COUNTY AFFAIRS.

Wairarapa Age, 9 February 1927, Page 7

COUNTY AFFAIRS.

MEETING OF MASTEBTON COUNCIL. OPAKI WATER SUPPLY. The monthly meeting of the Masterton County Council was held yesterday, the chairman, Councillor W. I. Armstrong presiding. There were present: Councillors H. If. Mawley, J. W. A. Falioon, F. Dorset, J. Judd, J. MacGillicuddy, and G. Moore. At a special meeting of the council a resolution was passed authorising the raising of a loan of £l5OO for metalling the Stronvar-Ngahape Road, • and a special order was passed appointing Messrs N. B. Wyeth, C. Kingston, I’. Udy, R. Costello, and H. J. Rayner managing ratepayers for the Opaki water supply. The chairman and the clerk were authorised to affix the seal of the county to as many copies of the Wairarapa counties Joint by-laws and the Wairarapa counties health by-laws as may be required. The clerk reported that during the month he had completed the, applications for the Ngaumu Road £lOO9 loan and the Wairero Road loan of £BOO. ....

The Public Works Department returned approved copy of the GlenleanWaikaraka Road Grant (£5OO on account otfilOOO, £ for £) specifications. The Department also advised that a resolution agreeing to set aside from the county fund an amount per mile sufficient to keep the road in a state of repair was satisfactory to the Department. A resolution was passed authorising the expenditure of sufficient money to keep the road up to the Department’s requirements. Agreement to a tally on the Westmere Road being taken for a week was given by the Public Works Department. The clerk’s action in the matter was endorsed.

The Main Highways Board advised that in future local authorities muss have the approval of the board to the appointment of clerk of works. Tho Department of Health forwarded an extract from the regulations under the Health Act and the duties of committees in readiness for an epidemic of influenza. COMPLAINTS ’AND EEQUSSTS. A ratepayer in the Opaki Riding, wrote complaining of the rates payable on his property, stating that not 6d in twenty years had been spent on the track giving access to the property, and asking for assistance towards the cost of £l5 incurred in erecting a bridge. It was decided to ask the complainant to interview the clerk regarding the matter. A resident of Masterton waited on the council regarding access to his sons 7 property at Kopuaranga, asking that the council pay the- proclamation and survey fees of £7 and grade tho road of I|’ chains conditional on his sons clearing and stumping the land and fencing same. *

Councillor Armstrong staged that the usual practice regarding new roads was tG plade the road in order and hand it over to a council to maintain and the council in offering to grade the road were meeting him in the matter. On the motion of Councillor MacGillicuddy, it was resolved that the council grade tho road conditional on the fees "of £7 being paid by the applicants concerned.

Councillor Mawley reported on a gravel reserve of about 7 acres on Dorset’s Road, his recommendation that that the reserve be leased at 15s per acre per annum was approved. Councillor MacGillicuddy reported on Cootes Road. It was decided that nothing could be done to the read this year. The clerk reported that Mr. Pike had offered to sell a small triangular strip on Perry’s Road to the council for the purpose of straightening the road, at a rate of £7O per acre, the council to erect all fencing and to pay survey and legal expenses. The offer was accepted. The W.F.C.A Ltd, were granted an auctioneer 7 s license. Mr F. B. Vallance was granted permission to shift the gate on the road leading to his property. SUBSIDY ON RATES. The clerk’s action in applying for 75 per cent, rate subsidy for the current year was endorsed. A resolution was passed granting Mr F. Collins Is per yard extra on contract at Blairlogie, as it was necessary to haul the metal an extra mile. The ranger reported having impoundred six head of cattle, 19 horses and 50 sheep during the month. The treasurer’s statement disclosed a credit balance of £11,535 19s 3d. Receipts since last meeting totalled £14,923, including rates, £10,299, heavy traffic fees for allocation, £464, proportion heavy traffic fees, £162, auctioneer’s licenses, £l2O, interest Masterton Borough £167, main highways claims £1963, Government grants £563, Uriti Biding Worker’s Dwelling Loan £991. Riding balances were reported as follows: Opaki, £377 3s 9d; Rangitumau, £347 19s 4d; Upper Taueru, £154 13 8d; Te Whiti, £1633 17s 3d; Uriti, £ll5l 9s 4d; Wainuioru, £983 10s Bd. ENGINEERS’ REPORT. The engineers (Messrs Seaton, Sladden and Pavitt) reported as follows: Ngahape Road.—Both contracts arc practically completed and, subject to a few minor matters being attended to, and to the Public Works Department being satisfied, we expect to be able to approve the work next week. Rorokoko Culvert and Deviation.— Work has been continued, but progress has net been fast. The creek has been turned through the culvert. Waingawa Highway.—Completion of the bitumen road to the Waingawa has been carried out, there having remained a gap of 17 chains at tho end of last season. The whole of this was carried out in about ten days, being a vast improvement upon last season’s rate. Tho staff carried out this

.'section efficiently, having had the benefit of last season’s experience, and is now fully capable' of doing this class of work. There yet remains to carry out the .•>: ! : ;g of several lengths of I last year’s work, totalling about 11 chains; also, from time to time, por- | tion- of last year’s sealing work done in the late season, will require application of crusher chips according as the I excess bitumen works up in the hot ( weather. At the bridge approach, there was necessarily considerable inconveniI cnee to the travelling public during ' construction, however, except by a few | drivers, consideration was given to those engaged upon the work. Dorset’s Bridge- and approaches have been completed. The purchaser of the old bridge has yet to erect a satisfactory fence across the old road. The completed cost is £ll7B, as against the lowest tender of £1560, thus fully justifying carrying out this work by day labour. This work was carried out under Mr. A. Gilchrist, and is a firstclass job. OVERSEER’S REPORT The overseer (Mr. F. Excll) reported as follows:— Opaki Riding.—Tho Akura, Paierau, Kibblewhite, Upper Plain and Mount Bruce Roads have been graded. Rangitamau Riding.—The To Ore Ore -Bideford Road has been graded, filling completed, and road widened at mile peg 6. Dorset’s Road, giving access to Mr. Lord’s property is being repaired, and culverts are being put in. The Waingawa to Camp Road has been graded. The approach to Dorset’s Bridgo has been filled up and metal put on. Upper Taueru Riding.—Tlje roads in this riding are in good condition. Te Whiti Riding.—Patch metalling on the Manaia-Gladstone Road is completed and metal has been dumped for patching on the Masterton-Martinbor-Dugh highway. Metal patching has been done on the Pakaraka Road. The Upper Manaia Road has been metalled. Uriti Riding.—The metalling contract from Liverton’s Quarry, on the Blairlogie-East Coast Road, is completed. Wainuioru Riding.—Seven culverts on the Stronvar Road require replacing with 12-inch concrete pipes. General.—l would suggest that a bowser be erected in the county yard, to supply petrol to county vehicles. The present method is not satisfactory.