MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1824, 9 May 1918, Page 3

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING.

The monthly meeting of the Manawatu County Council was held a> Sanson on Tuesday. Crs Sir J. G. Wilson (chairman), W. J. Phillips, W. S. Penny, Boyce, W. E. Barber, H. Hammond. CORRESPONDENCE. The Department of Internal Affairs notified that a Commission comprising Messrs W. G. K. Kenrick S.M., J. B, Thompson (Chief Drainage Engineer), and F. W. Furkert (Inspecting Engineer), had been appointed to hold an inquiry respecting the Manawatu river. District Railway Traffic Manager suggested a number of improvements to the tram.- —The Chairman said the Council would be pleased to replace rails, but new rails wejfi hard to get. Hon. W. Herries, Minister of Railways, wrote saying the Railway Department’s charges at Foxton wharf were equal to those being charged in all places where the Department handles and sorts cargo. Palmerston Hospital Board wrote suggesting reduction of members of the Board, as follows: Palmerston borough, three; Feilding. one; Manawatu county and Foxton borough, two; Pohangina and Kiwitea (combined), Oroua, Kairanga, Horowhenua counties, and Shannon, Levin and Otaki (combined), one each. Same, stating the Council’s levy for the year was: Maintenance £B6l 6s 6d; capital, £72 15s, Foxton Harbour Board asked tho Council’s co-operation in carrying the poll for the £16,000 loan. Mr F. Purnell agreed to act as Council’s representative on the Assessment Court. Foxton Borough Council applied for 100 yards of metal. COUNTY FINANCES. The Treasurer reported as follows County Fund account, cr., £470 6s lid; Loan account, er., £916 4s 6d, Available for expenditure; Waitohi £169 19s 6d, Carnarvon £535 7s Bd. Over-expended: Sandon £l6l 4s lid, Mount Stewart £lB2 19s 10d, Rongotea £172 7s lOd, Kawa Kawa £359 ss, Awahou £454 13s 2d. FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD. The Chairman said it was of the greatest importance to the county that the poll for the Foxon Harbour Board loan should be carried. The hax-bour was necessary to the settlers, and to the tram system, and he hoped the ratepayers would make a point of giving support to the poll. Crs Barber and Boyce proposed that the Council urge the ratepayers to support the loan and encourage others to do the same. ENGINEER’S REPORT. Awahou Riding.—Messrs Suisted and Danielson are making fair progress with their contract for supplying and delivering metal on the, Foxlon-Shannon road. The attention of the Horowhenua County Council should be drawn to the dangerous condition of the decking planks on the Foxton-Shannon bridge. I have made an inspection of the Whirokino road, which is in a bad state of repair, and will require the whole amount of metal authorised (viz., 300 yards) to put it in order, I have sent the road grader along to trim up a portion of this road, and we have also made an application for permission to run a ballast tram Avith metal to Foxton for the purpose of repairing this road.

Tramway report.—The 281 b. track is weak throughout, and requires constant attention. The surfacemen have been employed on this length as much as circumstances would permit, and the men are now employed improving the curve and crossings which was very much out of order between Sanson and Pukenui.

TRAMWAY MANAGER’S REPORT.

The traffic was satisfactory for Apxil, and a credit of £32 7s lid is shown for the month’s workings. The chief items of traffic were: Minerals 86J tons, grain G3£ tons, merchandise 159 i tons, sheep 81 tracks, cheese 70f tons, metal 825 cubic yards, timber 29,900 feet. Fares amounted to £3 14s 4d.

The locomotive Rangitikei is now running the metal tram, and is working satisfactorily. A door has been put on the shed at the Oroua Downs siding.