MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3768, 13 June 1907, Page 3

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Manawatu Countv Council was held at Sanson yesterday. Pre--4 sent Crs Wilson (chairman), Hammond, McKenzie, Kendall, Masters and Dalton. Correspondence was read as follows: — From Audit Department, re balance-sheet. From Treasury, informing Coun- . cil that 5s 4d, paid for charges on the tramline had been remitted to the credit of the Council. From Roads Department, in reference to drainage of the Kaikokopu lake, stating it would be necessary for the Council to take the land under section 2 of “ The Public Works Act.” From Roads Department, in--forming the Council that the matter of making provision for a grant for the Beach road at Foxton would receive careful consideration when framing the estimates for the current year. From John . Stephens, M.H.R., stating he had written to the Minister for Public Works, asking for favourable consideration for the Council’s application for a grant of a ,£2OOO loan for keeping back flood water-on land on Main Drain ; road at Oroua Bridge. i From Department of Roads, requesting that its instructions issued by circular some time ago relating to opening and closing of roads under section 13 of the Land Act, 1892, be strictly adhered to. In future, no plan on which the consents were written would be accepted. The consents must appear on the tracings only. From Railway Department, stating that an officer of the Department had met Cr Barber and agreed with him as to the site of the proposed cottage on tramway reserve at Bainesse. This would be erected on south side of railway. From J. McCulloch, Clerk Horowhenua County Council, stating that it was the desire of his Council that the Manawatu Council should proceed with repairs to the Whirokino Bridge as recommended by Mr Fulton. The Horowhenua Council were agreeable to pay its , share of the cost. / From James Fulton, Engineer, A who pointed out that it would be v better, in view of the fact that the Whirokino Bridge was seven years old, to give it a thorough overhaul. He proposed to drive 20 piles in the river piers and to adjust the span, repaint the whole bridge, and add some galvanised iron flashings to cover the exposed parts of trusses. FromT. Nye, Foxton, complaining of the unsafe condition of the Whirokino road. He suggested the removal of the bridge to a site ' further up, and he was willing to assist with the work, which would not take longer than a few days. Railway Manager’s Report. The Tramway Manager reported : I have the honour to present my report upon the working of the tramway for the month of May. The credit balance is £39 19s lod. This amount includes £3O for the sale of old rails. The amount of traffic and passengers carried has been satisfactory. Two specials had been run during the month, and the fares for the month amounted to £lO 7s 6d. During the month 450 yards of metal had been supplied at different places along the line. At present a large quantity of flax was being piled along the line, and it was estimated there would be 14 trucks a week carried for the next six jweeks. I propose to use the new .'trucks for this traffic as soon as they are available. The following are the receipts for the month : —Wages, £6g 18s; tram manager’s proportion of sale, £10; printing consignment torms, £3 ; Mr Bilderbeck, 14s 2d ; Westport Coal Co., £l9 16s id; insurance goods shed, £1 7s 6d; truck and sheet hire, £3873 xod; total, £183,33 3d. The following merchandise was carried on the line during the month : Grain, u6i tons, minerals, 7 tons; manure, 1 ton; merchandise, 79J tons ; pigs, 7 trucks; chaff, 16 trucks; posts, 5 trucks ; flax, 24 trucks; timber, 8600 feet; metal, 91 trucks; fores, £lO 7s 6d. Treasurer’s Report. The treasurer reported the Bank balances as follows General account, dr., £1661 5s 3d; loan account, cr., £44 153 id ; net debit balance, £Bl6 10s 2d. Ridings accounts. —Ihe following amounts are available for expenditure for the year: Sandon Riding, £370 4s 3d ; Mt. Stewart, £366 10s 8d ; Waitahi, £l7l 3s rod; Rongotea, £395 gs id; Carnar- ) von, £386 14s 4d; Kawa Kawa, £254 15s 6d; Awahou, £95 7s 6d; Whirokino division, £136 gs gd. Ohakea Protective Works.—Statement of position as at lath June: Available for expenditure —Amount raised by loan £IOO, draft £6O; donation from Mr F. Simpson, £lO. Expenditure Amount expended on works to 31st March, 1907, £B3 3s 4d provided by local bodies, and £166 6s 6d by Government : total, JE249 gs lod. Expended since ist April, 1907, £8 is lod. Available for expenditure, £ll2 8s 4d. Amount to be passed for payment— General account £897 6s 2d, Loan account £134 12s 8d; total, £lO3l 18slod. Overseer’s Report. The Overseer reported as follows on the Carnarvon Riding : Thompson Fagan will have their contract completed in a day or two, of delivering metal on the bank of the River at Rosina line. Mr Duke is progressing favourably with the erection of Worker’s cottage at Himatangi. As instructed Cr .McKenzie and 1 interviewed Mr W. R. Anderson on the V matter of turning the water off his / ' property on the Foxton road and down ' the side of the tramline. After a lot ot discussion on the matter, we came to the decision that it would not be advisable to allow the water to come from the cutting first, as there would be the danger of scouring underneath the tramline;, second, the danger of silting up private fences ; and thirdly, the danger of turning the water from its original course.