RANGITIKEI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9090, 9 March 1908, Page 5

RANGITIKEI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the above was held at Marton, on Saturday. Present;—Ors. R. K. Simpson (Chairman), D. Fraser, R. T. Batley, A. G. Simpson, B. P. Lethbridge, T. Dnncan, A. Morrison and A. McGregor. CORRESPONDENCE. Correspondence was dealt with as follows: From Treasury.—Advising 'payments of loan moneys as under: — Pukeokahu road £2930, Ongo road £ISOO, Turakina Valley road £6OO, Rangitane road £250, MakohineMangaweka road £3OO, Papakai road £l2O, Braudou Hall £7O, Mangaweka Valley £SO. Prom Treasury, provisionally approving of loan of £IOO for Tenuent’a road. —Resolved that steps be taken to raise the loan upon the security of a special rate, to be levied over the properties in the Special Rating Area.

From Chief Engineer Roads,— Forwarding authorities for grants of £SOO for the Mangaweka-Te Kapua roads; £1250 (£ for £), for Kawhatau River Bridge; £26 15s 5d for Jacobsen’s road.

From Agricultural Department.— Enclosing slaughtering license for Messrs Yoyce & Parker, and stating that J. J. Freeman’s application will receive attention.

Prom M. and J. Uollis.—Application for a slaughtering license at Mangaweka.—Granted subject to approval of Agricultural Department.

.From Valuer General.—Account of £55 for revision of Valuations.— Held over until the revision of the values of Erewhon, Te Kapua and Awarua Ridings is finally settled. From same.—Asking Council to appoint a person to act on its behalf as a member of the Assessment Court.—Mr J. W. Marshall was appointed. From Kiwitea County Council.— Approving of proposed work at Vinegar Hill bridge and asking further particulars of work at Ouepuhi bridge.—Attended to. From Wanganui County Council. —Asking Raugitikei Council tu define the proposed alterations of Wanganui County boundary.—Resolved (Crs. Batley-McGregor) that a copy of the plan of the proposed alteration of the boundaries between Wanganui and Raugitikei Couuites as defined by council of ratepayers of the locality he sent to Wanganui Council as requested. From same.—Forwarding account for £l2O 2s Id for share of Licensing expenses.—Resolved that account be paid subject to refund being made by Hunterville Town Board.

From Wanganui Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards. —Asking Council’s requirements for charitable aid purposes and valuation of the county for rating purposes.—Attended to.

J . From E. Newman. —Accepting appointment as Council’s representative on the Marton Technical School Committee.—Received.

From D. Mcßeth.—Refusing to sign plan of Bruce road deviation. From O. Rowling.—Asking for a compensation clause in lease of reserve at Tiriraukawa. —Resolved that Council regrets it cannot see its way to agree to the compensation asked for. From James Campion.—Asking permission to erect telephone line along road between Okirae and Kauangaroa. —Agreed to subject to work being done to the approval of Mr Mair.::;:f--^;r* i :“.. • From Waverley Dairy Oompcy’. —Asking permission to conduct a water pipe across the Waugaebu bridge.—Referred to the Wanganui County Council—the controlling body. From P. Kennedy.—Asking compensation for loss of firewood destroyed by recent bush fire.—'To be favourably considered on completion of contract.

From Hulbert & Oo.—Asking permission to remove tree trom the road side at Utiku.—Referred to Roads Department, under whose control the road is vested. From Utiku School Committee.— Asking Council to metal the road recently formed, and leading to the school.—Resolved that the road not being under Council’s jurisdiction, it regrets being unable to do anything in the matter. From Alex. Crawford.—Asking that from 800 to 400 yards of maintenance metal be placed on the South end of Mount Curl road. —To he informed that Engineer will attend to necessary repairs.

From j. H. Burgess.—Complaining of Council’s motor wagon being used in Hunterville district.—Received.

From A. R. Muuro.—Asking for a remission of part rates on behalf of John ‘McLeod.—Resolved that Council regrets its inability to comply with the request. * From Treasury.—Provisionally approving loan of £SOO-, Puhirua road, south.—Resolved that necessary steps be taken to raise the loan upon a special rate, to be levied over properties in the Puhirta Rating District. From D. Tucker.—Forwarding petition for the raising of a loan of £675 for metalling further portion ofc Brandon Hall road.—Application to be placed on list of loans to be applied for in turn. From Robert Wilson.—Enclosing account for £l9 for fencing deviation of Lake Alice road,—Passed for payment. From W. T. Galpin.—Asking that portion of Ngaruru road be metalled —Mr Thoms to have the work carried out. From Receiver Land Revenue.— Advising payment of £339 11s 2d for Thirds. From Treasury.—Provisionally approving of loan of £l4O for Snellgrove’s road.— Resolved that steps be taken* to raise on security of a special rate, to be levied over the properties in the Special Rating Area as submitted by Mr Thoms. From F, G. Wilson, Health Officer, reporting on condition of cottage occupied by Mr Knox on Taihape Main road. —Resolved that Mr Knox be written to notifying him that the Council intends to remove the building occupied by him within seven days ,and that Mr Mair be instructed to attend to the matter.

Mr Oraigh attended and asked that something be done to improve the Lower Wangaehu River road, in order to allow them to get in and out during winter months.—lt was resolved on the motion of Or. Lethbridge, seconded by Or. McGregor, “That the Council expend a sum not exceeding £IOO on the road in metalling, provided the ratepayers in addition thereto, iind at their own cost the teams and drivers necessary for the work, and that Mr Thoms be authorised to act in the matter at. once.”

Mr Msir reported that splendid progress had been made with all County works, especially gravelling. All bridges and culverts were cleared

from growth and rubbish early during the drought with the result that many were saved from bush fires.

It was owing to the combined efforts of foremen and roadmen, both day and night, that the Council escaped with no damage from fires. The motor wagon was doing metalling work at about half tile cost work. As directed, arrangements had been made with Mr Peters for gravelling 1000 yards on Mataroa Road South, and a contract had been let to Mr P. Kennedy for supply of 150 cords of firewood. As Council was holding a Government grant of £650 (£ for £) for Mataroa road, and had only sufficient funds to lift about £3OO, lie suggested that a portion of Awarua separate rate bo voted for

this work. The Road Engineer approved of proposals to Juse gravel aud burnt papa. The papa burning had been successfully carried out on Makohine-Maugaweka road. As no gravel could be found on Mangahoo road, a r meeting of settlers interested was called to consider the position of the proposed loan of £IOOO. It was unanimously .agreed to withdraw the £IOOO y.oan and raise £SOO to straighten aud deepen the creek from S. Lourie’s bridge down to about Mr Smith’s residence. The survey of unformed balance of MangawekaTe Kapua road, for which the Council holds a Government grant, had been completed. —lt was resolved (Ors. Batley-Morrison) that £IOO of the Awarua separate rate be spent in metalling on the south end of the Mataroa road.—That (Chairman Ci McGregor) the action of the Engineer in letting contracts to Messrs Peters and Kennedy be endorsed : That (Chairman-Or Fraser) the Engineer be authorised to put in the groin, as suggested by him,-above the proposed sice of the Kawhatau bridge, and drive the trial piles to ascertain the depth of foundation, to be a charge against loan money when raised.

Mr Thoms reported that recent rains bad Improved tho roads very much and most of them are now iu good order. Fair progress had been made with gravelling contracts. Now that the drought had broken up, be proposed starting the grader again to complete the formation of Lake Alice road, Heaton Park. The work of repairing Onepuhi bridge would be completed next week. Two small bridges on the Upper Tutaenui road required renewing. He proposed to build them with concrete abutments and iron bark tops. With the consent of the Chairman the following contracts were let during the mouth ; —Delivering 9GO yards gravel on Bonny Glen road, to Mr Craig ; forming, cutting and metalling on Turakiua Beach road toD. R. Perry. The bridge over the Turakiua river, at Turakiua, wanted screwing up and a few of the decking planks renewed. He suggested the bridge receive two coats of tar. He would like authority to call tenders for metalling Tennent’s and Suellgrove’s road, as soon as.the loan papers w r ere signed. —Resolved—(Obairman-Or. A. G. Simpson) That Mr,Thoms have the two small bridges on Upper Tutaenui road renewed ; That (Ohairman-Cr McGregor) the Turakiua river bridge at Turakiua be screwed up and tarred. It was resolved—

That (Chairman-Or. McGregor) notice be served upon the Minister and Kiwitea County Council under tho Public Works Act 1905, of the intention of tho Rangitikei County Council to construct a bridge over the Kawbatau river, on the Potaka road, and that the cost be allocated as follows :—Government £1250; Kiwitea Council one-third of balance ; Rangitikei Council two-thirds of balance of cost, and that tho Rangitikei Council’s share he raised as follows: half by loan over the whole County, half by loan over Special Rating Area comprising land directly benefiting by the work. That (Obairman-Or. ’Hatley) the Upper Waugaebu Road Board be requested to give attention to the maintenance of the road in its district between Taihapo and-Moa-whango, which is now iu a very had state of repair. That (Cr. Fraser-Cbairman) the person having the gates complained of on the Lake Alice road be given six mouths notice to remove same.

That (Ohairmau-Cr raser) application be made as soon as possible for a loan ,of £IOO (41 years at ?>% per cent.) for the purpose of metalling about 40 chains of the south end of Lake Alice road.

That (Ors. McGregor-Duncan) the matter of obtaining a further legal opinion in the matter of general rating be left in the hands of the Chairman and the clerk to deal with.

That (Ohairmau-Cr. A. G. Simpson) the Upper Wangaehu Road Board be requested to hand over to this Council all “thirds” accrued, and to accrue from Jacobsen’s section for expenditure on the road into his section.

That (Chairman-Cr. McGregor) Mr .Mair make an estimate of the cost of forming (1) a bridle track, and (2) dray road to complete the connection between the Pokaka and Moawhango Yalley roads. That (Ors. McGregor-Lethbridge) £IOO, in addition to the services of one surfaceman, be voted out of the General Account for the spreading and breaking of the metal on the Ongo road. That (Crs. McGregor-A. G. Simpson) the application for loan of £IOOO for Ngaruru road be withdrawn.

That (Crs. McGregor-Duncan) application be made to the Treasury for a loan of £SOO (41 years at per cent.) for widening and deepening the creek from Lourie’a bridge to Bertram’s late residence on the Maungahoe road. That (Chairman-Or. A. G. Simpson) Mr Mair ascertain upon what terms a gravel pit can be purchased from Mr C. H. E. Rhodes, at Rata. That (Crs. Dnucau-Morrison) Mr G. Y. Lethbridge be offered £BO for an area severed together with metal pit (about 3 acres).

The tender of Messrs R. Richardson and J. was accepted for delivery of about 050 yards of maintenance metal, on Rata-Siiverhope roads.—Other tenders wore held over.

The Treasurer reported that receipts for last month amounted to £4670 14s 3d, of which £4388 was received in rates. Accounts passed for payment on the genei'al account amounted to £3711 3s 9d, which will leave ii debit balance of £749 ss.