Manawatu County Council.

Manawatu Herald, 15 October 1904, Page 2

Manawatu County Council.

The monthly meeting of the above Council was held on Wednesday last, when their were present— Crs J. G. Wilson (chairman)* F. Robinson, 1, Masters and T. Clark. t ‘ Leave of absence was ; granted, to Crs Hammond, Claris and Kendall. Corresppnce was dealt with as follows From Foxton Borough Council, with account of expenditure on boundary road and for advice on Wirokino bridge, £7 ns $d in all.— ’Passed for payment. From District Engineer, stating that there was no prospect of Department being able to supply metal at Oroua Bridge for next six weeks. ' Froth J. Arnold and H. Bartlett, drawing .attention to bad state of approaches and yards ot Rongotea siding.— Work to be done if bacon companies, who alone use approach, pay half cost. . From District Engineer, reminding the Council that its_ lease of Himatangi siding will expire on 30th inst. A renewal could be obtained for five f years conditionally on ..Council paying cost of replacing the 361 b rails by 401 b and pay for necessary repairs. The replacing would cost £36. From E. Scott, engineer, reportmg that the steam pipe of Weka was defective.—Messrs Stewart Bros, to be asked to see ..the steam pipo snd explain cause of defects. . The County Treasurer reported General account, dr £3522 13 s *od; loan account, cr £1644 os yd. Riding accounts—Sandon, dr £l4® Waitohi, dr £23 8s 6d ; Rongotea, dr £BS 6s 3d; Kawa Kawa, dr £4O 19s lid ; Mt. Stewart, cr £4B 5s 4<3 ; Carnarvon,' cr £BO ns 8d: Awahou, cr £202 17s 9. £2672 15s 2d has already been expended on maintenance of roads and bridges for the half year just ended, showing an increase of £IO4B gs gd on the half year 1902.- As the estimate for the present year for road maintenance was £2900 and the day’s payments'would total £2Bl 9s sd, it was evident the estimate would be largely exceeded, consequently it would be necessary to reduce the cost of-maintenace or increase the next year’s rate. Up to the present only 25 per cent of the rates collectable for the current year been paid... , The chairman said the'expenditure for maintenance-varied greatly in the different hidings/.. Nothing- was; spent in Awaheu;.on jnajn toads,, £95 was spent id tjie : the Carnarvon, £525 in the Rongotea, £4O in the Waitohi, £l3O in the San- _ don and £B3 in the Mount Stewart.' He considered that in those ridings where there was.a heavier charge’Tor maintenance there should be" a heavier rate. Evidently the, Council* would have to meet a much .larger expenditure in the future than id the* past, owing to increased traffic and the roads not having been kept in good order. From tramway manager, reporting credit balance of 9s Id on the month’s working, and generally on the condition and working of the line. Cr Clark said their had been a request made through him for charitable aid tor the Brown family. ‘ The Chairman said the Council had mo power to give any ; application must be made to the Charitable Aid-Board* The wages of the overseer,; Mr Hickford, was increased by is per.day. It was resolved that the tender of E. Pigott for the right of working* the Shannon Eerry for 12 months, for the sum of £l4l, be accepted, i Two other tenders were received for £95 and £96 respectively. Resolved that the police authorities be requested to actively enforce sub* section 9 of section 4 of the “ Police Offences Act, 1884,” in the Rongotea district.—This refers to cattle wandering on roads. A committee of the Council will meet to transact business on the afternoon of the gth November.