Kawhia County Council.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 294, 25 January 1907, Page 2

Kawhia County Council.

SPECIAL MEETING.

A special meeting of the above was held on Monday last, when there wera present Crs W, J. Shaw (chairman), W. W. M 4 Cardle, G. G. J nithsn, if. Shaw, A. N. Norton, A. W Babbage and H. Arrastre ng. The miuurea of the last meeting were read and confirmed.

The special orders in coaneotion with the loan were read, and it was decided, on tbe motion or Crs Babbage and M'Cardle: “ That this Council hereby adept the special order making rates to pay interest and other charges on loans to be raised for MahoenuiKawhia road, A war o a Maboe road, Okupata road, Piroogia West road, Waitetuna-Aotea road, and Kawhia, Te Purti and Karewa roads?’ ORDINARY MEETING. COBBESP3NDENOI. From Schrieber Bras., Oparau, tendering for contract No I.—Left in Or Armstrong’s hands From Andrew Palmerston North, stating that his father had not lifted lease for Karewa township section?, so he declined to pay rates.— Received. ACCOUNTS. The following accounts were passed for payment J. B. Scott £l, A. W. Babbage £l, A. N. Norton £1 10?, H, Shaw £l, W. J. Shaw £l, J. E. Scott, £4 18s GJ, Valuator Department £3 10s. THE I.OANS. Cr Babbage thought that they should •gain more in the matter of the £ for £. subsidy. The Chairman: The Clerk has wired asking if there was a subsidy, but did not receive a reply. Cr Babbage: The land in this district is loaded for reading, and the loading baa not been expended. I would like to aoe some firm action taken, each as resigning tn a body as a protest. Cr M'Cardle : Bat that does not suspend the Counties Act, Cr Babbage: We could stand for re-elec-tion. It would arouse public interest to the way we are being treated.—Motion. The Chairman remarked that applications for the position of engineer did not close until Eebruary 7th ,and it was hardly likely that tho successful applieont would take up his duties till about a month later, ft might by that time be too late to do any work this season. Councillors might get some of the widening and straightening gone on with so as to save time. GSNBBM., In reference to Mr Davies letter re the bad state of the Oku pa ta road. Cr Armstrong stated that the road would be attended to. Men weie very scarce and it had beeh arranged to move a party,on to the Oknpata road next week, —Mr Davies to be written to stating that the weak is about co£be pro. ceeded with. The next meeting was fixed for Monday, February 18th. Comment was made at the scarcity of la bonr all over the district. It was stated t be almost impossible to get men, while there was also plenty of work for horses and drays It was decided to proceed with the alterations to the new Council chambers as soon as prices were received, according to the specifications drawn out by Cr Armstrong, the matter being left in the hands of the Chairman and Crs Armstrong and Jonathan The bye-laws were read and adopted. Mono Babbage, M'C-ardle—That this Council urge upon the Government the desirability of at once widening the roads for which loans have been granted or else granting a £ for £ subsidy so that the Council can do so; the loans were raised on the assumption that a subsidy would be granted, aad .by themselves are insufficient to do the work required. M ‘Cardie, Shaw—That this Council urge the Government to complete the unformed portion of the To Kauri-Awaroa road, known as toe swemp, on the banks of the Te Kauri river, Babbage, M'Cardle—That this Council bring before the notice of the Government ths necessity of completing the lower end of the Awaroa-Mahoe road, across the swamp, as at present the unformed piece enta the settlers off from all outside roads. H, Shaw, M'CaMlc—That this Council urge on the Government the nsoesKty of completing tbe Whakapiran road (KinnhAw Village Settlement) as some ten settlers ■till have no road whatever. H, Shaw, Norton—That Cr Armstrong be authorised to get out plans and specifications for one mils widening on the Okupata roau, tenders to be called m soon as plans ara completed. Armstrong, E. Shaw—That the bye-laws be submitted to Mr Gillies for approval, and a*_y amendments and additions he thinks necessary. HABBOUB BOABD. The Council then sabas a Harbour Board. A letter was read ,from the Marine Department asking the Council to take over harbour lights.—Attended to, The Waitomo County Clerk wrote enquiring when tbe endowments were to be opened r e bhey would he readily taken up.—Received. The following Accounts were passed for payment:—J. K Newton £8 os Bd, H. H. frertit £1 183 6d. The Chairman asked that the Waiharak< ke channel be buoyed, as if that were done it would save settlers a pound whenever the steamer went up it. Only fou or five buoys were required,—Motion. It was decided to in future charge boats 10a per trip, so as to make up the lighting charges, and to charge the tender Rothesay 10s par mouth, the actual cost of lights to bo extra when required.

Two ten ers were received for lighting tho beacons, W. Morgan 4s 6*l per trip and W. Berg 9s fid. Mr Morgan’s tender was ac opted. WIiAKF ACCOMMODATION ano HABBOUB IMPRIVEMBNTS. The Chairman said that the question of increased shed accommodation would have to be faced. Nobody liked being bu-dened with extra rate.., and if they could only get the endowments that would not be necessary, as the endowment! ought to realise £l5O or £l6O a year, which would pay the interest on a big loan, which would prove benefioinl to the whole district. Except it was attended to cargo would bo taken to other places, in fact the Kotahi h^dalready done so, which meant Kawhia was losing prestige. Both imports and expor a were steadily increasing. He wished the roadlug was a« easily dealt with as this q ueation. for great improvements could bo ejected without additional expanse. They should go in for a loan. In reply to Cr Babbage, the Chairman said that there had been no replies to letters re the harbour endowments or borrowing money from tho Savings Bankf Cr M'< '-ardlo suggested urging the subj t on Messrs Fowlda and when they visited the district. The Chairman: Yes, Wo must get the endowments. Cr M'Cardle: Could we not fiianct

through our bank ? There is a growing necessity for wharfs and sheds in the varionii inlets, and until we get them the system is not completed. The Chairman •• The abed accommodation wants attending to at onoe, and it cannot wait, whist- the improvements at the inlets, although badly needed, can wait. The Baklan people built the wharf themselves at a cost of £l2OO, strikihg a rate, which was never collected, C.s Babbage, Jonathan and M'Cardle fav oured going in for a large sum, the latter mentioning £3suo, Cr Jonathan suggested that as it was an urgent matter, they should try and finance the extra shed accommodation through the bank. —See motions. x MOTIONS. W. Shaw, M'Cardle—That’ the Council ask Mr Greenelade to urge upon ths Minister the need of having the endowments vested in the Kawhia County Council at soon as possible, as there are urgent works which need to bo effected at onoe, which cannot be done unletss these endowments are vested in the Council. Jo- athan, Norton—That eetimat s be prepared for wharf and shed accommodation, i.e„ wharf double its present width and 20ft. further into the stream, she! at least double its present capacity. Jonathan, W. Shaw—Th t estimates be pre, ared for the erection of launch whirves and sheds at Oparau, A warn, Kinohaku and Te Maika. H. Shaw, Norton—That atepi be taken to have the Watharakeke channel buoyed as fax as Lemon Point. Jonathan, Norton—That tho dork write to Council's solicitor in reference to the legality of operating on the Council's bank account to so ver cost of erecting whsrf shed; also to write bank in reference to councilcrs personal guaientee for the required amount. Jonathan, H, Shaw—That estimates be prepared for proposed extension of shed accommodation on wharf.