AKITIO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 12 August 1913, Page 3

AKITIO COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Akitio County Council was held last Saturday, when there were present Or R. "B. Robertson, presiding (Rakaunui Riding), Crs Burling and Dickens :(Poiigaroa), Ferrick and Ellingham ,(Wailii\. P. V. Smith (Akitio), and J. W. Murray (Mataikona).

CORRESPONDENCE. From Messrs ill. McKenzie and Co., bridge contractors, Akitio river mouth bridge, informing the Council that one of the principal piles would have to be imported from Australia. —The Council will inform the contractors that in terms _of specifications totara or Australian turpentine will have to be usel; turpentine being specified in preference to ordinary Australian hardwood, as that timber will not resist toredo—sea worm.

From the Assistant Under-Secre-tary. re Waioakura road recently declared a County road. It will be remembered that the Council recently expended a (Government grant on the road, but before completion, and before Government inspection large slips occurred, necessitating an extra expenditure of over £3O. The Government forced tlie Council into the position of clearing the slips, but declined to pay for clearing the slips as they contended that "the work was not to satisfaction." Naturally the Department's action caused an, outburst from the Council, with the * Result, that the Miiir , ister for .'Public "Works ..was- appealed 'to. - The assistant ' .gains' up the matter on ter's 5 ttehalf i v- (< Certam • work carried ; but' by your 'Council' on this road ans " not cWjjleted according :to specificaition, and the Department's overseer refused to pass santc, and m letted later 18th February last v youV Council advised that ib had decided to .have the slips cleared frbm-thia Mad ,at once." • The Council asked that ' the letter in be read and the clerk <rayo a copy of the letter." of the 18th February: '"After taking into consideration the fact that the grant money is exhausted and the work has been carried out to specification the .Council regret being forced into the position of clearing the slips on" the Waioknra'road. So that the settlers in this locality may have- immediate access the Council have resolved that ..the-slips be clearled at once." The County chairman that tlje matter one,' inasmuch iftat, the 'money unless by Clearing -the slips, : and-; W; ; get. sufh : a, letter from the Under-Secretary -.'"'was' surprising,—lt was resolved, that the County .chairman interview the Minister in Wellington. The Department advised that the Council's application for a grant to put the Marainanga road (now County road) in order , was being .considered. , _ A « The Deuartment also aßked the Council to give Mr McLean access by , opening up the McCadmus road at Akitio. The overseer said the Council could exoc-nd £IOO, but the same expenditure would be required repeatedly as the' whole road was made up of moving slips. The chairman is to interview the Minister. i From Masterton Chamber of Commerce, asking Council's support-re opening up East Coast.—Cr- S mitl ] said it was to be regretted that >he time of notice was unavoidably short but he was pleased to hear that the chairman had forwarded a telegram in support of the "^oposal. -Councillors all endorsed Cr. Smith s re--61 From Mr P. Waldmann, with 1 a lengthy letter complaining of the expenditure on the Kaituna south road Waihi Biding. Mr Waldmann stated that his road was not receiving the same attention at Akaroa road, and complained of the work on the Katuna nirth end.—it tliat the clerk explain that Mr Waldmann was not being unjustly_treated v '' From Messrs Gadeby and Bartlett, stating that they have sprawled 1000 cubic yards on Alfredton to Pongaroa road near Masterton County boundary and that tliey will, be -ready for "aerial plant m about 14 days, 'i They asked for assistance in procuring a trolley for shifting the County crusher. The Council decided 'to give £25 towards the trolley, pprvided the trolley became the Council's property. t From Mr James Wright, re royalty account, and asking if tho Coiincil desired arbitration. Mr Wright required 3d per cubic yard and the, ' Council Understood that he agroed to accept 2d. • The Council decided that if Mr Wright would not accept 2d the council would take the. metal under the Public Works Act, 1908.. From the N.Z. State-Guaranteed, Advances Office, stating, that ..the provisions of section 9 of the N.Z. State-Guaranteed Advances Amendment Act, 1912 (re 1 o.c. rebate for outlying districts) only applied to loans granted by the Board under that section for constructing roads and bridger, and for metalling such roads for tho first time. The said provisions are not retrospective, and do not rofer to loans previously granted. The council's position is a%follows,; —Of the loan of £28,000, only £7ow hid been nii-M'd un to the passilig of

the Aft; u hich increased the rats fitini 3.1- nor cent, to per cent. Tlio (Jc.uiK'il contend th'at the same Act that <r.avo the power 'to raise the: rate should have the -power to'givQ' tho rebate of 1 v>er'cent..uldcr clause !). Tlie C-juneil thought a grave injustice was hem# forced on outlying Council 1 ;, who were metalling the roads for tho first, thio. Tha same Act increiisotl the rate, but the advantages spoken cf in one- of the

clauses only applifid to future loahsi and yet the Government consider and treat each instalment of loan as a separate loan. lhe matter wfu left in the hands of the clerk. RESOLUTIONS. It was resolved (a) that wages and amounting to £1361 7s lOd be passed for payment; (b) that a general rate be struck of 3d over the 'whole County. Interest for Johns: Loan 1, Hum Road, Id; loan 2, Wailii-Akitio, 2d; loans 3 and 5, £BBOO, main roads, one-fifth; loan 4, £28,000 loan, £14,000 raised, 1 rate; (e) that the ranger's report re conduct of Pongaroa Court being unsatisfactory be referred to the Hon. the Minister of Justice; (tl) wages allocations, roads construction and maintenance £2*lo Os sd; £28,000, loan £l6 4s j land fund £l 7s, irifeeeiiaueous os, totalling £258 0s 5(1, bti lipproved; (e) monthly balance-sheet with debit general balance of £3223 7s bo adopted ; (f) overseer's report be adopted.