MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 96, 29 November 1879, Page 2

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wednesday, Notsmbbb 26, 1879. special Meeting-. The Council assetnbled.at twelve o'clock all the members being present, for the election of a chairman, Upon the motion of of Councillor Rockstrow, seconded by Councillor Linton, Councillor Macarthur , was unanimously elected .to the office. The proceedings were than acfjourned until halfpast two for the prosecution of the ordinary business. • , i THE BAILWAT JOTTOTIOir. Mr. Rockstrow moved the suspension of Standing Order No. 4, to enable him to make a statement, : Mr. Sanson would like to know what the statement referred to." - The Chairman said that mnst be left to the Councillor who asked permission to make it. The standing order baring been suspended by resolution of the Council. Mr. Rqcestro^ rose and said, no doubt members of the Council had seen an' account of a. deputation, having waited upon the Government, asking them to commence the construction of the railway at the Foxton end. He had been, asked by several influential ratepayers to^; call attention to this, and deny that any^ such deputation had been appointed, or^hat Messrs, lioudon and Russell had expressed the wish of the people. A great number of the electors considered this a breach of, if aith, as the matter had been left to the Engineer. He' would emphatically deny that the memorial was m any way authorised, as no public meeting was held. He wished the Upper District to know that this was not done with the sanction of the ! ratepayers, and ,he would assure the representatives Qf that part of the Colony. that the people of Fox- J ton did not authorise auy such notion. (Hear, hear from Mr. Halcombe.) , Tho Council then adjourned till 1.20 p.m Tha following are $6 principal resolutions passed :— Proposed by Councillor (Joweb, seconded by Councillor . SA.KSON,— " That the Chairman be requested to write to the Government, and' protest m the same way as last year, against the reduction being made for maintenance -of the Gorge Road, it not being a county road." Proposed by Councillor HAI.OOMBE, seconded by Councillor Kebbbll— " That Councillor Gower be requested to interview the Hon. Jv/hn Johnston with reference to the purchase of the road line required through his property." Proposed by Councillor- Q-OWEB, seconded by Councillor Rockstbow— " That m the opinion of this Council, it is highly necessary that all sna^3 now obstructing the piles of the Rangitikei Bridge be .immediately removed, and that the Chairman forward a copy of the resolution to the Chairman of the Rungltikei. Council." Proposed by Councillor LlNTOtf, seconded by Councilor Kqbbei.l,*-" That the tender of Mr. Allerby for bush-falling m Taonui Riding -be accepted at fifteen shillings per e 1 tk<n." 1 roposcd by Councillor G-o web, seconded" by Councillor Kocestrow — " That the ba lance of vote of £302 to Whale Line, amounting to £252 be at once expended m accordance with the re3olution|of Nov. 27th, 1879." PropO3ed by Councillor KunEiii., seconded by Councillor Q-OWEB— " That tenders be called for the formation of the FoxtonQiaki Road, oommencin'g on the north bank of the Manawatu River, from, thence to. the corner of section 424." BNGHKEEJft'a BEPQBT, I beg to state that the roads gevierally throughout the country are m a fair state of repair-. Nathan has commenced his contract of roads formation on the ILiwitea road. The work is being done out of funds from the General G-overnment grant. There are 1 twelve men at work and two tip drays. The contractor has ndt been able to push ! on the work v^ry rapidly on account or the amount of weather. X have not been able to have the metalling an I£imbolton road at Feilding done at present, as the weather is not favorable for car-ting metal on the roads, Fowell has not yet started the metalling on BracUe/s contract, Kimbolton road, the pits being full of water. Bryant hag been pushing on with the formatipn and metalling on Palmerston-Foxton Road. He is now stopped for a short time through rain. This contract, I 'expect, will be finished m about a week, if the weather be fair. The contractor for construction of groin m Oroua River, nt -Awahuri, has oarted, a number of poles, and also manuka scrub, &c, on to grounds near the site of the hut, but is unable, to start work, at present through } the fresh imthe river. On this work I have ! placed Stephen Rogers, $0 see that it is carried out faithfully, it being a piece of work that innst he securely put together. ; A slight mishap occurred at the Foxton Ferry, by a schooner drifting down on the wire rope, and carr-ying »way one back guy, and doing other damage to the extent of about £4. ' Bowe, the ferryman, sued the captain, of the schooner, and got judgment fov the above amount, I have had two new ferry boards printed, and $xea at the Faxton and Qhau, ferries. This retakes the whole of the hoards complete, mtcept the name af the ferryman at Otaki being painted on that board. This I intend having done on my next visit to Qtyfol X ha. Te dujping the month rod.? or«f

the roads from Foxton to tne northern boundary of Kiwitea, and have had several »ew culverts placed under County roads. Mr. Flyger has finished the survey of the Ofcoki-Foxton Road, and prepared a rough plan of same. He will start at once to prepare a plan for gazetting this road, and afterwards start the survey from Otaki to Waikanae. '•■ * .■ ' • . The formation on Fagan'B Line, Sandbn, is completed (Highways Board's), for which a grant from this Council was made. I have certified to the amount of work done. .... I would strongly urge the calling of the '6f tenders at once for that portion of the Foxton-Otaki road on-the northern side of the river, as by bo doing the contractor will have the whole of the summer to do the work. Another piece of work requires letting at once— the metalling on the Sandon- [ Foxton road m the Kawa Kawa Riding, be- \ ing that mile of clay formation from the bush near Sanson towards Foxton. This is one of the worst parts of the road, and one that is greatly used. I have called for tenders for bush, felling on road line m Taonui Riding. NOTIOE OF MOTION. Councillor Rookstbow gave notice that at the next meeting of the Council, he would move — " That an agreement be entered into with the County Engineer defining the duties of his office." The Council then adjourned until two. o'clock on Monday, 22nd December.