WAIRARAPA WEST COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 316, 15 November 1879, Page 2

WAIRARAPA WEST COUNTY COUNCIL.

A meeting of the Council was held in the Council Chambers, Carterton, on Thursday the 13th inst. Present: Councillors Pharazyn (in the chair), Donald, Moore. McGregor, Jackson, and Bennet, MINUTES. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. —INWARDS, From Government departments, notifying payments to credit of County Fund since last meeting of Council. From Greytown Borough Council, enclosing cheque for proportion of subsidy paid Wairarapa Hospital Committee to 30th Sept, 1879. From Featherston Highway Board, enclosing copy of resolution as to desirability of the Council taking some action in regard to public drains in that district, and as to payment of subsidy of expenses incurred for maintenance of main road in October,

From Masterton Highway "Board, notifying discharge of workmen on the For-ty-Mile-Bush road, in consequence of withdrawal of subsidy. From E. Buckridge, accepting charge of Waihenga Pound. From the Chairman of the Waipawa County Council, requesting eo-operation of Council in urging the Government to make railway bridge over tho Manawatu Hiver available for ordinary traffic. From H. S. Wardell, Esq., enclosing plan (if the Wairarapa Lake reserve.

From Waidhiue River Board of Conseriitors, requesting payment of grant in aid

voted by the Council. From Horace Smith, fcsq., enclosing copy of a petition to lie laid liefore House of Kepresenta:ives, asking for special vote for Mauriceville road. From Masterton Borough Council, as to payment of proportion of subsidy to the Wairarapa Hospital. oUTWAtiDS. To Waidhiue Riw;r Board <>t Coinerv.v tors, Greytnwn and Maslo-toii lioniujh Councils, East Cniuny Councils, Road Boards, Messrs i'liekringe, Chamberlain, and Peacock, enclosing resolutions passed at tho last meeting of the Council. INSTRUCT! iKS. The Clerk to write to the Waiohine River Board of Conservators, that before any payment be made, vouchers showing ;he expe.ndiuure on the specific work pointed out'-y the County Engineer are required, and the Engineer will have to report -hat work has been done to amount stated. On this being done payment will be made of the amount shewn to be due. The Clerk to write the Chairman of the Waipawa County Council, that this Council will be glad to co-operate with that County as requested. RESOLVED. That the sum of LOO be handed to the Featherston Highway Board, less amount received by that body direct from Government, out of County subsidy, sinoe the statement between the two bodies was made up. That the Featherston Highway Board be informed, in answer to their letter of the 3rd inst, that this Council w jU be prepared carefully to consider any proposal which may be placed before them by the Board, in accordance with section 171 of the "Public Works Act, 1876,' but is not at present in a position to deal with the whole question of drainage as is suggested in the resolution of the Board.

Councillor McGregor having explained the reason why the proportion of the subsidy paid to the -Wairarapa Hospital had not been refunded, and the Chairman having explained to him the basis on which these subsidies were originally to be paid the matter was left in Councillor McGregor's hands to bring belore the Masterton Borough Council. In speaking of the copy of the petition to the House of Representatives, forwarded from Mauriceville, the Chairman stated it to be his opinion that the money would not be obtained, and that useless applications of this nature tended to weaken the hands of their representatives in getting what was really needed. Such applications were opposed in the policy of the colony, and the present position of affairs would not admit of their being entertained. The policy of ih. Government was to throw the burden of local works on local bodies, in support of which he referred lo a somewhat similar application recently made by the Castlepoint Highway Board. The Government say that if they admit one such claim they would have to admit- all, which could not he done when the general financial position of the colony must lie considered. Councillor Moore stated while nnwilliu" to do anything which would (end to wca* ken the hands-of our representat'ves, or create dillicultics with the Government, still, as the o iginal petition had been sent, the Council taking action in the matter could not make matters worse. The Mauriceville settlers had been misled, and he thought it was thoir duty to look after any portion of their constituency that they deemed might have been neglected. °

Councillor McGregor stated that as representative for that portion of the county, he must use his best efforts to get what was wanted, and the claim ought to be made, as the settlers had been hardly dealt with. Councillor Jackson having concurred in the opinion expressed by the last speaker, it was resolved on the motion of Councillor Moore, seconded by Councillor McGregor <l that in the opinion of this Council, the petition of the settlers of Mauriceville to the House of Representatives for a sum

to he placed on the estimates for the ensuing yeiir for the purpose of improving the lines of communication through the settlement is just mid reasonable, and the Council respectfully recommend that (ho Government should place a sum of £12,000 upon the estimates for the coming year for the purpose of metalling-the lines of road," and that a copy.of .this resolution bo forwarded to the Government through the members for the district.

The following resolution was passed on a petition presented by Councillor Donald from sefajp in the Featherston Riding; -"That the petition of Mr W. ; Nicola and others re the bringing if the Rabbit Nuisance Acts, ISIR-fl into force be received, and that ttib Clerk notify Mr Nicols that this Council uo not at.presenfc ' intend to take any further slops in bringing the-pid Acts into .force thi Feather>n Riding." " " / Councillor Donald, in presentiV/tShe petition, stated that it had, he bt&sved, been brought forward on the beljj&jjatf although the question had be@R wßni it was again to be wSSSffi view of having the Acts mediate force witliin the Riding!^^^^ The Engineer's report on County \» or ks was. read, considered, and instructions, given fur calling for tenders for works on the Mangaone block, for formation on the> Upper Taueru road line, and metalling a-, portion of the Mauriceville West road! and erection of a small culvert thereon, Messrs Moore and McGregor being appointed a sub-committee to receive and accept tenders. The report of Messrs Moore and McGregor as to the expenditure of the balance of the Forty-mile Bush and Mauriceville vote was read and adopted, ■ The Chairman had hoped that portion of the Mangaone Block would be at once : put into the market, but as the Government had to make arrangements with the. Natives, he now feared nothing would he. done this year, while it seemed that thei very eyes of the block had been set aside as reserves for different bodies. The attention of the Council having been drawn to the bad state of the road at Hurinuiorangi, the following resolution was passed, without discussion t—" That this Council agrees to join with: the Wairarapa East County Council andTaratahi--Carterton Highway Board is the payment: in equal shares of an amount not exceeding £SO, to be expended under the direction of the County Engineer in improving the road for the carriage of material to the Hurinuiorangi Bridge.

The Chairman stated that no reply had been received from the Government as to the refund of the deductions made by the Government on the Gorge road, and had tacitly admitted their error by now making a charge for further works against the Masterton Highway Board, whom he expected would find a deduction from their subsidy on that account.

It was therefore resolved that Mr Beetham, M.H.R., be requested to put the following question to the Colonial. Treasurer in the House, unless he is able obtain the information satisfactorily in,: some other way :—l. If the Colonial-

Treasurer is aware that deductions have-, heen made from the subsidies and proportion of land revenue payable to tlie- Wairarapa West County to cover expenditure: for works carried on by tho Public Works; Department on the Manawatu Gorge: mad (not being a county road) without the knowledge or consent of the County Council, and without, in ; their opinion, mv authority in law. 2, Whether he will have the matter inquired into without delay, and the amount refunded to the County if no legal, authority can be shewn fur making the deduction,

The Chairman fiu-ther stated that having been, applied to hy one deputation as to the bridge oyer the- Waiohiue river being made for, combined railway and cart traffic, he. had written the Minister of Public, Works again urging on the Government the fulfilment of the original promise made,

Financial statements of receipts and expenditure for the year ending 30th Sept., i 879, and estimated income and expenditure for the year ending 30th Sept,, 1880, and analysis of general and special fund accounts to date, were laid on the table by the Treasurer and discussed. It was resolved that, pending the decision of the Government as to providing funds for works required on the SeventyMile Bush road, the engineer be authorised to keep two men employed on the line on such works as he may find urgently ■ required, The clerk was instructed to write the • Tavatahi-CartertonHighway Board as to. making some small repairs to the side .• planking on the bridge over the Waingawa, river on the main road,

It was resolved that the same cours& be* pursued with regard to the compilation off the County Valuation Roll for the-, ensuing, year as was adopted last year. On the motion of Councillor Moore, seconded by Councillors. Pharazyn and Donald were appointed a committee to report on the reply of the ckk to MtGoodin's letter.

Accounts for progress: payments werepassed for works under contract under special-votes, and the- following items chargeable against the general fund—- £ s. d. Booth and Co. ... 7 16 11 Lyon and Blair ... 110 0 Pay ton and Co. ... 25 0 B, Wakelin 117 6 C. Potts 17 6 The Council then adjourned. engineer's reports.

To the Chairman of the Wairarapa West County Council. Sir—l Have the honor to submit the following report on County Works : Eketahuna to Alfredton Road,—Mr M. Neilsen's contract (No. 1) on this road is now completed. Mr James Hourigan's cmtract (No. 2) is also completed. Messrs Guerin and Donohue's contract (No. 3) is well advanced, and at the same : rale of progress that has hitherto been made, will probably be completed next. ' month. Contract No, 4 (Mr James Owirigan,. • contractor.)— The works on this are being pushed on vigorously, the same rate of progress be maintained the works will be finished within contract time. The next section of this road reaches to the boundary of the surveyed block, and is two and a half miles in. length. I will be in a position to call for tenders for the formation of this section early next week. Mauriceville North Road.—l have employed men to clear away the land slips,, clean out the drains and culverts, and put this road in a thorough state of repair, The works were commenced on the 2fth of last month, and I expect to havo them completed about the end of this month. Mauriceville West Road,—The survey for formation of 100 chains of this road, including a small bridge of 28 feet span, is completed, and I expect to be ready to. call for tenders for the whole of the work of formation next week.

Upper Taueru Road.—The survey for formation of 100 chains of bridle track on