MASTERTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7939, 12 January 1906, Page 7

MASTERTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

FINANCE COMMITTEE. A meeting of the Finance Committee ot tho County Council was held yesterday morning in the County Office, there being present —Crs Welch (in tho chair), Beetham, Kebbell, Guild, Warren, Morris, Cockburn-Hood, Harris aud Toogood. The Treasurer reported as follows: —Bank General Fund Account, dr., £21410s sd; Local Bodies Loans Account, or., £133 Gs; accounts dr. balance, £2096 l!)a lOd. i'he receipts pince Decern oei' 14, 1905, amounted to £567 ss. Accounts amounting to £IBoG Gs (including £1177 7a 7d Government loan due August 1) were recommended for payment. It wa9 resolved tlmt Mr Maokay's •claim for 6s driving feos be paid i£ upon enquiry tho Clerk is satisfied that tho facts are correctly stated by the claimant. The Chairman moved, and Cr Beetham seconded, "that tho sum of £35, out of tho engineering charges paid by Messrs Pownall and O'Connell in connection with tho Weraiti roads system, be paid to Mr McLachlan, in consideration of tho extra work imposed upon him in carrying out the works. Cr Guild moved as an amendment, and Cr Morris seconded, "that the amount be reduced by £lO as an indication that the Committee disapproves of the Engineer being permitted to undertake work outside h is official duties." The amendment was declared lost on being put, to the meeting, and tho motion was carTied. ORDINARY MEETING. The ordinary meeting was held in the afternoon, tbero being present— Crs O. E. Cockburn-Hood (in the <ohair), 6. Kebbell, D. Guild, W. Morris, junr., W. Harris, W. J. Welch, W. fl. Beetham, H. Toogood, -and Holmes Warren. Mr J. Scorrar waited on the Council with reference to a right-of-way en Morrison's Estate off the Opaki Road. It was decided that a oommittee, consisting of Crs Morris, Toogood, Guild, Harris and Welch, meet on the morning of the next Oouncil meeting and go into the matter and report to the Council; those •interested to be asked to attend the meeting. J. Boustead wrote in regard to the proposed loan for the Hinemoa to Alfredton Road, stating that he had disouaaed the matter with Messrs "Gill and Poll, but had not heen able to see Mr Stonewige who is also interested. They had decided to raise a loan, but would like the road shifted on to the track at present going through his bonio paddock, as it "would avoid a big papa cliff at the bend of the river. Thia deviation would be much shorter and cheaper. It was resolved that the Engineer call on Mr Boustead and get the ne•cesaary engineering information to lay before the next meeting of the Council. A letter was received from the Cas"tlepoint County Clerk stating that the Counoil cannot move in the matter of Wingate's bridce loan till the settlers in Castlepoint take the initiative. T. P. Kemble, Emspast, Opaki, wrote making suggestions with regard to repairs wauted on the Kobi-kutu-Rangitumau section of the road. He asked the Council to spend 'the portion Bet down in the estimates for thia piece, and when the contracts for the metalling of the OpakiRangitumau Road ov the contractors of the Kaka-amu are doing their ■work to get them to do it, before the carts off the roads, as it would be cheaper when the carts and tools are on the road. Owing to : the recent wet seasons the repairs are urgently wanted and if the Council would get the metal part repaired ' as has been done before it would j be most acceptable.—Left in the hands of the member for the riding and the engineer. F. A. Jackson wrote asking permission to take 80 to 100 loads of "spoil" from the Waingawato Camp Road batters. Declinod. The Wellington Harbour Board -wrote asking the Council to appoint a delegate to vote at the election on | February 12. Cr C. E. CockburnHood was appointed to represent the J 'Council. | J. B. MoKenzie, Boyne Terrace, wrote complaining in connection with stock straying on the roads in the Homebush district, and the dam age done to his fences thereby. He considered the Council should pay half the cost (£1 15s) of repairing v the ffences. It was decided to inform Mr McKeuzie that a ranger was to he appointed shortly, and he would attend to tho matter. A. R. Clapbam wrote to the Council stating chat he considered it would be advantageous to make a deviation in the Flat Bush Road tbro'lgh bis property.—Left in the hauds of the members of the riding and the engineer to confer with Mr Clupham aud report to the next meeting of tho Council. It was decided that the Council as a whole deal with the matter of licensing vehicles at a meeting to be held at 3.30 o'clock on the day before the next monthly meeting. ENGINEERS' REPORT. Opaki Riding.—Opaki Distriot Koad, contract No. 6 (getting, carting and spreading 450 cubic yardsjof metai\ The contractor started work on the Bth Inst. Contraot No. 60a (bu i?r 1 ;r- * 65ft span bridge over the Waipoua River at Kummer's). About 11,000 feet of totara, the iron bat k piles and iron work are delivered on the ground. A start is being made with the construction. Waingawa to Camp Road—The necessary repairs and re-deck ing of a platform bridge, on mile 5 have been effected. Te Whiti Riding. Te Ore Ore Estate Road, contraot No. 49 (50 chains more or less of metalling). Notice has been giv.en to the contractor to forthwith complete his work -which has beea in abeyance since last winter. Weraiti Roads—Repairs are being effeoted to the above road. Masterton-Gladstone Road. I -would suggest that the Goverment

grant (£ for £) for metalling od above road be spent in conjunction with ordinary revenue between the borough boundary and the Taueru bridge. Waiuuinru Riding.—East Coast Road. Long Hill Deviation. Contract No. 13 (97 chains of formation, etc), bus been satisfactorily completed and taken off the contractor's hands. Lnngdale Road, contract No.—, (30 obaius, more or less, of formation aud metalling). The metal layer baa been finished, but the formation, in places, requires remodolling before it is taken off the couiraotor's hands. 1 beg to suggest that the Roads Department be written to as to whether they intend bridging the Maugapokia Stream, in which case the balance of the grant be laid out to meet the proposed bridge site. Tenders close to-day for contracts 67, 08, and 69, getting, carting aud snreading 1450. 390, and 700 cubic yards of metaljjrespaetively on the Masterton-Waimata (TaueruMangapakeha section), Blairlogie and JBrancepetb roads. Messrs Morrison and Toogood baying offered tho Council the use of their team 9 at a nominal rate, I propose cairylng out the repairs on the Kerosene Ridge to Burkett's by da'y labour. . Repairs have been effected to the Gleniean, Stronvar, and Down s roads. Alfredton Riding.— Plat Bush Road Extension—A contract has been prepared and advertised to close at noon to-day for 37 ohains of road formation, uulverting etc. In view of the £l5O of Government grant to bo expended on this line from the end of the above contract to Mr Cross's boundary, a deviation could be made with a decided improvement in the location. It would also be a more economical line to construct. Mr Clapbam has informed me that he will offer no objection' to the deviation. Alfredton-Weber Road.—l beg to advise that the balance of the £75 grant be used for substituting the temporary bridge, near the County boundary, by a 4ft x 4ft culvert and embankment. Repairs are being to the Hukanui, Mangatakato and Flat Bush Roads. Upper Taueru Riding.—Tenders are invited to close to-day for 12 chains of road formation, this being the extension of the GlendonaldWairereßoad to the saddle, at Mrs Hammond's homestead. Rangitumau Riding.—The following works have been advertised to close to-day:—Contracts No. 70 and 71, getting, carting aud spreading 220 cubic yards of metal on the Kakaamu and Bluff to Rangitumau Roads. Also contracts 74 and 75, 119.4 and 45.81 chains of road metalling, etc. on the Wangaehu Road between Messrs Palkner's and Guild's homesteads.