KAWHIA COUNTY COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 649, 7 March 1914, Page 2

KAWHIA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Kawhia County Council was held on February 21st, the following being present:— Lira Babbage, Noonan, Davies, Kearne, Norton and F. Ptrham In the absencß of Cr Shaw, Or Babbage was vored to the chair.

Mr S. R- Dickson wrote suggesting that the Council sbauld raise a loan of £2OOO for metallirg portions of the Pironaia-Kawhia road, and apply to the Government for a subsidy. The general rate would pay interest on the loan. —lt was decided to inform Mr Dickßon that the Council had mad* repeated applications for a substantial grant for this road, but without success, and that the Council is unable to pay the interest out of the general rate.

The Public Works Department forwarded a list of unexpended balances of votes which it was proposed to band over to the Council. —It was re solved that the Department be asked to expend the votes for the Muturangi road; that application be made for the vote on the Supplementary Estimates for the Pirongia West road to be handed to the Council; that the Department be aaked to expend the votes for the Oparau Block road and the Waihinu road, either itself or through the Council as soon as possible.

The Under-Secretary Public Works Department, replying to the Council'" contention that the Kibi road should be formed to 14 feet before being handed over to tha Council, stated that in view of the fact that an offer of £SOO had been made to the Council for the improvement of thi3 road, the Minister regretted that he could not depart from his previous dncision. — It was rpsolved to enquire whether the £SOO promised wasnew money or part of last year's vote re-voted. The District Engineer, Public Works Department, su~gested that the grant fur the Kinohaku-Waihara-keke road be expended in restoring the embankments damaged by the sea instead of widening the road. The Lands Department wrote that it could not undertake to provide another access to Mr T. Parkinson's section.

Mr C. C. Biernacki, solicitor, applied on behalf of D. Donoghue for the return of a deposit on a road contract. —It was decided to inform Mr Biernacki that the Council's rea son for withholding the depoist was that the contract had not been satisfactorily completed. On the suggestion of the Institute of Local Government Engineers it was decided to pay the engineer's expenses to the conference of the Institute. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Since making my last report a schedule showing unauthorised balances on votes for year 1913-14 has been received, and the list includes Kawhia to Marokopa river £lOl7 £ for £, £598 16s 3d; Wharauroa £100; Awaroa to Maboe £l3l 4s 7d; Kaimango £ll 8s lid; Kauri £99 19s sd; Kihi £lO2 Is 9d; Kinohaku to Waiharakeke £349 5s 6d; Lemon Point to 1 Te Maika £llO 9s Id; Muturangi £SO; Taumatatoara East £lO 6s 6d. Excepting in the case of £ for £ grants all moneys authorised for e :- penditure to the Council for the year, have been expended. In regard tu the grant for Kauri road I have applied to have a sum of £55 authorised to complete payment un Contract No. 73, the balance of the previous year's grant not being sufficient to cover the full cost of the work. In regard to the grant for Kinohaku toWaiharakeke road, I sometime ago prepared a contract for widening portion of the road to 14 feet, but during the bad weather in the early part of the summer considerable damage was done to several embankments on this road by heavy seas, and it is now thought more advisable to raise and protect these embankmentß from further damage in preference to continuing the widening. Any unexpended balance remaining after the abovei work has been completed ould be spent in terms of the original proposal. I also prepared plans and specifications for expenditure of the grant for Lemon Point to Te Maika road, widening tc 12 feet, but during the visit of the Minister of Public Works it was decided to widen the road to seven or eight feet only, and to closely follow the present line of road and avoiding where possible all heavy cuttings and fillings. It will now be necessary to make a fresh engineering survey and prepare new plans of the work. In regard to the balance of the grants I require your instructions before proceeding with their expenditure. Contract No. 73, widening portion of Karu road, which has been in hand for some time has now been completed. I note that the Kauri Btream bridge is in a very bad state of repair, one span of 15 f net originally built of white pine has, with the exception of the decking, completely decayed, and is in a most dangerous state and immediate repairs are necessary. I would suggest that the necessary repairs be carried out by expenditure of portion of the Government grant now offered. —During the period a small bridge of 12 foot span on the Waitetuna Vallpy road collapsed through decay, and I immeditely visited the locality and arranged for the cutting of new timbers and the rebuilding of the bridge.—Repairs to Kawhia to Aotea road have been carried out between the Kawhia - Pirongia road junction and the Aotea beach, and repairs to the same road from Papatapu to Pakoka stream have been commenced. The last mentioned portion of this road is now in a most dangerous state, and the small amount authorised sometime ago for its improve-

ment will not nearly be sufficient to carry out the extensive repairs that are necessary. The heavv rains during last spring ard early summer scoured deep channels along the road varying in depth to at least four feet, and extending about one and a-half miles along the road. In many places there are large holes in the middle of the road exposing underground watercourses at considerable depth, and practically all culverts are blocked. This road is a county road and notbing has been done to this portion for over three years. I esti mate that another £25 in addition to the £lO that has been authorised will be rpquired to place the road in fair order. —Good progress is being m ide with the metalling of the Awaroa to Mahoe road. About one and a-half miles baa been metalled and with the exception of one or to small plaec*, over three miles of the road has been widened and prepared for metalling. I anticipate completing the bulk of the work now in hand before winter. —Mr F. G. Stoke* is making steady progress on his metalling contract on Okupata road, and now has about one and a-quarfer miles to complete.—A small contract for widening portion of the road through the Cemetery reserve giving aceßS to Mr K. MacKenzie at Oparau has been completed.— The Council's road grader has been in use the past fortnight re-forming the Awaroa to Mahoe road and working very satisfactorily. As there is considerable work required of the grader I propose to also employ Mr K. Cor'ett's grader and commence with the re-forming of the Kaimango, Kihi, and Hauturu roads.—G. S. Gould, County Engineer. The report was adopted.

Government subsidies. —It was resolved to notify the Minister of Public Works that the Council has let contracts in anticipation of the subsidy for the Awaro-Mahoe road, and propose to do the same in connection with the Pirongia-West road. Surfaceman. —The engineer was instructed to invite applications for the position of surfaceman for the Oprau riding.

Landing Reserve.—lt was resolved to take steps to secure a road to connect the Awaroa - Waihaiakeke road with a point for a landing reserve on the Rakaunui river.

Clerk's Salary.—On the motion of Crs Babbage and Davies it was decided to increase the clerkß salary by £SO.