MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1635, 9 November 1916, Page 2

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING,

There were present at the monthly meeting of the Manawatu County Council, held on Tuesday: Sir James Wilson (chairman), and Crs H. H. Hunt, B. Gray, W. E. Barber, Penny, W. J. Phillips, and H. G. Hammond.

Lengthy correspondence was read in connection with the Commission for the Upper Gorge bridge and road, showing that it was proposed to include the Manawatu County.in the new rating area. The chairmafi pointed out that the Council had to maintain the main road and maig bridge, and they would be justified in setting off that against any claim to put them in the Gorge bridge area.

it was decided to give no support to the Rotorua County Council’s proposal, which advocated the usq of prison labour on road maintenance. In respect of a request from the Sox ton Borough Council, asking for improvements to the decking of the Whirokino bridge, it was resolved to point out that the decking referred to was on similar lines to that before the bridge was renewed, and alteration would entail considerable expense. The Land Registry Office advised that the Kerry Reserve was controlled by the Crown Lands Department. Mr 11. Whirlow, of Moutoa, wrote asking for mi improvement in the Ivuri Kuri road. The ■writer stated that tradesmen experienced a difficulty in reaching his place owing to the number of ruts and holes. The Council decided that the matter should !>e attended to.

The chairman stated that steps were being taken to prepare a local ■till In enable the Council to borrow money for the extension of the tram ami the in.-tallation of a crushing plant.

Du the motion of Cr Gray, seconded by Cr Burlier, it was decided to agree to pay half the cost of taking a traffic tally at Bulls bridge for one month. *

The treasurer, Mr A. K. Drew, reported the following balances of the various accounts; —County fund account (dr.) .£3,239 13s 8d: loan account £729 17s Sd; net dr. balance £2,509 Kis. The amounts available for expenditure to March 31st. 1917, were; Sandon £537 9s Id, MG Stewart £251 10s (id, Waitohi £382 ids Sd, Rongoiea £554 2s (id. Carnarvon £420 18s sd, Kawa Kawa £3OO 10s sd; amount over expended, Awahon, £3O 4s. Accounts amounting to £1,991 were passed for payment.

The Engineer reported as follows Awahoti Hiding.—About 00 yards of crushed metal has been carted and weak places patched ujt along the Eoxton Bench road, repairs have been effected to the Fox-loti-Shannmi and Whirokino roads ami the fence along the drain put in order. TRAMWAY MANAGER'S REPORT. The chief items of traffic were: Minerals 109| tons, general merchandise 2311 tons, metal 1,230 yards, timber 0,900 ft., wool 143 hales: fares amounted to £3 8s (id. A credit balance of £1 (is Sd was made for the month. The timber for repair shed has come to hand, and shod will he erected at an early date. Attached is Driver Eteveneau’s report on rolling stock. I would like to draw the Council’s attention to his remarks about Oroua Downs factory private siding. When the siding was put in it was only for the factory’s goods, hut as the company is now supplying settlers with general goods the volume of traffic has very ranch increased.