WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 738, 20 January 1915, Page 5

WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Waitomo County Council was held at Te Kuiti on Monday evening. Tnere were present—Crs Scholes, chairman, Johnstsn, Willia, Were, Barry, Warren, Smyth, Jackson, and Potts.

Waipa River Bridge.—The Minister of Public Works wirsd regretting bis inability to be present at the opening of the bridge. The clerk of the Otorohanga Town Council wrote requesting that the opening of the Kawa bridge should b3 deferred in order to unite with the opening of the Otorohanga Municipal Hall. —The clerk Baid he thought the Minister was under the impression the opsning ceremony was to take place before the holidays. He bad wrtiten in the meantime to the Minister explaining the-tvjaitinn. and the Minister might after all find it possible to attend. —It was resolved ta endeavour to meet the Otorohanga people in tha matter and ISx th 9 openingday for Tuesday, Feb-

Kary 2nd. —It was decided to also invite the Native Minister, together with the member for the district. Land for Road. —The Public Works Department wrote forwarding proclamation taking land for road in Block 8, Otanake Burvey district. —Received. Loan Applications.—Tha Advances Department wrote in reply to applications for Ngapasnga loan of £3500 and Kawa loan of £3500 that the Department Would consider £IOOO for Ahoroa loan and £IOOO for Pakaumanu loan, and as far as the council was concerned these amounts would' reach the limit now existing for loans prescribed by the resolution of the Advances Board, and therefore further applications at presant could not be entertained.—The clerk said he had interviewed tha Department, and though tha Department would not make commitments beyond the limit there was little doubt the money would be available in tim?. — Thß chairman said he also had little doubt the money would be obtainable in time, but any riak in the matter waa being taken by the Council. From a business point of view it was not a thoroughly sound financial proposition. The Government had accepted the security for the full amount, and only advanced a portion of the loan. He thought the remainder would be available later, but there was no pledge, and he wished the people concerned to understand tbe position. He would support tha propoasl, but merely wished the position to ba known. —Cr Berry proposed that the Council take the necessary steps to raise the Ahoroa loan of £IOOO and the Pakaumanu loan of £IOOO to form and metal about ten milss of the Ahoroa road, the Council to complete securities for a loan of £SOOO and apply for the balance later. The mover said thei'e was a subsidy of £SOOO granted for the roads mentioned, and it was necessary to raise the loans in order to obtain the subsidy.

The chairman seconded the motion. Cr- Were, in speaking to the'

ration, said he did not consider fair play had been shown, in respect to the Pungarehu loan. It was the first loan applied for and should have had precedence over these other applications. However, th 9 Ngapaenga and Kawa loans had been turned down and the Ahoroa and Pakaumanu. loans had been granted to the extent of £IOOO each. This was evidently the result of backstairs influence, The chairman said he was glad the matter had been brought up, as it appeared as if the Ngapaenga loan should have had first call. Cr Berry said he thought the Ahoroa and Pakaumanu loans should be granted. There was no road at all, and the settlers had to ; use pack horses.

Cr Were, heatedly.—lt was not a square deal. The Ngapaenga settlers had held over their application till the Mairoa loan was completed, and the application was made before the other loans were mentioned. The chairman said he agreed that the Ngapaenga loan should have had precedence. However, the amounts had been granted by the Board to Ahoroa and Pakaumanu applications, and they had to go on with the matter or ask to have the amount transferred to Ngapaenga. 1 Cr Were: ®We don't want any amount transferred from another

loan. . The motion was carried. Noxious Weeds.—The President of the Board of Agriculture wrote with respect to noxioua waeda and the best method of dealing with the matter in the country.. Cr Potts said he thought the Council should take steps to deal with thistle, gorse, and blackberry. Willis said he endorsed the ' OD/Vion of Cr Potts. ' r )t Were said he thought people «h"c«ld b«> called upon to keep down tha weeds. Hs also thought the Government should experiment with the object of teaching the ppople how to deal with them. Cr Jackson said thistle wrs so i general in the country it was practici"KllV impossible to eradicate it. Ragwort could be killed out by' judiciously stocking with sheep. Blackberry and gorse were somewhat different, and Btepg should be taken to have them kept down. Cr Warren said in new districts anch as Tangitu, it was not difficult to keep them under. If the Act was enforced in the districts it would be a his help to the settlers who were endeavouring t> keep the weeds in S The chairman said the matter vdgg of Widespread importance and m hardlv be dealt with off-hand hw the Council. He suggested the ri branches of the Farmers' Union should be asked to express fl e jr opinions on the subject and the Council could then go further in o the matter and frame a suitable re This suggestion was agreed to. Eiectors' Votes.-The Minister of Internal Affairs

rolls of each county who may exercise one, two, or three votes respectively at a loan poll. —Received.

Otorohanga Pound Site.—The Otorohanga town clerk wrote stating the Town Council would take over- the pound site on the terms argeed with the chairman.—Received. Cattle on Roada. — E. Miller, Kaitangaweka, wrote asking that steps be taken to keep cattle off the roads of the district. —Received.

Dog Tax. —It was resolved on the motion of the chairman and Cr Putts that tha dog tax be the same as last year: Cattle and sheep dogs 2s 6d, fox terriers 2s 6d, all other dogs ss, if such registration ;be " paid before March 31st, 1915, 'double rates to be charged after that date. The clerk to call tenders for supply of collars.

Notice of Motion.—Cr Jackson gave notice of motion as follows: —"That a Works Committeee be appointed, consisting of five councillors.; also that a Finance Committee consisting of three councillors be appointed, including the chairman, at next Council meeting." Tangitu Road.' —Cr Warren drew attention to the state of tha main road to Tangitu, and proposed that the necessary repairs to the road be carried out. —Left-in the hands of the Engineer. Cr Willis moved the motion standing in his name to tha effect that the Council should purchase its own teams for working the graders. Tha mover want into figures, and contended that it would ne cheaper to purchase 'teams than to hire them. He suggested the ridings of Otorohanga, Te Rauamoa, and Waitomo should purchasa their team for working the grader at their end of the County. After a full discussion on the part of the councillors, during which the question of expense and of the short time'during which it would be possible to work the teams, the motion was lost ENGINEER'S REPORT.

Mangati Road: The Public Works Department approvad of plana and specifications for widening a distance of 60 chains on this road, and tenders for the"work are now invited. —Waipa River Bridge: The approaches to this bridge are now practically completed, anJ the bridge could be opened for traffic at any time. —Ouruwhero Road: A distance of 2| miles haa been metalled on this road, leaving another two miles yet to be done. —Qfcoro-hanga-Kio Kio Road: Mr Smyfch6 haa now only a few chains to complete his metalling contract on this Troßd. The contract extended a distance of 7 milea 46 chains.—Hauturu to Otorohanga: The re-metalling of portions of this road along Richardson's hill, let to R. Watkins, is now complete. There are other portions yet to be done, for which tenders will shortly be invited.—Mangarino Road: The metalling of this road is proceeding slowly. A distance of about three miles has now baen completed,— l Waitetißoad: Hoffman's contract on this road is now completed. The total length metalled is 3 miles 26 chains. —Hauturu Road: Mr Rothsry ha 3 now practically completed his metalling contract on this road, which extendsd a distance of 70 chains. The metal supplied, though comparatively inferior in quality, is the best obtainable. However, considering the nature of the formation and the amount of traffic the road is likely to carry, there need be no fear of the per-' maneney of the work,—Pungarehu Road: About a mile of metalling feaa now been completed on this road by Mr Tarry. |?Mr Innes has just made a start and completed about five chains of metalling.—Mairoa Road: On this road Mr Lewis haa now completed a distance of 1 mile 30 chains.—Mangakowhai Road: The metalling of this road, a distance of one and ahalf miles, is now complete with exception, however, of a little trimming and knocking into shape.— Kumara Road: A start has been made with the preparation of this road for metalling. Mr Smythe expects to have big crushing plant in position in the course of a few days, and will commence metalling at an early date.—General: The usual maintenance work is being carried out in various parts of the County. The gra.ler has been at work on the portion of the Ouruwhero road north of Kio Kio, and on the Kawa road between the Kawa railway station and the bridge.—B. R. Gould, County Engineer.