HUTT COUNTY COUNCIL,

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1620, 11 December 1912, Page 4

HUTT COUNTY COUNCIL.

A meeting of tho Kutt County Council was held yesterday. The engineer's report stated that the principal work for tho month had lioen tho removal of slips, repairing flood damage, and keeping roads open for traffic. A culvert near tho font of Paekakariki Hill, in tho Whcreron Riding, had been carried away, and this had necessitated the erection of a temporary bridge at a cost of about JC. r )0. Another heavy slip had occurred on the- Western Jtutt Road, near Melting Siding, and had been, removed at a cost of J212 10s.

In his report on tho Moonshine Bridgo contract, Mr. Laing-Mcason stated that, owing to bad weather, tho contractors had not been ablo lo make much progress lately. If the weather conditions improved, Ihoy should luwo tho last pile driven early next week. Regarding tho recent flood, ho had a.scortaincd that it had reached a level 2ft. higher than, that of any previous flood, leaving a margin of 2ft. Gin., instead of 4ft. Gin, as estimated. It had consequently boon found necessary to raise, tho bridge] and ho had taken the. neccsavry rieps to increaso tho height of tho piers by 2ft. Gin. This would givo a clear headway of sft. between the top water level and the under sido of tho beams. Tho alteration would cost about -£55. Tho engineer's action ttas approved. Tho council decided to comply vrith tho request of tho Patea County Council in an endeavour to have tho law regarding Nntive rates amended. A letter was received from Mr. J. H. Colbon, asking the council's assistance in instituting steps to commemorate the lifo and work of Colonel Wakefield. Tho council decided that if a movement were started, it would assist. Tho council received a deputation which requested that the motion giving ratepayers thirty days' notice to remove their fences from Beach Road (Paekakariki) bo rescinded.-

Ono of the denutationisfcs stated that, at a public meeting held at Paekakariki on. Saturday night, the following resolution was carried ;—"That this meeting of ratepayers considers that the removal of fences from Beach Road is unnecessary and dangerous, and therefore'.asks the council to rescind its motion of last month." The speaker explained that as there were sand drifts in the vicinity of the roads, it would bo dangerous to move the fences. Other members of th.i deputation spoke against the motion passed at the last moeting. Councillor Howell- thought that the council should stand firm. He moved that the council adhere to its resolution.

The motion lapsed for want of .a seconder. Councillor Wakeham then moved that the matter be held over for six months. The chairman said that ho would give notice to move at nest meeting a resolution to rescind the council's previous resolution. All the councillors concurred in this except Councillor Howell. It was--decided to allow, the council's staff one w«ek's holiday on full: pay during the Christmas holidays.