KIWITEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9377, 22 February 1909, Page 5

KIWITEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting was held on Saturday. Present: Ors. F. Hockly (chairman) H. Fowler, J. Bruce, W. Morton, Ohas. Mclntrye, J. Brice and J. McNeil.

CORRESPONDENCE.

From the Treasury, notifying approval of application for loan of £I2OO, estimatei cost of a bridge over the Mangawbarariki. From Department of Roads, advising the Council trv complete works in respect to which grants had been made. Every effort to be made to complete them by sth March. From Chief Engineer of Roads Department, notifying that Rangitikei County Council had been authorised to construct a bridge over the Kawhatau. From Minister of Internal Affairs, with copy of draft regulations proposed to be made under clauses 3 and 15 of the Motor Registration Act, 1908.

From settlers at Kawhatau, stating that another accident had taken place at the cliff.—Loan being raised to erect fence.

From the Auckland City Council, drawing attentou to clauses in the Local Bodies Loans Amendment Act, 1908, which forbids the appointment of a Trustee other than the Public Trustee, in respect of the sinking fund of any loan, and directs the investment of the money in Government securities only. The Council approved of the objections of the Auckland Council to the clauses.

From Rangitikei County Council, with account of expenditure on the Vinegar Hill and Onepuhi bridges, namely, £54 19s. Passed for payment.

From Pohangina County Council, drawing attention to approach to Ormia river from Coulter’s Line. — Being attended to. From E. G. Humphrey, poundkeeper, Waituna, asking Council to appoint a day for salo of unclaimed stock. —Monday in each week appointed. From Messrs Manning and Blackall, giving an order in favour of Bank of Australasia for £202, money due to them.—Accepted. From A. W. Gould, enclosing order for £3 IGs from Henry Summers in favour ot the former. —Not sulnoieut in hand and order not accepted. • From C. F. Mooss, offering 12s 6d a year for use of road line fronting hia property at Rangiwahia. Mr Say well had been usiugpt. but bad failed to keep down the ragwort growing on it.—The chairman said Moess was liable for keeping down the ragwort in any case.—Left in the hands of Cr. Mclntyre. From A. P. Greaves, Kimbolton, denying ownership of horse wandering on the road. From the County solicitor, advising that a loan may be raised and a special rate struck to pay interest in order to construct river bank protective works, but such work could not be paid for out of ordinary funds. From W. G. T. Mills, asking permisssion to register at 3s 6d his fox terrier dog which he was using as a rabbit dog.—Application approved, proof having been given that the dog is used as a rabbit dog. From W. J. Beard, asking permission to erect fence on edge of road opposite his section. —Granted. From the Overseer, naming a number of ratepayers whose stock had been wandering on the reads. —To be prosecuted. REPORTS.

The Engineer reported: —I have the honor to submit the following report on progress of contracts and other works. “ Contract, 86: Erectiofi of Marton Block bridge ; satisfactory progress has been made during the month. 180 feet truss is in position and the work on the other truss and land span well forward. Contracts 76, 78, 72 and 85 have been completed. Very little work has so far been done on the maintenance metal contracts let at the January meeting. Richardson is - metalling on the Cron a Valley road. Manning has made a start on the Kiwitea portion of Kimbolton Road, Alderson on the Peka Road and Sinclair and Leheke are metalling at Peep-o’-Day. I am informed that Muirs is about to commence work on the Cheltenham Cross Road, and Brady on the Mangawharariki Road. Since last meeting W. Warren’s tender was accepted for contract No. 100 at 4s 6d for metal on Kimbolton Road, 5s 3d on Rangiwahia footpath, and 6a 4d for Whare Road. The District Road Eaigneer has approved of tbe plans of the Pakihiknra stream bridge and tenders may be invited for the work when the money is available. Mr Dawson’s plans for proposed suspension bridge at Karewarewa were also submitted to the District Engineer, and he states that if a few alterations are made and a complete specification is forwarded to him they will receive his approval. At the last meeting of the Council a resolution was passed that the Engineer was to give immediate attention to the drain at Cheltenham. In June last year I wrote to Mr Riddifor.i the owner of the Cheltenham Hotel property, asking if it was his wish that a portion of the old drain should be covered in or closed, and no reply was received, hence the delay. • . With regard to the proposed dram through Buchanan and Pnssel’s pronerties at Beaconsfield, Mr Buchanan having agreed to cut a ditch through his section only about chains will require cutting across the road and through Mr PussePs property to the watercourse; this will cost about £l7, including pipe culvert. The old drain along the road will be cleaned out and widened as soon as possible. Prior to the Councillors meeting the settlers at the Upper Kiwitoa bridge on the 13th inst., I made a very careful examination of the banks for quite 40 chains above the nridge, and found only one place suitable for commencing protective works. At this point there is papa rock showim; and although of rather a soft nature it will, I think, resist the current of the stream. I propose placing a groin from this point at an angle down the river by driving piles every 10 feet or so, and anchoring logs to them. This will have the effect of turning and leading the stream away from the bank. A new channel will have to be opened for a few chains and the protective works at tho end of the bridge will have to be extended. It is rather a difficult matter to estimate the cost of the work but in ray opinion it would bo within the £2OO I* mentioned to the Councillors present. Tho widening of Coulter’s Lino is completed, and the approach to -ho river on the sr.nr: read in receiving attention.

The length of fencing on Barrow’s Line is about sixNshains and will be commenced as soon as I can get the timber delivered. lam sorry to say the Parorangi road has not yet been repaired owing to the difficulty in obtaining a team of horses to do the necessary ploughing. I have written again to Mr Shannon asking him to make an appointment with me on the.Waitnna Valley Road, with a view to arranging for a motel pit in exchange for the gravel reserve. The proposals tor expenditure of “thirds” have (been forwarded to Wellington sud will be before the Land Board on the 25rh inst As Mr Wilson of the Kawhatau could not supply the timber for Hamilton’s bridge, I have ordered it from Taihape. Mr W. E. Wisdom resigned his position as roadman for Hangiwaliia Riding, and 1 have appointed Mr J. Bright in his place. There is a small wbare at the Otara bridge belonging to the Council, which, in my opinion,, should be removed to the junction with the Mangamako Road as there is no place for a roadman to stay when working at that end of the County. Several truss bridges have been screwed up during month and others will he done as, ooportunity occurs. Some of the blbcks have been placed on the Pakihikura bridge, but the spanner was not strong enough to remove the other nuts and has been sent to the blacksmith.

Mr Sinclair, the engineer, has brought over the plans of proposed bridge at Loudon’s ford, but X have not had time to go over them very carefully. The Design, however, is, in my opinion, suitable for the site, and if the cost is within the amount agreed upon by the two Councils, and the plans and specifications are approved by the Roads Department, I see no reason why they should not bo adopted. I have ‘suggested some alterations to oe made to the plans. The Treasurer reported having received since last meeting rates, etc., £BSOI os 9d, cemeteries There were still outstanding £233 17s 9d genera), and £143 10s Id special rates. The credit balance at the Bank was £172 Is 4d. Accounts totalling £l3O 4s 9d would be submitted for payment. GENERAL BUSINESS.

With regard to matters reported on by the Engineer it was decided that legal opinion should be obtained concerning the drain at Cheltenham. The offer of* Mr O. Bussell fco allow a drain to be pnfc through his property and to pay half the cost was accepted. In regard fco the Kiwitea bridge at Cheltenham, the chairman said it was very unfortunate that the structure had been injuVed after only one load had been taken over it. It coaid not be repaired except by means of a loan and as a poll taken over the whole country would be certain to fail the only course was fco form a special racing district. But it was not advisable to repair the bridge unless the banks of the river were previously protected, and as the general income of the Council could not be spent on the work the only course open was for the settlers interested to raise a loan for the purpose. As Mr Scott’s land would be protected under such a scheme he thought that settler should make a special contribution to the cost.—Cr. Grice undertook to see the settlers interested, including Mr Scott, and to report at .next meeting as to their intentions in the matter.

The Engineer was directed to notify the contractor for maintenauce metal that the work must be pushed on at once. “The Engineer was authorised to move the whare at Otara bridge in accordance with his recommendation, and to proceed with cutting the drain at Beaoonsfield. Mr D. Sinclair waited on the Obunoil with the plane of the Loudon’s ford bridge for approval. It was resolved— That the Council will approve the plans on the recommendation of Mr Bourne, County Engineer, and is willing that the work should be proceeded with as soon as possible. That on the receipt of notification that the money is available tenders be called for bridges over the Pakihlknra stream. That the Engineer notifythe contractors for maintenance that they must push on with their work. Transfers on the rate roll were approved as follows :—From A. Dobson to James McEwan for section 127 in Mangawharariki ; Ernest Short to H. G. Minson, for section 10. West Waitapn ; Harriet Menzie to A. J. Ireland tor section 162, Apiti Survey District: J. A. Menzie to A. D. Ireland, for section 18, Rangiwahia; S. BatrS to J. J. Hills, for 1014 acres at Apiti; W. Stewart to G. H. Beard, for section 87, 94 acres, Apiti. Or. Brice spoke of the. necessity of putting the path ways in the Waitnna Cemetery 'in belter order. They became overgrown with weeds and he suggested that they be asphalted. Or. Brice was requested to cbtain..an estimate of the cost apd bring 1 the matter up at the n&xt meeting.