KAWHIA COUNTY COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 663, 25 April 1914, Page 5

KAWHIA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting oi the Kawhia County Council was held on ISth inst., there being present Crs W. J. Shaw (chairman), Norton.Babbage, Kearns, and Nconan.

CORRESPONDENCE. The District Engineer, Public Works Department, pointed cut that the Ministar had made no promise of a subsidy for the Awaroa-Mahoe and Kaimango roads, but ;E furnished with information as to how much the Council proposed to borrow for these roads he would give the matter consideration.

The Under-Secretary, Public Works Department, intimated that arrangements were being made for a survey deviation of the Muturangi road. When this waa completed there would be no reason why the Council should not do the nscesaary construe tion.—lt was resolved to suggest that the road should be laid off by the county engineer and the survey done afterwards.

Tho Assistant Road Engineer considered that the Council should repair the Kauri bridge.—lt waa resolved to point out that the Council Bhould not be expected to repair a bridge which the Government had constructed with white pine stringers. Tho District Engineer advised that the making of the new piles for the Waiharakeke bridge is n n aring completion, and the work of repairs will be put in hand aa soon as possible. Tho Department offered several unexpended balances of votes for roads to the Coupcil for expenditure, which the Council accepted. The Telegraph Engineer, Auckland, advised that the construction of the line between Te Rauamoa and Pirongiq would ba put hi hand aa soon as possible. The State Advances Office advised the final approval of a loan of £2OOO for metalling the Awaroa-Maho9 and Kaimango roads. —It was decided to make application for tha balance of the loan, £750.

The Minister of Defence asked for suggestions re tha employment of objectors to the defence scheme, and whether the Council would be prepared to provide work for objectors as an equivalent for tHeir military services. —lt waa decided to inform the Minister that the Council is opposed to any exemption from military training. ENGINEER'S REPORT.

Since msking up last report I have prepared plans and specifications, induplicate, for widening 32.50 chains of Awaroa to Waiharakeke road, and sbumittcd tehm to tha District Engineer for approval. I have also prepared p*ans for widening 50 chains o? Kaimango road to 10 feet, and I am now engaged in preparing a contract on this road for expenditure of the grant of £231 8s lid available for tha road. I have also made an engineering susvey of G9 chains of Pironyia West road, and will prepare plans of the work aa early as possible. In regard to the proposal to exp6nd a portion of the grant for Kauri rosd in repairing Kauri stream bridge, the Public Works Department will not consent to grant moneys being expended on maintenance works, and state that it ia the duty of the Council to repair the bridge. A later proposal to expsnd tha grant in widening by use of the Council's grader and scoops, hss been approved. I have also proposed expending the grant of £llO 9a Id for Lemon Point to Te Maika road by day labour, as the work proposed to be done is widely scattered., and cf too temporary a nature to warrant an engineering survey being made and plans prepared. In regard to the grant for Oparau block road, I have obtained plans of the raad from the Public Works Department from which I will prepare working copies. The following tenders were received for metalling Contract .No. 77, Awaroa to Waiharakepke road: —P. F. P. Cooper £2BO, L. M. Carnachan £144 11a 3d, accepted. This work has been commenced and about eight chains has been laid. The weather during the period has been very bad, and has considerably retarded progress on all works. Mr P. Eshebly hag now met' ailed about 4J miles of the Awaroa io Mahoe road, and has widened the Kaimango road to 1 mile 14 chains, ready for metalling. Practically all the re-forming and widening on the Awaroa to Mahoe road for metalling has been completed, and had the weather remained fair the whole of I the work on this and Kaimango road would easily have been completed, i The graders have been employed on the Kauri and Kaimango roads, and have re formed about two miles on each coad. Mr F. G. Stokes has been engaged during tha period in removing his crushing plant on the Okupata road, and has quarried about 1000 cubic yard? of stone ready for crushing, and is ready to go on with the metalling as soon as weather permits.—G. S. Gould, County Engineer. Reclamation.—lt was decided to apply for an order in Council authorising the reclamation of the bay in front of tbe Kawhia township. Maori Land Bord Rates. —The clerk reported that there was a considerable sum owing by the Maori Land Board for rates. —lt was resolved to place the matter in the hands of the County solicitor. Telephone Exchange.—The Council decided to subscribe to the proposed telephone exchange in Kawhia.