Waipawa County Council.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5388, 29 November 1888, Page 2

Waipawa County Council.

The annual meeting of the Council was held yesterday. Present—Crs. Herriok, Bridge, Harding, Bibby, Ross, McKay, Ericksen, Hall, and Brabazon. The clerk took the chair. After a quantity of correspondence had been read and dealt with, the following Road Overseer's report was read and adopted:— Waipukurau Riding.-—Tho contractor for delivering maintenance metal for this rid- ! n S. is at present engaged repairing the road between Waipukurau and the riding 1 °T<\ i Jon the Wall «gford Road. The last flood has again scoured away the road approach to the Maharakeke Creek, and it is now so steep that it is most difficult to get out even with empty draw. I suggested to the Council some time ago, that a new cutting be made about 30 feet down the stream, as tho water is, an d has ever since I have known the place, been much shallower there than at the present crossing, but no action was taken by the Council; I would, therefore, again refer the necessary for making a new approach to your consideration ; the cost would not exceed £4 I would mention that this creek is on the boundary between the Waipukurau and Ruataniwha Ridings. Magnussen will complete his contract on the Fairfield Gorge Road in about 12 days. Ruataniwha Riding.—J. Wheeler has again started to complete the metalling of his contract on the Sherwood Road, and if the weather is favorable will have it completed in about seven days. I would again ask the attention of the Council to the necessity for forming and metalling about 35 chains of the Blackburn-Ashley-Clinton road between the south west corner of W. Durham's section to its junction with the Ashley-Clinton road, and also about 14 chains of the Ashloy-Clinton-Takapau road commencing at Mr N. Loye's. There is about,2o chains of the same road through the Lambertford run, requires to be formed aud metalled, for during last winter these | places wero very soft and consequently caused a great deal of inconvenience to carters. Makaretu Merged Distriot.—There was £70 voted by the Council at last meeting to be expended on the most urgent works in that district; I would therefore suggest that the above amount be apportioned to the following roads:—To repairing the bridges on Thompson's road between Paget's and W. Thompson's at a cost of about £10. The road approach to Ireland's bridge is in much need of re-grading and metalling, for at present it is dangerous in the extreme, and there are also some culverts require renewing on Jensen's road. With respect to the road leading to Messrs Boyle's Balsallie's, Colo's, and others, I would recommond that after repairing the broken culverts the balance could be spent to advantage on new formation and metalling, as there aro quite a number of bad places to be dealt with. But before recommending any particular place whore tho money could be most judiciously expended, I would respectfully remind tho Council that the question discussed some months ago by the Council, of diverting this line of road—or rather a portion of it—has not yet been decided, and until a definite decision iB arrived at the expenditure of the proportion of this grant, which may bo considered duo to this road, should be deferred. Tho deviation of the road from Mr Lambert's plantation to Mr Balsallie's is a matter of very great importance to the whole of the settlers living in this part of the Makaretu. As the route proposed is comparatively level, and the distance is 20 chains loss than by tho present road the necessary formation and metalling to Mr Balsallie's would not cost more than £160 ; whereas the formation and metalling of the present road could not be executed for less than £480, and would mt then be so good a road. You will therefore see that there is a difference of £320 between tho two routes; and I have been informed that tho Takapau Road Board have signified their willingness to contribute on certain conditions. The deviation should if possible be secured, so that all available money could be expended where it would bo of tho greatest benefit to the majority. With referenco to instructions re Mr Dickenson's application to get the road leading to his place improved, I may state that I have seen the place he refers to and there is no doubt but that improvements are veiy much needed, as there is no possible way of getting out until some improvements are effected. A bridle track could be cut to hid place for about £8; but I would state that this part of the road complained of is in the new block, where there are numbers of other settlers in as bad or worse position than Mr Dickenson. The third instalment of the deferred thirds for road purposes will soon bo duo to this block, but no notification has yet been received from tho Commissioner to that effect; nor have any moneys been yet received on account of the deferred thirds for this block, but I am given to understand that there is over £60 due, and this amount would improve the inlet to Mr Dickenson's and also a number of other places in a like position. * Norpewood Riding.—No works in hand in this ridiug, and nothing done during the month but tho usual surface labors. The main road is getting very bad, tho gravel boing almost worn out. It will require a substantial coating of gravel from one end of Norsowood to the other. Ormondville Riding.—There have been some metal repairs effected on the Ormond-ville-Norsewood road during the past month. A very serious acoident happened to Mrs. Gasson through her horse shying and backing them over the side of the embankment, which is about forty feet deep at this place. This occurred on a cutting on the south side of the Makotuku creek, and was caused by the horse taking fright at some lumps of earth or stone lying on the side of the roud, brought down I understand by a man named Smith who was carting sand for uso in building chimneys without authority from anyone connected with the county. This is not the only instance where parties have taken down tho bank for the purpose of obtaining sand without authority, and it certainly should be put a stop to in some manner that would bo effectual. With respect to the opiuion expressed by a number of the publio, that all such places should be securely fenced, there can be no doubt that it wonld lessen the danger in a (treat measure, but I consider it my duty to inform you that tho cost of fencing in the whole of the dangerous places throughout tho County would be a heavy one—l should '■ say not less than £500—'there being a i number of places equally as dangerous to traffic as this one. In my opinion the most : effectual method of preventing accidents in i such places is for the drivers to get out and i lead tliair horses, for I am convinced that 1 if only ordinary precautious were taken in ' such places, accidents, such as the one I i have mentioned, would bo rare. As in- 1 Rtructed, I interviewed the Chairman of the c Ormondville Town Board re assisting to > abate the nuisance emanating from the l

gravel pit at Makotuku, and he informed mo that tho matter would be considered at the next meeting of tho Town Board, and the result of their decision forwarded to the Council.

Danovirko Riding.—Metal repairs have been completed where required ou tho mam road through Danevirke, and the surfaceman is now engaged oleariog water

channels. Woodville Riding.--The late heavy flood j has damaged one of the main piera of the Muaawatu bridge on Harding's to Kuineroa road, tho pier having sunk about six inches at tho up stream end, and it has also got a side cant of about four inches towards the Kumoroa side of the liver. The cause arises, as far as I am able to judge, from an underscour in the foundation, but whether this is owing to defective workmanship in not procuring a sound foundation, or from a hole being scoured in the papauudevneath the pier, I am not as yet in a position to statu, for on both, tho occasions of my visiting the bridge since the flood the'water was tOA dw>p and muddy to ascertain tho true oatiso of the damage, but as soon as the river goes down and the water deal's, J will then bo in a position to acquaint you as to the cause and amount of damage done. In

the meantime I have caused uuderstr»it3 to be erected from the top of the concrete on the damaged pier and fastened underneath the lower chord at tho second panel, and have also scoured tho pier as far as praotioaWo with wire ropes fastened round the defective pier and secured to ono of the

sound piers, aud tightened with three union screws. In fact I have tjaken all the precautions within my power of keeping the pier in its present position until the goes down, when immediate stops, should be takon to repair the damage. I would suggest that the Government be asked to take over that portion of the Woodviile-Palmerston road between Wood-

lands road and tho Manawatu river, as the carrying out of tho railway works now

in progress, will necessarily at times endanger traffic, and will also be tho naeaus of additional labor and expense oil the county road, than would under the- ordinary circumstances bo required. At the same time I feel satisfied Unit all legitimate moans aro used io guard against accidents or cause additional expense to the oountv, but am convinced that, this particular portion of railway cannot be made alongside tho county road without interfering with tfcjj public traffic or causing a.dditioiwi outlay on the part of the county. As instructed I have

prepared a, specification, dealing with what tfrequired in acontvaot, for keeping tho Voada in repair for a period of ttuv?o years, and should this system. Co adopted by the Council and put into practice, there-, are

some minor matters which will require to be added to tho specification ; but I believe I

have made it sufficiently binding to protect tho Couucj!, and have ulso as far as possible against any contingency that may arise during the period of tho contract.

A. GiLMoim. The following tenders were dealt wi.ih: — Formation and metalling Jo. 1 ! chains, Pinfold road, Woodvijk).— \S, j. Bradbury, io Os t)]d; E. Harding, ;}-.'s (accepted); Canunook siiid Ebbett, £;i '_>s John Beagley, £130 10s; R. Bryant, 355; J. Bradbury, 37s 6d. "Profile bridge across Mangaatua creek,.

Harding's road.—R. Bryant, £165; G. Rabone, £235 7s; J. Donovan, £230 Ifis; J. W. Crosse, £191 18s; D. B. Simpson, £185; Isles and Hewett, £186; A Milne, £198 lis; D. W. M'Millan, £164 (aooeptsd). Formation and metalling 75J chains, Harding's to Kumeroa road.—E. Harding, 27s 4d; S. Bowing, 3Gs; J. M'Carthy, 59s sd; R. Bryant, 32s 6d; J. Bradlcr, 25s (accepted); P. Magnussen, 335; A. Jil'Millan, 435.

Dram pipes—l Sin. Gs lOd, loin. <s 6d, 12m. 3s 2d, Ota. 2s 2d, 0. Dolbel aid Co! (accepted); Tait and Mills, 6s 6d, ss, is 3d, and2s4d; Glendinning and Griffin, (s 9d, 4s lid, 3s 2d, and 2s 2d.