COUNTY COUNCIL REPORTS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 108, 14 March 1879, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL REPORTS.

Greytown, Feb. 28,1779. To the Chairman County Council, Wairarapa West. Sin—l have examined the Black Bridg 0 and find the following timber will b e required immediately for repairing th e same 4 stringers, 24ft. long, 14 x 8 in diameter; 2 stringers, 22ft. long, 14 i 8 in diameter; 400 planka, 14ft. long Bx4 in diameter; 100 planks, 16ft. long, Bx4 in diameter.

The outer stringers are very rotten, and since my examination one of them has given way. Darrick is now engaged in propping it up, As my duties will take me away from Greytown until the end of next week, I think it would be better for Mr King to make arrangements for the repair of the bridge, especially as it is not in my district.

I remain, Your obdt, servant, Wm. Sheet, Engineer Featheraton Highway Board.

Carterton, 9th March, 1879. To the Chairman of the Wairarapa West County Council. Sir,—ln accordance with instructions, I have the honor to lay before you a financial statement estimating the probable income and expenditure of the county for the six months ending 30th June next, from which it appears that if the subsidies granted by the Council for special works be expended in the interim, the county will, on that date, have a deficit balance of £31716s sd. In submitting this statment, I would especially draw your attention to the expenditure required on the main line of road for wages and necessary supplies. According to the expenditure incurred duringtlieyearslß77 and 1878 —asgathered from the accounts furnished by the Treasury department to the Council, and the payment actually made by the Council —the aggregate liability of the county on this item for the six months ending the 30th June, 1879, would be £1297 Gs Odor equivalent to a monthly expenditure of £216 4s 6d. If, however, the payments actually made by the Council since tlio adoption of " The Counties Act, 187(1," in its entirety, be taken as the basis for the estimate, then the monthly expenditure would be £248 3s 2d—or a total liability for the half-year of £1487 19s, The only estimate I am able to furnish as to the actual liability in respect of wch highway district is gathered from the payments actually made by the Council itself, which give the following result (id. (St.) Feathmton Highway District Total, £783, lis Bd—or £l3O lis lid por month. Tamtahi-Carkrton Highway District,— Total, £166 7s lOd—or £2714s 8d per month. Masterton Highway District,—'M&], £O3B 193 Od—or £8916s 7d per month, Total, £53819s 7d per-month. The above estimates are taken wholly without reference to the rents received by tbe Highway Boards on account of the Toll Gates, and therefore there will, in accordance with the resolution passed by the Council respecting the subsidies to be granted to the Boards, have to be deducted from the deficit appearing on the accompanying statement the sum of £BS lis lid.

The sum of £2OO for the metalling of the Mauriceville-road was voted by the Council, on condition that a similar sum was expended by the Masterton Highway Board on the same work. The Council has not to date received ony official com-, munication from the Board stating what course they will adopt in the matter; but I see at their last sitting, as reported in the local papers, they agreed to give £BO towards the prosecutiun of the work; and'if this be so, the whole or a large proportion of thiß sum of £2OO will not be required to be disbursed, and the county deficit will thus be entirely erased. Taking into consideration the above calculation, and the fact that one of the most expensive sections of the roafl ■(id est), that from the summit of the Renijituka Bange to Featherston, may reasonably be expected in the future to cost far

ess than it has done in the past,' owing to the opening of the railway to Featherston, and the consequent diminution of the traffic on tlio hill line, I think that,:except in tho case of some emergency arising, the revenue of the county may fairly be expected to meat all demands that may be made against it to the 30th June, 1879. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, Thos, Goie,Treasurer Wairarapa West County.

County Treasurer's estimate of probable Income and Expenditure of the Wairarapa West County for six months, ending 24th June, 1879. INCOME, Ist January, 1879, Balance to credit of County Fund £ s. d, at Bank 504 16 9 Licensing Fees, Ac; .. .. 800 0 0 Revenue on Land Sales.. .. 200 0 0 Government Subsidy .. .. 1166 2 7 Balance brought over .. .. 31716 5

£2,988 15 9 DErENDITUJU;, Ist January, 1879. £ s. d. Balance due to Government ... 402 310 Payments made to Ist March, 1870 G24 9 1 Road expenses calculated on paymentf made between the Ist January, 1377. and tlio 31st December, 1877 .. .. 1297 G 0 Special grants made by Council; Greytown Platform £l2O 0 0 Lessamnt. £ s. d, paid ... 89 70-30 13 0 Mauriceville west road 100 0 0 Do road (metalling) 200 0 0 Featlicrston Highway Boar d.—Surveys through landswhere Grants have not matured ~ ~ 100 0 0 — 430 13 0 Salaries 101 3 4 Office expenses 30 0 0 Hospitals and Charitable Aid., 50 0 0

£2,988 15 9 Deficit—£3l7 16 5.

Thomas Gole, Treasurer Wairarapa West County, March 4,1879,

To the Chairman and Members of the

Wairarapa West County Council,

Tho petition of James Merson, of tho Lake Ferry, licensed victualler, respectfully sliewcth—

That your petitioner has been required to pay the sum of thirty pounds (£3O), as the annual fee for his publican's license, whilo the duty of acting asferryman across the Lake is imposed upon him without remuneration other than what arises from fees paid by travellers. That tho amount taken as ferry fees is very small, while your petitioner has to bear the expense of a man to assist him in working the boat, for whom he has little or no other work to remunerate him,

. That your petitioner's business as a publican is so small that it cannot bear, unassisted, the expenses of the ferry. Your petitioner therefore prays that you will take his case into your favorable consideration, and will grant him a remission of his publicans' license fee, and provide and keep in repair the ferry boat, as was done by the late Provincial Government, or grant to your petitioner such other assistance as will enable him to carry on the feiry.

And your petitioner will ever pray. James F. Merson,

To 'the Chairman and Members of the

Wairarapa West County Council.

We, the undersigned settlers in the Lowe'' Valley, being well aware of the facts set forth in the petition of Mr James Meraon as to his inability to keep the Lako Ferry out of the fees and the profits of his publican's business, both of which are very small. During the timo Mr Meraon has had it the ferry lias been particularly well attended to. He lias always kept a good man to help him in the boat, although working the ferry at a serious annual loss. We would therefore beg your most favorable consideration of his petition, as we consider it to be a fair and just one. John P. Russell. D. McDouhall, Peter Hume. Donald Sinclair, Duncan McMaster, George Pain,

Masterton, 9th March, 1879. To the Chairman of the West Wairarapa

County Council,

Sir,—l beg to submit the following report on works proposed, and in progress within the Wairarapa West County. Agreeably with your instructions I examined the Black Bridge. The timber of the piers, stringers, and trusses, is partly rotten, especially at intersections and joints. Most of the deck planking is quite sound, and some of the planks are very little worn, yet they break from time to timo under the heavy loads which pass over them proving that the supports are too far apart. In repairing the bridge, intermediate atringen would have to be put in, te insure the safety of the structure and the stability of tlio deck planking. A re-arrangement of the studs which were lately added to the bridge, and proper lateral bracing would also be necessary. The following is a rough estimate of the cost of the repairs required. Deck planking 27,720 ft. B.M. Intermediate stringers 10,480 ~ Lateral braces 1800 „ Straining pieces, &c„ say 5000 „

51,000 „ 51000 ft. totara timber @ las £382 10 0 Ironwork including spikes, i &c.,l3solbs@4Jcl 2a 6 8 Labor 178 0 0 £SSS 16 3 The bridge after undergoing the repairs indicated above, would not bo reliable for more than three or four years at most as a great part of the structure at that time would be perfectly rotten. A new bridge some what shorter, and lower than the present one could be built for about one thousand pounds. Te Ore Ore Road—(Mr Dixon's contract), work equal to about 60 chains formation and metalling, besides the necessary culverts and drains have been executed on this contract. The total amount due to the contractor including all previous payments is three hundred and nineteen pounds. Makakahi Bridges.—The bridge at the lower crossing of the Makakahi river will be completed in about six or eight days, I have advertised for tandem for one mile of formation on theEketahuna-Alfred-ton road, and one mile on the Te Ore Ore road. I will be in a position to call for tenders for another two miles of the Eketahuna-Alfredton road in a few days. lam, Ac,, John King, County Engineer.