MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9392, 11 March 1909, Page 5

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting was held yesterday. Present: Ors. J. G. Wilson, (chairman), J. Henson, Thos. Masters, J. Dalton, G. Kendall, K. McKenzie, and Barber. CORRESPONDENCE. From the Treasury, stating that £l9B Is 10.1 had been paid to the County account in respect of the protective works at Ohakea. From Department ci' Roads, asking Council to push on with the works in respect to which too Counoil held authorities from the Department. From Minister of.lnternal Affairs, with information concerning the area the Council is requested to take over from the Foxton Borough.—No action taken. From the Valuation Department, with account for £l7 4s 6d for revis : ing the rate roll. From Auckland City Council, re proposed amendment to the Local Bodies Loans Act Amendment 1908. Or. McKenzie pointed out that the Government contributed towards the sinking fund.—Referred to County Council Oonferenoe.”4&4»S^ From Foxton Borough Council, notifying that the Mayor and Or. Hennessy had been appointed delegates re proposed tramway extension. From J. MoKelvie, asking for return of cheque sent in payment of rates previously paid,—Cheque not to be cashed pending advice from auditor. From Rangitikei and Mauawafeu Motor Club, asking if Council would erect danger signals if provided and carted to positions required.—Council consented to erect them. From Bank of New Zealand, Wellington, asking if Council would pay solicitor’s fee of £l Is in respect to the deviation of part ShannonFoxton road.—Fee to be paid. From Seaton and Sladden, with plans of road to Pirinoa. -—Plans approved. Prom D. Hurley, roadman, Taikorea, asking the Council to provide him with a dwelling house.—No action taken. From F. Blaobler, Rongotea, stating that he had arranged that L. Vallender should complete his metalling contracts on Jones and Sanson’s Lines.—Agreed to. From 23 ratepayers of the Whirokino Riding, advising the use of Sanson metal on the roads of the Riding.— Application already agreed to by Overseer. From Harold Pearce, drawing attention to the number of stray stock on the road.—lt was resolved, that the County ranger be requested to keep stock off the roads between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.

REPORTS. The Treasurer reported the accounts as under; —General account dr. £785 12s 3d, loan account £952 2a sd. Amounts available for expenditure to 3lst March, 1909:—Sandon Riding £lO3 13s 9d, Waitohi £4l H 0 2d, Carnarvon £93 sa, Awahou £34 12s 9d. Amounts over expended: Mt. Stewart Riding £lO5 9s 2d, Rongotea £94 la lid, Kawa Kawa £2Bl 10s 7d, Whirokino 16s. The Overseer reported concerning Sandon Riding, that Mr McDermott had commenced his contract for supplying metal on Speedy’s, Onakea and MoDonell’s Lines; also Messrs Pagan and A’Court their contract on Kakariki road. It would be advisable to clean out a portion of the drain along. Speedy's Line opposite Mr Perrett’s property before the winter set in. Sandon and Waitohi Ridings: .The bridge across the creek on Foxttm-Sandon road was almost completed, and a great improvement had been made by straightening the water course and filling in a portion of the old creek. This bridge was built of jarrah timber and should stand for a considerable time. Mt. Stewart Riding: Plans and specifications were to hand from Messrs Seaton and Sladden for the construction of several streets in the Pirinoa township and the formation of Bartholomew’s toad. In reference to Warwick street the grade had been- improved from 1 in ■ 8 to 1 in 10. He had made an inspection of Boness Road and found that the road was perfectly straight from the Peilding-Awahuri road for a distance of 11 chains, over the Old bridge. The survey of the road made by Mr T. N. Drummond in -1879 was apparently made to avoid tanning into the creek as was shown by bis sketch of the creek which accounted for his survey ignoring the Maori track by passing between the two bends in tne creek on each side of the road. The old bridge was almost completed on Mr Boness’ property. Mr Drummond’s survey extended from the Peilding road for a distance oJ 30 chains 64 links, and the road in use continued from there almost straight for about 28 chains, and a distance from the river of 4 chains,but it was not on the line eurveyedby Mr Owen, which was on the north side of the road in use. Rongotea Riding: Messrs Yallender and Biaofcler had completed’ their Bank’s Line contract and had _ commenced work on Sanson and Jones Lines, and Messrs Stuart and Son had commenced delivery of metal on the Rongotea-Longburnroad. Kawa Kawa Biding : The usual repairs had been effected. Two miles of the Taikorea Road should he blinded with clay. Carnarvon , Riding: He had let the cleaning out and widening of 30 chains of the main outfall drain at the lake to R. Sexton for the sum of 10s per chain, and had arranged with him to do this work before commencing ms contract between tbe two lakes. The amount.of work now let would cost about £24; in addition to that work he should like to deepen and widen about 23 chains of dram between the small lake and the flax swamp as the present drain was not large enough to carry off the water in the rainy season. Whirokino Subdivision; Mr O. Petersen was progressing satisfactorily '.with‘his metalling contract on the Whirokino Road, but as the inetal taken from Mr Nye’s pit not giving satisfaction he had arranged to send the metal down by train. Repairs had been' completed to the Sanson pound. The roof of the shed had been raised 18 inches, and feeding racks put in the pound, and in the paddock adjoining the pound. Daring the present month ho would recommend Council to purchase about five bushels of poisoned wheat for the destruction of small birds; His estimate of the cost of formation and metalling the PalmerstonFoxton road was £l 17s 6d per chain. The report was adopted. Tramway Overseer’s report: —The, linemen have oomnleted layine the 401 b. rails at the Himatangi end of the line and the men are now engaged iepairiug t.be curve at Himatangi, The bulk of the work having been done the casual hands have

been dispensed with. The gorse has been cleared off the Whale Siding reserve. Mr Fitzgerald complains of

the jigger and asks tne Council to purchase a new one. It would be advisable to purchase 334 tons of green rails to complete tne Himatangi curve. The Overseer was directed to overlook the bearings of the jigger. It decided to purchase the rails required, the market price now being favourable. The Tramway Manager reported on the working of the tramway for the month of February The traffic both in goods find passengers was good. The credit balance for the month was £74 10s 2d, after paying £3O 18s ext:a wages and £7 18s 7d on new sleepers. The principal items of traffic were as follows:—Minerals 8634 tons, general merchandise 9634 tons, grass seed 13334 tons, metal 4SO yards, wool 265 bales, timber 81,300 feet, fares £lO 18s lid. Referring to the application of Mr E. Morse, he thought it would be inadvisable to allow the connection to be made to the. top tanks. Be suggested that a tram be erected at the tram sheds and the snpply be taken from the bottom tanks. This year 3477 bales of wool had been handled as against 2012 last year. OTHER BUSINESS. It was resolved— That (Ors. Wilson—Kendall) for die purpose of providing interest on. a loan of £4OO to construct Tirol oa Road, a special rate of 334 d be struck all over rateable property in the Puketapu Special Rating District. That (Ors. Dalton—Masters) permission be given to have the three old bridges on the Main Drain Road replaced By concrete culverts in conjunction with the Sluggish River Drainage Board, which is about to place culverts and flood gates on the several outlets on the drain.

That (Crs. Kendall—Barber) - J. D. Oooksley’s tender of £1 8a 9d be accepted for the formation and metalling of the Palmerston-Foxton road. Mr John Reid, member of the Fsiidiug Technical Committee waited on the Council and requested a donation towards the funds.—£lo was voted. 2 The following applications for alterations on the rate roll were approved : —M. A, Sorley to S- W. Pitzherbert and others for lots 7 and 8, section 85, Sandon; H. O. Wilton to G. J. MoVioar for part sections 69, 71, 73, Sandon; J. Clark to S. A. Milligan, for lot 18, part section, 74, block 4, Tekawau; F. W. Richmond to J. Gloy, for sections 59 and 61, block 4, Tekawau. It was resolved— That (Crs Barber—Masters) the ranger be instructed to impound all stock grazing on the roads in the Awahou and Whirokino Ridings. That (Ors. McKenzie—Henson) tenders be called for constructing about SO chains of drain in theKoputara drainage district, tenders to be in by the 24th, and that Crs. Masters and McKenzie he appointed a committee to accept tenders.