MASTERTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9088, 13 May 1908, Page 6

MASTERTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING,

The Masterton County Council met yesterday afternoon. Present—Crs W. J. Welch (chairman), W. Harris J no. Morris, H. 0. Toogood, J. Colquhoun, C. C. Kebbell and R. P. Bestham.

Six settlers on Upper Plain wrote asking the Council to make the Upper Plain Road from Mrs Meredith's frontage to the end of Mr Dagg's frontage a full 33 feet in width for the centre line on the west side. All the property owners in that length, except one, agreed to give the necessary land for the purpose. The Chairman, who was one of the settlers interssted, said that an approximate cost of taking down the fences and re-erecting them was about £75. The only objector had a cottage which might be brought rather close to the road, and he would also consent to give his land if this cottage were set back by the Council —a not very considerable expense. The Council was unanimously in favour of granting the petition, the riding renresenatives and the Engineer being left to arrange the details.

Messrs Bellshaw Bros. wrote agreeing to accept 75 per cent, on the value of the work done in metalling Hutewai Rnad with burnt papa.—Crs Kebbell and Murray were asked to make a recommendation.

Mr H. Barton wrote offering £2O for the old Taueru toll-house.—Left in the hands of Crs Toogood and Beethaui.

Mr A. C. Major wrote aksing the Council not to insist on his removing back his front- boundary fence until the general widening of the road is taken in hand.—lt was decided to give all residents on the Oaks Estate notice to move their fences back to the proper boundary line.

Mesris MoHs Bros, wrote asking thfi Council to expend £IOO grant and thirds on Saunders Road. —The matter was relegated to Crs Murray and Kebbell and the Engineer to report on. Mr H. W. Lee wrote directing attention to a number of slips on Weraiti Road.—The Engineer was instructed to attend to the matter. Mr J. T. M. Hornosy wrote stating that he had made application for a grant of £IOO towards HomewoodKawhata Road. The Commissioner of Crown Lands wrote stating that £917 of accrued thirds as to be forwarded shortly, and asking the Council to make provision for expending same. Messrs Gawith and Logan wrote, on behalf of Messrs Percy Bros., Te Ore Ore, complaining that the Council's officers had virtually committed a trespass in entering upon their clients' land and fencing off part for a gravel pit before arrangements had been made for payment of the same. The letter asked for a prompt settlement of the matter.—A committee was appointed to deal with the subject, this committee to meet on Saturday week to confer with the parties interested.

Mr C. E. Daniell wrote again offering to put a load ot metal on the Matahiwi Road for every load of timber brought down from the bush. He said he could not accept the Council's proposition requiring him to leave the road in as good a state as he found it before he commenced work, as it was too drastic. A considerable discussion ensued as to the position of the road with the ordinary traffic. The Chairman was favourable to accepting Mr Daniell's offer, under the circumstances, especially as it was a cheap road to metal. It was decided to hold a special meeting on June 9th to deal with the matter.

The District Road Engineer wrote stating that £l2O lis lid was in the department's books to the credit of the Council for Alfredton-Te Nui Road, and ho would recommend that it be re-voted.

Mr J. Boustead wrote asking that Mr Dawson's plan for the proposed suspension bridge be returned, and claiming royalty on gravel carted through his property. The District Road Engineer wrote stating that the services of Mr Carroll would not be available for the survey of Moroa Road deviation.— Decided to obtain the services of an enigneer at an early date. Mr H. M. Kebbell wrote giving the Council permission to commence at once the erection of a roadman's cottage at Alfredton, on land agreed to be purchased from him.

FINANCE COMMITTEE.

The Finance Committee met in the morning, Cr Kebbell being in the chair, Crs W. J. Welch, W. Harris and J. Morris being also present. The treasurer reported as follows: —General account, credit £1,389 15s 3d; local bodies loan account, credit £660 12s lOd; accounts, credit balance £1,923' 18s Id ; receipts since April 14th, 1908, £174 2s Bd. Accounts amounting to £1,874 15s Id were passed for payment. It was decided to ask the Borough Council to put Nursery Road into the condition of repair agreed to some time ago.