MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 452, 13 March 1909, Page 3

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

The regular meeting of the above was held on Wednesday. Present : —Crs J. G. Wilson (in the chair), Dalton, Kendall, Masters. Henson, R. B, McKenzie aud Barber.

Correspondence was read from ratepayers of Whirokino riding, objecting to metal that was being put on the Whirokino road, and perferring to have half the quantity of Sandon metal.—Requet agreed to. The Overseer reported re Whirokino Subdivision. — MrC. Petersen is progressing favourably with his metalling contract on the Whirokino road, but as the metal taken from Mr Nye’s pit was not giving satisfaction, and as a result of a petition signed by a considerable number of ratepayers, I have now arranged with the contractor to send metal down by the tram to complete the contract. Tramway. —The linemen have now completed laying the qolb rails at the Himatangi end of the line, with the exception of a few pairs of rails that we cannot put down till we get another lot of sleepers. The men are now repairing the curve at Himatangi, after which they will take out the damaged rails along the 281 b track. The bulk of the work is done for a time, and we have dispensed with all casual hands. The gorse has been cleared off the tram reserve at Whale siding. Mr Fitzgerald suggest that the Council should purchase a new jigger. It is advisable that 3 % tons of green end rails be purchased to improve the Himatangi curve.

The Treasurer reported: Balances —General account, debit, ,£785 12s 3d ; loan account, credit, ,£952 2s sd. Available for expenditure —Sandon Riding ,£lO3 13s gd, Waitohi ,£4l ns 2d, Carnarvon Amount over-expended Mt. Stewart Riding ,£lO5 9s 2d, Rongotea ,£94 is 1 id, Kawakawa *£2Bl 10s yd, Whirokino 16s.

It was decided to instruct the county ranger to keep stock off the roads between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., as a great many ratepayers complain of stock being on the roads at night. J. D. Cooksley’s tender of £1 8s qd per chain was accepted for the formation and metalling of the Palmerston-Foxton road. The action of Cr Barber, in changing the conditions of contract for the supply of 200yds of metal on Whirokino road was confirmed.

The tender of the Feilding Star was accepted for the printing for the year. Mr A. K. Drew, tramway manager, reported for February : The traffic, both in goods and passengers, was good. The credit balance for the month was ,£74 10s 2d, after paying 18s extra wages and £-] 18s yd on new sleepers. The principal items of traffic were as follows :—Minerals, tons; general merchandise, 96 tons ; grass seed, 133-% tons ; metal, 480 yards; wool, 265 bales ; timber, 81,300 ft; fares, ,£xo 18s nd. On the 26th an excursion was run in connection with the Carnarvon school from Whale Tine to Pukeuui. The repairs to the engine “ Fox ” have been completed; when the uudergear was taken down it was found that the brasses were in a very bad state, and if allowed to run on would have very soon been ruined. 1 had the necessary work effected. A start has now been made with the “ Weka,” and the repairs will be completed in about eight days. The tram-guard is at present on his annual leave. Referring to the application of Mr E. Morse to be allowed to tap the tanks at the tramshed, I think it inadvisable to allow the connection to be made to the top tanks. I would suggest that a trough be erected at the tramsheds, and the supply be taken from the bottom tanks. It was decided to instruct the ranger to impound all stock in the Awahou and Whirokino ridings.

A special meeting was held at which a special order was made levying a rale on a loan of for the construction of Tiraroa road, near Feilding. On Mr R. B. McKenzie’s motion, it was decided to invite tenders for 80 chains of drain in the Kopotaroa drainage district, Crs Masters and the mover to be empowered to accept tenders.