MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2287, 9 June 1921, Page 3

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

ANNUAL AND MONTHLY

MEETINGS

The monthly and annual meetings of the Manawatu County Council were held on Tuesday, the following being present: Councillors Sir James Wilson (chairman), H. H. Hunt, W. S. Penny, W. E. Barber, H. J. Fagan. CORRESPONDENCE.

From the Public Trust Office, stating that at present it was unable to advance the instalment of £7,500 of the Council’s £30,000 loan, on account of the financial stringency, but that the instalment would be forwarded as soon as funds were available. —Received.

From the Minister of Public Works, stating the matter of Government grants for the council’s roads and bridges would be considered at his earliest opportunity. — Received.

From the Palmerston North Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, stating that the amount for which the council was liable for maintenance and charitable aid expenditure was £1 825 19s, and the liability for capital expenditure was £242 3s 7d. —Received. From the Kairanga County Council, stating that it had supported the Hutt County Council’s resolution regarding the use of unemployed labour on Paekakariki hill, and asking the council to follow a similar course. —No action taken. From K. W. Dalrymple, stating that the sand dunes at his property at Oroua Downs would be attended to at once. —Received. The following alterations were made to the rate-roll: C. Hopping to A. Pearson, lots 3G-40, 42-45, sec. 3, Sandon; G. Raikes to J. Boyce, pt. lot 1, see. 384, Carnarvon; G. Raikes to H.M. the King, pi. lot 1, see. 384, Carnarvon. ll was decided to levy a drainage rate on a uniform scale of 3d in the .€ upon the rateable value of alt rateable property in the Oroua Downs special rating district, such rate to be for a period of one year from April Ist, 1921, to March 31st, 1922.

ROADING MATTERS.

Mr Stokes waited upon the council and presented a petition containing the required number of signatures asking the Council to raise a loan for the purpose of forming and metalling Pyke’s Road. —The petition was fonnally received. Mr P. Robert, accompanied by his son, waited upon the council and urged that Kellow’s line, near Bainesse, receive immediate attention, lie stated that the road was iu a shocking condition, and nothing could be carted over it. It was impossible to gain other egress or ingress to the properties in the vicinity.—The chairman pointed out that if a road were formed the expense would be unusually heavy, and in one case a settler would have to meet a levy of over £IOO on a not especially large property. Others, too, would bo subjected to this prohibitive rate, and it would be necessary to notify them and obtain their opinion on the matter before the council could proceed with tho construction of the road. —Mr Robert stated that the settlers concerned would be only too willing to pay these rates, otherwise their properties would be of little use to them. —It- was decided that Cr. Barber meet the settlers concerned and obtain their views upon the matter. Mr Hogg, another settler of Kellow’s Lino district, waited upon the council and objected to the proposal of putting the new' road in, on the ground of the expense. —He was referred to_Cr. Barber, to whom he is to express* his objections. The tramway manager (Mr A. K. Drew) reported as follows: —The chief items of traffic were: Minerals 194 tons, merchandise 121 tons, cheese and butter 55 tons, grain 90 tons, draff 33 trucks, timber 21,000 feet. Fares amounted to £9 0s sd. The accounts show’ a debit belanco of £92 12s 3d. The new brasses for locomotive Manawatu have been cast, and are at present being machined. Running repairs have been effected to the “G” class engine. The windmill at Whale line siding has been repaired. Several parts had to be renewed. It is proposed to replace the present stand with the use of old rails.