WAIRARAPA WEST COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 595, 15 October 1880, Page 2

WAIRARAPA WEST COUNTY COUNCIL.

An ordinary meeting of the abovo took place in the Council Chambers, Carterton, yesterday. Present: OrsPharazyn (chairman), B. Boys, T. Minchin, F, G. Moore, D, McGregor, J. Donald.

MINUTES. The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. . CORRESPONDENCE, ■lnward-From H. Manns, applyiug for the old wire at the Mangatainoke Ferry; from Greytown Borough Council and Wairarapa Hospital Committee, as to what Council intend doing in support of Wairarapa Hospital; from Publitf Works Department, as to" proclamation of road at Manawatu Ferry: from Masterton Highway Board, stating that as the works for the diversion of the' Waipoua Eiver were not'permanent'works they could not be at one-third of the,expense; from East County Oouiicil, enclosing copy of resolution that steps be. taken to' obtain the control of the Huriinuiorangi Bridge; from Minister for Public Works, under section 85 of Public Works Act, 1876 ; from East County Council,, enclosing extract from Public Works; Committee, sjiewing deficiency on • Hurunuiorangi i Bridge, and proposing that out of subsidyiof 7s 6d in £ to be received from Government £IOO be set aside to meet such deficiency; and that.West County be requespted to:contribute a v : similar amount, the »'!«> no~jli.fr ft. '■

bridge being Ouunty iviiik j from Sur-veyor-General, re expenditure on Pallia* tmi Block ; from; M. Ciiselberg, re encroachment, and protective works. _ - A.telegram was received from Public Works Department, staling that, proclamation Had been" gazetted're Manawatu Ferry. ... . The outward correspondence since last meeting was read. It was decided that no further action should be taken by the Council in the matter of Waipoua diversion, The Treasurer's statement of the. assets for next half-year was read, and showed the balance available for expenditure after paying salaries, &c., as £1,095. A lengthy discussion ensued on the subject of unexpended balance of special votes, which was adjourned to enable the Clerk to obtain a copy of Public Works Estimates in the town, as appeared ithe Council had not been furnished with a copy, WORKS COMMITTEE BEPOBT.

•The Works Committee laid a report before the Council, which was read as follows, and adopted A meeting of the Public Works subcommittee was held on Wednesday, 29th September. ; T , Letter was read from Blinkhorn and Peacock; contractors for the Kopuaranga Bridge, asking for an extension of time, owing to the difficulty they have had 111 getting timber and ironwork up. Resolved—That Messrs Blinkhorn and Peacock and F. Giles bo allowed an extension of time up to the 27th October, when, if fcho contract was not completed, full fines would be imposed. Resolved (the Engineer having reported that Mr Cullen was about to file his schedule) —That the Engineer be instructed to ascertain whether Mr Cullen s sureties aro prepared to carry out the contract, aud, if so, to instruct them to proceed with the work. Resolved—That the Engineer be instructed to make all contracts for the future close the day before the monthly meeting of the Council, unless in exceptional cases. engineer's report. The Engineer's report on works in progress was read and accepted, Masterton, 14th October, 1880. Chairman Wairarapu West County.

Sir, —I have the honor to submit the following brief report on the Public Works of the Wairarapa West County Pahiatua Road, AB, Contract No 1. - On this contract, which is one inile in lenght, the bush-falling, and about 20 chains of tho formation is completed. On contracts 2 and 3 (which are each one mile in length), the bush-falling and formation are being carried on simultaneously. As yet only a short length is completed, but a considerable number of hands are employed on the works. On •contract 4, which is one mile and thirteen chains in length, no work has yet jbeen done. Tho works rcquiwd. to complete the formation and bridging of this road besides tho contracts already let, are as' follows £ s D, 140 ft.span trussed bridge and approaches 160 12 6 120 ft span platform bridge and approaches 50 0 0 115 ft span platform bridge and. . approaches ...' ... 3710 0 £248 2 6

Ekotahunato Al/redton Road,—With the oxception of two or three day's work oil contracts C and 8, the formation of the wholo of this road from Eketahuna to Alfredtou (a distance of about eleven miles) is completed. The erection of the first three bridaes, which was let to Mr Cullen, is now boing pushed on rapidly by Mr D'Arcy. . The foundation for the piers of the 74ft span bridge are sunk to the specified level, the piers' erected, the trusses framed, and the scaffolding for tho superstructure built, The bridges and culverts required to complete the road, beside those already under contract, are as follows £ S, D, 47ft span bridge over Man--' gaone stream . 170 0 0 30ft span platform bridge ... 75 0 0 do, do, do. ... 75 0 0 Largo culvert and filliug ... 70 0 0 40ft span bridge ... ... 158 0 0 Culvert and filling ... ... 58 0 0 20ft span platform bridge ... 43 0 0 Culvert and filling ... ... 65 0 0 £714 O 0 Opaki to Manawatu Road : ■ Stonay Creek Bridge.—The piers and wing-walls of this bridge aro completed, and the trusses framed; tho sea Holding tor the erection of the superstructure is also built. The bridge should bo open for general traffic in from eight to ten days. So far the works have been executed in a satisfactory manner. Kopuaranga Bridge.—The piers for this bridge are built, the trusses framed, and the necessary scaffolding for the superstructure erected. The works, so far, ■havo been well executed. The bridge will be open for traffic in about ten days, Mangatainoko Bridge,—All the piles for this bridge are driven, the piers sheeted up and braced, and the cap-pieces and corbels fixed in position ready to receive the superstructure. The framing of the trusses, erection of scaffolding, and tho filling in at the south end of the bridge are being proceeded with simultaneous. The materials used and the workß executed on. this Lridgo ave of the best quality. Since the last meeting of the. Council considerable progress has been liiade with the fillings and culverts, which are being substituted for bridges on this road ; one contract is completed, and the other is nearly so. A number of hands have been employed in patching the road surface, and removing slips, &c. The work during the winter months, owing to the increased traffic, has boen heavy, - Considerable sections of this road require re-metalling, and Bhould bo undertaken forthwith, . Mauricevillo Roads,—The contractors for the metalling of the Mauriceville North Road are preparing to resume work; hitherto part of the road has been almost impassable. Tenders for a 40ft-span bridge, to be built at. Dreyer's Rock, Opaki.to Manawatu Road, and also for a 40ft-span bridge to be built on road AB, Pahiatua Block, accompany this report,' Estimate appended. I lmve, Ac. | • John King, County Engineer. .

The Clerk here returned with a copy of Estimates, from which-.it appeared the balance of tho special vote for roads in the Forty-Mile Bash was included in the vote of L 60,000 for roads in the North Island,' and that an additional'snm of L2OOO had been voted beyond that for the Bame rood (Opaki to Manawatu). It was also probable the Council would get something out of the miscellaneous vote of 112,000 for the North Island. •The, Chairman said there would be about L 250 available for expenditure on the Pahiatua.Reserve,after paying eisiefcine liabilities, . - - r :i : ■ • It was resolved to expend the balance , on line marked A through the Reserve in the plan laid on; the table by the Engineer, in ordorto open up the'land for sale.: The bush to be fallen one chain, and the road to be made 12ft wide.

Resolved—That in jinswer ~to letter from Surveyor-General, dafiedlstOct.,',* .A

full statement be sent of liabilities on Hue A B:; also, copies of Engineer's report of 14th October on that road, with the following his\oi)curreuce iuiheopiniou of this Council; tendeftt;. should feat once: accepted for the thre&.bridge? on Ihe.line.. A Bi Pahiatua Blocls|which are stated by' the Engineer to b'ejnecesßary to opibit for. traffic, as from;the great depth of iHe. gullies to be crossed the road will be .useless until they we: bVidged. That any balance available be'expeMed in forming the proposed line A, shoVvti iri the' sketch, as passing through township reserve. 1 The formation to be in accordance with similar specifications to that for the line A. B, which, was submitted to Mr McKerrow formerly, as the Council is decidedly of I opinion that to do anything less Would be worse thau useless.. •• :•

The Clerk was instructed, in sending this, to. state that tenders for a 40ft bridge were in, and awaited his answer before acceptance. - . L_

Resolved—That the Engineer be instructed to. prepare plans and" specifications for metalling'.and bridging on the Opaki to Manawatu road, to the estimated/ amount of, L2OQO,' to be laid before the' next meeting—the necessary formation and metalling at Torphanga to be, included. ; ■ • TENDEBS, Tenders were then opened for a 40ft span bridge at Dreyer's Rock, and also for a 40ft span bridge in Pahiatua Block. The following are the tenders for Dreyer's Rock bridgePetherick, LI7G; Cashman, LlB5 ; Parker," L 244 10s; Blinkhorn & Peacock, L23oj F. Giles, L 243 14s; Chapman, L 175 lis. The tender of Mr Cashman was accepted. The tenders for the Pahiatua Bridge were opened) but reporters were requested not to publish names, until Mr McKerrow's reply was received.

Resolved that the Engineer be instructed to invite tenders, for consideration at nest meeting of Council, for bridges aud culverts in the Mangaone Block, in accordance with his report of 14th inst., but altering bridge No. 1 to a platform bridge with cuttings, No, 5 in a similar way, and make such other reductions as (if possible) to open the line for' traffic at a total cost of not exceeding L4OO. In the event of it being found that tendors can bo obtaiued before next meet, itig of Council, the Works Committee to have authority to accept. The Engineer stated that lie would have plans of Pahiatua Block road deviations ready in a few Resolved—That in the opinion of this Council it is desirable to open for sale, with as little delay as possible, the land in Pahiatua Block through which the road has beeii formed. That it is very desirable that the price asked should not bo too high, the Council would suggest that the fair cash valuo to fix .on the best sections should not exceed 303 per acre, aud the remainder 20s.

Mr Mann's application for old wire, at Mangatainoke Ferry was referred to the Engineer to report upon at the nest meeting. ... Resolved—That on the receipt of Mr MoKerrow's approval' the Works..Com-mittee-be authorised to accept tenders for three bridges in Pahiatua Block.. Tenders to be iuvited for same at once. . SUBSIDY TO HOSPITAL. Or McGregor spoke in favor of paying a subsidy to eaoh hospital in the County. He thought they should act as liberally as possible with the institutions. He would move that two and a-half percent of the subsidy payable to this Council for the present year be paid to each of the hospitals in the County; such payment to be made in ono sum on the receipt of subsidy by this Council. And that a copy of. this resolution be sent to the East County, aud Mastertou and Greytown Borouaths. Seconded by Cr Moore.

Tho Chairman said he had been informed that Government intended to give a subsidy to hospitals as before, viz., £ for £.

Or McGregor said he could not understand how it came about that the Highway Boards had not been asked to and paid a subsidy to the hospitals, They were subsidised like the Council, and the payment to hospital was made out of the subsidy granted by Government. The Chairman said that, in his opinion the Government qould enforce it upon the Council, but not upon the Highway Poards. The motion was., put and carried. NOTICE OF MOTION. As the meeting was not a full one, Cr McGregor's notice of motion relative to proclaiming the Forty-Mile Bush road a County oue was allowed to stand over to next meeting. ACCOUNTS PASSED FOB PAYSIEKT. £ S. D, Frank Giles, progress payment 320 0 0 J. Payton & Co. printing and advertising ... ... 38 6. 1 McGregor Bros., timber ... 13 12 3 Foresters, rent of offices ... 10 0 0 J. Olsen, contract 17 6 6 James Tweedale, wages ... 12 0 0 Blinkhorn & Peacock, progress payment ... ... 44 0 0 Do. do. .do 10 0 0 Carlson &MoDonald, progress payment ... ... >... 350 0 0 Blinkhorn & Peacock, progress payment ... 30 0 0 Robertson & Co. ironwork ... 14 16 8 Lyon & Blair, goods... ... 118 Elmbranch, ironwork to punt • 0 10 0 G. Gunderson, g00d#..., ... 014 6 John King, imprest account,,. 200 0 0 Frank Giles, extras in bridgework ... 80 12 0 Do, ■ timber supplied for Stoney Creek Bridge... ... 60 0 0 The Council then ad ourned.