MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 371, 11 April 1908, Page 3

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

The following is the completion of the report of Wednesday’s County Council meeting : The engineer reported that P. Peterson is progressing favourably with the metalling contract on the Foxton Shannon road, and will complete the contract within the present month. Kaikokopu Drains,—Coley Brothers decline to go on with the drain contract, which has consequently been let to the next tenderer for 25s per chain. I also arranged with Coley Bros, to clear a line in the swamp 12ft wide, which they have also declined to do at per chain. The overseer reported that good progress has been made with the plate laying on the tramway during the month. About 23 chains have been laid down, and we expect to lay the remaining 22 chains down during next week. The 835 sleepers which came to hand dining the month are a first-class lot, and are said to-be the best that ever came on the line. The following motions were carried: — That this Council has no objection to the Government drain in the Whirokino division and the Awahou riding being handed over to the Moutoa Drainage Board, provided that (1) the road is in no way interfered with, and if any widening takes place, the additional width is taken from the side away from the road, and any soil deposited on the said road , and (2) the bridge across the drain be under the control of the Council and any alteration or addition to the bridge be made only after the sanction of the Council is given and the plans approved of by them.

That Mr S. Feek be hereby authorised to impound all stock from the roads in Awahou riding and Whirokino subdivision, and along the Palmerston-Foxton road as far as Bainesse, and that the remuneration be all driving fees. Accounts to the amount of were passed for payment. TRAMWAY MANAOKR’S RKPORT. Mr Drew reported upon the working of the tramway for the month of March, 1908: —The debit balance for the month is £d>2 is 2d. The expenditure has been exceptionally heavy and includes the following items : Repairs Fox, £B6 16s rod ; extra wages, say, ; repairs to goods-shed, £2 ns 6d; total ,£ll9 8s qd. The volume of traffic was not as good as March, 1907, the grain traffic having dropped off considerably. Total fares for the month, ,£8 13s 3d, The principal items of traffic were: —Grain 121% tons, general merchandise 113 tons, timber 18,800 feet, metal 365 yards. The sleepers referred to in ray last report have come to hand, and are very . satisfactor3'. The total cost was as follows : —837 sleepers at 2s 6d, ,£lO4 12s 6d ; loading, ,£3 9s gd ; freight to Himatangi, ,£ll ; total, ,£ll9 2s 3d. The Council had to pay for loading on to trucks. I would like the Council to consider the advisability of procuring four new tarpaulins. The ones we have at present are in a bad state of repair. The metal trucks are in a bad state of repair, and it was considered advisable to employ J. B. Mclntyre as driver and allow the present driver (W. Mclntyre) to carry out repairs.