WHANGAMOMONA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 68, 28 March 1913, Page 3

WHANGAMOMONA COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of tlie above Council took place on Wednesday, when there were present:—Cr A. Meredith (chairman), Crs J. McCluggage, A. Coyne, -I. Digging, E. B. Roberton, N. R. Clcland, W. Bacon, and W. A. McCutchan. Correspondence. The following correspondence was received and dealt with as under— From W. Holtz, Strathmore, drawing the Council’s. attention to the nuisance caused by stray stock in his locality, and requesting the Council to give the matter immediate attention.—No action taken. From the Commissioner of Crown Lands re the monthly schedule of lands sold, etc., regretting that their decision cannot be altered.

Cr. McCutchan moved, and Cr. McCluggage seconded, That the attention of the Minister for Lands be drawn to the necessity for continuing the schedules hitherto supplied. —Carried.

From the Department of Agriculture, Industries, and Commerce, acknowledging receipt of the Council’s letter of the 14th inst., enclosing an application for an ordinary slaughterhouse license from Mr C. Lockwood, Strathmore, and informing the Council that the application would receive consideration.—Received.

From the Public Works Department, i informing the Council that the sum of £33 7s Id for formation on the Man.gapapa Road is available for expenditure.

It was decided on the motion of Cr. Roberton, seconded by Cr Bacon, (That the Council was not prepared to ; administer the grgnt. .

i; From the New Zealand Counties Association, enclosing Counsels Opinion Nos. 132 and 133. Subjects;— *?‘Damages to Road,” and “Accident Compensation.”—Received.

From Mr J. B. Richards re a Taranaki Court at the Auckland Exhibition.

After a short discussion Cr Bacon moved, and Cr Coyne seconded, that the Whangamornona County Council take no action in the matter of contribution to the cost of the Taranaki Court at the Auckland Exhibition.— An amendment was moved by Cr. McOluggage, seconded by Cr Roberton, that the Council vote the sum of £ls asked for.—On the amendment being put it was lost on division: Ayes :Crs MeCluggage, Biggins, Roberton, and Meredith. Noes—Crs Coyne, Cleland, Bacon and McCutchan.—The chairman gave his casting vote against it. JMie motion was then carried. From Mr Slattery, foreman in the Tahora Riding, asking the Council if they would erect a whare for him, for which he was prepared to pay a small rent.—lt was decided on the motion of Cr Roberton, seconded by Cr Cleland, that the Council erect a whare similar to the one erected for the Central Riding surfaceman, and under the same conditions. On the motion of Cr McCutchan, seconded by Cr Roberton, it was decided that application bo made to the Land Board for a section for the surfaceman’s cottage in the proposed Tahora township. From the Department of Labour re the statutory half-holiday.—Received. Engineer’s Report. The Engineer (Mr E. C. Robinson) submitted his monthly report as follows: Tenders.—Tenders have been invited for Contract No. 36 (metalling portion of Brewer-Kirai Road). Work in hand.—Contract No, .35 (metalling portion of Mangaehu Road), has been completed in a satisfactory manner.

The Kohi Hoad formation contracts have been commenced.

Arrangements have been made for the erection of Langdon’s dwelling, and the material is under order.

The building of the Rimuputa Road bridge has been undertaken by Mr McLeod, of Tahora. , General.—As instructed, I have again seen the Resident Road Engineer with reference to the £3BOO subsidy, and he has expressed himself satisfied with the statement recently supplied him. He has also forwarded me it memo (attached herewith), showing that £350 is available for contract No. 36.

Applications- have been invited to fill the position of foreman in the Strathmore Hiding, rendered vacant by the resignation of W. Atkins. ' The roads in the County arfe generally in very fair order, better indeed than they have been for a lorig time . past. The Brewer road tunnel requires a little timbering in one place, where the roof has slipped, and the necessary timber has been carted up for that purpose.

The Favier and Akama roads have bee* put in good repair. The necessary pipes for renewing the culvert at junction of Favier and Ohura roads will be carted up forthwith. General repair work has been carried out during the month on roads in the Pohokura Riding. Mr Sangster, the contractor for the Makahu stream bridge, has received word that the hardwood stringers are coming to hand and the work of erection will now be proceeded with. The clearing of Upper Putikituna road has been completed, and several pipe culverts put in on Upper and Lower Kohuratahi roads.’ In Tahora Riding several pipe culverts are required on Upper and Lower Whitianga road. The timber for re-decking M.mku road bridge has not yet come to hand. I am urging on the sawmiller the necessity of expedition in this matter. The report was adopted. Tenders. On? tender was received but can-

celled by telegraph for contract No. 36 (metalling portion of Brewer-Kirai road). It was decided, on the motion of Cr McCutchan seconded by Cr Diggins, “That the County Chairman and the Engineer interview Mr L. Neilson and, if possible, arrange with him or any .other contractor to o go on with .contract. No, 36 at a reasonable limit of the engineer’s estimate, the work to be let accordingly, provided that the subsidy and loan are both available. Allocation of Kates. Pohokura Riding.—(Crs. McClug' gage—Roberton): “No allocation waa made to the main road in the Pohokura Riding.”—Carried. Strathmore Riding.—(Crs. Bacon — McCutchan): “That the rates in the Central Riding bo credited to the roads upon which they accrue, excepting that id iii the £ bo allocated from the Okara and Poarangi roads to the Whanga road, and a similar amount from the Putikituna road to the Kohuratahi road.”—Carried. Tahora Riding.—(Crs.Roberton— Cleland): “That no allocation be made in the Tahora Riding.”—Carried. Notice of Motion. Cr. Bacon gave notice to move at next meeting of the Council, That the resolution of the 26th February re allocation of rates in the Strathmore Riding, bo rescinded. Deputation.

Mr Aylward waited on the Council with regard to the bad state in places of the Lower Kohuratahi road, and asked that the Council undertake to have the bad places gravelled before the winter. He stated that he had spoken to Mr Hodge on the engitieer’s suggestion, and had obtained a reasonable offer from him to do the work, provided that the Council find a man to assist.

Cr. Bacon understood that the road was in debt, and suggested that a full report of the “thirds” available should be obtained, and if the settlers were willing to have the money expended in the locality in question the Council should go on with the work at once. Mr Aylward wished to know, if he got a petition signed by all the settlers concerned stating their willingness to expend the money in the places he advocated, whether the Council would do the work.

It was agreed that Mr Aylward have the petition completed, and if the “thirds” are passed by the Land Board the engineer make arrangements to have the metal put on where required. Cr. Bacon moved, and Cr. McCutchan seconded, “That the engineer apply to the Public Works Department for the grant of £6O for the Kohuratahi road forthwith.”—Carried. .General.

Five applications were received for the position of foreman for the StrathMore Riding; i The Council went into applications, and reported that" Mr C. Simmons, of Strathmore, had been appointed.

The clerk was instructed to write to the Under-Secretary of Public Works, advising him of the Council’s action in safeguarding the £350 subsidy.

It was resolved on the chairman’s raotldh that Mr A. A. Cuthbertson be appointed ranger for the Whangamomona County. • ■■ The engineer l was instructed to procure the necessary pipes required for the Whitianga toad, also to give attention to a slip in the tunnel at Strathmore, and to the raising of a small filling on the Murcott road. Accounts. Accounts amounting to the sum of £lBlO 8s 5d were read and passed for payment, and the Council rose.