AKITIO COUNTY COUNCIL

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 11 December 1912, Page 6

AKITIO COUNTY COUNCIL

ORDINARY MEETING

(lj'forit Our Special Correspondent.)

The. Council mot at II a.m. and adjourned at 7 p.m. last Saturday ft Pongaroa. The meeting w.-iaa lenprtliy one, only three-quarters oi ail liour be-ing allowed, for dinner and tea. Some time was spent in the consideration of the further expenditure in connection with tho ,£'28,000 loan and bridge grants amounting to £7,000. Tho plans for the various bridges (ex'copting tho Big Mouth Akitio Bridge) have almost been completed. jind the Council are expecting the plans daily to enable it to call for tenders.

Tito Cleric read a circular letter from "The New* Zealand State-Guaranteed Advances Office", Wellington, regarding Further advances viz., £21,000. At present, owing to the. Department's inability to raise the money at the rate anticipated when the loan was granted, it will l>e necessary to charge ■more than 4-„ per cent. The amount of the increased rate is at present uncertain, but the Council will he informed as soon an possible what it will be, and fresh regulations will diortly be : gazetted. This matter vitally affects j local bodies throughout the Dominion, j The Clerk read to tho Council "The N.Z. State-Guaranteed Advances Amendments act, 1912" just passed. Sub-section (1) of section 2 states that the rate of interest charged to local bodies is not now that at which the money can be raised by the Department, but « per cent, (2s 6d) per annum more. Section 3 enable:! the local authority to pay the increased rate by a resolution without taking fresh poll. One redeeming feature is isec--1 tions Xos. 0 to 0. Section fl makes 1 special provision for loa.ns for works in outlying districts, and for 10 years a sum of not exceeding in any financial year £'2.jo.ono will ho set aside bv the Government for purposes of mnstruct- | ing roadis and bridges in outlying districts and for metalling such road,- for jtlie firs* time. The .Minister J'or Finj anco will, without further nppropriajtion, in each of the first 10 years of i tho term of any loan pay out of the [Consolidated Fund into the Advances j Account an amount equal to 1 per cent jof the amount of tho loan. This may j have a serious effect in the Akitio ( County's administration of the £28,- * 1000 loan monies.

j Tho Assistant tinder-Secretary advised that tho matter of paying the ba„i anco of Waioakura grant monies (slips having occur rod sinco the work was |done) will bo referred to the TTonorable tlio Minister of Work?!. jTlio Council also advised that: the only now grants were Wailii £10(1 C for £. and Waikereni £IOO £ for C—motall-

The District Mngineer stated that the cost of the Big Bridge at Akitio should not exceed monies available out of loan and grant.

Tho Council were pleased to Iniow from tho Under-Secretary of the Public. Works Department that thi.s Council did not make ,tho .statement that | Tyleo'a Ford was a convenience," but , that the Pahiatua County did state [that fact on the 20th. Nov. 1911, and , furthermore Cr. Ellingham had been advised that the action-of the Pahiatua County had been debarred a grant being offered. This is one of the schemes Pahiatua nre now trying to bring about to make tho Mail Coach route shorter to Pongaroa. This bridge would mean a saving of about H miles of tho 'main Pongnroa-Pahiaiu a Road. The Councillors expressed great purprise.

The matter of paying surface damago for Krak a Pinch at Rakanui, has taen referred to tlio Minister of Lands It will be reniembored that this Council have offered £35 to Mr E. W. West, of Rakanui, but tho Lands Department do not desire that surface damage j should bo paid to a Crown tenant tin- j less the property is declared a metal .reserve. However, tho Act is silent 011 ' the matter, and 110 doubt some alteration should be made in the law as itithe case of Rraka Pinch there can be no defined right of .way o r any definite metal pits, as the metal is .s>,"att'i?red over 100 aoros of land and survey and fencing charges won Id exceed tho amount offered to the Grown tenant for I surface damage. The Government, will not allow royalty to be paid, hut thl.s is the first instance of the Department questioning the payment of surface damage to a Crown tenant. From correspondence received i„ all probability the Hon. the Prime Min,stc'':illd "the Minister of Public Wwks will pay on official visit of inspection to tho Akitio County. Tho Council has large works in hand and consequently while the .-£28,000 loan and grants are being expended the present time is very opportune. \ 0 dfinite date has yet been fixed.

TKo reply to an inquiry made by tho Mastorton County Clerk ro insurance scheme reads <%s follows from the 1 Auditor General: "Accident Tnsur- ] anco: "In reply to your memo of the 21st in.st, J have tlio honor to stato that, as there is no statutory authority for such a fund as i<i .suggested, the Audit Office would bo unable to pass contributions thereto )>y the various Authorities and would moreover be compelled under section 7 of "Tho Public Revenues Act, 11)12 ' to insist upon a recovery of the same. Reflohod that tho matter bo left in tho Coun- ; tv Chairman's hands and that tho variious local bodies bo apprised. Mr A. Tv. Grabner, '>f Maku. accompanied by Messrs Tlutchiim.s «nd Green, waited on tho Council, and asked that £IOO bo voted towards grant £IOO C for £ for metalling tho Waihi Road Pongaroa to Manuara, which i; 1 in a very bad state. The Council resolved to refer the matter to the next ordinary mooting, which will be lu.d on the ilth January. The various dates of Council meetings have, been fixed and cards will bo circulated immediately to all persons

concerned. Messrs D. D. Ridde.ll, A. C. Horbert (Karora), Mrs E. Burling and J. McTntyro (Pongaroa) pointed out to tho council that large holes in tho Al-Fredton-Weber Road between Islington's and Pongaroo wore dangerous, and asked that loan monies be expanded, and suggested, that metal cc.u.d )0 obtained from Akaro i Peak.—Tho En(r,iueer stated that the mattor had Ins attention and that the other matter complained of by Mr J. Mclntyie ie culvert opposite his place was al«o being attended to, asi the works were

indent, f Tho Wail" Borough Council s resolution re "Red Flag" wns received. Such a scheme in counties would bo impossible, and tho Council were of opinion that its employees were followers of J *he. TTuion Jack. i Mr V. HiU's letters re right-of-way Ito section at Waione were received.

Permission was granted to Mc*m s Norton Tires, (TToroeka) and Mr C. H. 'Die-kins (Rakaunui) to erect kilns jvenr rj'.ulway—the work to be done co the i'lhgineer's satisfaction. The Council resolved that Mr FRobbie (Wa-ihoki) he informed that the difficulty re culvert was the want of timber. . f,.. ave of absence was granted I '' Engineer from 21st December to 3rd

January, inclusive. Or. Burling ami ihe County Chairman jiiitiounced that a reorganization of the Engineering staff wonhl he immediately considered. Tt was decided to make a payment to contractors at Christmas. A Letter was received from contractor Martin (Akaroa Metal Pit. Pongaroa) and the Council granted the right to use approve;! Tron P.ark for tlio protection work at Akitio, timber to ho approved at Akitio. TIIO Ranger's report -showed that £1 17a Gd had been collected, a"d that 17 lionses and G head ol ; cattle had !been captured. .Messrs Smith, and McSherry forwarded draft agreements re Mr Biggers Carting Contract and lease with Mr James Norton of Road .Reserve (Towai District). Agreements approved. ;

Tli© following resolutions were also made: —1. That the Clerk's action in

writing to .Mr G. It. Svketv M.P., to

Alfredton-Weber grant, lie endorsed. 2. That tho contractor for carrying goods he given credit notes for . goods delivered .lad that Mr Bigger be requested to give securities. 3. That the Clerk's action in writing to Mr W.

Pickett re charge for timber royalty bo endorsed. 4. That tbe Clerk's action in writing to the District Engineer ro heart rinui being unsuitable in this district for bridges be endorsed. 5. That tho Council accept Mr B. Lcathwick's tender 900 o. y. at rate of 13s (£585) Makuri-Pongaroa Road. 6. That contractor Nielsen be informed that until such time as Contract 183 (Sugar Loaf Timber Contract) is well in hand. Contract 188

(Metalling Glenora) will not be considered and that the Clerk's lettro be endorsed. 7. That the Public Works Department be urged to forward each, set of bridge-si plans as soon as possible, and letter endorsed. 8. That the actio,n of tho chairman in asking tho Engineer for return re metalling Pon-ga-roa-Masterton Road near Kent, also estimate re obtainanee of metal from Wright',a creels", be endorsed. 9. That tho Ordinary-Meetings be lield on the following dates January 11, Feb. 8, March 8, April 5, May 10, June 7; July 5, August D, Sept. (5. Oct. I, Nov. 8, Dec. G. 11. That grass fjpod -tenders close 011 the 20f.ii December, 1912, nn<l that the matter be. left in tho hands of the Chairman. 12. That Mr Newman's offer for fescue .be ac-' cepted (To be obtained at Wn-iono). 13, That tho following matters bo attend-

Jed to: Waiowaka Road Lower End: 'Kaituna North Road. That an estimato fop local .manufacture of concrete pipe*! he submitted. That. all men not earning their money bo immediately dismissed. That tenders bo called for Akitio River Road and loft to Clerk a.ndi Chairman. That another £5.000 of loan monies be asked for. Mr Martin (Akaroa) be informed that he is not making sufficient progress. That tho Waikereru Loan estimate lie not. further delayed. That wages and Accounts amounting to £7O-19 70s -ul ho passed for payment. That tho Range Road, cross road to Dickins' he attended to, to allow .settlers to cart wool. That Messrs Whit-ta. and Gilbert be requested to erect first-class gate.", tho gates across roads in the Towai District being considered inconvenient to the public Tho Council's attention being drawn to the danger of some of the Rural Postal Boxe* the Engineer was 'asked to report. The County Clerk submitted his monthly balanc-osheefc, which showed tho General account way in debit £3,Gfil 7s lid, the outstanding General Rates being £-1,028 7s 7d. Land Fund Credit £5091 lis Gd. Contractors deposits Or. £313 10s; £28.000 loan. Cl--010. 17s £d ; -CSOO loan, £.V>S Ss ; making Akitio County Fund Dr. £'28")l 2s2d.

Tho Engineer'." Report was read as follows :

Akitio Hill Road : The break in this road has been timbered to permit of traffic getting through, but is only a temporary job as during tho wet weather the break is falling at the rate of 8 ft. per week. Inspected .the lagoon at the top <•!' the break ami found it was not the big lagoon which was affecting it but a smaller one whirli could bo drained at a small cosfc and I instructed the roadman to attend to it. Fords: Tho Lookout Waiotiaka and Waterloo Fonts have been attended to but would recommend logs being snigged into the down stream of the Lookout Ford s:o as to make tho present good work more permanent. Akaroa Aerial: This plant is now running satisfactorily the output from tho Quarry at present, being six yards oer hour. Tim-contractor has carted -uit 00 yards which ha.ve been utilised in repairing the worst parts of the road between Meeelis and the crusher. The contractor is now hampered for want of teams.

: Tho hired horses for cradling have failed to do tho work required and have returned thorn and the grader is now stuck up for want of •honsps. n.ttliou<2;li have tried to obtain suitable houses so far have boon unsuccessful. Pongaroa-Makuri I?oad: Went over tlio Main Iload with Mr Leatlnvick :nid owing to the bad state of the present formation the hulk of tlio metal will hj» required at tho top end which, w.ill make tlio work more expensive, and on account of tlio heavy haul Mr j f.cnthwick •'want.g 16s per cub. yard as | !:i addition to tlio breaking the stripping will be very heavy. Have had the worst holes in this portion of the road filled in. Loathwiek is making fair progress with his present contract but tho weather has interfered with him a »ront deal. Owing to the unsatisfactory spreading at the commencement of tlio iwork have put McClosky in charge •fid a. good job is now hoi no; made of it.

jßiniu Road: Tho Contractor lor metalling this road has put out --(38 cub. yards covering 1!) chains also additional maintenance metal.

Rakamii Road: A fairly targe culvert near the Rakanui Township washed out last week and am having it replaced but bad weather delayed fitting timber out to the site. Repairs are necessary to other culverts along this .road, some of which are expensive and I estimate the cost of repairing them at £9O".

Kaituna-Weber Road,: The renewing of the large culvert on this mad is completed but there is another 3x3 culvert scoured out at the South End of tho Council'." Reserve-, that will require attention nll d will be a costly work.

Horses: It wil I><? necessary for the Council to decide what is to bo done regard to 'horses as at present two are disabled and have Itfen for some considerable* time, and as previously stated til© grading is hold up nivins to inability to obtain suitable hoises. Green's Hill Quarry: Inspected, the quarry in company with Mr G-ird wood and although there is a, certain amount of metal in it the result of several trial shoty wero very disappointing, and T am now of opinion that taking into account tho depth of the stripping; and the limited quantity of metal obtainable the metal could be 1 put on tho road fa;- cheaper from Aka roa.

General: One culvert lias lwen removed on the Eswige Road South nt a cost of £l2 4s. Have started work on the Mt. Arthur Road. O'connor has undertaken to cart culvert timber on to the Sugar !Loa.f Road for and havo arranged with Mr Norman. whb assisted popping tiie culverts out for the Roads Department) to undertake the putting of them in. While out the Wftihoki Road I asked Mr Robbie to l e t ns have necessary bush timber to repair a vrtishont. but ns he declined 'had to fill it in with scrub with tlve resmH that it has now scoured out again. Estimate the quantity of metal that would bo required from the Manpjatiti Crook at 2,(500 jds-fchis would allow of 80 chains of 10 inch metal and 1,000 yars for top , dressing and papa formation.