MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 40, 18 January 1881, Page 2

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

YESTERDAY. The Council met at 2 p.m. Present — Messrs Macarthur (Chairman), Douglas, M'Lenuan, Rockstrow, Sanson, and Gray. Tue mum tea of last meeting were read and confirmed. CORRE jPONDENCE. Letter read from E. Child, re Halcombe ptuud, covering returns. Letter read from T. Shutall, withdrawing a tender he had sent under a misapprehension. Letter read from County Collector, en* closing balance of £25. Letter read from Rangitikei County Council, explaining a charge made for a chain debited against the Manawatu CouuoiL Letter read from Mr G. Davis, Palmerstou, applying that excess of rates charged in* may be explained. Referred to the Collect*, r, for explanation. Letter read from Mr D. H. Macarthur, giving notice that a petition to constitute Fell ding and certain of its environs a municipality was forwarded to the Governor on tlie 31st day of December, and enclosing a copy of the petition aa required j by the Act. Two letters were read from the Crown Lauds Department, re an application made by the Cnairmau that the Lower Gorge ferry reserve may be vested iv the C muty. The Government acceded to the request, ou conditions that a strip of 3 chains watt reserved to the Government, and that the Public Works Department were allowed to take gravel from the reserve ; also, that the routes of a railway and road surveyed would be retained by the Government. Letter r«ad from R.M. Court, Feilding, enclosing voucher for 15s, tines indicted uuiler the Counties Act. Lettei read from Public Works Department, acknowledging receipt of application "for £s^l'9s~td,"ett,_acceunt of roads .in Kiwitea block, and stating ~tba^«uue' has been sent forward for examination and pay* iuent. Letter read from the Chief Surveyor, enclosing a tracing showing a proposed deviation of the road into the new Kiwitea block ; also copy of Mr Knowles' report on the same, and asking the co-operation of the Council to the extent of arranging with Mr Sinclair for the opening of the deviation as a public thoroughfare, provided Mr Hayns approves of tne route. MISCELLANEOUS. Leave of absence was granted to Messrs Linton and M'Beth. THE ORAVU. QUESTION. Letter read from the Railways Department, declining to reduce the freight on gravel, as it «raa thought to be low enough at present. Mr Sansoa suggested that another and more forcible application should be made. Mr Rookatrow said as the Government said they had decided it after careful consideration it would be useless to press the matter again. Proposed by Mr Sanson, seconded by Mr Gray, and carried, "That the Chairman again urge on the Government the importance of hauling metal required for road making and repairs at the old tariff rate of 28 Id per ton between Palmerston gravel pit and Fox ton ; that unless this reasonable it quest be complied with, the absence of metal in auny part* of the County, and

the limited revenue at the disposal of the Omnjil, the public works will be effectually stopped." THE WAIKAWA PERRY. Letter read from Thos. Bevan, applying for £6, half-year's salary as ferryman at Waikawa. Mr Kebbell explained that originally the arrangement was made with Mr Bevan by the Provincial Government, but the Council bad taken it over, and paid him since Provincialism ceased. He believed Mr Pevan had sold his property, and the persons who bad bought it had been doing the ferry work. He wonld in ye, that after this date the ferry work at Waikawa be carried on by the Ohau ferryman. The persons whe had bought the property now refused to do the ferry work. Seconded by Mr M'Lennan. Mr Rockstrow said he would object to the payment to Mr Bevan, on the ground that he had not done his work. Mr Sanson and the Chairman expressed the same views. After a lengthy discussion, Mr Rockstrow moved, as an amendment, "Lhat the Engineer enquire into the working of the Waikawa ferry, and make such arrangements with the ferryman on the Ohau as will secure the safety of the crossing." Seconded by Mr Sanson, and carried. TF.TITIOK. Mr Rockatrow presented a petition from certain Foxton ratepayers, aßking that the Moutoa road might be metalled. He briefly supported the petition, which was received. Mr Rockstrow then moved, " That £150 be spent in metalling the Moutoa road." Seconded by Mr Gray and carried. KATE COLLECTOR COMMITTEE. The Chairman brought up the report of the committee appointed to enquire into the collection of the rates. Several roggestions were made as to alterations of the agreement, and a resolution passed accepting the proposals of the committee, and requesting the Collector to sign a new agreement. AVENUE ROAD. Mr Rockstrow moved, " That the Engineer be instructed to call for tenders to expend the sum of £50, for metalling Avenue road. " He explained that the sum asked to bo spent was voted some time ago by the Council, but was withheld from expenditure owing to the increase in the railway tariff. Mr Gray seconded the motion. The Chairman suggested that it would be well if this matter were postponed until he had written to the Government, asking again for a reduction in the cost of hauling gravel. Mr Rockstrow did not expect any result from the efforts being made to get a reduction. The railway contractor, Mr Sann* tlerß,made strong efforts to get a reduction, and his gravel would lepresent a sum of £2000 to the Railway Department, but was unsuccessful. He therefore did not expect the Government would reduce the cost. The work proposed to be done was absolutely necessary. The motion was carried. AWAUOU BRIDGE. Mr Rockatrow moved, " That tenders be called for erecting a bridge over the Awahou stream, Main-street, Foxton; tenders to close at next Council meeting ; and the cost of such bridge to be paid out of Awahou riding funds. Seconded by Mr Gray, and carried. CLIFF ROAD AND PENNY'S ROAD. Upon the motion of Mr Sanson, seconded by Mr M'Lennan, it- was resolved to spend the Bum of £100 on the Cliff road through J. G. Wilson b property ; such Bum to be spent under supervision ef the new County Engineer, and paid through the new Highways Board ; tenders to be in at next meeting. A sum of £ 100 was also voted for Penny's road, from Davies' creek towards Mount Stewart, on the same conditions. TENDERS RECEIVED. The following tenders were received for metalling the Foxton-Sanson road, near Sandon :— A. Matthews, £1 18s 6d per chain, accepted ; T. Schlargen, £2 2s 6d, A. I.umsden, £2 12a; J. C. Nathan, i' 2 17a 9d ; Pearce and Ludlow, £3 sb. BYELAW*. The Chairman called the attention of the Council to the necessity of the byelaws being placed upon a proper footing. The other members concurred with the Chairman, and Mr Sinaon pronosed, "That the Chairman, Messrs Lin ton, Rockstrow, M'Lennan, and the mover be a committee to draw up byelaws to regulate all matters on which the Council is empowered to make byelaws under the provisions of the Counties Acts." Seconded by Mr Kebbell, and carried. TAIFO ROAD. Upon the motion of Mr Sanson it was resolved " That 450 be laid out in clearing and formation on the Taipe Road, commencing at the end of the pieseut formation, thence towards the Orooa River." Seconded by Mr Rockstrow, and carried. THE ADVERTISING QUESTION. The letter from the proprietor of the Manawaiu Standard, asking for a share of the Council's advertising, held over from la9t meeting, was read ; also a letter from the proprietor of the Manawatu Times, claiming that his circulation in the town of Palmerston was very much larger than that of the rival journal. A lengthy discussion took place upon the question, but the feeling of the Council was unanimous against acceding to Mr M 'Minn's request. Eventually it wps resolved, upon the motion of Mr Sanson, seconded by Mr Gr<ty, " That in order to define tho meaning of a resolution passed at a meeting held on 7th July, 1879— That for the present County advertisements be inserted in the --^Manawatil Manawatu Times, and Feilding Guardian only ; this arrangement to continue during the pleasure of the Council." The only dissentient was Mr Rockstrow, who said he opposed the motion, holding that the County advertisements should be inserted in only on* paper. The Council then adjourned till 7 p. m.