POHANGINA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9415, 8 April 1909, Page 5

POHANGINA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly -meeting was held yesterday. Present: Ors. R-_ W. Brown (chairman], GSmith, O. Bailey, D. Howie, A. A. Wagstaff and B. O. Bglington. * CORRESPONDENCE.

From G. Rankin>nd F. E. Harrison, asking permission to fence on edge of read line opposite their sections. Mr Rankin’s was granted, tne Engineer to report on Mr Harrison’s. ■ • A . From Hospital Board, notifying levy of 6s 6d in the £IOOO, the Council's contribution being £363 14s 4d, and also £6 Us 9d towards cost ofjjiafectious diseases hospital. From Ghas. Searle, Piripiri, asking permission to erect 15 chains of fencing on edge of Umutoi Road and asking if Council would pay half cost of portion next to reserve.—’Request to fence granted but contribution to cost refused, as Council does not pay to fence reserves. From Messrs Brooking and Harkness, asking that a road be constructed to their section 37, Tamaki Riding.—Engineer to report. Prom R S. Rounthwaite, denying that his account was exorbitant and stating he had charged £5 5s per day when attending the Council’s business away from home, and £4 4s when attending its business at Wellington, and asking whether the Council took exception to the time stated to have been occupied, or to the fees charged per day.—The Council was of opinion the claim should not exceed the payment he would have received it the bridge had been completed, namely, £75. It was decided to offer this sum. The olaim is for £156 15s 3d. LONDON’S FORD BRIDGE. <

From ‘D. Sinclair, reporting that his plans for London’s Ford bridge had been accepted by the Roads Department. On the motion of Or. Smith, seconded by Or. Howie, it was resolved that Mr Sinclair be directed to order the timber for London’s ford bridge. . . It was resolved to invite tenders at once for erection of the bridge. POHANGINA BRIDGE.

From Department of Roads, stating that the application for an increased subsidy from £750 to £IOOO towards cost of Pohangina bridge would be considered with next year’s estimates. "

From? Q. F. Robinson, Government Engineer, approving of proposal to erect the broken span of Pohangina bridge in view of the difficulty of protecting the slip and the inability to make a satisfactory arrangement with cont’actor. From W. J. O’Donnell, contractor, stating he would be ready to proceed with erection of the span in about five weeks. He would only proceed, however, conditionally on the Council paying him £B4 for wages he had already paid and interest on the money the Council owed him. It was resolved that application be made for 10 per cent, addition on loans of £I4OO and £BOO towards cost of repair of Pohangina bridge, namely, £l4O and £BO respectively, and special rates of l-l’2Bd and l-258d in the £ were struck. Resolved that Engineer be instructed to inform Mr O’Donnell that Council does not recognise his claim for £B4, and desires information in respect to claim for interest. Resolved that Mr Guthrie, M.P., be asked to endeavour to get an additional Government grant of £350 towards cost of Pohangina bridge. REPORTS. The Treasurer reported that the general fund at the Bank was;—Cr. £BB4 12s 6d, loan account cr. £430 Is 3d. Riding balances: Awahou or. £l3B 10s 2d, Coal Creek or. £39 os6d, Mangaone dr. £144 10s 3d; Mangapikopiko or. £65 0s 7d, Pohangina or. £74. Is 9d, Tamaki dr. £253 11s sd, XJmutoi dr. £715 17s. Accounts amounting to £1495 5s 6cl would be submitted for payment. The Engineer reported that there were ten men and two carts working at Pohangina bridge site. A man was at work clearing slips off Denton’s Road. 1175 cubic yards of gravel was required for repairs to Main and Ferry Roads in Mangaone Riding at a cost of £271 10s. The Council’s team would commence the work during the week. A ranger had been appointed for township of Apiti. Messrs Blixt and Gardner had completed their metalling contract. 1686 yards of gravel was required for repairing Main Valley Road at a cost of £253 18s in Pohangina Riding. He recommended that a committee of the Council be appointed to inspect Pohangina township drainage. The Council team was at work repairing Main Valley Road in Tamaki Biding. He recommended that tenders be invited for feed for the Council’s teams. He had requested the contractor for Pohangina bridge to commence work on 6th May. ,The Engineer was authorised to complete metalling as advised in report, and it ypas decided to invite for supply of horse feed for the year. In regard to Pohangina drainage the chairman pointed out that the people living outside the township would not be in favour of contributing to the cost. The Engineer said - the work he would suggest would cost about £l5O. The chairman, Or. Wagstaff, and the Engineer were requested to report on the matter. TECHNICAL EDUCATION. Mr Trim, representative of the Pohangina County Council on the Technical School Committee, waited on the Council to request a contribution towards cost of conducting classes at Pohangina. He suggested 1 a donation of £5, and gave as a reason the high relative cost of travelling expenses of teachers to Palmerston.

Or, Wagstaff said the local committee still intended to erect a schoolroom, for which there was a request for a donation of £5. He recognised the value of the classes, especially to pupils who proficiency certificates of whom they had six at the local school last year, but he could not recommend a donation in addition to the £25 this year. Mr Trim said the Feilding people contributed liberally towards cost of the school. There were two classes at Pohangina, one with 13 scholars and the other 11. Or. Bailey said he was not prepared to recommend a grant at present. The request was refused. OTHER BUSINESS. It was resolved — That (Ors. Brown—Howie) the Council tender its sympathy to Mrs A, G. Oarty in her bereavement. That (Ors. Brown—Howie) the Council placed on record its" appreciation of the services of Messrs

Hurethouse and Robinson, engineers of Roads Department, who are retiring from the service. That (Ors. Wagstaff—Brown) applications be invited for a roadman to work on the back part of Pohangina and Maugaoue Riding.. That (Crs. Brown—Wagstaff) ap.plication be made to Government for a subsidy of £1 for £1 on cost of metalling and formation of Finnis’ road, and that Mr’ Guthrie, M.P., be requested to support the application.

Consideration of Or. Howie’s motion to erect a new Council Chamber was deferred until next meeting.