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Daily Telegraph (Napier), 19 March 1883, Page 3

which amount in the aggregate to £11,500, I am directed by the Minister for Public Works to state that, subject to the conditions imposed by the above section, the application will be granted to the extent of three-eighths of the amount applied for, viz. £3231, and ■which will be available as soon as the District Engineer certifies that works to the extent of the quarter found by the County Council have been executed, and, for the grant, progress payments to the County Council will bo made from time to _ time, upon the receipt of the engineer's certificate of the valuo of tho works clone. As the amount granted is less than the sum asked for, the Minister, in terms of section 38, will be glad to confer with the County Council, ■with a view of providing for the completion of some portion of the works for which the money was applied, for, in order to insure that the expenditure shall be beneficial.—l have, See, C. T. Benzoni, Assistant Under-Secretary for Public Works. Tho Chairman said he had also received the following telegram having reference to the amount granted to the Waipawa County, and about which there seemed to have been some misconception at first: — There has been no communication with the Waipawa County Council other than tho circular letter mentioned informing them that three-eights of the amount applied for in their case, £6333, would be granted. A telegram was sent to Mr Smith, in which it was inadvertently assumed that three-eighths of the estimate cost, or half the amount applied for, would be available, but this was an error of which Mr Smith has since been informed. Walter W. Johnstn. The Chairman supposed this correspondence might be taken as an intimation to the Council to send in a further application. He would suggest that tho best thing to do was to renew their application for any balance, and to endeavor to get a grant for those roads not included in the former application. The plans and specifications were all ready for on with works representing the total amount already asked for. On tho motion of Cr. Williams it was agreed that application be made to the Government for a further grant under the „ Roads and Bridges Construction Act, 1882. ROAD OYERSEEE'S EEPOET. The road overseer reported as follows : — I have the honor to report on tho progrcs made on road works during the month, and also those portions of county roads and bridges that want repairs. Clive to Southern boundary.—Repairs to this road where most required between Clive and Havelock have been attended to during the month ; also five and a half chains of footpath has been formed and curbed at Clive as authorised. Havelock-Hampdcn Road.—The bridge hands-employed strengthening the Havelock and Hastings bridge are making good progress. I find there is great difficulty in getting long totara timber lengths from the Seventy-mile Bush when required for immediate use, and would recommend that a supply be always kept in stock. As instructed I have employed two surfacemen on the Maraekakaho and liampden road to keep it fit for traffic. Meancc-Hakawai road. —I beg to recommend that Tareha's bridge be newly floored, also hand rails erected, and wheel guards fixed at a cost of .about £30. I would also draw your attention to a public drain between the Meanee bridge and Mission Station running through the Grassmerc estate lately sold and cut into sections. Mr Scullion, in fencing his section, instead of using totara posts, lias planted willow trees in the centre of the drain for a distance of about one chain, which will retard the cleaning of it out. Mangawharc-Kuripapanga road. — This road I have lately examined, and find the heavy wool traffic and nearly constant rain has left the road in bad order for traffic. Surface roads are very difficult to keep in good order unless in fine weather. I beg to recommend the advisability of metalling tliis road, as it will be cheaper in the end than continuing , surface repairs, and between Barricade Creek and Blowhard there is a good quarry to be found in Mr Watcrhouse's land, the metal at which is of first class quality, and naturally broken. Puketitiri road.—As authorised there are three men employed putting in drain pipe culverts on this line of road. John Tracy, Road Overseer. The recommendations contained in the report were all .agreed to, tho metalling of the Mangawhare-Kuripapanga road to be charged to the Roads Construction vote. It ■was also decided that Mr Scullion be requested to remove the willows he has planted in the drain between the Meanee bridge and the Mission Station. WILLOWS OVERHANGING ROADS. The Chairman was authorised to give instructions to the road overseer to notify owners of property in all cases where willows growing on their lands overhang the public roads that tho nuisance must be abated forthwith in terms of the Public Works Act. TIIE TIG NUISANCE. The Chairman moved, in conformity with notice given by him, that bye-law No. 7, having reference to pigs and goats found straying on tho public roads, which was adopted by the Council on the 12th February last, be now confirmed. —Carried. THE WOODTHOErE-MANGAWHAEE EOAD. With respect to a letter from tho Chairman of the Okawaßoad Board, read at lastmeeting, requesting payment of a siun of £100 in consideration of certain sums spent by the Board on the road above mentioned, and upon which no decision was arrived at by the Council so far, a further coimuunication from Mr Beamish was received stating that he now found he was in error in assuming , that the Obawa Road Board was entitled to claim the sum asked for as a right. It would, however, he thought, be conceded by the Council that the request was only a reasonable one on numerous grounds which were set forth. After some discussion it was agreed that Lhe amount applied for should be granted, to be spent under the supervision of the road overseer in keeping the WoodthorpcMangawhare road open for traffic. ADJOUENED BUSINESS. Cr. Rymer said the petition he had expected to present from the Meanee Road Board, having reference to the matter of joining on a portion of the county left out south of the municipality, and between that boundary and Tareha's bridge, had not yet been placed in his hands. He would, therefore, give fresh notice to have the matter considered at the next meeting of the Council. Marshall's crossing. Cr. Torr moved that the road overseer be instructed to examine the crossing of the Mangakapiko a little on the side of Mr Marshall's, and report to the Council with a view to making some improvement. The Council then adjourned.