MASTERTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 15 October 1913, Page 3

MASTERTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Masterton County Council was held yesterday, there' being present: Crs W. J. Welch (chairman), D. Foreman, J. Miller, A. J. Percy, H. Toogood, R. F. R. Beetham, A. J. Patchett and C. Cross, A-letter from 11. Dryden, applying for the position of roadman, was referred to the engineer. ' An application from tlie AU'redton School Committee, for planks from the old Te Hoe bridge was granted, on the motion of Cr Cross, subject to the approval of the engineer. Miss Peiirse asked for permission to use Mary Street, Upper Plain, for the grazing of her stock, until her crops have matured.—lt was decided that the permission asked for be granted until January 31st, provided the fencing is done. Mr 11. Pitcaithly, of Tawataia, forwarded two letters ideating with the state of the Tawataia roads, and protesting against an, increased rate. Healleged 'that tho road had been "robbed in a, shameless way." Amongst other allegations made was one that men had been put on to repair the good end of the road, whilst the bad end was nntor.ched.~Cr Cross admitted that the road was » a bad condition. He stated, however, that it was no worse than other roads in the Alfredton Riding.—The portion of the road complained of was only used by Messrs Pitcaithly -and Dunn in the summer months. The road could not be effectively repaired unless a sum of £SO was expended upon it; but this sum was considered to be too large. There was a sum of £lO on the estimates for the work. Cr Cross, moved that Mr Pitcaithly be informed that there is a sum of £lO on the estimates for the road, and that any expenditure alwve this i amount must be legarded as "extraordinary."—Cr Patchett seconded the .motion, winch was carried. Mr John Compton wrote, complaining that a settler' was herding his cattle on the road at tho Upper Plain. —On tho motion of Cr Foreman, the communication was referred to the County ranger. An application from A, McNeil for the renewal of a slaughtering license ;was granted. Mr John Davies, of tlie Alfredton district wrote complaining that th& swing bridge giving , aiccess to his property was in a very bad condition. —Cr Cross stated that the bridge was in urgent need of Repair. —The matter was referred to %he engineer and the Councillors for tjie Alfredton Riding, with power to act. Messrs Gawith and Logan, solicitors, requested that steps be taken to close the old Brancepeth road.-—On the motion of "Cr, Toogotod, it was decided that the request be granted, provided that the owner interested pay the cost. The Clerk of the Pahiatua County Council advised that the chairman of that body was not favourable to the pronosad transfer of Mr Tinkirgton's property. —It was decided that the clerks-rite to the Pahiatua Council further on the subject. jMi; J. Gordon Laing wrote, stating that he had certain work on the Mangapurupuru road to the value of £2 ,10s, and that his father had been wrongly charged for the amount of contribution towards the cost of metalling. He offered to pay £5 on a demand being made.—The matter of work done was referred to the engineer, and if it is certified to, Mr Laing bo credited with the amount.,

The report of the meelimg of the Finance Committee wae read and adopted] The Treasurer reported a debit on the general account of £2583 17s Id, and a, credit on the local bodies loans account of £152 4s. The receipts for the month had amounted to £1894 16s 6d, A sum of £ll was allowed to roadman Hogan as compensation for improvements made to the Weraiti cottage' and premises. Accounts amounting to £783 9s 7d were recommended for payment. It was' decided, on the motion of Or Welch, that if, upon inquiry, l it be found that there is a sum of available from thirds from sections 4 and 5, Block X., Miki Miki, the engineer bo instructed to give effect to the request contained in the letter of - September 22nd last, signed by Messrs August Johnson and J. M. Coradine, relating to the widening of the track giving access to those sections. •It was resolved that, in terms of the letter from Mr 0. E. Cock-burn-Hood, dated the 13th inst., relating to the legalisation of that portion of the Waimiiourapu road shown on the plan of the roact from the north terminus of the deviation tq the Wainuiourapu stream in section 214, (block V., Mangapakeha Survey District, the Council undertakes, subject to Mr Cockbium-Hood signing the said plan, to become responsible for %he cost of removing' the fences to such positions as will make the paddocks serviceable for holding stock, on the understanding that this "undertaking shall be limited to removing the fences on one side of the rdad only. It was decided that, upon production of a medical certificate, roadman F. Johnson be paid 8s 6d per day for twelve days from the accident fund, on ac- . count of an accident he recently suffered, ENGINEER'S REPORT. The following report was submitted by the engineer at the monthly meeting of the Masterton County Council held yesterday." OPAKI RIDING. Mary Street.—As instructed, I have interviewed Miss Pearce with regard to the removal of fences to open the street along her section frontage. Miss Pearce informed me that she was in communication with the chairman, endeavouring to get an extension of time; until January in which to fence. I have therefore stayed removing' the fences until I

have been further instructed by the council. John's and Montgomery's thirds on the Black Creek Road.—l have arranged with Mr Johnson to affect some improvements tb the formation by day labour before proceeding with the metalling, in connection with expenditure of thirds granted by the council. The work of replacing a 6GT2"xI2" old culvert (in a dangerous condition) has been executed on Mile 3-Wainga-wa to Camp road. Mr Graham's application, granted by the council for the substitution of a 3'x3'x2o' culvert was executed last month. TE WRITI RIDING. Masterton-Waimata Road.—Light metal repairs have been made to the irregularly worn portions of the road between Divers' corner and Otahoua. The rivers being extremely low has allowed the teams to get suitable fine shingling for repairs, which should, in the course of a month or so, produce a good (surface. Masterton-Gladstone Road.—Mr W. McGovern's application for permission to erect a culvert and approach to his property has been given effect to. ' Light sulfaee repairs to above road will this week. I have been instructed by the councillor for the riding to.affect urgent repairs requested by Mr R. Langdon—the work will be undertaken as soon as repairs have been effected t to the road leading to the quarry. WAINUIORU RIDING. Mr H. Bennett's thirds.—With regard to the legality of the roadway to Fernglen, the county clerk ascertained, from the Survey Department that* the only access is half a chain private right-of-way from the East Coast road. Devil's Elbow.—ln the absence of reasonable tenders for the above work, I would suggest that the work be carried out by day labour, or let portions of the work by contract, Should opportunity offer. Masterton-Waimata Road: Cont. No. 296.—The contractors for above work are making good progress and will be moving to the northern quarry next week. Plans !U'e outlined ftor estimates prepared for .the constructions of over the Kahnmingi and Rorqkoko streams, first and second«erossinge. uppeVtaueru riding. Fencing gravel pit on Mr Bunny's frontage.—l have seen Mr Bunny and.arranged a suitable give and take line, the reserve at present being fenced on three sides approximately along the boundary,.- which for the purpose of grazing .will suit the roadmen and entail a minimum amount of fencing. ALRFEDTON RIDING. Hutewai Road.—l. have prepared plans for the reconstruction o c two unsafe bridges just beyond ilm Puketoi road junction, 30 feet and 40 feet, respectively. In the case of the 30ft span I propose utilising the existing piers—dismantling the top structure and laying three 10"xlo"x 30 feet long totura stringers and making a roadway with crossed joists and longitudinal 8"x4" planking; I, purpose us*ing the present handrails' in this case, except the addition of four end posts. In the case of bridge No. 2, I purpose shortening that by ten feet and reconstructing the bridge, with, new timber, utilising any sound studs there may be in strengthening the pier of bridge No. 1. In company with Mr Holmes I prospected the locality in the Vicinity of the Hutewai Waterfalls, for the purpose of obtaining road metal. There is evidence of some hard material on the surface in many places but I fear the stones are isolated blocks. I have arranged with the roadmen to put in some shots in the more likely places. Ihuraua Road.—The contractors, who are forming the road in the vicinity of Mr Heckler's property, have offered to fill surplus material from through cuttings (about 150 cubic yards) at a condition which makes it advantageous to the council to accept the offer for the purpose of building up an extremely low flat on above road. I have conferred with Cr. Cross on the matter and have his sanction to carry out the woik.