MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9369, 11 February 1909, Page 5

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary monthly meeting was held yesterday. Present— Crs. J. G.- Wilson (Chairman), G. Kendall, T, Masters, J. Henson, R. B. McKenzie, J. Dalton and W. B. Barber. CORRESPONDENCE. From Department of Lands and Survey, stating that a tracing of Jones’ road, laid off by Mr Drummond, would have to be done at a cost of ss, on the receipt of which the Chief Surveyor would have it done. —Money forwarded. From same asking that written consent of certain other persona interested in Foxtou-Shannon road deviation be obtained to plan.—Consent obtained. Prom Traffic Superintendent of Railways, approving new timetable of Sandon-Oarnarvon Tramway. From Land and Deeds Registry Office, re section 86b 14, Oroua Survey District, advising Council to instruct someone to attend the office and make the tracing. From Department of Lands, notifying that balance of money for further protective planting had oeen passed by Cabinet for payment From Rangitikei County Council with statement of expenditure on protective works at Bulls bridge, from March to November, 1908. The Manawatu share was £5 Os sd. Prom same, stating that Or. Fraser and the Chairman had been appointed to confer re the proposed extension of Tramway, and from Foxton Borough Council stating that Or. Hennessy and the Mayor had been appointed.—The clerk to arrange a meeting of representatives of the local bodies interested. From Horseshoe Land Drainage Board, asking for £6 towards cost of deepening drain through Mr Anderson’s property. —To be paid* From S. W. Fitzherbert,, on behalf of ratepayers in the Puketapu special rating district,,near Feilding, consenting to levying of special rate to pay interest on loan of £4OO. From Edward Newman, M.P., asking the Council to appoint a representative on the Foxton Harbour Board. —The Chairman was appointed. From John Reid, accepting nomination as member of Feilding Technical School Committee. From Montoa Drainage Board, asking that County’s overseer inspect sites of proposed bridges over Canghey’s and Kate Kare drains.—Or, Barber and the overseer to inspect. From A If re dßichmond, with order for £35 on money due to G. J. Webster.—The Chairman said the plan for which the money was due had not yet been approved and therefore the [amount not yet payable. The D.O.A. had also made a claim for the money. Probably the best plan would be to pay it into Oonrt. From a resident, Rongotea, asking that J. Cave he directed to trim his trees overhanging the footpath.—ln jurisdiction of Town Board, From E. Morse, asking permission to take water from Council’s engine shed. He proposed to erect a water trough in front of the hotel and that Council pay half cost of making the connection. —Tram manager to make report as to whether water was available. REPORTS. The Treasurer reported :—General account, dr. £3552 13s 9d-; loan account, or. £959 2a sd. Elding accounts available for : Sandon riding £l3l 13s|9d, Waitohi £64 11s 3d, Carnarvon £l3 10s Id, Awahon £43 3s 6d, Whirokino division £8 15a; over expended, Mt. Stewart £94 11s d, Rongotea £37 8s 3d, Kawa Kawa £358 19s lOd. The Overseer reported as follows: —Saudon and Waitohi ridings : Good progress is being made with the erection of the 22 feet span bridge on the Foxtcn-Sacdon road, known as Ludlow’s bridge. We have erected a temporary bridge for-the traffic to pa-is over the creek and are now mahirg a cut through the sharp elbow bo as to have the tram bridge and road straight opposite each other and a clean course for the stream. Mt.'Stewart riding : The usual repairs have been effected on the FeildingAwaburi road aud Lee’s Line. A small culvert has been put in on Rakshou road. In reference to Mr Lyons’ complaint re the water flooding his section on Carr street, I called oa Mr Lyons to find out what was the real cause of his place being flooded, and found that,the trouble was by the drain on Carr and Wells streets being choked with rubbish and a heavy growth of weeds. To prevent the drain overflowing it will be necessary to clean out the drains before winter. The open drain on Ourr street should he done away with and a pipe drain laid* to the Makino creek, to take the rain water of Mt. Stewart and Waitohi ridings. I saw Mr J. Young in reference to depositing spoil to widen the road jnst below the sharp corner on the Sandon Awahuri road, his objection to widen the road at that point was that the spoil would slide into his dam, and also kill the trees by depositing clay around them. As the property belongs to his brother (W. Young) he could not give a definite reply on the matter. Rongotea riding; A good deal of work has been done on Sanson’s Line in the shape of taking out three old culverts that were not required and filling up the ditches the full width of the road. The culvert near Glen Oroua has been lengthened and made safe for traffic. An old wooden culvert on Jones’ Line has been taken oat and replaced by a 15 inch pipe cnlveit. Mr J. G. Webster has completed the survey of Leen’s road deviation, the settlers are prepared to sign the plans provided the Council will give them in writing the option of purchasing the portion of closed road adjoining their properties. Rongotea riding, the three rows of 16 inch [pipes opposite Mr Sexton’s have been taken out and a three foot culvert put in to carry off the water, Kawa Kawa riding : Thp usual repairs have been effected in this riding during the past month auoh as trimming in ruts aud breaking stones on Main Drain road, Taikorea and Oonper’s Lines. Lupins have been out and sand holes blinded on the Palmerston Foxton road. Carnarvon riding : During the month I took the soundings of the Kaikokopu lake which showed the depth of water to be only 6 feet 6 inches in the deepest places, the water in the lake is just on a level with the bottom of out fall drain and according to the soundings taken it would not be advisable to deepen the Main drain, but just widen and clean out about 35 chains to allow the water co run off freely in the winter time. The Chairman aud I also inspected the drain between the two lakes and I would lecommyud the Council to deepen aud clean out this drain as suggested by the Chairman, as this would give an increased depth and fall to the drain through the flax

swamp and probably all the depth that will be required for drainage purposes. Awabca riding : .General repairs have been effected in this riding such as filling in ruts on Kari Kari road and Elkiu’s-Motuiti road and cleaning one drain along the lower end of the Foxtou-Shannon road. Whirokino Division : Repairs have been effected on No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 lines. The drains have also been cleaned out along the side of Whirokino road and No. 2 line.

The Tramway Overseer reported : The linemen are making satisfactory progress with che plate laying near Himatarjgi, aud to carry out this work quickly I have employed four extra men. A good deal of work has been done on the Carnarvon incline in stopping the sand Irom drifting in between the sleepers. A small bridge near the Rongotea elding, condemned by the Bridge Inspector, has been taken out [and replaced in a substantial manner, in reference to the projected connection of .tramline below the Himataugi curve, the Chairman aud I met Mr Treweek and Mr Williams, Inspector of the Railway, at Himataugj co point out what the Council required, but as the District Engineer could not grant - the Conn oil permission to connect with the Government railway outside the station yard nothing of any importance was decided upon, any further than keeping to the old track and improving the present tram carve by laying down 40Ifc rails. The Tramway Manager reported as follows: —I have the honour to present my report upon the working of the , tramway for the mouth of January, 1909. The credit balance for the mouth was £B3 2s sd, which considering ■ the extra expense incurred during the month for wages, etc., is satisfactory. The traffic both in goods and passengers has been good. The specials rnn in connection with the race meeting at Balls and Foxton were not quite as well patronised as last year. The fares for the month were £59 19s 4cl. The wool aud grass seed traffic has been satisfactory. The following were the principal items of traffic : Wool 435 bales, grass seed 91 tons, merchandise 39J£ tons, timber 33792 feet, coal 58 tons, metal 385 yards.,; On ;37th January the Oonmmittee appointed met delegates of the Rongotea and Glen Oroua Dairy Companies with reference to obtaining the butter traffic on the tramway. The Companies have agreed to obtain a price for cartage to the tram line and to oommnnicate with us after this has been done. The butter is forwarded everyday in the week with the exception of Saturday and Sunday. The extra run has been started as from the Ist instant on Thursday. m OTHER BUSINESS. It was resolved that a special rate of one penny in the £ be struck over the Oroua Downs special rating district to pay interest on a loan of £600; a special late of 1 7d in the £ be struck over the Wakapuni special rating district|to pay interest on a loan of £3OO, and a special rate of %d in the £ in the Downs special rating district to pay interest oa a loan of £6OO. That (Ors. Barber-Kendall) tenders be called for formation and metalling of the Palmerston-Foxton road, abont 53 chains. That (Ors. Kendall ana Dalton) no objection be made to Richard Daly removing his cottage to the site near to Baiuesse on the south side of the railway line. That ' (Ors. Wilsou-Masters), [the following alterations be made on the rate roll;—A. J. Edwards to R. B. Sutton, for section 17, Rongotea; A. MoHSrdie to R. T. Sanson, for section 13, Sandon; E. Goodbehere to F. A. Oobbe, for lot 33, section 85, Saudon; D. S. Kingston to N. A. A. Neilson, for lot 24, section 149, Sandon; G. J. Scott to H. Weohsuug, for lot 128, Rongotea; J. Tre win to Borough of Feilding, for lots 7,8, section 14, Sandon. That (Ors. Barber-Dalton) H. D. Robinson be appointed registrar of dogs for the County for the current year, and that the fees be 3s 6d per dog for sheep, cattle and rabbit dogs and 5s per deg for all other dogs. Mr Hunter waited on the Council to ask for a refund of £3, being the amount of ten per cent, on 1908 rates on a property[he had purchased from Mr Reid. He said he had been compelled to pay rates to local bodies in Taranaki on land he had sold to Reid because his name was on the rate roll and in his opinion Reid should have been charged for rates on the Manawatu property, the latter’s name benig on the rate roll. It was explained to Mr Hunter that Reid could not be found and consequently the Council adopted the only legal course, namely, to charge the rates on the land. Or. McKenzie for the Committee appointed to meet the Rongotea and Glen Oroua Dairy Companies in the matter of carrying butter over the Tramway instead of carting it to Longburn, reported that the companies were willing to adopt the course suggested providing the cost was not increased.

That (Ors. McKenzie-Kendall) tenders be called far deepening drains at Kaikokopu Lake, tenders to be in by the Friday, 23rd and that Or. McKenzie and the overseer be authorised to accept tenders. TENDERS. The following tenders were accepted Contracts, No. 49, E. G. Dermott, at 3s 7d per yard ; 50, Fagan and AO’onrt, 3s 6d; 51, Jensen aud Peters, 3s 8d; 53, W. B. Murray, 4s; 53, Fagan and A’Oonrt, 3s 4d; 54, O. G. Knight,' 4s lOd; 55, O. G. Knight, 6s 6d ; 56, Jensen and Petersen, 8s lOd; 57, J. Phillips, 6s lOd; 58, O. Martin, 4s; 59, O. Martin, 8s 9d’; 60, E. McDermott, 4s 9d ; . 6i, Blaokler and Yallender, ss; 63, Blaokler and Yallender, ss; 63, Stuart and Son, 7s 6d; 64, J. D. S. Oooksley, 5s 6d; 65, J. D. S. Oooksley, 4s 6d; 66, O. Petersen, 7s; 67, O. Petersen, 4s 6d.