MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8740, 14 February 1907, Page 2

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting was hold yesterday. Present—Crs J. G. Wilson (chairman), J. Dalton, Or. Kendall, W. E. Barber, and T. Masters. Leave of absence was granted to Crs McKenzie and Hammond: REPORTS. Tbq treasurer reported tho balances of the various accounts as under : General account, cr.,'.£139 5s lid; loan account, cr., £463 12s Bd. Riding accounts:—Amounts available for expenditure to 31st March, 19071 Waitohi Biding, £lO3 9s 7d ; Carnarvon Biding, £217 14s Id; Whirokino division, £4l 4s 3d.

Amounts ovor-expended : Sandon Riding, £2O IGs 6cl; Mt. Stewart, £67 5s 6d; Rongotea, £5 17s 4d ; Kawa Kawa, £342 3s ; Awahou, £37 12s 6d. Tho outstanding rates amounted to £463 Is lid, duo as follows: Sandon Biding, £39 15s 7d; Mt. Stewart, £49 10s Id; Waitohi, £7O Gs 5d ; Rongotea, £lO3 11s 10d; Carnarvon, £35 4s 4d 5 Kawa Kawa, £BB 10s 2d ; Awahou, £36 Is 2d special rates, £45 2s 4d. Tho Tramway manager reported that tho credit balance for tho month was £6 13s 4d. Tho amount of traffic both of goods and passengers was satisfactory. For tho period four months ended 31st January, 190 G, sixteen hundred and thirty-three bales of wool were consigned over tho tramway. For tho similar period ended 31st January, 1907, nineteen hundred and’ forty-three bales wore carried ; an increase of 310 bales. Good progress bad been made with tho improvement to tho first section of tho Carnarvon incline. 42 chains formation had been satisfactorily completed and tho lino brought up to tho now level.

Tho overseer reported among other things that H. Thompson had completed his contract in a satisfactory manner for delivery of motal and clay on Campion’s lino and tho clay had very much improved tho road. He had taken levels which showed tho lakes on tho Oroua Downs 'Estate to bo’ 16 foot above’ sod level. Tho drain could be lowered flvo feet by a drain G 1 chains long. Tho cost would bo approximately £2Ol Gs. It would probably bo necessary to fascine tho banks for a distance of 15 chains, 110 considered the state of tho drain, near tho Oroua Downs creamery, as a very serious nuisance. It would be necessary to have tho Foxton-Sliannou road deviation contract pushed on so as to got it solid before the winter fleoejs tool? place: CORRESPONDENCE. From tho Treasury, stating that loan of £GOO was available for construction of I drainage works on tho Oroua Downs | Es;..te'; ■ _ From the same, stating that £IG6 6s 9c| had been placed to the' credit of the Council' ro river protective works at Ohatoa sottlem out.

From same, with provision of approval of application for 'loan'of 42000 towardi cost of bridging the Manawatii liver, 4300 for construction' of Papupai-a roaeji Notice was given for tho striking of special rajAs to pay iiitorgst on those posed loans. From District Eoad Engineer, stating that ho had recommended tho. Minister to grant 460 towards cost of additional river protective works, which had been granted. •

From'assistant engineer, asking when the Council would commence tho work, —Hold over until planning season. From the clerk of liongotea Town Board, askipg for tho proportion of general rate available—About 4100 coj-i lectablo, 433 11s to bo deducted for fixed charges, and 41G 9s overpaid in respect ro 7”' 1 ' a 'dv last year; 47G collected. Balance due on this amount to bo forwarded.

From O. McElroy, Mangaone road, drawing attention to a cutting and filling on the northern end of this road, The grade is very stoop, and there is a sharp curve on tho filling dangerous to traffic.— Overseer to report. From Eowe Bros., asking charge per truck for carriage of logs from Hirnatangi ovor the tramway.—liopliedto that tho charge would bo tho same as oyer Government railways. From McMprray and Co„ stating that they had been informed that the cement manufacturers of the colony had formed a combine fixing the cost of cement as follows : Ship’s slings Wellington 61s per ton, J.C.E. Palmerston North 44, subject to a 21 per cent discount.

From Tiros. W. Downes, C.E., forwarding plan, tracings, etc , of the land taken under the Public Works Act in sections 379 and 381, block 3, Sandon Survey District.—Chairman to sign the plans of this land taken for the purpose of a public drain.

From Eobert A. Wilson and R. Try,' Dalrymple, undertaking t6pay".£2o pesi annum for ’ten .years when called upon to do it for the upkeep of a drain it is prq-‘ posed to construct in the Oroua Dowjfg Spocia’ Rating District, and also convey to tho ounojl sufficient land for tho propose. —Offers accepted. Prom T. H. Heath, drawing attention to bad state of planking of a bridge at Awahuri.—Not on a County road. From Secretary of Glen Oroua Dairy Co., asking Council to have culvert lowered so as to enable the Co'mpaiiy'tq drain the Oroua Downs creamery section! From Mace Noble, Oroua Bridge, complaining of the bad state of the' road, leading to his section.—-No action taken.

From 0. Petersen, asking for extension of time to complete Shannon road deviation. —Granted two weeks. From Government Valuation of Land Department, stating that Council’s sharp of coat of revising valuation roll was £X(J Ids.

From Q. Brooke, complaining of the stench arising from a drain near the creamery on the Oroua Downs Estate— Referred to the Health Department,

From the Minister of Health, advising what precautions should be taken in view of the plague at Sydney. From the Horowhenua County Council, stating that it had received authority to erect a bridge over the Manawatu at Shannon, the cost of which would be £SOOO for a steel structure.

A discussion took place as to the best manner of eradicating noxious weeds, especially the Californian thistle, and it was generally coneded that the most practical, method, when a large area was coveted; was to let the weed alone, with the result that it would die out. Eradication by cutting down, Cr Barber said, was impas, sible, as they were always being brought down by the Oroua river. As for hemlock it had been on the land ever since he had known it, During the last three months ho had been doing nothing else than kill noxious weeds and rabbits. Cr Kendall declared that hemlock was fast spreading in his riding and he was of opinion a special effort should bo made for its eradication. —It was resolved to make a special order to make that weed a noxious one according to the Act, It , was resolved to invito‘tenders for the construction of about 38 chains of the west end of the drain leading from Kaij koropu lake to the sea. It was resolved that tenders be inyitod for the erection of two new rooms (q roadman’s cottage, Himatangi, That Mr Fred, Purnell be appointed to act for the Council on the Assessment Court set np under the Government Valuation of Lands Act, Amendment Act, 1900,

That BT. D. Eobinson be appointed registrar of dogs for the County of Manawatu, including the town district of Eongotoa, for the current year of 1907. That the fee bo 2s Gd per dog for sheep, cattle and rabbit dogs and Es per dog for all other dogs. That all property holders on Pike’s road be requested to remove all gates and slip-rails on this road.

That the tender of \V. J. Neill for tho supply of 700 dog collars at Gd bo accepted. Tenders for contract No. 11 was left in tho hands of Cr Barber to deal with.