MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1761, 6 December 1917, Page 3

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the above Was held at Sanson on Tuesday. Present: Crs Sir James AVilson, AA r . E. Barber, Jas. Boyce, S. Penny, AV. J. Phillips, H. 11. Hunt, and H. Hammond. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN, Cr. Hunt proposed the re-election of Sir James AVilson as chairman, and in doing so made reference to the good work Sir James had done in promoting the passage of the Council’s Tramway Bill, as well as supervising in an excellent manner the general work of the Council. Cr. ■■Barber seconded the nomination. He said Sir James Wilson had been chairman during the nine years lie (Cr'Barber) had been a member of the Council, and he was sure the Council could not do better than ask \Sir James to again accept the office., Cr. Phillips said Sir James had the business aptitude, and had employed it in the interest of the Council to get what was wanted at the right time. Cr. Penny supported the proposal, and Sir James accepted the office unanimously offered him. In thanking the Council for the honour done him, the Chairman said the experience of the members of the Council most of them having been re-elected period after period, -had increased his knowledge of the Council's business, and that, taken with the capabilities of the officers, hud made the position of the Chairman an easy one. He was pleased to accept the chairmanship so as to have the opportunity possibly of assisting to put the tramway on a financially sound and more useful basis for the county. He said that, in times past, they had hoped to be able to reduce the rates, but the road traffic had become so much more severe, and the demand for better roads so persistent, that, with the subdivision of large areas and consequently more roads to keep in repair, there was now no probability of the hoped for reduction being realised. THE TRAMWAY. Cr. Boyce opened a discussion on the running of the tram. He expressed the opinion that if it ran every day there would be sufficient traffic. The Tramway Manager stated that a trial of a daily service before the Avar had been a financial failure. It was decided that an* additional two days’ service be run to Rangiotu each week. MOTOR LORRY. ■Some discussion took place, initiated by Cr. Barber, on the advisability of the Council purchasing a motor-lorry to carry gravel on the roads. —Cr Barber said inquiries lie had made amongst owners of such vehicles led him to the conclusion that it would be more economical to use them than horse vehicles. —A committee was formed to report on the matter. On the suggestion of Cr Phillips, it was decided to have inquiries made as to whether a machine can he procured for attachment to a carl, to sea I ter clay on a road. ENGINEE R’S REPORT. Awahon Riding. — The usual maintenance Avork has been done in this riding in the shape of filling in holes and ruts along thc'EoxtonShannon road and planting avHloavs on the MamiAvahi river bed near Mr Piggott’s, 1 have given Air AA’. Pearce permission to construct a drain along the Foxton-Beach road, the drain to be not more than three feet from the fence, TraniAvay. — The 28th. track is very weak, and requires a large number of .-deepens to replace tiie decayed sleepers helAveen the end of the 401 b. track and the Hinmtangi end. I have cut up a number of tola ra planks for sleepers, and have arranged to get these put in where required. TRAMAVAY MANAGER’S REPORT. . The traffic avus good, and a credit of £lO3 14s 0(1 is shown. The chief items of traffic were: Merchandise 215} tons, minerals 08:{ tons, manure 521 tons, butter and cheese 06 tons, timber 38,500 feet, hemp 351 tons, avool 117 bales. On 10th ult. a case of stout avus pilfered at Sanson and 17 bottles stolen. Next morning full and empty -bottles wore found on the Fox-(on-Sandon road at different places, for a distance of about 7 miles. The matter was placed in the hands of the police. . Mr Gardner, of Bulls, lias .approached me with reference to a reduction in freight on hemp to Foxton for shipment. The present rate is 10s lOd per ton. I would suggest that the rate he altered to class E rate and a half, 7s 7d per ton. Fat stock traffic has commenced, and to date 75 trucks have been ordered t