage to be gained would not compensate the expenditure, the ford at present being easily negotiable when tides will permit access to and from Kawhia. In regard to the erection of a foot bridge suspension over the Oparau river at Oparau, I have inspected this work and am of opinion that the bridge is necessary, and would b« a public convenience, and the small subsidy offered by the council would be well spent in its construction. I propose to remove the site of the bridge some distance up stream frjm the present structure, and on the Oparau block road. The bridge will be about 100 feet span. The sum of £125 has been authorised for improvement of the Whakapirau road bridges, and I propose to put this work in hand at an early date. The works now in hand by the council include the metalling Okupata road, widening Kauri branch, Waitetuna - Aotea, KawhiaAotea, and Kauri roads, the formation of approach to Oparau landing shed, repairs to Kawhia wharf and other harbour improvements. About 42 men have been employed during the past month. -- It was resolved that the engineer's report be adopted and the works recommended carried out. Contracts.— Only one tender was received for Contracts Nos. 56 and 58 (metalling Kawhia - Marokopa river road and Kinohaku - Waiharakeke road), Mr F. Eshelby being the only tenderer in each case.—These tenders were referred to the chairman, Cr Kearns and the engineer to deal with.

Crusher. —It was decided to make enquiry as to obtaining the use of a crusher from the Government. Awaroa-Mahoe road.—The engineer was authorised to engage Mr W. H. Amstrong to lay off woyk on the Awaroa Mahoe road in anticipation of a grant.

Hospital Levy.—lt was decided to pay the hospital levy by quarterly instalments.