OHURA COUNTY COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 629, 20 December 1913, Page 5

OHURA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Ohura County Council was held in the Council Chambers on the 17th inst. There were present Crs Sandison, chairman, Risk, Kelly, Currie, Goldfinch, Hayward, and Sowry. Unselected Crown Lands.—-A letter was read from Mr C. K. Wilson, M.P., that he was placing the urgent need of including Crown lands not selected under the special rating Acts.

Mangakara Riding Roads. Mr Wilson wrote as follows:—In regard to grants for the Tongaporutu, Mangaros, Huhatahi and Mangakara roads: I think the Prime Minister said to bring the;e matters before the Minister through the member for the district, but gave no promise that they would be made; the shorthand report bears this out. 1 urged these various works, but as you know the Minister baa not been able to give effect to my requests. Main Chura Road.—A report is being obtained on this work, and the Council will be informed as soon as the position is ascertained. Roto and Kururau Roads, The completion of these roads will be considered when the Supplementary Estimates are dealt with. Mangaroa Town Loan —The Hon. Mr Massey wrote "I beg to acknowledge the receiDt of your letter of 2nd inst. forwarding copy of resolution passed by your Ouncil with reference to the action of the State-guaranteed Advances Office in declining the application for loan for the Ohura town sewerage, drainge and formation scheme. In reply I have to state that I am forwarding your communication to the Minister for Finance with a request that it be submitted to the Advances Board for their consideration."

Ongarue River Bridge. The Assistant Under-Secretary wrote that it was impossible to comply with the request of the Council to give joint control of this bridge, and requested the Council to give a reason for the refusal to allow the Taumarunui Borough Council to have control. Papa Burning Reserves.—The Council applied for section 7, block 20, and to be vested in the Council as part of the section is required for road widening purposes and balance for papa burning. Tahora-Tatu Telephone.—The following letters were received from the Whangamomona county clerk: —"I am instructed to advise you that this Council considers the reply of the Government, copies of which 1 herewith send you, re the mail and telephone services between Auckland and Taranaki, most unsatisfactory. The Council also requests that all public bodies interested be so informed and would be pleased to receive any further suggestions concerning this matter, ae the present poistion is most unsatisfactory.

Copy.- In reference to your letter of 3rd inst. renewing the application for the erection of a telephone line between Tahora and Tatu, I have the honour, by direction, to inform you that the erection of a line between Tatu and Tahora would not provide a through telephone service between Taramski and Waikato. To provide such a service it would be necessary to erect a metallic circuit between Stratford and Ongarue at a cost of several thousand pounds. The election of such a circuit has been seriously considered, and I regret to have to announce that, as the expenditure is not at present warranted by any possible estimate of the business to be returned to it, a favourable reply is out of the question. P. V Waters, Assistant-Secretary, G.P.O. Copy,—i n reference to your letter of the 3rd inst., re mail service between Ohura and Whangamomona, I have the honour by direction to express regret that the desired service cannot be established at present as the expenditure is not warranted. The matter will, however, be further considered when tenders are being invited for the performance of inland mail services generally for the tri-ennium 1916—1915. The Kohua-tahi-Tahora service costing £OS per annum, will not expire till the end of 1915, and could not be abolished in the meantime.—Geo, B. Ball, AssistantSecretary. Tenders.—The tender of W. Woods, Niho Niho, was accepted for burning 2000 yds of papa on the Waikaka road, and Messrs Hughes and Nelley for 500 yds on the Tokirima road. Huia Road. Resolved that this road be opened up for horse traffic as the low level bridge over the Ohura stream is dangerous. Matiera-Miroabuiao. Cr Sowry moved that the Minister of Public Works be requested to inform the Council as to what portion of the grant £I2OO was to be allocated to the Ohura County. Tatu Metal Pit—Cr Curne moved that the Department be requested to expend the vote of £SOO for opening up the Tatu metal pit. Kakahi Read Bridge. Resolved that the resident engineer be urged ot erect a bridge as the settlers were under great fdisadvantage in getting their wool from their sections.