RANGITIKEI COUNTY COUNCIL

Taihape Daily Times, 21 December 1918, Page 6

RANGITIKEI COUNTY COUNCIL

The monthly meeting , of the Eangitikei County Council took place on Thursday.

The Hawke’s Bay County Council continued the correspondence in conconnection with Erewhon Riding and suggested merging—On the motion cf the chairman, it was agreed that Hawke’s Bay Council be informed that a committee from Rangitikei was prepared to meet a committee of the Hawke’s Bay Council at Mjarton after the holidays to discuss the matter. On the motion of Cr. Pedersen it was resolved that application be made to the Government for the anthority for the grant of £SOO in respect to the Mataroa-Ruanui Road. On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Cr. Duncan, it was decided that the Ruanui Riding be kept as a separate account until March 31, 1919 and that direct charge be made against such account for the administration expenses of the riding. 4 ' It was resolved that the Dog Tax for the County of Rangitikei for the year 1919 exclusive of the Lethbridge Town District, be fixed at 2/6 per dog for iall sheep and cattle dogs, and dogs kept exclusively for the purpose of destroying rabbits, and 10s per dog for all other dogs; also that Alfred P. Stewart be appointed the Registrar and his residence Hunterville, the Registration Office. Te Kapua Riding: The recent visitation of slips in this riding has been the worst yet experienced and practically every road has been blocked. A fair number of men Have been got to work, and with good weather traffic should soon be restored , everywhere.

Ruanui Riding: I ■ anticipated by this time to haie had this riding thoroughly organised, but, owing to the abnormal circumstances prevailing, the roads are deplorable. Many of the men were stricl&n with influenza ana the riding seemed to have been the storm centre, generally. Added to this, owing to lack of accommodation and distance out, there is a-great difficulty in getting me» W Being now close on to the ho-id.ays and at the height of shearing, I doubt if much more labour will be available until the holidays are over. I then 'propose to inspect the whole riding, and endeavour to extend the county organisation.

The Council’s application for £SOO, £ for £ for gravelling Ruanrri road, has been placed upon the current year’s Public Works Estimates, and 1 understand the clerk has applied for the authority. It will be necessary to provide a similar sum to lift the grant. The amount of £250 appearing on last year’s Estimates for TaihapcMataroa road, again appears on tho current year’s Estimates, with addition of a further £SOO, as promised. Erewhon Riding: This riding has not suffered so severely by slips, etc. : and the roads are in comparatively fair order. Owing to the continued wet, the gravelling teams had to be withdrawn from the Mo a whan go road. The traffic from Jenson’s sawmill, Wainui, is doing considerable damage to Waiuni road. The County Bond was some considerable time ago forwarded to Messrs. Arrowsmith and Loughnan,, solitictors, for execution, but so far it has not been returned. It is apparent that some definite action must be taken, otherwise considerable damage will be done.

Awarua Riding: This riding has again had more than its share of damage and many of the roads are in a deplorable state. All possible is being one to restore them. I have let the contract for complete gravelling of the Tahoe road extension to Mr Hugh Scully, .and he is to start work soon after the New Year. As applied for by the Council, the £175 for Mat-aroa-Mangaweka road has been temporarily transferred to Tuhoe mad, and should be available for expenditure on this contract. £SOO, £ for £ appears on the Estimates,, for gravelling the north end of Inland Road.

Some £3OO of thirds t are available to spend with this grant. A sum of £SOO on account of £IOOO, £ for £, also appears on the Estimates for the Kawhatau and Hikurangi bridges, Rangitano ro,ad. Drawings for those bridges arc in hand. The Commissioner to apportion cost of bridge has been appointed to sit lat Marton ° n January 27th, 1919. Owing to the state of the weather and roads, it has been impossible to commence work with the county graders, but I hope to get them all into i commission directly after the New Year. Owing to the renewal of special flood damage, I have notified the District Engineer of Public Works that the Estimates submitted on November 2nd will probably be considerably increased.