POHANGINA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8787, 15 April 1907, Page 3

POHANGINA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting was held on Saturday. Present Crs Brown (chairmen), H. Osborne, Howie, 0. H. Handley, H. W. Oliver, F. L. Jackson. Or H. Y. Hammond apologised for his absence, and leave bf absence was granted to him. From H. Mundy, stating thaf road between Jeffries’ woolshed end Te Awa road was dangerous. Temporary repairs made but road engineer stated it should be raised three or four feet. —Consideration held over. From Alex. Lawson, H. White head and H. W. Oliver, for permission to erect fences alongside road metal fronting their sections. —Messrs Lawson and Oliver’s request granted and that o£Mr Whitehtad referred to Engineer. From H. Matthews, asking for an outlet to be made for a drain through his land.—Work to be done on Mr Matthews paying half cost. From A. Wagstaff, drawing atten tion to necessity of fencing a dangerous place on the western sidejff the Beehive Bridge. —To be fenced. From 0. E. Gawlor, asking that a dram be dug in front of his place.

£. OgiiicUr liU , From F. S. Guy, asking for payment for gravel taken from his pit. —To be attended to. From Department of Roads, stating that work on Tunipo road was progressing. The present contract would probably exhaust the funds. From Kiwitea 0.0., asking if the Pohangina C.O. would assist in the erection of Marton Block bridge. —Loan to be raised for payment of part cost, the special rating district to be the same as for the Apiti bridge. From J. M, Murdoch, protesting against water from drain being diverted through his land to- the danger of his dwelling house.—Or Oliver and the Engineer to report. Prom Inspector of Telegraphs, stating that Dr Gregory’s wire would only be connected with the public j wire by night or when the Apiti I Post Office was closed. From Palmerston N. Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, stating that Council's levy was £IBB 17s 4d. From manager of U.F.C.A., for warding cheque towards cost of Pohangina bridge and stating that Mr Nathan had never intended to promise an indefinite subsidy to the bridge.—Received with thanks. From Eiwitea C. 0., asking for Pohangina G.O.’s share of cost of Coulter’s road.—To bo paid. From Treasury, stating that loans of £IOOO for Coulter’s line and £IOOO for Apiti township were now available. From A. G. Carty, on behalf of Messrs fr. D. Mayo and H. M. Hare, ppclpsing'ah agreement for Council's signature in respect to the construction of the Te Awa branch road deviation.— Agreement signed. From H. S. Fitzherbert, solicitor ; for the County Council, advising that j the general rate must be a uniform ‘ one throughout the county and j levied on the several ridings in pro- ( portion to the respective valuations ( of'the rateable lands within their , respectively. : He stated’,• ( however,’ dhat in his opinion, if the cases on which this point of law had been decided had been carried to the Privy Council, the decision of the Court of Appeal would have been reversed. p c Howie’s motion was net in order. Fl ’Tfie Chairman said if the Council decided to carry the case to the Privy Council any injunction that plight bp obtained by Cr Howje or apy raippayer tp compel the Council to strike a uniform vote would be stayed. In the meantime there was a prospect ’of the Counties Act being amended to allow of a differential pitta being struck. ' ‘ Of two legal ppinions it hid been siated in one, “ That the laws relating to County rating wore unsatisfaidory,’* and in jibe pther, “ r phat they seem to be more or less in a'state of confusion.” Qtljep Couptias werp ipterostet] in the anjendrpent fif the Apt. He thought for the present the Council should proceed as before and strik: a

differential rate. Cr Howie said he and his supporters were prepared to go to the privy Council. * Cr' Jktk'soh said Cr Howie was taking rdvantage of a technicality, and technicalities were not very nice things' to seize upon io gain a point. He' urged Or Howto to allow tho matter to be deferred, 1:1 Ote Osborne, 1 Oliver apd Handley ijlso spoke in favour of the deehion of the matter being deferred, Cr Qr-boipa remarking that it oould never have been the intention of the Legislature after some ridings had made their roads that the back -ridings should then bo-able to compel the other ridings tc-coutributo to jibe cost of t|ia roads. It was ego ded, with the comoat pf Cr Hov.ii, that the motion bo held oyer. REPORTS. Tho Engineer reported as follows : I have inspected the cliff at the Pohangina bridge site, and in my opinion the hill will slip away until the bank forms itself into a batter to at least one foot in two fees, and when this takes place the top road at ipia point will be taken' away. ’ I Ivould" recommend that all bush on the'hillside at this point be cut down level with the surface and cleared away. The road between Lynch’s bridge and the Ferry road has b en widened and a large culvert put in. I recommend that about 10 chains

of fencing be erect', d on the roadside at Holly hill as socn as possible. I would aho lecommend that a very b: d turn on {’pa Zig-zag road be improved. I have inspected Digger (•reek with a view of diverting the water into one channel by constructing groins at each side of the creek. Jdy estimate cf the cost is £IOO if the work is done at once, Cr Jackson said he would consult the ratepayers in regard to the danger from the cliff, and Cr Handley promised to consult those interested in regard to tho diverting of Digger creek. The Treasurer reported the general account: Dr., £713 11s lOd: Cr., £417 12s 2d. Riding accounts; Awahou, dr., £B3 8s; Coal' Creek, 3r / £2OO Ms Id; Mangapikopiko, ’dr.’, £125 10s; Pohangina, dr., £{ss 19s 3d ; Tamaki, dr,,J £440 11s 4d ; Umutoi, dr., £Bl4 ; Mangaono, pr , £7 8s 7d, OTHER BUSINESS.

Mr Knight waited on the Council to request that the read leadmg to his section in Tamaki riding be re paired. —To be done as scon as possible. It was resolved that the Engineer be instructed to improve the Zig-zag ■road at the sharp corner. That tenders be called for the supply and delivery of about 500yds of metal cn the Main Cross road, Apiti. That the Engineer be instructed to form and metal tbe balance of Moa road. That the growing timber between Awahou and Ridge roads to cut down aqd i emoved, and that a fence be erected along the edge of the Awahou road at this point. That four chains of fencing be erected on Holt’s hill. That the dangerous places on Holt’s hill be fenced. Owing to tenders for the construction of the To Awa branch road being informal, it was decided to invite fresh tenders, to close on 27th April, and to be dealt with by the Engineer and Gr Oliver and the Chairman. „ !

Q. Cloudsley for stumping of Balance street, at £lO, be accepted. That the Engineer be instructed to call tenders for stumping and clearing GO chains of the street in rhe Apiti township, with a view of forming the footpath. Cr Osborne tendered his resignation. He said he was doing so in consequence of some disagreeabieness that had been caused by' the former administration. It would depend entirely on the ratepayers whither he consented to be re-elected to the position. The Chairman said he regretted very much that Cr Osborne had re--igned, for ho had been most atten- j live to the business, one proof of which was that he had not missed but one meeting during the six years he had been in office, and that , because he had received notice of the meeting too late. j Other Councillors expressed re- j grst that Cr Osborne had resigned, and a motion was passed expressing appreciation of his valuable services