MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2125, 8 May 1920, Page 3

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY ME ETLNG. The monthly meeting of the Manawatu County Council was held on Wednesday. There were present: Sir James Wilson (in the chair), and Crs. W. E. Barber, H. 11. Hunt, J. Boyce, AY. Phillips, and W. S. Penny. HOSPITAL LEVIES. The Tuiipeka County Council, with headquarters at, Lawrenee, wrote asking for support of the following resolution: : —“That the present system of imposing a levy on local bodies for the purpose of providing revenue for hospital and charitable aid purposes is inequitable and unduly taxes the holders of rural properties, and that the Government he urged to amend the Act in tiro direction of making the. cost of such institutions a charge on the Consolidated Fund of the Dominion.”

The Council agreed that the. present system of conti’o! of hospitals by the local boards was preferable to the control being vested with the State, which would result if the terms of the resolution were put into effect.

Sir James JVilson quoted the Olaki cottage hospital as a ease in point of State control. The institution, he said, never contained more than seven patients at any one time, and yet cost £1,500 a year to maintain. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer reported as follows on the Awahou riding: We have now completed the metalling of Whitlow’s road, and there should he no more complaints about this road. As instructed.by Mr Barber, I have made arrangemcnls to protect the banks of the Manawatn river, near Mr Pigotfs, and the work is now being proceeded with, and we hope to (dieek the erosion that is now taking place. General; The stone crusher has been running well during the past month, and we have crushed about 1.135 yards of road metal, which has been delivered at the various sidings throughout the county. TRAMWAY REPORT. The tramway manager reported that during the past month the chief items of traffic were :• —Merchandise 1361 tons, minerals 10!) tons, cheese 05. - tons, sheep (52 trucks, timber 14,900 feet, metal 1,135 cubic yards. Fares amounted to £5 4s sd. GENERAL BUSINESS.

The chairman reported that he and Crs. Barber and Hunt, accompanied by the elerk, Mr Drew, bad attended a conference of loeal bodies held at Levin recently for the purpose of considering the advisability of forming an anmlgamation of loeal bodies to receive (lie current from Mangahao under a.n electrical power board. As no (lovernment expert attended, contrary to the expectations of the conveners the Horowhomm County Council —nothing definite was decided on. Bir James Wilson stated that be explained to the conference the nature of the scheme the Manawaln County Council bad on foot, but added that if some better proposal emanated from the conference the Manawaln County would still be prepared to fall into line. %

Jt: was decided to allocate £5 to (he Building Borough Council towards defraying the expenses of presenting an address to the Prince of Wales. RATES. The following rates for Iho ensuing year were struck', to ho levied on the unimproved value: Sandon, l}d in the £; Mt. Stewart ltd. Waitohi 1;M, Rongotea Ijd, Carnarvon 11(1, Ka.wa Kawa lid, Awahou lid.